Patents Examined by Michael C Bryant
  • Patent number: 10542948
    Abstract: A mobile X-ray imaging apparatus includes a main body, a driving wheel provided in a lower portion of the main body and capable of moving the main body, a drive motor configured to drive the driving wheel, a motor encoder configured to detect a rotation speed of the drive motor, a driving wheel rotation state detector configured to detect a rotation state of the driving wheel, the driving wheel rotation state detector comprising a rotation state detection sensor located at the main body, and a bracket coaxially connected to the driving wheel and allowing the rotation state detection sensor to detect an ON/OFF state according to the rotation state of the driving wheel, and a controller configured to control the drive motor based on information detected by the motor encoder and the driving wheel rotation state detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-won Nam, Seung-hwan Lee, Jung-min Kim
  • Patent number: 10537295
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises pixels arranged in an image sensing region, a first and a second detecting elements configured to obtain radiation irradiation information, a first signal line to which a signal from the first detecting element is to be output and a second signal line to which a signal from the second detecting element is to be output, and a signal processing circuit configured to process the signals output from the first and the second detecting elements. The first the second signal lines are arranged in the image sensing region or arranged adjacent to the image sensing region, the first detecting element has a larger region to detect radiation than the second detecting element. The signal processing circuit generates the radiation irradiation information based on the signals from the first and the second signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10531850
    Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of a spatially registered detector docking compartment to determine source and detector alignment in a patient imaging context. In certain implementations, sensors and/or cameras provide visual data that may be analyzed to determine a spatial relation between an X-ray source and landmarks provided on a patient support surface, where the landmarks have a known spatial relationship to a detector positioned beneath the patient support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Eric Tkaczyk, Hao Lai
  • Patent number: 10520358
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spectrophotometer comprising a light source; and a light sensor for measuring the light emitted by the light source and passing through or reflected a sample; and being characterized by an offset generator for applying an offset value to an output of the light sensor. The invention further relates to a method for performing a related spectrophotometric measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Guennewig
  • Patent number: 10520614
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a nuclear gauge of the having a source includes providing a nuclear gauge comprising a radiation source, the radiation source being coupled with a computing system with a machine readable program stored thereon containing a calibration routine. An operator places the gauge on one or more specified blocks to adjust the source within each block to one or more specified positions to initiate a count. The method includes determining that the source is at each position before each count begins, adjusting the counting times before each count begins by the program on the nuclear gauge based on each position of the source to obtain calibration information, obtaining counts at each position, storing the counts within the computing system of the nuclear gauge, and calculating for each position calibration coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Ernest Troxler, Dirk M. Steckmann, Donald E. Weger
  • Patent number: 10520452
    Abstract: A non-destructive inspection method for inline inspection of an object comprises moving an object in between a radiation source and an image detector and through a three-dimensional scanner field of view, imaging the object using the image detector to obtain a projection radiograph of an internal structure of the object, scanning an exterior surface of the object using the 3D scanner, fitting a shape model of the object to a point cloud provided by the 3D scanner to obtain a surface model of the exterior surface, creating a solid model of the surface model by taking a grey value distribution of a reference object into account, simulating a reference radiograph from the solid model and comparing the reference and projection radiographs to detect internal deviations of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, UNIVERSITEIT GENT, UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN
    Inventors: Mattias Van Dael, Pieter Verboven, Bart Nicolaï, Jelle Dhaene, Luc Van Hoorebeke, Jan Sijbers
  • Patent number: 10517543
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to generate a multiresolution image having at least two regions with different pixel pitches. The multiresolution image is reconstructed using projection data having various pixel pitches corresponding to the pixel pitches of the multiresolution image. By using a higher resolution inside regions of interest (ROIs) in both the image and projection domains and lower resolution outside the ROIs, fast image reconstruction can be performed while avoiding truncation artifacts, which result imaging is limited to an ROI excluding attenuation regions. Further, those regions of greater clinical relevance and greater structural variance within the reconstructed images can be selected to be within the ROIs to improve the clinical benefit of the multiresolution image. The multiresolution image can be reconstructed using an iterative reconstruction method in which the high- and low-resolution regions are uniquely evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: The University of Chicago, Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaochuan Pan, Zheng Zhang, Dan Xia, Yu-Bing Chang, Joseph Manak
  • Patent number: 10507337
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing radiation treatment planning are provided. An exemplary system may include a processor device communicatively coupled to a memory device and configured to perform operations when executing instruction stored in the memory device. The operations may include receiving a reference treatment plan including one or more dose constraints and determining, based on the reference treatment plan, segment information of a plurality of radiation beams. The operations may also include determining a fluence map for each of the plurality of radiation beams based on the one or more dose constraints using a fluence map optimization algorithm. The operations may also include determining a dose distribution based on the fluence maps of the plurality of radiation beams. The operations may also include determining at least one beam modulation property of a new treatment plan using a warm-start optimization algorithm based on the segment information and the dose distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Elekta, Inc.
    Inventors: Virgil Matthew Willcut, Spencer Marshall
  • Patent number: 10507000
    Abstract: A method for simultaneous imaging of functional and morphological image data of a breast includes acquiring functional X-ray image data from the breast of a patient. In addition, morphological X-ray image data is acquired from the breast of the patient in the same breast position and with the same breast compression. A region of interest is defined on the basis of one of the two acquired data sets. A position of the region of interest is then determined in the other of the two acquired X-ray image data sets. The functional X-ray image data and the morphological X-ray image data are then each simultaneously graphically represented with the region of interest as a marked region. A diagnostic station, a non-transitory computer program product and a non-transitory computer-readable medium are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Mathias Hoernig
  • Patent number: 10510520
    Abstract: Various configurations of electrically conductive, gas-sealed connections between two pieces of aluminum are described along with methods of making an electrically conductive, gas-sealed connection between two pieces of aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: DOUGLAS ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Schwed, Edward William Douglas, Stephen Diego Pellegrino, Christopher Rempel
  • Patent number: 10502697
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for scanning an elongate structure. A scanner in a scanning system is moved axially along the elongate structure using a translating structure in the scanning system. The elongate structure is scanned axially using an x-ray beam emitted by the scanner as the scanner moves axially along the elongate structure to perform an axial scan. The x-ray beam has a first orientation. A location on the elongate structure having an inconsistency is detected while scanning the elongate structure axially. The elongate structure is scanned at the location with the x-ray beam in a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary Ernest Georgeson, Morteza Safai
  • Patent number: 10495585
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus that includes a scanning mirror arrangement, optics, and a detector arrangement comprising a plurality of detectors. The plurality of detectors are capable for detecting submillimeter-/millimeter-range electromagnetic radiation and arranged within a region defined by an outer periphery and an inner periphery of the detector arrangement. The outer and inner peripheries are substantially circular in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: ASQELLA OY
    Inventors: Arttu Luukanen, Mikko Leivo, Anssi Rautiainen, Aleksi Tamminen
  • Patent number: 10488275
    Abstract: A non-invasive temperature verification system used in a TLD system, which comprises at least one thermal sensor, which is placed near each of TLD element, measuring its temperature during heating cycle. The signal data from each thermal sensor is converted to time temperature profile which is used to verify and calibrate the TLD system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Luis Benevides, Jeffrey Delzer
  • Patent number: 10481008
    Abstract: In a radiant heat sensor, first and second thermoelectric members are alternately arrayed one by one in a direction along a first surface of a plate-shaped member so as to be separated from each other, and each of the first and second thermoelectric members configure a portion of the first surface. First conductor patterns extend the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure hot contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members. Second conductor patterns extend along the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure cold contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Saitou, Atusi Sakaida, Toshikazu Harada, Hirohito Matsui, Yukikatsu Ozaki
  • Patent number: 10470737
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging system includes a repeater, a radiographic imaging apparatus, and a control apparatus. The control apparatus controls the radiographic imaging apparatus. The repeater controls timing to emit radiation from a radiation source. The radiographic imaging apparatus includes a communication circuit that wirelessly communicates with an external device in a first communication mode and a second communication mode in which power consumption is lower than that in the first communication mode. The radiographic imaging apparatus also includes a communication control unit that controls the communication circuit so that, when receiving an instruction to start preparation for imaging, the communication circuit operates in the first communication mode until receiving a signal for emission of radiation from the repeater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadahiko Iijima
  • Patent number: 10473814
    Abstract: A downhole assembly includes a drill collar, the drill collar having an outer wall and an insert, the insert positioned within drill collar. The insert has a bore therethrough. The downhole assembly further includes at least one sensor within the insert, wherein the sensor is a gamma ray detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Medhat Mickael
  • Patent number: 10463316
    Abstract: A medical information processing system includes setting circuitry, generating circuitry and output control circuitry. The setting circuitry is configured to set a region of interest in a three-dimensional image that is generated by emitting X-rays to a breast of a subject and imaging the breast from different directions. The generating circuitry is configured to generate reference information in which positional information about the region of interest is associated with a schematic diagram of the breast. The output control circuitry is configured to cause output circuitry to output the reference information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuko Sugiyama, Mariko Shibata, Yoshimasa Kobayashi, Kei Mori, Koichi Terai, Toshie Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10466108
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically thin molybdenum thin film absorber coating for a detector, that is capable of absorbing a fraction of incident electromagnetic radiation over a 1-15 THz spectral range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Ari D. Brown, Kevin H. Miller, Edward J. Wollack
  • Patent number: 10466384
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the composition of an earth formation are disclosed. One or more spectra that correspond to gamma radiation that is detected at each of multiple depths in a wellbore are generated, the contributions of each of multiple detection elements to the one or more spectra are determined, and the weight fractions of each of multiple compounds that are associated with the detection elements are calculated. The weight fraction calculations are based on a number density ratio value for the compound's associated detection element, which allows the weight fraction to be calculated directly from the contribution of the compound's associated detection element without a normalization factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Donald McKeon, Richard R. Pemper
  • Patent number: 10466374
    Abstract: A method for quantifying intrinsic dimensions of radiation sensors, particularly ionizing radiation sensors, and a device for implementing the method. The method for quantifying the intrinsic dimensions of a radiation sensor includes: defining and modeling the sensor using a schematic diagram of the sensor, determining via numerical computation and via experimental design theory elements that affect the sensor, measuring various specific spatial positions around the sensor, via a multi-frequency calibration source of the radiation, and designing, via experimental design theory, the elements that affect a response of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERIGES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Nicolas Saurel, Nicolas Guillot