Patents Examined by Emily Chan
  • Patent number: 8587303
    Abstract: NMR spin echo signals are measured in a borehole during underbalanced drilling. A magnetic field gradient in the region of examination is selected to suppress an effect of a formation fluid flow on the produced signals, the fluid flow being caused by the excess of the formation pressure over the borehole fluid pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas Kruspe, Martin Blanz
  • Patent number: 8587302
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for estimating fluid or rock properties from NMR measurements. A modified pulse sequence is provided that can directly provide moments of relaxation-time or diffusion distributions. This pulse sequence can be adapted to the desired moment of relaxation-time or diffusion coefficient. The data from this pulse sequence provides direct estimates of fluid properties such as average chain length and viscosity of a hydrocarbon. In comparison to the uniformly-spaced pulse sequence, these pulse sequences are faster and have a lower error bar in computing the fluid properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Lalitha Venkataramanan, Tarek M. Habashy, Denise Freed, Ashok Belani
  • Patent number: 8587309
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance system to determine a magnetic resonance (MR) image of an examination subject, wherein multiple coil-specific MR data sets that are acquired by multiple coils are used for the MR image. Each pixel of the MR image is determined from at least two coil-specific MR data sets of different coils (6-10), and each pixel has a pixel magnitude and a pixel phase. Multiple coil-specific base phases are determined that are respectively associated with one of the multiple coils. For each pixel multiple coil-specific pixel, magnitudes and multiple pixel phases are determined. A coil-specific pixel magnitude and a coil-specific pixel phase are respectively determined from a coil-specific MR data set of one of the multiple coils (7-10). The coil-specific pixel phases with the corresponding, coil-specific base phase, and the multiple coil-specific pixel magnitudes and the multiple coil-specific pixel phases are combined into the pixel magnitude and the pixel phase of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Vladimir Jellus
  • Patent number: 8581588
    Abstract: An antenna (100) for a magnetic resonance device has a predetermined sensitivity and is designed to excite and/or detect a magnetic resonance in an object under test. The antenna (100) includes a stripline resonator (10) that is equipped with at least one stripline (11), and a conductor loop arrangement (20) that adjoins the stripline resonator (10) and forms at least one conductor loop (21, 22, 28) which is interrupted by at least one capacitor (23). The sensitivity of the antenna (100) is formed by overlapping sensitivity profiles of the stripline resonator (10) and the conductor loop arrangement (20). Also described are an antenna array (200) including a plurality of antennas (100), a magnetic resonance device (300) including at least one antenna (100) or antenna array (200), and methods for magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften E.V.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Driesel, Harald Moeller
  • Patent number: 8570038
    Abstract: Nuclear quadrupole resonance substance detection at a distance is provided by crossed or overlapping high frequency beams in which the frequency of one of the beams is offset with respect to the frequency of the other beam by an amount equal to the resonant frequency of the non-linear material to be detected. The presence of energy at the offset frequency within the overlapping beams pumps any non-linear material within the overlapping beams to cause stimulated emission which is detected, in one embodiment, utilizing a network analyzer, along with correlation of the detected stimulated emission signature with a library of signatures for predetermined substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: R.A. Miller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Zank, Peter A. Ketteridge, John T. Apostolos, Candice L. Brittain
  • Patent number: 8570041
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus executes a calibration scan for acquiring calibration data used to correct image data of a subject and an imaging scan for acquiring the image data of the subject and receives magnetic resonance signals using combinations of coil elements selected out of a plurality of coil elements. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a calibration scan condition determining device for determining a scan condition for the calibration scan, based on a first scan range of the subject taken when the imaging scan is executed and a first combination of coil elements used to receive magnetic resonance signals in the first scan range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Takeshi Kubota, Mitsuhiro Bekku, Osamu Takayama, Miho Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 8570034
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus to generate images by a parallel acquisition technique an excitation pulse is radiated into an examination subject, and a first echo train is generated after the excitation pulse, wherein the first echo train densely scans a segment of k-space to be scanned for an acquisition of coil calibration data. Coil calibration data are acquired by means of the first echo train. The acquired coil calibration data are stored in a coil calibration data set. A second echo train is generated after the same excitation pulse, wherein the second echo train undersamples a segment of k-space to be scanned for an acquisition of image data. Image data are acquired by means of the second echo train. The acquired image data are stored in an incomplete image data set. An image data set is generated by substituting data missing in the incomplete image data set due to the undersampling by means of a selected PAT reconstruction technique using the coil calibration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alto Stemmer
  • Patent number: 8570042
    Abstract: System and methods for designing and using single-sided magnet assemblies for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are disclosed. The single-sided magnet assemblies can include an array of permanent magnets disposed at selected positions. At least one of the permanent magnets can be configured to rotate about an axis of rotation in the range of at least +/?10 degrees and can include a magnetization having a vector component perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The single-sided magnet assemblies can further include a magnet frame that is configured to hold the permanent magnets in place while allowing the at least one of the permanent magnets to rotate about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Alexander Pines, Jeffrey Paulsen, Louis S. Bouchard, Bernhard Blumich
  • Patent number: 8565504
    Abstract: Three slices, i.e., Basal, Mid, and Apical slices, which correspond to clinically useful ASE segmentation are designated, and the positions of the three slices are tracked through at least one cardiac cycle by performing three-dimensional speckle tracking in the remaining time phases. Three C-mode projection images concerning the tracked positions are reconstructed. In addition, arbitrary myocardial wall motion parameters at the tracked positions are computed and displayed upon being superimposed on C-mode images or projected/displayed on a polar map. As a C-mode projection image method, one of the following techniques can be used detecting and projecting only movement components perpendicular to slices determined in an initial time phase, detecting and projecting average movement components of the respective walls, and tracking and projecting each myocardial position. The obtained C-mode images are simultaneously displayed together with markers indicating the positions of long-axis images and C-mode images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporationq
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Abe, Tetsuya Kawagishi
  • Patent number: 8558544
    Abstract: Processing a complex signal includes acquisition of a signal in the form of complex numbers; determination, on the basis of the complex signal acquired, of an associated hypercomplex signal having a component which is the complex signal and at least one component that is a time derivative of the phase of the required complex signal; processing of the hypercomplex signal so that the resulting signal from the processing comprises a greater number of components than the number of components of the acquired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
    Inventor: Denis Grenier
  • Patent number: 8552726
    Abstract: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus includes a static magnetic-field magnet that generates a static magnetic field in an imaging area in which a subject is to be placed; a main coil that is provided on the inner side of the static magnetic-field magnet, and applies a gradient magnetic field onto a subject placed in the static magnetic field; and a shield coil that is provided between the static magnetic-field magnet and the main coil, and shields a gradient magnetic field generated by the main coil. Moreover, a Radio Frequency (RF) coil side cooling system including a plurality of cooling pipes that circulates a coolant in pipe is provided on the inner side of the main coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitomo Sakakura
  • Patent number: 8547097
    Abstract: In a device and a method to determine SAR for a magnetic resonance tomography transmission system with multiple antenna elements, a single-column cross-correlation matrix of an antenna element matrix of antenna element values of multiple antenna elements of the magnetic resonance tomography transmission system is determined for each of multiple points in time or time periods. These single-column cross-correlation matrices are added into a sum cross-correlation matrix over a summation time period and the sum cross-correlation matrix is multiplied with a hotspot sensitivity matrix. The hotspot sensitivity matrix represents the sensitivities in at least one direction at a number of hotspot points in a subject located in the magnetic resonance tomography transmission system. The product of the sum cross-correlation matrix and the hotspot sensitivity matrix is multiplied with a value representing the dielectricity at least one hotspot point in order to determine a respective SAR value for hotspot points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Gebhardt, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 8547092
    Abstract: A “proton precession magnetometer sensor capable of all-direction measurement” according to the present invention, in which frequency of current induced in a coil by flowing and then breaking current in the coil is measured to calculate strength of an external magnetic field, is characterized in that the coil is a toroid coil. Alternatively, the coil may be achieved by two solenoid coils connected perpendicularly, or N solenoid coils connected in the form of a polygon, where N is an integer of 3 or more. The proton precession magnetometer sensor is capable of measuring the external magnetic field in all directions since there is no dead band, and is convenient since there is no need of adjusting the sensor to a certain direction when measuring magnetic force. Further, the present invention will bring accumulation of key original technology applicable to various cases in practice through development of improved impedance matching and power consumption optimization in future practice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources
    Inventors: Hyun Key Jung, Mu Taek Lim, Jeongsul Son, Hyong Rea Rim
  • Patent number: 8542018
    Abstract: A power transmitting apparatus includes: a first magnetic resonance coil that externally transmits power as energy through magnetic resonance; a first power transmitting-and-receiving unit that supplies power to at least the first magnetic resonance coil; a second magnetic resonance coil that accepts the magnetic field energy through magnetic resonance occurring between the first magnetic resonance coil and the second magnetic resonance coil; a second power transmitting-and-receiving unit that accepts the power at least with reference to the second magnetic resonance coil; a main power supply; and a power supply-management unit configured to select either the power accepted by the second power transmitting-and-receiving unit or power transmitted from the main power supply, and transmit the selected power to the first power transmitting-and-receiving unit and/or transmit the power accepted by the second power transmitting-and-receiving unit and the power transmitted from the main power supply to the first powe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8536868
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for contiguous large imaging in magnetic resonance tomography given continuous table displacement and per-segment, para-sagittal and/or para-coronal FOV relative to the table displacement direction, a sagittal and/or coronal magnetic resonance tomography overview image is/are acquired with table displacement direction in the longitudinal direction of the body and planning FOV by circumscribing the anatomical region of interest depicted in the respective overview image, for example a vessel tree. The arrangement of 2D or 3D RF excitation volumes to be radiated is planned such that the planning FOV is completely overlapped sagitally and/or coronally by the entirety of the RF excitation volume. A segment-by-segment magnetic resonance tomographical measurement of the entire 2D or 3D region defined by the RF excitation volume ensues on the basis of temporally following, slice-selective radio-frequency excitation pulses during continuous table displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Zenge
  • Patent number: 8536867
    Abstract: An optimized processing of data of multiple local coils is enabled by a device and a method to evaluate signals received with coils of a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, wherein first signals are generated by means of coils via magnetic fields coming from a body, wherein a region in the body is defined, wherein weighting factors are calculated with the use of the first signals, wherein second signals are generated with the coils from magnetic fields coming from a body, wherein signals weighted with the use of the weighting factors are calculated from the second signals, wherein the weighted signals are processed further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Biber
  • Patent number: 8525516
    Abstract: This atomic clock comprises means for applying two mutually perpendicular oscillating magnetic fields (9, 10), governed by a control device (5) that makes them apply a static or nearly static magnetic field for compensating the ambient magnetic field in order to cancel sub-level energy variations of the matter, which disrupt the frequency of the returned photons and the reference provided by the clock. Traditional magnetic shielding may be omitted. Said device can also operate as a magnetometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Matthieu Le Prado, Jean-Michel Leger
  • Patent number: 8519711
    Abstract: In an MRI apparatus, a detecting unit that includes a thermographic imaging equipment and a normal imaging camera detects a change in temperature of an imaging space from outside of the imaging space. A judging unit judges whether the imaging space has a point at a temperature greater than a threshold TH, and if the judging unit judges the imaging space has such a point with a temperature greater than the threshold, the apparatus stops the sequence that applies a gradient magnetic field to the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitomo Sakakura
  • Patent number: 8519709
    Abstract: System, method and computer-accessible medium can be provided to facilitate a hybrid adiabatic-rectangular pulse train for saturation of magnetization within an anatomical structure. -Using such exemplary embodiments, it is possible to determine information by combining a first information associated with a first nonselective rectangular radio frequency (RF) pulse, a second information associated with a second nonselective rectangular RF pulse, and a third information associated with a nonselective adiabatic half-passage pulse. Further, it is possible to rotate the longitudinal magnetization onto a particular plane (e.g., the transverse plane) based on the information. In addition, it is possible to minimize and/or achieve the residual longitudinal magnetization to be less than a predetermined threshold value (e.g., 2% of equilibrium magnetization) within the anatomical structure using a configuration of RF pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: New York University
    Inventor: Daniel Kim
  • Patent number: 8502534
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing magnetic resonance imaging data is provided. The method includes accessing the magnetic resonance imaging data, the data including a plurality of image data sets defining reconstructable images representative of a subject at different points in time. Each data set includes sampled data for sampled phase encoding points but is missing data for unsampled phase encoding points. An adaptive time window is determined for each image data set, and the missing data of at least one of the image data sets is determined based upon the sampled data for the respective data set and sampled data from at least one other data set within the time window for the respective data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peng Lai, Philip James Beatty, Anja Christina Sophie Brau