Patents Examined by Glen Kao
  • Patent number: 9681846
    Abstract: A radiation generator useful for medical applications, among others, is provided. The radiation generator includes a catheter; a plasma discharge chamber situated within a terminal portion of the catheter, a cathode and an anode positioned within the plasma discharge chamber and separated by a gap, and a high-voltage transmission line extensive through the interior of the catheter and terminating on the cathode and anode so as to deliver, in operation, one or more voltage pulses across the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Mark S. Derzon, Alex Robinson, Paul C. Galambos
  • Patent number: 9683621
    Abstract: An active vibration absorber is provided for damping vibrations of a cantilevered portion of a support structure. The vibration absorber comprises a mass, a drive and a control device. The mass is coupled without using a spring and through the drive to a fastening means for fastening the drive to the support structure, so that upon a movement of the mass relative to the fastening means an inertial force caused by this movement is directly transmitted through the drive to the fastening means. The control device comprising a motion sensor is adapted to control the drive in function of a signal from the motion sensor. The active vibration absorber is designed to damp especially low-frequency vibrating structures including more than one mass-spring element so that the vibration amplitude thereof is significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: INTEGRATED DYNAMICS ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventors: Peter A. Kropp, Wolfram Sinn
  • Patent number: 9681848
    Abstract: An X-ray diagnostic system is provided that is capable of fitting the vertical position of the X-ray tube to each mode of photography without being affected by the height of the ceiling. The X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube and transmitted through the subject are detected, and photographed images are captured based on the detected X-rays; the system comprises a supporting member, an arm member, and a height adjuster; the supporting member is provided on the ceiling of a room, formed in a pillar shape, and configured in such a way that the entire length is vertically extended and shortened. The arm member has a base end section connected to the lower end portion of the supporting member and a tip section on which the X-ray tube is mounted. The height adjuster adjusts the vertical position of the X-ray tube by moving the tip section of the arm member relative to the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Goto, Hiroaki Sato
  • Patent number: 9668705
    Abstract: An X-ray tomographic imaging apparatus includes an X-ray and a direct conversion type of detector. The X-ray tube and the detector are supported by the support means so as to be rotatable along curved orbits mutually independently. Under instructions from a computer, scans and image reconstruction are performed. The X-ray tube and the detector are moved along the orbits mutually independently so that X-ray beams are always transmitted through a desired tomographic plane of an object at desired angles. Acquired frame data are used to produce a panoramic image of the plane, while the frame data and the panoramic image are used to produce a tomographic image in which structural components of the object are optically focused and distortions caused due to differences in X-ray paths are suppressed. The apparatus can be used as devices for dental, medical diagnosis and nondestructive inspection, and can have a CT imaging function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TAKARA TELESYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamakawa, Masahiro Tsujita, Akitoshi Katsumata, Koichi Ogawa, Hisatoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 9666403
    Abstract: An X-ray source, which includes a resonant cavity preferably of a cylindrical shape, is excited in a microwave mode TE11p and affected by a static and non-homogeneous magnetic field that grows longitudinally. An electron beam is injected longitudinally through one of the lateral walls of the cavity and is continuously accelerated until it reaches an energy sufficient to produce X-rays after the electrons bombard a metallic target located in the plane where they stop their longitudinal movement. The profile of the magnetic field grows in such a way that it maintains the conditions of electron cyclotron resonance along the helical paths of the electrons, The device can be used to obtain radiographic images and even produce hard X-rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSIDAD INDUSTRIAL DE SANTANDER
    Inventors: Valeriy Dondokovich Dugar-Zhabon, Eduardo Alberto Orozco Ospino
  • Patent number: 9655576
    Abstract: An X-ray phase-shift contrast imaging method and the system thereof are provided. The X-ray phase-shift contrast imaging method utilizes characteristic X-rays of high throughput irradiating at the target from different positions or with different focal positions so as to form different X-ray images. The X-ray images are compared to define the voxels and combined to obtain a 3-D X-ray image. By using X-ray phase-shift contrast for imaging the soft tissue, the level of the image contrast may be enhanced several orders of magnitude and the linear energy transfer of the high energy photon beam is greatly reduced. Hence, the radiation dose absorbed by the tissue may be greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: NanoRay Biotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Gee Wang
  • Patent number: 9658175
    Abstract: An X-ray analyzer is provided with: a sample stage on which a sample is disposed; an X-ray source configured to irradiate the sample with a primary X-ray at a first angle; a detector configured to detect a secondary X-ray generated from the sample; a position adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a relative position between the sample stage and the primary X-ray; a first light source configured to emit a first light beam at a second angle toward a focal position of the primary X-ray or toward a predetermined position; and a second light source configured to emit a second light beam at a third angle toward the focal position or toward the predetermined position, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam are configured to have visibility sufficient for enabling visual distinction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryusuke Hirose
  • Patent number: 9655581
    Abstract: Provided is a medical image diagnostic apparatus, including: a collection unit for collecting data by performing irradiation of X-rays to a body part of a subject who is moving a joint; a processing unit for processing the collected data to form a plurality of internal images indicating the body part of the subject; an input unit for inputting occurrence information indicating a biological reaction that accompanies movement of the joint; a display control unit for displaying information on a display unit; and a control unit for controlling at least one of the collection unit, the processing unit, and the display control unit based on the input occurrence information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kimoto, Kazumasa Arakita, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Shinsuke Tsukagoshi, Yasuko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9642584
    Abstract: A method for controlling a movement of an x-ray apparatus is provided. The x-ray apparatus has a C-arm with an x-ray source and an x-ray detector disposed opposite one another, an actuator for positioning the C-arm relative to an examination region of an examination object supported on a support facility, a control facility for controlling the x-ray source and the x-ray detector and the actuator, and an operating facility with a display apparatus and an operating unit. The display apparatus displays an image representing a part of the examination object and a target location of the C-arm being determined as a function of an input at the operating unit. The target location has a target position and a target alignment of the C-arm. A controlled variable of the actuator is determined and supplied to the control facility for controlling the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christine Niebler, Stefan Sattler, Stefan Schuster
  • Patent number: 9644956
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for measuring a thickness of thin film using x-ray where a thickness of a thin film of nanometer_(nm) level can be accurately measured without destructing an target sample, through determination of thickness of thin film of the target sample, by determining a calibration curve by comparing a difference of intensities of signals scattered by a special component included in a base layer of the reference sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Nano CMS Co., LTD
    Inventors: Shi Surk Kim, Joo Hye Kim, Sang Bong Lee, Seong Uk Lee
  • Patent number: 9640291
    Abstract: A compound x-ray lens and method of fabricating these lenses are disclosed. These compound lenses use multiple zone plate stacking to achieve a pitch frequency increase for the resulting combined zone plate. The compound equivalent zone plate includes a first zone plate having an initial pitch frequency stacked onto a second zone plate to form an equivalent compound zone plate. The equivalent zone plate has a pitch frequency that is at least twice the initial pitch frequency. Also, in one example, the equivalent zone plate has a mark-to-space ratio of 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss X-Ray Microscopy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Feser, Alan Francis Lyon
  • Patent number: 9640293
    Abstract: The invention relates to a grating arrangement and a method for spectral filtering of an X-ray beam (B), the grating arrangement comprising: a dispersive element (10) comprising a prism configured to diffract the X-ray beam (B) into a first beam component (BC1) comprising a first direction (D1) and a second beam component comprising (BC2) a second direction (D2), tilted with respect to the first direction; a first grating (20) configured to generate a first diffraction pattern (DP1) of the first beam component (BC1) and a second diffraction pattern (DP2) of the second beam component (BC2), the second diffraction pattern (DP2) shifted with respect to the first diffraction patter (DP1); and a second grating (30) comprising at least one opening (31) which is aligned along a line (d) from a maximum (MA) to a minimum (MI) of intensity of the first diffraction pattern (DP1) or of the second diffraction pattern (DP2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Ewald Roessl, Thomas Koehler
  • Patent number: 9629591
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging system includes a digital X-ray detector configured to acquire X-ray image data without communication from a source controller and to send the X-ray image data to a portable detector control device for processing and image preview. The source controller is configured to command X-ray emissions of X-rays from an X-ray radiation source for image exposures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Paul Richard Granfors, Kenneth Scott Kump, Ping Xue, Donald Fayette Langler, Brian John Kost
  • Patent number: 9635748
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a high speed radiographic system for use with megavolt linear-accelerator pulsed x-ray sources to produce video images of large-area fields. A linear accelerator is positioned above a field of view. X-ray photons are directed through an object of interest traveling and/or colliding within the field of view. A large area scintillator system, either truly continuous or in large continuous adjacent pieces, converts the x-ray photons that pass through the object into visible light, and an arrangement of cameras, focused at that plane, where each camera sees a sub-area of the entire scintillator, and these sub-areas overlap somewhat to cover the entire scintillator. The resulting images generated in each camera are synchronized to produce one contiguous, synchronized stream of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Varex Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy R. Fox
  • Patent number: 9615807
    Abstract: The present invention focuses on an analytical model for fast and accurate scatter estimation. The present invention uses the Klein-Nishina (KN) formula as a starting point, which gives the Compton scattering differential cross-section for an interaction point. For a direct integration of the point scatter kernel over the irradiated volume, the large number of KN formulae (e.g., amount of solid angle subtended) and rays traced required for calculating attenuation makes the computation very expensive. The present invention reduces the 3D formulation into an efficient 2D approach by integrating the KN formula along an interaction line of tissue-equivalent medium. An average attenuation length was assumed for each interaction point on the beam to reduce the number of rays traced. In the case of kilovoltage (kV) x rays as the imaging source and a small imaging field, with in-field scatter, the line integral derived, can be approximated by a compact analytical form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventors: John Daniel Bourland, Jie Liu
  • Patent number: 9618461
    Abstract: An X-ray analysis apparatus for detecting, using an X-ray detector, X-rays given off by a sample when the sample is irradiated with X-rays, the X-ray analysis apparatus having replaceable components. The X-ray analysis apparatus comprises labels attached to the replaceable components and including symbols indicating the types of replaceable components, a camera for photographing the replaceable components and the labels, and CPU and image recognition software for specifying the types of replaceable components by calculation based on the symbols in the labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: RIGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Ohara, Kenji Wakasaya, Tetsuya Ozawa, Kunio Nishi
  • Patent number: 9615811
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus performs radiation image obtaining processing in accordance with an exposure instruction, and obtains a radiation image. Then the radiation imaging apparatus performs offset correction for the obtained radiation image, and displays it. The radiation imaging apparatus determines, in accordance with a predetermined criterion, whether or not offset images obtained by offset image obtaining processing are stable over time. Then, if it is determined that the offset images are not stable, offset correction is performed by using an offset image obtained by performing offset image obtaining processing, following the obtaining of the radiation image. If it is determined that the offset images are stable, the offset correction is performed by using an offset image obtained before the obtaining of the radiation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9610054
    Abstract: An automatic scanning and positioning apparatus for a scout image, comprising: a receiving means, for receiving a scout image of a subject obtained through scout scanning; a checking and determining means, for automatically checking at least one position in the scout image according to a plurality of information contained in the scout image, and automatically determining a scanning scope based on the at least one position; and an executing means, for executing axial scanning to the subject based on the determined scanning scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yusi Chen, Yilun Shi, Ping Liu, Ying Li
  • Patent number: 9603578
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for graphical assistance in an interventional procedure to open an occlusion of a hollow organ of a patient a three-dimensional CT image data set of an examination region with the at least one hollow organ having the occlusion is retrieved and visualized segmentation data with segmentation data of the hollow organ at a display unit. At least two x-ray fluoroscopy images are acquired at different angulations the CT image data set is registered with at least two of the x-ray images. A number of fluoroscopy x-ray images are acquired during a time period, with real-time visualization of at least one x-ray fluoroscopy image and data of the CT image data set at the display unit. The steps are implemented individually and in sequence, and control options relating exclusively to the current step can be selected manually via a user interface depending on the step that is currently implemented, and only user inputs that are appropriate for the current step are accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Meyer, Norbert Rahn, Markus Rossmeier
  • Patent number: 9603577
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus and control method for the X-ray imaging apparatus are provided. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray source to generate X-ray beams, and to irradiate the X-ray beams onto an object; a first X-ray detector configured to detect X-ray beams transmitted through the object and generate a first phase contrast signal; an X-ray obtainer including an X-ray collimator and a second X-ray detector, wherein the X-ray collimator is spaced apart from the object by a predetermined distance, and configured to focus the X-ray beams transmitted through the object, and wherein the second X-ray detector is configured to detect the focused X-ray beams and generate a second phase contrast signal based on the detected X-ray beams; and an image processor configured to create a phase contrast image and an absorption image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Hwa Oh, Dong Goo Kang, Sung Hoon Kang, Young Hun Sung