Patents Examined by G. M. Hyder
  • Patent number: 11693074
    Abstract: An electric circuit arrangement for energizing a magnet of a magnetic resonance imaging facility includes a first circuit part, a second circuit part and a control facility. In an embodiment, the first circuit part is designed to generate a direct voltage as an DC link voltage from an alternating voltage and the second circuit part is designed as a current source fed by the DC link voltage. The second circuit part includes a down converter controllable by the control facility, a transformer switchable by the control facility and a rectifier. A primary current is generatable from the DC link voltage via the down converter. The primary current is feedable by a switching facility, switched by the control facility into a primary side of the transformer, and a secondary current for energizing the magnet is generatable via the rectifier connected to a secondary side of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventor: Volker Model
  • Patent number: 11686798
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or image reconstruction that includes acquiring multi-pass, chemical shift-encoded (CSE)-MRI imaging data of a subject. The method further includes performing a complex, joint estimation of phase terms in the imaging data for each pass of the multi-pass, CSE-MRI imaging data to account for concomitant gradient (CG)-induced phase errors of different passes. The method also includes generating at least one of a proton density fat fraction (PDFF) estimate or an R2* estimate that is unbiased by CG-induced phase errors using the phase terms and communicating a report that includes at least one of the PDFF estimate or the R2* estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Nathan Tibbitts Roberts
  • Patent number: 11680999
    Abstract: In a method for operating a magnetic resonance device, change information, which describes newly available and/or modified operating options compared with the previous version of user interface software means for at least one of the at least one user interfaces, is received and/or is determined from received update information; and the output means of an operator device is controlled according to the change information to display in a highlighted manner the newly available and/or modified operating options at least when the user interface and/or a further user interface, which is assigned on the basis of the change information, is invoked for the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Maria Kröll
  • Patent number: 11675032
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) local coil, a magnetic resonance apparatus with an MR local coil, and a method for producing an MR local coil are provided. The MR local coil includes an outer casing, an antenna structure, and a frame for accommodating the antenna structure. The outer casing is embodied in a flexible manner and surrounds an inner area. The frame is embodied in a rigid manner, at least in regions, and is connected to the outer casing in a fixed manner. The antenna structure is arranged in the inner area of the outer casing and is held in position by the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Christina Strauchmann
  • Patent number: 11675035
    Abstract: An electromagnet for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus. The electromagnet includes a coil configured to generate a magnetic field. The coil has a first axially outer surface, and a support element configured to mount the coil in the MRI. The support element is bonded to the first axially outer surface of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventors: Michael John Disney Mallett, Jonathan Noys, Adrian Mark Thomas
  • Patent number: 11675033
    Abstract: The present invention provides a damping mechanism comprising a first member comprising a base section, a resilient damping section and an enclosed chamber defined by the base section and an inner surface of the resilient damping section. The resilient damping section is centered about a rotation axis and the enclosed chamber is provided radially inward of the resilient damping section and configured to accommodate a deformation of the resilient damping section. A second member is attached pivotably to the base section of the first member to rotate around the rotation axis relative to the base section. A damping protrusion extends from the second member toward the resilient damping section. The resilient damping section comprises an outer surface facing away from the enclosed chamber which is configured to be engaged with the damping protrusion to produce the deformation of the resilient damping section and provide a damping to the rotation of the second member relative to the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Deyi Qiu, Junbo Zhang
  • Patent number: 11668774
    Abstract: An NMR apparatus having a magnet system for generating a homogeneous static magnetic field B0 along a z direction, with a sampling head (1) comprising an RF transmitting and receiving coil system (2) and an opening (3) extending in the z direction for receiving a sample tube (4) containing a sample substance to be analyzed by means of NMR measurement, a compensation element (5) being present which at least partially compensates for disturbances in the homogeneous magnetic field B0 due to the sample substance and the material of the sample tube at the sample end of the sample tube that protrudes farthest into the sampling head during measuring operation, is characterized in that the compensation element is arranged outside the sample tube protruding into the sampling head during measuring operation of the NMR apparatus and in the z direction below the sample end, and is mounted so as to be movable, in particular displaceable, in the z direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel Schmidig
  • Patent number: 11662334
    Abstract: A technique facilitates tracking and assessing a fatigue life of a tubing string utilizing, for example, estimation of cycles to failure when used in a wellbore operation. The technique may comprise initially determining a fatigue life of a tubing string. Additionally, the technique comprises utilizing a sensing device, e.g. a magnetic flux leakage (MFL) device, to monitor the tubing string. When an anomaly, e.g. a new defect, is detected by the sensing device, a new fatigue life of the tubing string is determined based on the change. The new fatigue life may be used to estimate a fatigue life in terms of cycles to failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhanke Liu, Linyuan Yang, Gregory Campbell, Rujuta Marathe
  • Patent number: 11662404
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a magnetic resonance system and a transmission apparatus, a transmission method, and a pre-scanning method. The apparatus includes: a signal output unit used to generate and output a pulse signal; a radio-frequency amplifier used to amplify the pulse signal; a signal processing unit used to transmit, to a transmit coil of the magnetic resonance system, the signal amplified by the radio-frequency amplifier, receive and adjust a phase of the feedback signal, and output the phase-adjusted feedback signal to the signal output unit; and a determination unit used to acquire amplitude values of the feedback signal at different phases, and determine a forward power and/or a reverse power according to the amplitude values of the feedback signal at the different phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Xin Xie, Tingting Song, Kai Wang, Haoyang Xing, Dongliang Yang, Chunlai Xiao, Jianye Ning
  • Patent number: 11656309
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided generating, Low-Field-Magnetic Resonance Imaging, LF-MRI, or Ultra-Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging, ULF-MRI, data with respect to an image frame, determining a sensorwise agreement of the data with determined sensitivity profiles, and determining a mapping between the image frame and a sensor frame, such that the sensorwise agreement has been fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Aalto University Foundation sr
    Inventors: Cornelis Zevenhoven, Antti Mäkinen, Risto Ilmoniemi
  • Patent number: 11656302
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting RF signals in magnetic resonance testing procedure includes a multidirectional stretchable fabric and a flexible radio frequency (RF) coil. The flexible RF coil has a coil shape, and comprises conductive fiber stitched into the stretchable fabric in a plurality of repeating, non-linear stitch patterns. The plurality of stitch patterns collectively define the coil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Joseph Vincent Rispoli, Jana M. Vincent
  • Patent number: 11656305
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a flexible magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) array coil configured to operate in at least one of a transmit (Tx) mode or a receive (Rx) mode. The MRI RF array coil includes a first row of saddle coil elements. At least a first saddle coil element and a second saddle coil element are in the first row. The first and second saddle coil elements partially overlap with one another. Each of the first and second saddle coil elements include a left loop and a right loop that is coupled to the left loop by two connection segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Quality Electrodynamics, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Yang, Tsinghua Zheng, Joshua Robert Reiderman, Matthew Finnerty, David Michael Berendt, John Thomas Carlon
  • Patent number: 11650275
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) system may include a MR device and a MR-compatible drive. The MR device may include a scanner with a basic magnet for generating a homogeneous basic magnetic field. The MR-compatible drive may include an electric motor with a stator. The stator of the electric motor may include a dominant component of the basic magnetic field of the basic magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Horn, Johann Sukkau
  • Patent number: 11639977
    Abstract: A local coil for magnetic resonance imaging is disclosed herein. The local coil includes an electrical circuit arrangement and a coaxial cable with an internal conductor and an external conductor surrounding the internal conductor. The two ends of the coaxial cable are connected to the electrical circuit arrangement and the internal conductor and the external conductor together form an antenna loop. The internal conductor and/or the external conductor has at least one interruption and the at least one interruption divides the internal conductor and/or the external conductor into at least two separate segments in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Rehner
  • Patent number: 11635705
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 11630172
    Abstract: An NMR magnet system uses a Stirling cooler having a cold head that extends into a housing of the system to cool a cold shield surrounding a cryogen vessel. The system may have a damper located between the cooler and the cold shield to reduce a transmission of vibration from the cooler to a magnet coil immersed in the cryogen. The damper may be passive, or may be part of an active damping system that uses an acceleration sensor to drive an active damper that compensates for cooler vibration. A compensation apparatus may use a stored characteristic of a signal distortion caused by the vibration and, in response to a trigger signal from the cooler, apply compensation to an excitation signal provided to a sample by an NMR probe in a bore of the magnet coil, or to an FID signal from the sample that is detected by the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Frank Laukien, Frank Decker
  • Patent number: 11630174
    Abstract: A magnet suitable for use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. The magnet includes a magnet body having a bore extending therethrough along an axis of the body and a primary coil structure having at least four primary coils positioned along the axis. A first end coil is adjacent a first end of the bore of the magnet and a second end coil is adjacent a second end of the magnet. The first end coil and the second end coil are spaced apart by no more than 1000 mm and an imaging region produced by the primary coils is of a disk-type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Feng Liu, Riyu Wei, Ewald Weber
  • Patent number: 11624794
    Abstract: An automatic protocolling system and methods involving a processor operable by way of a set of executable instructions storable in relation to a nontransient memory device, the set of executable instructions configuring the processor to: receive information relating to an initial protocol comprising an initial ordering of a plurality of sequences, the information comprising data relating to an interaction extent value of at least one of an imaging system and a patient as a function of time corresponding to each sequence in the plurality of sequences, the data relating to a time-integrated effect of each sequence in the plurality of sequences; and dynamically determine an alternative protocol comprising an alternative ordering of the plurality of sequences based on the time-integrated effect, whereby an alternative protocol is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Chad Tyler Harris, Jeff Alan Stainsby, Andrew Thomas Curtis, Philip J. Beatty, Curtis Nathan Wiens
  • Patent number: 11614507
    Abstract: A method for operating an MR system with a gradient pulse amplifier unit that has an end stage connected to a gradient coil with switching elements is provided. The gradient pulse amplifier unit includes a modulator for actuating the switching elements, and lockout switches interconnected in signal paths from the modulator to the switching elements. The gradient pulse amplifier unit includes feeder circuit breakers interconnected in at least some signal paths from the modulator to the switching elements. The circuit breakers are connected in the associated signal paths downstream of the lockout switches. A gradstop unit configured to receive at least one shut-off signal and actuate the lockout switches and the feeder circuit breakers. When the gradstop unit receives a shut-off signal, the gradstop unit actuates the lockout switches to lock out and the feeder circuit breakers to output an actuation signal to the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Lenz, Lennart Kilian, Daniel Niederlöhner, Dirk Schneiderbanger
  • Patent number: 11614505
    Abstract: According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable medical imaging device, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, inhibit encroachment within a physical boundary with respect to the portable medical imaging device. According to some aspects, an apparatus is provided comprising a deployable guard device, configured to be coupled to a portable magnetic resonance imaging system, the deployable guard device further configured to, when deployed, demarcate a boundary within which a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field generated by the portable magnetic resonance imaging system equals or exceeds a given threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Hyperfine Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas McNulty, Michael Stephen Poole