Patents Represented by Attorney Ziolkowski Patent Solutions Group, SC

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  • System and method for designing improved RF pulse profiles
    Patent number: 7705594
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for designing RF pulses which have improved magnetization profiles. By utilizing an optimal control approach as an alternative to, or in combination with, non-iterative approximations, RF pulses generated by the system and method described herein will exhibit less deviation from that of “ideal” Bloch solutions. Consequently, the magnetization profiles produced by the RF pulses generated by the system and method described herein will be closer to the desired profiles. In addition, limitations of non-iterative approximations, such as maximum tip angle limits and linearity constraints, can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignees: General Electric Company, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
    Inventors: Dan Xu, Kevin F. King, Zhi-Pei Liang
  • System and method for MR data acquisition with uniform fat suppression
    Patent number: 7706855
    Abstract: A system and method of MR imaging is disclosed that includes reconstruction of MR images with uniform or homogeneous fat suppression. An imaging process is performed using partial asymmetric acquisitions in conjunction with zero-filling of k-space for dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Data acquisition is carried out in a relatively short period of time which reduces scan time, reduces the likelihood of subject discomfort and motion-induced artifacts, and increases patient throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Agus Priatna, Anthony T. Vu, Xiaoli Zhao
  • Apparatus and method for detecting and classifying atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage
    Patent number: 7705593
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage includes a controller programmed to apply a non-selective inversion recovery RF pulse to a region of interest, apply a plurality of encoding sequences to the region of interest to cause generation of a plurality of echoes during application of each encoding sequence. The controller is further programmed to acquire three dimensional MR data from the region of interest during generation of each of the plurality of echoes, identify a hemorrhage based on the three dimensional MR data, characterize a type of the hemorrhage, and reconstruct an image based on the three dimensional MR data, the image comprising the characterized hemorrhage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignees: General Electric Company, The Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University
    Inventors: David C. Zhu, J. Kevin DeMarco, Anthony T. Vu
  • Method and apparatus of multi-coil MR imaging with hybrid space calibration
    Patent number: 7692425
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for parallel imaging that performs auto-calibrating reconstructions with a 2D (for 2D imaging) or 3D kernel (for 3D imaging) that exploits the computational efficiencies available when operating in certain data “domains” or “spaces”. The reconstruction process of multi-coil data is separated into a “training phase” and an “application phase” in which reconstruction weights are applied to acquired data to synthesize (replace) missing data. The choice of data space, i.e., k-space, hybrid space, or image space, in which each step occurs is independently optimized to reduce total reconstruction time for a given imaging application. As such, the invention retains the image quality benefits of using a 2D k-space kernel without the computational burden of applying a 2D k-space convolution kernel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignees: General Electric Company, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Jr. University
    Inventors: Anja C. S. Brau, Philip James Beatty, Stefan Skare, Roland Bammer
  • Method and system of determining motion in a region-of-interest directly and independently of k-space trajectory
    Patent number: 7693569
    Abstract: A system and method for determining motion in a region-of-interest directly from MR data acquired from the region-of-interest and independently of k-space trajectory are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jean H. Brittain, Anja C. S. Brau
  • System and method for using parallel imaging with compressed sensing
    Patent number: 7688068
    Abstract: A system and method for combining parallel imaging and compressed sensing techniques to reconstruct an MR image includes a computer programmed to acquire undersampled MR data for a plurality of k-space locations that is less than an entirety of a k-space grid. The computer is further programmed to synthesize unacquired MR data by way of a parallel imaging technique for a portion of k-space location at which MR data was not acquired and apply a compressed sensing reconstruction technique to generate a reconstructed image from the acquired undersampled MR data and the synthesized unacquired data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Philip James Beatty
  • Method and apparatus of multi-energy imaging
    Patent number: 7688935
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of multi-energy data acquisition. An imaging system is also provided and includes a number of HF electromagnetic energy filters. The filters include at least a first and a second filter wherein the first filter is positioned in a path of HF electromagnetic energy when an HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a first voltage and the second filter is positioned in the path of HF electromagnetic energy when the HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas L. Toth
  • Method and apparatus for acquiring free-breathing MR images using navigator echo with saturation RF pulse
    Patent number: 7689263
    Abstract: A system and method of free-breathing MR imaging saturates an entire navigator profile at the end of an imaging segment of physiological motion cycle, e.g., heart cycle, thereby providing a uniform recovery of longitudinal magnetization for the next imaging cycle. Through use of at least one dephaser gradient following the image acquisition segment and a navigator RF saturation pulse, residual transverse magnetization is dephased and spins within a navigator tracker are saturated to ensure a uniform recovery of longitudinal magnetization for the next imaging period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Maggie M. Fung, Thomas K. F. Foo
  • Synthetic jet and method of making same
    Patent number: 7688583
    Abstract: A synthetic jet includes an inner wall configured to surround a heat-generating component, a plurality of walls coupled to the inner wall, the inner wall and the plurality of walls configured to enclose a volume surrounding the inner wall, an actuator coupled to one of the plurality of walls and the inner wall. The inner wall has a plurality of orifices formed therein configured to direct a fluid toward the heat-generating component upon activation of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mehmet Arik, Yogen Vishwas Utturkar
  • Method and apparatus of multi-energy imaging
    Patent number: 7688936
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of multi-energy data acquisition. An imaging system is also provided and includes a number of HF electromagnetic energy filters. The filters include at least a first and a second filter wherein the first filter is positioned in a path of HF electromagnetic energy when an HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a first voltage and the second filter is positioned in the path of HF electromagnetic energy when the HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas L. Toth
  • Motor control center subunit having moveable line contacts and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 7688572
    Abstract: A system and method for connecting supply power to motor control components includes use of a motor control center subunit with moveable supply power contacts. After a motor control center subunit is secured into a motor control center compartment, the supply power contacts may be advanced to engage supply power buses. For disconnection, the supply power contacts may be retracted and isolated from the buses before physical removal of the subunit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar Yee, Robert Allan Morris, Scott Edward McPherren, Neal Edward Rowe
  • System and method for tissue point tracking using magnetic resonance imaging
    Patent number: 7683621
    Abstract: A system and method for MR based tracking of a tissue point includes a RF coil assembly configured to emit RF pulse sequences and a system control coupled to the RF coil assembly. The system control is programmed to cause the RF coil assembly to emit a first RF pulse comprising a first pair of two-dimensional (2D) spatially selective beams, each of the beams being directed to a respective tagging location in the subject of interest and wherein the tagging locations are equidistant from a pre-determined point-of-interest. The system control is further programmed to acquire a first series of MR images from a subject of interest, identify the first pair of 2D spatially selective beams in each MR image in the first series of MR images, and track a position of the point-of-interest based on the identified 2D spatially selective beams in the first series of MR images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Yuval Zur
  • Free-wheeling clutch for a motor control center subunit having moveable line contacts
    Patent number: 7684199
    Abstract: A system and method for connecting supply power to motor control components includes use of a motor control center subunit with moveable supply power contacts. After a motor control center subunit is secured into a motor control center compartment, the supply power contacts may be advanced to engage supply power buses. For disconnection, the supply power contacts may be retracted and isolated from the buses before physical removal of the subunit. A free wheeling mechanism prevents supply power contacts from advancing and retracting past a preset travel range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar Yee, Robert A. Morris, Daniel J. Leeman, Daniel B. Kroushl, George Norman Russ
  • RF body coil with acoustic isolation of conductors
    Patent number: 7671593
    Abstract: A system for isolating vibration and reducing acoustic noise in the RF coil of an MR imaging apparatus is presented. The system positions an RF conductor in its operative position proximate to an RF support form. The RF conductor is sandwiched between a vibration decoupling layer and a mass loading layer. The vibration decoupling layer is affixed to the RF support form so that the vibration decoupling layer is positioned between the RF conduit and the RF support form while the mass loading layer is located exterior of the RF conductor. By this arrangement, the acoustic energy is decoupled from the RF support form by the vibration decoupling layer while the vibration is reduced by the mass loading layer located exterior of the RF conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David M. Goldhaber, Darren Lee Hallman, Anton Max Linz
  • Method and apparatus of multi-echo MR data acquisition with non-discrete flip angle train
    Patent number: 7671590
    Abstract: An imaging technique is disclosed to reduce ringing artifacts from amplitude decay in MR multi-echo acquisition. A flip angle train is determined to match scan parameters for an MR scan to acquire MR data from a given tissue. Reducing the effects of amplitude decay in the echo signal reduces ringing artifacts and thereby improves image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hari Hariharan, Anthony T. Vu
  • Adjustable stone cutting guide system
    Patent number: 7658187
    Abstract: A material cutting system for cutting predetermined widths of stone. The system includes a fixed frame that is solidly affixed to the stone in the ground. A set of tracks rest on the ground and are adjustably spaced apart to receive the wheels of a stone cutting machine to control the movement of the cutting machine along a straight line to make a cutting pass. A track adjusting system moves the tracks a predetermined distance to allow a subsequent pass to cut the stone. The track adjustment system includes a motive device, such as a winch, affixed to the fixed frame having cables that extend to the tracks such that operation of the winch moves the track laterally toward the fixed frame. The amount of movement is accurately controlled by a spacing member having a predetermined length that provides a gauge to control the lateral movement of the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Inventors: John Budiac, Gregory J. Peplinski
  • Method and apparatus for increasing heat radiation from an x-ray tube target shaft
    Patent number: 7643614
    Abstract: A target for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, a target shaft attached to the target substrate, and a radiation emissive coating applied to at least one of the target substrate and the target shaft, wherein a center-of-gravity of the target is positioned between a front bearing assembly and a rear bearing assembly of an x-ray tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Hebert, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • CT detector array having non-pixelated scintillator array
    Patent number: 7643607
    Abstract: The present invention is a directed to a non-pixelated scintillator array for a CT detector as well as an apparatus and method of manufacturing same. The scintillator array is comprised of a number of ceramic fibers or single crystal fibers that are aligned in parallel with respect to one another. As a result, the pack has very high dose efficiency. Furthermore, each fiber is designed to direct light out to a photodiode with very low scattering loss. The fiber size (cross-sectional diameter) may be controlled such that smaller fibers may be fabricated for higher resolution applications. Moreover, because the fiber size can be controlled to be consistent throughout the scintillator array and the fibers are aligned in parallel with one another, the scintillator array, as a whole, also is uniform. Therefore, precise alignment with the photodiode array or the collimator assembly is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Haochuan Jiang, David M. Hoffman, James S. Vartuli
  • Method and apparatus of multi-energy imaging
    Patent number: 7636413
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of multi-energy data acquisition. An imaging system is also provided and includes a number of HF electromagnetic energy filters. The filters include at least a first and a second filter wherein the first filter is positioned in a path of HF electromagnetic energy when an HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a first voltage and the second filter is positioned in the path of HF electromagnetic energy when the HF electromagnetic energy source is energized to a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas L. Toth
  • MR imaging with an RF pulse producing reduced magnetization transfer
    Patent number: 7635977
    Abstract: A system and method are provided herein for designing and transmitting RF pulses which cause a reduced off-resonance magnetization transfer saturation. An RF pulse shape may be optimized according to a set of Bloch solutions defining a desired magnetization profile. An RF pulse may be transmitted according to this optimized shape according to a k-space trajectory which traverses a high amplitude portion of the RF pulse more times than one or more low amplitude portions. In addition, a generally alternating slice select gradient may be applied during transmission of the RF pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West, California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation
    Inventor: James Grant Pipe