Patents Represented by Attorney Schiff Hardin LLP
  • Patent number: 8219194
    Abstract: In a system and method for monitoring cardiac synchrony in a human heart, a first sensor is positioned at a first cardiac wall location that is subject to movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements along the longitudinal axis of the heart, and measures the cardiac wall movements at the first cardiac wall location and a second sensor is positioned at a second cardiac wall location that is subject to movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements along the longitudinal axis of the heart, and measures the cardiac wall movements at the second cardiac wall location. A lead arrangement conducts respective output signals from the first and second sensors to processing circuitry that processes the first and second sensor output signals to produce a synchronization signal therefrom indicative of synchrony in the respective valve plane movements at the first and second cardiac wall locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB
    Inventors: Karin Järverud, Kenth Nilsson, Sven-Erik Hedberg
  • Patent number: 8217654
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography device has a magnet system that generates a gradient field; with a local coil that receives a magnetic resonance signal; and with a localization system that is fashioned to locate the local coil. The localization system has a number of magnetic field sensors that are integrated with the local coil and fashioned to detect the gradient field. Such a device is used in a corresponding method for localization of a local coil in a magnetic resonance tomography device, and a local coil is fashioned so as to be suitable for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Peter Heubes, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 8217656
    Abstract: In a method of compensating for the effects of motion of an image subject during magnetic resonance imaging using phase encoding in a magnetic resonance imaging system having a number of wireless local coils and a wireless microwave transceiver array, one or more phase encoding steps are implemented to derive one or more magnetic resonance signals in the wireless coils. The signals from the phase encoding steps are upconverted to generate upper and lower sidebands of the magnetic resonance signals; and the upconverted upper and lower sideband signals are transmitted to the microwave array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Anthony Peter Hulbert
  • Patent number: 8218719
    Abstract: In a method to assist in the selection of an acquisition configuration from a set of adjustable acquisition configurations for the acquisition of x-ray projections of the heart of a patient with a computed tomography apparatus to examine the heart of the patient, the which method is based on an examination type to be specified. At least two acquisition configurations for the specified examination type (which acquisition configurations can be adjusted at the computed tomography apparatus) are considered for which at least one probability density function is respectively kept ready that was determined for the respective acquisition configuration for a specific variable pertaining to a person and/or for the x-ray dose to be applied to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Allmendinger, Stefan Reichelt, Carsten Thierfelder
  • Patent number: 8217657
    Abstract: A diplex filter is formed by two impedance-transforming filters with separate transmission frequency ranges and with separate cut-off frequency ranges and a connection node at which two series elements of the two filters are connected. These two series elements are each fashioned as a parallel oscillating circuit, each parallel oscillating circuit exhibiting a predetermined reactance in a midband of the respective transmission frequency range and a parallel resonance in a midband of the respective cut-off frequency range. The diplex filter can be realized in a simple and cost-effective manner without ferrite-containing special components, for instance inductively coupled coils or tapped coils thereby allowing use thereof in a magnetic resonance tomograph, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ralph Oppelt
  • Patent number: 8218726
    Abstract: An imaging tomography apparatus has electronic components provided to operate the tomography apparatus, with at least one of the electronic components exhibiting a power consumption in high power operation that is significantly increased relative to power consumption in normal operation. The imaging tomography apparatus has an energy storage that, in high power operation, supplies the at least one electronic component with additional electrical energy to cover an energy demand due to the difference in power consumption between normal operation and high power operation. The provision of the additional electrical power in high power operation by means of the energy storage allows the modules that participate in the power supply of the at least one electronic component to be realized with lower cost. Such participating modules can be, for example: the mains connection, junction boxes with power switches (safeguards); a transformer, a rectifier, cables, slip ring brushes, slip ring tracks, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wolfgang Bressel
  • Patent number: 8219245
    Abstract: To increase the safety of an articulated arm robot with robot members connected by means of joints as open kinematics and with functional elements acting on the joints, such as drive motors, gears, brakes and a weight balance system, while reducing the mechanical limitations of the motion space of the robot, the present invention provides that at least some of the said functional elements have a dual design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Merk, Joachim Markert, Rainer Krumbacher
  • Patent number: 8218721
    Abstract: A diaphragm and diaphragm device for the specific manipulation of x-ray radiation that emanates from an x-ray focus of a CT apparatus and serves for scanning an examination subject, wherein the x-ray focus and the diaphragm arranged relatively near to the focus can be rotated together around a system axis (z-axis), and the diaphragm has movable diaphragm elements that dynamically adjust a diaphragm aperture (and therefore the spatial divergence of the x-rays passing through the diaphragm aperture). The diaphragm elements have a transmission factor for x-ray radiation that is different than zero. With such a diaphragm or diaphragm device the acquisition of the projection data necessary for the reconstruction of an artifact-free image of a region of interest (ROI) is possible with lower radiation exposure of the examination subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Raupach, Bernhard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8209850
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing pencil cores a continuous strip of electrical steel is provided. The continuous strip is cut to create a plurality of starting strips as laminations each having a length longer than a desired length of the pencil cores and at least one of the strips having a strip width at least equal to or larger than a desired diameter of a cross-section of the pencil cores. The starting strips are provided with a bonding layer. The starting strips are stacked and then heated and cured to create a bonded stack. The bonded stack is machined to a substantially circular cross-section. Without a de-burring or de-smearing operation after the machining, the machined bonded stack is cut to create a plurality of pencil cores of the desired length. The pencil cores created by the method are substantially round, and have no welds at end faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Tempel Steel Company
    Inventor: Mark Bender
  • Patent number: 8214757
    Abstract: To execute a program, a computer opens a usage window of a user interface of the program when calling the program. Via the opened usage window, the computer receives usage commands for a usage part of the program from a user, the usage commands being presented during the input thereof in the usage window, or in a usage command window of the user interface. The computer executes a usage action corresponding with a usage command after validation of the usage command, and receives retrieval commands from the user to retrieve additional information. The retrieval commands are presented in a retrieval command window of the user interface during the input of said retrieval commands. Additional information is received from a web server after the validation of the respective retrieval command. The retrieval and output of the additional information is an action different from the usage action. The information window, the retrieval command window, the usage window and the usage command window are different windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Grimme, Christof Krellmann
  • Patent number: 8212833
    Abstract: A method for entering secure data at an input device includes displaying a graphical input region having input elements, such as a number keypad, and receiving selections of the input elements via a display selection device, such as a mouse or touch screen. An attribute of the displayed graphical input region is changed so that inputs by the display selection device change for the same data input. Examples include changing the position, size and/or layout of the input elements and/or graphical input region. The graphical input elements may instead be provided with two characters so that typing one character results in input of the corresponding character, and then changing the association of the characters on the displayed input elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: IPDEV Co.
    Inventor: James B. Kargman
  • Patent number: 8214020
    Abstract: In a method and an imaging system for implementing a CT-assisted or MRT-assisted minimally-invasive interventional procedure at an anatomical location inside the body of a patient, the inspiratory or respiratory position of the patient within the respiratory cycle of the patient is continuously detected and a measurement value, identifying a current position of the patient within the respiratory cycle, is detected at a point in time that a CT or MRT slice image of the anatomical location is obtained. This measurement value is stored together with the image data of the slice image so that the measurement value and the image data can be retrieved together and displayed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Aulbach, Gabriel Haras
  • Patent number: 8212558
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus has a magnet unit at least partially surrounding an examination region, a local coil, and a local coil positioning device. The local coil positioning device includes a transmission device arranged at the local coil to transmit signals and at least one signal reception device arranged at a fixed position relative to the examination region to detect the signals sent by the signal transmission device. A corresponding local coil positioning device comprising a signal transmission device to transmit signals and at least one signal reception device to detect signals sent by the signal transmission device. A local coil for an examination in a magnetic resonance apparatus has a signal transmission device, advantageously an ultrasound signal transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Mueller
  • Patent number: 8210169
    Abstract: A delivery apparatus for pressurized medical liquids has a primary reservoir that pressurizes a medical liquid therein to a driving pressure, a second reservoir having an inlet connected to receive pressurized liquid from the primary reservoir via a controllable intermediate valve, and an outlet for discharge of the received medical liquid via a controllable dosing valve. A pressure measuring unit measures the pressure in the secondary reservoir and a control unit controls the intermediate valve and the dosing valve by monitoring the operation of the intermediate valve and the dosing valve dependent on the measured pressure value from the pressure measuring unit. The control unit generates a status signal dependent on predetermined rules for measured pressure changes compared with calculated pressure changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB
    Inventors: Christer Ahlmén, Mario Loncar
  • Patent number: 8207737
    Abstract: A standing wave barrier, particularly for use in a magnetic resonance tomography device, has a body and an opening in the body that is fashioned to accommodate a cable, the opening being formed as an externally open groove along a longitudinal direction of the standing wave barrier, and is shaped so that the cable can glide in and out along the standing wave barrier through the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Greim
  • Patent number: 8205610
    Abstract: A delivery apparatus for pressurized medical liquids has a reservoir for medical liquid and a pressurizing means configured for pressurizing medical liquid to a driving pressure; with a diffusion barrier arranged to float on medical liquid in the reservoir and disposed to cover substantially the entire surface of the medical liquid in the reservoir for the purpose of preventing diffusion of gas present in the reservoir into the medical liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB
    Inventors: Christer Ahlmén, Ake Larsson
  • Patent number: 8208174
    Abstract: In a method and printing device, a deviation from a predetermined desired pitch that occurs between at least two points of at least one print image in a print direction is reduced. In a printing step, the at least one print image is generated on a substrate with at least one print head of the printing device with a relative movement between the at least print head and the substrate. In a determination step preceding the printing step, an initial deviation from a desired pitch between the two points is determined first and correction information to reduce the deviation is determined from the determined initial deviation. In the printing step, control signals for the at least one print head are generated depending on the correction information to generate the at least one print image. A variable delay of at least one of the control signals is predetermined by the correction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Kieser, Olaf Turner
  • Patent number: 8207437
    Abstract: A small compact easy to handle device with disc-jockey functionality is proposed, comprising a housing, loudspeaker system output means (23) for providing a loud-speaker sound output to at least one loudspeaker system, a display (13), means for 5 providing at least a first channel or at least a second channel as the loudspeaker sound output said computing device being characterized in that the housing is dimensioned to be handheld by a user and that it comprises—selection means (13) for selecting one of the first and second channel 10—control means (14, 18) comprising an input means for controlling at least one characteristic of the selected channel selected from the group of bend and play-back speed—cross-fading means (16) for cross-fading between the first and the second channel independently of the selected channel, said cross-fading means ena- 15 bling cross-fading by using one input means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Idebyran S AB
    Inventors: Jonas Norberg, Joar Sörman, Erik Runeland
  • Patent number: 8203340
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus for generating perfusion images, a perfusion series of magnetic resonance perfusion images is acquired that includes tag images and at least one control image, that are grouped in pairs. From each pair an initially processed perfusion image is obtained, such as by subtraction. Each initially processed image is subjected to a quality control review by analysis with respect to at least one image quality criterion. Any initially processed image that does not satisfy the quality criterion is rejected. Only initially processed images that satisfy the quality criterion are combined to form a resultant magnetic resonance perfusion image. Artifacts in the resultant perfusion image are thereby reduced or avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Josef Pfeuffer
  • Patent number: 8204290
    Abstract: In a method and device for planning a medical imaging, a number of quality parameters that associate a desired image quality with the image exposure are imported into an image acquisition of an examination region that can be executed by means of an image acquisition apparatus. A number of image acquisition parameters are determined and, using the image acquisition parameters, an achievable image quality of the image exposure is concluded under consideration of an apparatus variable. The achievable image quality is compared per image region with the desired image quality and, if the achievable image quality falls short of the desired image quality, a shortfall indicator is output relative to the image region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gabriel Haras