Patents Examined by Baisakhi Roy
  • Patent number: 9763599
    Abstract: A method for repositioning a mobile imaging system includes: a) capturing an image recording of at least one optical marker as a reference variable which is disposed close to an examination and/or treatment area of an object, b) capturing the image recording direction as a further reference variable, c) wherein the capturing mobile imaging system is in a predefined position and/or alignment suitable for image recording, d) detecting a changed and/or non-capturable position of the at least one optical marker and/or a changed and/or non-capturable image recording direction, and e) repositioning the mobile imaging system using a comparison of the reference variables from a) and b) with the respectively corresponding reference variables from d). An image capturing unit and an optical marker are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Graumann, Sultan Haider, Gerhard Kleinszig, Jessica Magaraggia
  • Patent number: 9763843
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present description provide a medical apparatus for use in supporting a patient lying in a supine position during a radial cardiac catheterization procedure. More particularly, embodiments of the present description provide an arm board a patient's arm during a radial cardiac catheterization procedure. The arm board has a base member having a substantially planar support surface on which the patient's arm can be stabilized during a catheterization procedure and at least one shield member affixed to the base member and extending away from the support surface. Desirably, the base member has both a radiolucent portion and a radiopaque portion and the shield member is a radiopaque material, thereby reducing and/or eliminating a doctor's exposure to radiation during radial cardiac catheterization procedures without impairing the ability to obtain the necessary medical images. Also provided is a medical apparatus and a method for its use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: L. Van Thomas Crisco, Gary Goff
  • Patent number: 9757091
    Abstract: Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises an image generator, a first structural information acquirer, a second structural information acquirer, and a synthesizer. The image generator generates, based on ultrasound waves transmitted and received in accordance with a plurality of transmission and reception conditions, sets of image data whose images represent at least partially a common area for each of the transmission and reception conditions. The first structural information acquirer acquires tissue-structure information indicative of tissue structures depicted, respectively, in the sets of image data. The second structural information acquirer acquires common structural information indicative of a tissue structure common in the sets of image data, based on the tissue-structure information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kuramitsu Nishihara, Tomohisa Imamura, Takuya Sasaki, Yuko Takada
  • Patent number: 9753103
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of providing content related to capture of a medical image of an object. The method includes acquiring at least one of information related to a state of the object and information related to a capture protocol, determining content to be provided to the object on a basis of the acquired information, and outputting the determined content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae-ho Lee, Sang-young Zho, Joon-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 9730673
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing geometry of an object surface via echographic probing, using an ultrasound probe including plural transducers, the method including: controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having initial transmission delays between them; executing at least once a cycle of operations including receiving from the transducers intermediate measurement signals, correcting transmission delays of the transducers using intermediate measurement signals, and controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having the corrected transmission delays; receiving from the transducers final measurement signals resulting from reflection of a wavefront received simultaneously on the surface; determining specular travel times between each transducer and the surface based on the final measurement signals and the corrected transmission delays; and perform geometric reconstitution of the surface based on the determined specular travel times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Sebastien Robert, Olivier Casula, Ekaterina Iakovleva
  • Patent number: 9717479
    Abstract: Data is communicated from an implanted section to an external location. The implanted section includes a transducer such as a piezoelectric element with an ultrasound reflecting surface that moves in response to an applied driving signal. A sensor generates an output signal that depends on a sensed parameter, and a control circuit drives the transducer based on the sensor's output. The transducer's response to the driving signal is repeatable such that the value of the output signal can be determined by measuring the variations in the velocity of the surface using externally applied Doppler ultrasound, and computing the value of the sensor's output from the measured variations in velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: Yoram Palti
  • Patent number: 9713434
    Abstract: A heart-rate sensor for detecting artery blood-flow volume per unit length change in a human or animal subject, which comprises an antenna for sensing the instantaneous volume of blood in the artery of the subject, to be measured; a RADAR unit for transmitting microwave signals into a subject's body part or limb representing tissue targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SENSIFREE LTD.
    Inventor: Ilan Saul Barak
  • Patent number: 9713460
    Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound system and method for providing change information of a target object by performing image registration on a reference image acquired before radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and an ultrasound image acquired during the RFA and comparing the reference image and the ultrasound image that have undergone the image registration with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-kuk Shin, Bong-koo Seo, Sung-jin Choi
  • Patent number: 9706979
    Abstract: A mobile ultrasonic diagnostic device comprising: a battery (30); a storage processing unit (38) that performs storage processing of data used by the mobile ultrasonic diagnostic device; a high-speed storage unit (80) that performs storage processing faster than the storage processing unit (38); and a storage processing determination unit (36) that determines the storage processing on the basis of the temperature or remaining power of the battery (30). Data can be safely used without loss even when there is the possibility that power cannot be supplied from the battery, as a result of the storage processing unit (38) and the high-speed storage unit (80) performing storage processing on the basis of the storage processing determined by the storage processing determination unit (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masa Yamamoto, Yoshinori Hirano
  • Patent number: 9702854
    Abstract: In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a photoacoustic probe includes: at least one optical fiber irradiating laser to a target; an ultrasonic probe collecting a photoacoustic signal generated by the target having absorbed the laser; and a fluid-type light reflector reflecting laser reflected, scattered, or deflected from the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Ho Kim, Jung Taek Oh
  • Patent number: 9687155
    Abstract: The present invention is a system, method and application for skin health visualization and quantification. The present invention is operable to process an image or video showing skin of a subject to determine characteristics of the skin through a quantitative measuring of parameters. The image or video is processed and analyzed a software application executed by a system incorporating a computer processor, data storage and display unit. A camera may further be integrated system. One or more filters applied to the image or video, to identify characteristics of the skin. A result of skin health results and overall skin health is generated. The image or video, skin health results and/or overall skin health may be displayed to a user. A visualization of amplifications or attenuations of skin health may further be displayed to a user. The invention may be wholly provided in a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MODIFACE INC.
    Inventor: Parham Aarabi
  • Patent number: 9675310
    Abstract: A periodic time-varying model of a guide wire, other device, or vessel is created from higher contrast CINE acquisition. A multivariate curve regression is used for periodic, phase dependent motion modeling. This model is then used to locate or track the guide wire, other device or vessel in lower contrast fluoroscopy images during intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Kelm, Peng Wang, Andreas Meyer, Guillaume Dumont
  • Patent number: 9668768
    Abstract: System and methods are provided for adaptively and interoperatively configuring an automated arm used during a medical procedure. The automated arm is configured to position and orient an end effector on the automated arm a desired distance and orientation from a target. The end effector may be an external video scope and the target may be a surgical port. The positions and orientations of the end effector and the target may be continuously updated. The position of the arm may be moved to new locations responsive to user commands. The automated arm may include a multi-joint arm attached to a weighted frame. The weighted frame may include a tower and a supporting beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL (BARBADOS) INC.
    Inventors: Cameron Piron, Michael Wood, Gal Sela, Joshua Richmond, Murugathas Yuwaraj, Stephen McFadyen, Alex Panther, Nishanthan Shanmugaratnam, William Lau, Monroe M. Thomas, Wes Hodges, Simon Alexander, David Gallop
  • Patent number: 9655524
    Abstract: An OCT probe includes a cannula and includes a selectively displaceable light-carrying optical fiber disposed within the cannula. The optical fiber may be arranged to emit light from a distal end thereof. A flexor may be bent to divide the flexor into a first segment and a second segment extending along a lumen of the cannula. The first segment may be coupled to the optical fiber. A driver may be configured to push or pull the second segment in the axial direction to elastically bow the second segment and laterally displace the optical fiber to perform an OCT scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventor: Barry Lynn Wheatley
  • Patent number: 9596994
    Abstract: A system including a medical instrument, a sensor, and a processor module in communication with the sensor. The medical instrument includes a radiation source for transmitting electromagnetic radiation from within a body and through a material in the body. The sensor receives a portion of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the material, and the processor module determines at least one characteristic of the material based on the electromagnetic radiation received by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: J. William J. Futrell, David J. Gaskin
  • Patent number: 9585567
    Abstract: An imaging work station (20) includes one or more processors programmed to receive (170) an image depicting a distribution of a radiotracer in a brain or other region of interest. The radiotracer includes at least one of [18F]-Flutemetamol, [18F]-Florbetaben, and [18F]-Florbetapir which highlights amyloid deposits. The image and a template or an MRI image of the region of interest which includes a segmented anatomical feature, such as gray matter, are registered (180) to a common space. A volume representation of the image which depicts the distribution of the radiotracer in the segmented gray matter and suppresses the radiotracer outside of the segmented anatomical feature in white matter is extracted (210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Frank Olaf Thiele, Fabian Wenzel
  • Patent number: 9548215
    Abstract: An endoprosthesis, a method for imaging an endoprosthesis, a method of making an endoprosthesis involve a polymeric substrate that has been modified to have voids embedded within the substrate. The voids are sized to scatter optical radiation from within the substrate so that an optical coherence tomography (OCT) image can be obtained in which an interior region of the substrate can be easily differentiated from empty space and other structures that surround the endoprosthesis. The voids allow for OCT visualization of the polymeric substrate which may be difficult to visualize by other methods such as fluoroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Mary Beth Kossuth, Richard J. Rapoza, Joel Harrington
  • Patent number: 9533167
    Abstract: A system and method for manipulating devices, such as a medical implant arranged within a subject, is provided. For non-invasive manipulation of a medical implant, a subject having a non-ferromagnetic medical implant arranged therein is arranged within a system having a static magnetic field and a plurality of adjustable magnetic fields. The non-ferromagnetic medical implant includes at least one cavity and at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material arranged within the at least one cavity. The plurality of adjustable magnetic fields of the system are controlled to induce forces on the at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material arranged within the at least one cavity to thereby apply the induced forces to the non-ferromagnetic medical implant to effectuate a non-invasive, in vivo manipulation of the non-ferromagnetic medical implant. Other implementations include the manipulation devices such as robotic medical systems, using magnetic fields to drive the robotic medical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Danielle R. Zurovcik
  • Patent number: 9526408
    Abstract: A light source device of an electronic endoscope system has first and second semiconductor lasers. In a vascular observation mode, one of the semiconductor lasers is used in a full light state (100% rated output) while the other is used in a reduced light state (for example, 10% rated output). First and second images of an internal body portion are captured with a color imaging device under illumination of two patterns, respectively. Correlation operation of pixel values of three colors is performed between the two images. Noise components, caused by the first or second semiconductor lasers in the light reduced state, are removed from the first and second images. An oxygen saturation level of blood in a blood vessel is calculated using the first and second images with the noise components removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Takaaki Saito, Takayuki Iida
  • Patent number: 9531368
    Abstract: A semiconductor switch circuit comprises: a first switch pair including two MOSFETs having gates connected one another and sources connected to one another, and a zener diode reversely connected between the gates and sources of the MOSFETs; a second switch pair including two MOSFETs having gates connected one another and sources connected to one another, and a zener diode reversely connected between the gates and sources of the MOSFETs; and a third switch pair comprising two MOSFETs having gates connected to one another and sources connected to one another. The first switch pair and the second switch pair are connected in series between two input/output terminals through a connecting node. The third switch pair is connected to the connecting node between the first switch pair and the second switch pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Honda, Fumiaki Yamashita, Junichi Aizawa