Patents Examined by Blake C Riddick
  • Patent number: 12287438
    Abstract: Gamma ray detection system comprising a detection module assembly including at least two detection modules configured for positron emission tomography (PET) scanning of a target zone, each detection module comprising a plurality of stacked scintillator plates each having a major surface oriented to generally face the target zone and lateral minor surfaces defining edges of the scintillator plates, a plurality of photon sensors being mounted against said edges layer photon sensor 18a configured to detect a scintillation event in the scintillator plate from a gamma ray incident on the major surface. The gamma ray detection system is further configured to function as a Compton camera, at least one scintillator plate that is not the scintillator plate closest to the target zone being configured as an absorber scintillator plate for said Compton camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: TERAPET SA
    Inventors: Marcus Palm, Christina Vallgren
  • Patent number: 12280274
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a monitoring system (10,14) is described in which a calibration phantom (70) is located with its center located approximately at the isocenter of a treatment room through which a treatment apparatus (16) is arranged to direct radiation, wherein the surface of the calibration phantom (70) closest to an image capture device (72) of the monitoring system (10,14) is inclined approximately 45° relative to the camera plane of an image capture device of the monitoring system. Images of the calibration phantom (70) are then captured using the image capture device (72) and the images are processed to generate a model of the imaged surface of the calibration phantom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: VISION RT LIMITED
    Inventors: Edward William Mead, Ivan Daniel Meir
  • Patent number: 12282125
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer software are disclosed for determining a shape of a radiation field generated by a radiation delivery system through the use of a scintillator and a camera that is configured to acquire images of light emitted by the scintillator during delivery of a radiation beam. A support structure may be mounted to the radiation delivery system and the scintillator and camera may be fixed to the support structure such that the scintillator is not perpendicular to the axis of the radiation beam. An edge detection algorithm may be applied to radiation patterns present in the camera images in order to determine the location of an edge of a leaf of a multi-leaf collimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Sun Nuclear Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Kapatoes
  • Patent number: 12279898
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining an image having M sections and each section having N pixels. The method further includes deriving N sub-images from the image, wherein each sub-image has M sections and each section has N pixels. The i-th pixel of the j-th section of the i-th sub-image has a pixel value equal to a pixel value of the i-th pixel of the j-th section of the image and other pixels of the j-th section of the i-th sub-image are set to 0, where i traverses from 1 to N, and j traverses from 1 to M. The method further includes providing N projection patterns and calculating a projection for each sub-image by performing convolution of the respective sub-image with a corresponding one of the projection patterns, thereby obtaining N projected sub-images. The method further includes summing up the N projected sub-images, thereby obtaining a projection of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: ARGOSPECT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Zhiping Mu
  • Patent number: 12268540
    Abstract: The present application provides a suspension device and an X-ray imaging system. The suspension device is configured to bear a tube device of an X-ray imaging system. The suspension device includes a plurality of sleeves and a guide rail assembly. Cross-sections of the plurality of sleeves have substantially the same shape but different sizes. The plurality of sleeves are sequentially arranged. The guide rail assembly is provided between at least one sleeve and another sleeve adjacent thereto. The guide rail assembly includes a protruding member extending along a surface of the at least one sleeve and a sliding member provided on the another sleeve and engaging with the protruding member. The sliding member is capable of moving relative to the protruding member so as to drive the sleeves to move relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Yuqing Li, Shaobo Gu, Jianqiang Yang, Chunyu Wang
  • Patent number: 12263356
    Abstract: Systems and methods associated with a phantom assembly are provided. A housing includes a plurality of slots and is formed from a first material having a first appearance under a selected imaging modality. A plurality of inserts are each configured to be received by one of the plurality of slots. At least one insert includes a target formed from a second material having a second appearance under the selected imaging modality, such that the target is readily distinguishable from the housing under the selected imaging modality. The target includes a hollow portion that can be accessed via a removable plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Adam D. Yock
  • Patent number: 12257098
    Abstract: A wireless signal transmitter is provided for a radiotherapy device, said radiotherapy device being configured to provide radiation to a subject via a source of radiation, and further being configured to output a non-continuous beam of radiation, wherein said non-continuous beam of radiation has a first, time-related property associated therewith. The wireless signal transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a signal comprising data regarding the first, time-related property that is associated with the non-continuous beam of radiation, to a wireless signal receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Elekta Limited
    Inventors: John Allen, Adrian Smith
  • Patent number: 12257456
    Abstract: A system and method for delivering radiation therapy to a patient includes generating a radiation therapy plan and adjusting a shape of at least one of a plurality of multi-leaf collimators (MLCs) arranged in an arc about a patient bed to create a respective plurality of desired beam profiles for each of the plurality of MLCs to thereby implement the ultrafast radiation therapy plan delivery. The method further includes control a radiation therapy source to execute the radiation therapy plan by creating the respective plurality of desired beam profiles for each of the plurality of MLCs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Ke Sheng, Qihui Lyu
  • Patent number: 12251578
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase sensitivity and position resolution of measurement of an arrival position of a charged particle beam irradiated during treatment. A beam monitoring system includes: a gamma ray detector that detects gamma rays generated by interaction between a charged particle beam and an irradiation target; a shield that is disposed between the gamma ray detector and an irradiation axis of the beam and has a plurality of slits; and a calculation unit that analyzes a detection result of the gamma ray detector and reconfigures a count distribution of the detected gamma rays into a distribution of the beam irradiation axis based on a geometric arrangement of the shield, the detector, and the irradiation axis of the beam. The calculation unit obtains the arrival position of the particle beam from the reconfigured distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Kota Sasaki, Kouichi Okada, Yuichiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 12248108
    Abstract: A phase-contrast imaging detector includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a detection material that generates a measurable parameter in response to X-ray photons. Each pixel also includes a plurality of sub-pixel resolution readout structures. The sub-pixel resolution readout structures are in an alternating pattern with a spacing therebetween that is larger than a frequency of a phase-contrast interference pattern but small enough to enable charge sharing between adjacent sub-pixel resolution readout structures when an X-ray photon hits between the adjacent sub-pixel resolution readout structures. The phase-contrast imaging detector also includes readout circuitry configured to read out signals from the plurality of sub-pixel readout structures. The plurality of sub-pixel resolution readout structures includes two or more electrodes having alternating arms that form an interleaved comb structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Uwe Wiedmann, Biju Jacob, Brian David Yanoff
  • Patent number: 12232897
    Abstract: An X-ray detector is provided. The X-ray detector includes multiple detector sub-modules. Each detector sub-module includes a semiconductor layer and multiple detector elements. A plurality of detector elements is disposed on the semiconductor layer. Wiring traces extending from the plurality of detector elements to readout circuitry, where each detector element is coupled to a respective wiring trace. One or more of the wiring traces extend over one or more detector elements of the plurality of detector elements. Processing circuitry is configured to perform coincidence detection to determine which detector element of the plurality of detector elements is associated with a location of an X-ray hit when the X-ray coincidently hits one of the detector elements of the plurality of detector elements and one or more of the wiring traces coupled to respective detector elements of the plurality of detector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Brian David Yanoff, Biju Jacob
  • Patent number: 12181415
    Abstract: A method for identifying a microorganism to be identified, which includes the following steps: obtaining an Excitation-Emission EEM of the microorganism to be identified, analysing the main components of the EEM matrix using at least one reference EEMr matrix, projecting the result of the analysis onto a plane defined by two main components, and identifying the microorganism to be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: UNIVERSITE DU MANS, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE-CNRS-, CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE D'ANGERS, UNIVERSITE D'ANGERS
    Inventors: Jean-François Bardeau, Jean-Philippe Bouchara
  • Patent number: 12174129
    Abstract: X-ray tomography systems and methods for imaging an aircraft part are disclosed herein. The systems include a part fixture, which is configured to support the aircraft part. The systems also include an x-ray source, which is configured to selectively emit x-rays, and an x-ray detector, which is configured to detect the x-rays. The systems further include a support structure that operatively supports the x-ray source and the x-ray detector such that x-rays emitted by the x-ray source travel along a beam path that is incident upon the x-ray detector and that passes through the aircraft part. The systems also include a rotary scanning structure, which is configured to selectively rotate the support structure about a scan axis, and a longitudinal scanning structure, which is configured to selectively translate the support structure along the scan axis. The methods include methods of utilizing the systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Donald Duane Palmer, Jr., Thomas Anthony Maeder
  • Patent number: 12171598
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the arrangement of medical equipment during X-ray imaging. In order to provide further holding for medical equipment, a temporarily attachment of medical equipment to a subject support (26) is provided. A panel-like structure (12) is provided to be arranged between the structure of the subject support (32) and a covering mattress (34) or the like on which the subject is then arranged. An attachment interface (14) is provided at the edge of the panel, which interface can be used for a temporarily mount of the equipment. The attachment interface can be formed as a rail-segment. The panel is X-ray transparent to allow X-ray imaging of the subject from an increased range of directions. The attachment interface can be X-ray opaque or also X-ray transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Alfons Wouter Groenland, Carl Rowe
  • Patent number: 12169209
    Abstract: A sensing probe may be formed of a diamond material comprising one or more spin defects that are configured to emit fluorescent light and are located no more than 50 nm from a sensing surface of the sensing probe. The sensing probe may include an optical outcoupling structure formed by the diamond material and configured to optically guide the fluorescent light toward an output end of the optical outcoupling structure. An optical detector may detect the fluorescent light that is emitted from the spin defects and that exits through the output end of the optical outcoupling structure after being optically guided therethrough. A mounting system may hold the sensing probe and control a distance between the sensing surface of the sensing probe and a surface of a sample while permitting relative motion between the sensing surface and the sample surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Michael S. Grinolds, Sungkun Hong, Patrick Maletinsky, Amir Yacoby
  • Patent number: 12164065
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation detector that converts an intensity of received radiation into an electrical signal and a case that houses the radiation detector. An area of the case other than a predetermined area is formed of a material having durability against a disinfectant solution that has a higher disinfection effect than ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Sumi, Hajime Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 12158422
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency multiplexed excitation. One apparatus splits an excitation laser beam into two arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The light in the first beam is frequency shifted by an acousto-optic deflector, which is driven by a phase-engineered radiofrequency comb designed to minimize peak-to-average power ratio. This RF comb generates multiple deflected optical beams possessing a range of output angles and frequency shifts. The second beam is shifted in frequency using an acousto-optic frequency shifter. After combining at a second beam splitter, the two beams are focused to a line on the sample using a conventional laser scanning microscope lens system. The acousto-optic deflectors frequency-encode the simultaneous excitation of an entire row of pixels, which enables detection and de-multiplexing of fluorescence images using a single photomultiplier tube and digital phase-coherent signal recovery techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Eric D. Diebold, Bahram Jalali, Brandon Buckley
  • Patent number: 12159330
    Abstract: Upon receiving list-mode data by detecting radiation emitted from a radiation source positioned with a field of view of a medical imaging scanner, each photon included in the list-mode data can be classified according to one or more interaction properties, such as energy or number of crystals interacted with. Grouped pairs of photons can be generated based on the classifying, and a corresponding interaction-property-specific correction kernel (e.g., a corresponding interaction-property-specific point spread function correction kernel) can be selected for each group. Corresponding interaction-property-specific correction kernels can then be utilized to generate higher quality images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wenyuan Qi, Qiang Yi, Evren Asma, Li Yang, Peng Peng
  • Patent number: 12158421
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency multiplexed excitation. One apparatus splits an excitation laser beam into two arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The light in the first beam is frequency shifted by an acousto-optic deflector, which is driven by a phase-engineered radiofrequency comb designed to minimize peak-to-average power ratio. This RF comb generates multiple deflected optical beams possessing a range of output angles and frequency shifts. The second beam is shifted in frequency using an acousto-optic frequency shifter. After combining at a second beam splitter, the two beams are focused to a line on the sample using a conventional laser scanning microscope lens system. The acousto-optic deflectors frequency-encode the simultaneous excitation of an entire row of pixels, which enables detection and de-multiplexing of fluorescence images using a single photomultiplier tube and digital phase-coherent signal recovery techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Eric D. Diebold, Bahram Jalali, Brandon Buckley
  • Patent number: 12152988
    Abstract: Spatially resolved Fourier Transform Impedance Spectroscopy (FTIS) is disclosed to spatially map and quickly build the frequency response of optoelectronic devices using optical probes. The transfer function of a linear system is the Fourier transform of its impulse response, which may be obtained from transient photocurrent measurements of devices such as photodetectors and solar cells. We apply FTIS to a PbS colloidal quantum dot (QD)/SiC heterojunction photodiode and corroborate results using intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy. The cutoff frequencies of the QD/SiC devices were as high as ˜10 kHz, demonstrating their utility in advanced flexible and thin film electronics. The practical frequencies for FTIS lie in the mHz-kHz range, ideal for composite or novel materials such as QD films that are dominated by interfacial trap states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
    Inventors: Mathew L. Kelley, Andrew B. Greytak, M V S Chandrashekhar