Patents Examined by G. Steven Vanni
  • Patent number: 9945783
    Abstract: Provided is a canceration information providing method capable of presenting the information related to canceration of the cells with high reliability. A cell in which the amount of DNA is greater than or equal to the amount of DNA of the normal cell in the S period is extracted from a cell group of V11?N/C ratio?V12 (first counting step). If the number of cells obtained in the first counting step is greater than or equal to the threshold value S1 (S107: YES), “Cancer” is set to a flag 1. A cell in which the amount of DNA is 2C is extracted from a cell group of V13?N/C ratio?V11 (second counting step). A ratio of the number of cells obtained in the second counting step and number of cells obtained in the first counting step is calculated, and “Cancer” is set to a flag 2 if the ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold value S2 (S111: YES). If one of the flags 1, 2 is “Cancer” (S113: YES), the display of retest necessary is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SYSMEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuichiro Ebi, Koki Tajima, Shigeki Abe
  • Patent number: 9938557
    Abstract: Methods for identifying patients with anemia, distinguishing thalassemia-trait anemia from iron-deficiency anemia, and identifying pre-anemic patients several weeks before anemia becomes clinically detectable. Also, methods for detecting blood doping in athletes and for optimizing therapy with erythropoiesis stimulating agents or iron supplementation. Computer-readable storage devices and systems, e.g., for use in the described methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventor: John M. Higgins
  • Patent number: 9939453
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention encompass automated systems and methods for analyzing immature platelet parameters in an individual based on a biological sample obtained from blood of the individual. Exemplary techniques involve correlating aspects of direct current (DC) impedance, radiofrequency (RF) conductivity, and/or light measurement data obtained from the biological sample with an evaluation of immature platelet conditions in the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiuliu Lu, Phaisit Chewputtanagul, Christophe Godefroy, Patricio Vidal, John Riley
  • Patent number: 9933446
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to information management techniques that may be used during automated processing of biological growth media. In one embodiment, a method comprises reading an identification element associated with a biological growth medium, identifying manufacturing information associated with the biological growth medium based on the identification element, wherein the manufacturing information includes one or more manufacturing variables measured from the biological growth medium when the biological growth medium was manufactured, adjusting one or more processing parameters associated with processing of the biological growth medium based on the manufacturing variables measured from the biological growth medium when the biological growth medium was manufactured, and processing the biological growth medium in an automated system based on the processing parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Phillip A. Bolea, Michael E. Hughes
  • Patent number: 9934367
    Abstract: A computer method of characterizing chemical composition of crude oil and crude oil blends, includes determining respective segment type and segment number range of selected classes of hydrocarbon constituent molecules based on physical and chemical property data on each class of hydrocarbon constituent molecules and on crude oil physical and chemical property data. The method determines relative ratio of each class of hydrocarbon constituent molecules that forms a chemical composition representative of the subject crude oil, and therefrom characterizes chemical composition of the subject crude oil. The method/system displays to an end-user, the characterized chemical composition of the subject crude oil. Based on the identified distribution functions and the relative ratio of each class of hydrocarbon constituent molecules, the method estimates chemical composition of the crude oil. Estimates of physical and chemical properties of the crude oil are then based on the estimated chemical composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Aspen Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chau-Chyun Chen, HuiLing Que
  • Patent number: 9925382
    Abstract: A computer implemented system and method facilitates a cycle of generation, sharing, and refinement of volumes related to stimulation of anatomical tissue, such as brain or spinal cord stimulation. Such volumes can include target stimulation volumes, side effect volumes, and volumes of estimated activation. A computer system and method also facilitates analysis of groups of volumes, including analysis of differences and/or commonalities between different groups of volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Carlton, Jim Cassidy, Dean Chen, Michael A. Moffitt, Dennis Zottola
  • Patent number: 9928869
    Abstract: A method of storing information using monomers such as nucleotides is provided including converting a format of information into a plurality of bit sequences of a bit stream with each having a corresponding bit barcode, converting the plurality of bit sequences to a plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences using one bit per base encoding, synthesizing the plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences on a substrate having a plurality of reaction locations, and storing the synthesized plurality of corresponding oligonucleotide sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventor: George M. Church
  • Patent number: 9920362
    Abstract: A method for determining an allelic ladder signal for DNA analysis includes obtaining a measured allelic ladder signal for an allelic ladder substance, which includes a plurality of fragments, obtaining a reference set of expected fragment sizes of fragments of the ladder substance, and generating a signal identifying whether a peak for a fragment size of the measured ladder signal is a true peak of the ladder substance based on the reference set of expected fragment sizes, wherein the allelic ladder signal for DNA analysis includes the true peaks identified in the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Analogic Corporation
    Inventor: Ching Ming Lai
  • Patent number: 9920370
    Abstract: Methods are provided to determine the entire genomic region of a particular HLA locus including both intron and exons. The resultant consensus sequences provides linkage information between different exons, and produces the unique sequence from each of the two genes from the individual sample being typed. The sequence information in intron regions along with the exon sequences provides an accurate HLA haplotype.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Chunlin Wang, Michael N. Mindrinos, Mark M. Davis, Ronald W. Davis, Sujatha Krishnakumar
  • Patent number: 9922730
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of efficiently assessing the effectiveness of psychiatric medications as administered by physicians and more specifically to a methodology that compares the effectiveness of different medications across groups of patients based on changes in mental health scores using electronic systems. Additionally, the invention delineates when changes in medications are made during the course of medical visits for a single patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen Mark Kopta
  • Patent number: 9897532
    Abstract: A system is disclosed that enables the automated measurement of cellular mechanical parameters at high throughputs. The microfluidic device uses intersecting flows to create an extensional flow region where the cells undergo controlled stretching. Cells are focused into streamlines prior to entering the extensional flow region. In the extensional region, each cell's deformation is measured with an imaging device. Automated image analysis extracts a range of independent biomechanical parameters from the images. These may include cell size, deformability, and circularity. The single cell data that is obtained may then be used to in a variety of ways. Scatter density plots of deformability and circularity may be developed and displayed for the user. Mechanical parameters such as deformability and circularity may be gated or thresholded to identify certain cells of interest or sub-populations of interest. Similarly, the mechanical data obtained using the device may be used as cell signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Dino Di Carlo, Daniel R. Gossett, Henry T. K. Tse
  • Patent number: 9892237
    Abstract: A system and method for resolving data through a probabilistic data structure can include initializing a B-field data structure, inserting a key-value element into the B-field data structure, selecting at least one key query, and looking up the value of a key lookup request through the B-field data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Reference Genomics, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Boyd Greenfield
  • Patent number: 9892230
    Abstract: A fractional concentration of clinically-relevant DNA in a mixture of DNA from a biological sample is determined based on amounts of DNA fragments at multiple sizes. For example, the fractional concentration of fetal DNA in maternal plasma or tumor DNA in a patient's plasma can be determined. The size of DNA fragments in a sample is shown to be correlated with a proportion of fetal DNA and a proportion of tumor DNA, respectively. Calibration data points (e.g., as a calibration function) indicate a correspondence between values of a size parameter and the fractional concentration of the clinically-relevant DNA. For a given sample, a first value of a size parameter can be determined from the sizes of DNA fragments in a sample. A comparison of the first value to the calibration data points can provide the estimate of the fractional concentration of the clinically-relevant DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Yuk Ming Dennis Lo, Wai Kwun Rossa Chiu, Kwan Chee Chan, Wenli Zheng, Peiyong Jiang, Jiawei Liao
  • Patent number: 9881125
    Abstract: A method for measuring biometrics of an object includes receiving an image of an object, modeling the object to identify a portion of the object, and measuring biometrics of the object based on a modeling result the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hae-kyung Jung, Hee-chul Yoon, Hyun-taek Lee, Yong-je Kim, Jae-hyun Kim, Myung-jin Eom
  • Patent number: 9805624
    Abstract: A method of making a tissue model comprises determining one or more material properties of a tissue, wherein the one or more material properties include at least one of mechanical properties, electroconductive properties, optical properties, thermoconductive properties, chemical properties, and anisotropic properties, creating an anatomical structure of the tissue, selecting an artificial tissue material having one or more material properties that substantially correspond to the one or more material properties of the tissue, and coupling the artificial tissue material to the anatomical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Troy E. Reihsen, Robert M. Sweet, Daniel M. Burke
  • Patent number: 9784729
    Abstract: Provided is a canceration information providing method capable of presenting information related to canceration of cells with high reliability. A cell in which an amount of DNA is greater than or equal to an amount of DNA of a normal cell in a S period is extracted from a cell group of V11?N/C ratio?V12 (first counting step). If a number of cells obtained in the first counting step is greater than or equal to a threshold value S1 (S107: YES), “Cancer” is set to a flag 1. A cell in which an amount of DNA is 2C is extracted from a cell group of V13?N/C ratio<V11 (second counting step). A ratio of a number of cells obtained in the first counting step and a number of cells obtained in the second counting step is calculated, and “Cancer” is set to a flag 2 if the ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold value S2 (S111: YES). If either one of the flags 1, 2 is “Cancer” (S113: YES), retest necessary is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SYSMEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuichiro Ebi, Koki Tajima, Shigeki Abe
  • Patent number: 9775806
    Abstract: A biosensor system determines analyte concentration from an output signal generated from a light-identifiable species or a redox reaction of the analyte. The biosensor system compensates at least 50% of the total error in the output signal with a primary function and may compensate a portion of the residual error with at least one residual function. A segmented signal processing (SSP) function may serve as the primary function, first residual function, or second residual function. Preferably, when the SSP function serves as the first residual function, the SSP function compensates at least 50% of the residual error remaining after primary compensation. Preferably, when the SSP function serves as the second residual function, the SSP function compensates at least 50% of the residual error remaining after primary and first residual compensation. The error compensation provided by the primary, first residual, and second residual functions may be adjusted with function weighing coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG
    Inventor: Huan-Ping Wu
  • Patent number: 9763620
    Abstract: A head mounted system includes a physiological signal sensor, a signal processing circuit, a memory, an application processor, and an eyeglass frame. The physiological signal sensor monitors a physiological state to output a physiological signal. The signal processing circuit determines whether the physiological state is abnormal according to the physiological signal. When it is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the physiological signal sensor to monitor the physiological state at a first monitoring frequency. When it is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a warning signal, and controls the physiological signal sensor to monitor the physiological state at a second monitoring frequency greater than the first monitoring frequency. The application processor receives the warning signal and stores physiological data corresponding to the physiological signal in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chung-Te Li, Wen-Chu Yang
  • Patent number: 9767573
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collecting and processing physical space data for use while performing an image-guided surgical (IGS) procedure are provided. The system and method includes obtaining a computer model of a non-rigid structure of interest in a patient and performing a rigid alignment of the computer model and surface data in a patient space associated with at least a portion of the non-rigid structure. The system and method also include computing a deformation of the computer model that provides a non-rigid alignment of the computer model and surface data, the deformation computed using a set of boundary conditions defined for each node of the computer model based on the rigid alignment and a kernel function. Additionally, the system and method can include displaying data for facilitating the IGS procedure based on the deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Michael I. Miga, Prashanth Dumpuri
  • Patent number: 9639665
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns methods of administering and detecting a distinguishable agent in a sample from and assessing the condition of an organ in a subject. In a particular embodiment, the present invention concerns methods of detecting and comparing the cholate shunt, in a subject, preferably in a subject with chronic hepatitis C. In certain embodiments, the methods may comprise obtaining a sample from a subject such as a blood or saliva sample after administering an oral and intravenous dose of a distinguishable agent such as cholate and analyzing the sample clearance of the distinguishable agent from the subject and comparing the clearance levels in order to assess hepatic health. In another embodiment, the methods may comprise analyzing a sample from a subject for the presence of a distinguishable agent such as cholate and applying information obtained from analyzing the presence of the distinguishable agent to determine a treatment for a medical condition of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Colorado, a Body Corporate
    Inventors: Gregory Thomas Everson, Michael Anthony Martucci