Patents Examined by Rishi R Patel
  • Patent number: 10969513
    Abstract: A method includes generating a temperature-corrected nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement-derived value corresponding to a target temperature using at least one of a dimension-reduction operation or a parameter-correlation operation based on a difference between the target temperature and a sample temperature. The method also includes determining a formation property based on the temperature-corrected NMR measurement-derived value corresponding to the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Shao, Songhua Chen
  • Patent number: 10969449
    Abstract: A local shimming system for magnetic resonance imaging and the method thereof, wherein the shimming method comprises the following steps: collecting B0 field map information using two-dimensional gradient echo (301); calculating and evaluating the homogeneity of B0 (302); optimizing the current of each channel shim coil (303); determining whether the minimum standard deviation value of ?f is obtained (304); outputting an optimal current combination values and setting an optimum current value corresponding to each channel of the shim coil on the current control software (305); and testing and evaluating the homogeneity of B0 to achieve the shimming goal (306).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN INSTITUTES OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ye Li, Qiaoyan Chen, Jo Lee, Chao Luo, Jianhong Wen, Chao Zou, Xin Liu
  • Patent number: 10962674
    Abstract: Illustrative embodiments are directed to applying a nuclear magnetic resonance sequence to a substance within an inhomogeneous static magnetic field. Various embodiments include applying a series of refocusing pulses to the substance, each refocusing pulse in the series of refocusing pulses having at least two segments, and a total pulse duration less than or equal to approximately 1.414 times T180. Various embodiments can further include applying an excitation pulse to the substance in the inhomogeneous static magnetic field, where the excitation pulse generates an initial magnetization that is aligned with a refocusing axis produced by a refocusing cycle that is performed after the excitation pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Martin D. Hürlimann, Soumyajit Mandal, Van Mai Do, Yi-Qiao Song
  • Patent number: 10962612
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a high-frequency coil and a coil supporting unit. The high frequency coil is disposed inside a gradient coil and that generates a high-frequency magnetic field in a static magnetic field. The coil supporting unit is formed with a substantially cylindrical shape and that supports the high-frequency coil. The coil supporting unit has a certain range including a magnetic field center and formed in parallel with an axial direction. Both ends of the coil supporting unit each have an internal circumference greater than the internal circumference of the certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Takamori
  • Patent number: 10955499
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus for generating a B0 map of a region of interest, a magnetic resonance data set containing a number of image data sets is obtained and provided in a computer, wherein the image data sets are recorded using at least two measurement sequences and the mutually corresponding pixels of the image data sets each represent a time-dependent signal evolution. A B0 map of the region of interest is generated by the computer from the image data sets, wherein the B0 value of a pixel of the B0 map is determined from the associated signal evolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Nittka, Gregor Koerzdoerfer
  • Patent number: 10955504
    Abstract: Some aspects include a method of detecting change in biological subject matter of a patient positioned within a low-field magnetic resonance imaging device, the method comprising: while the patient remains positioned within the low-field magnetic resonance device: acquiring first magnetic resonance image data of a portion of the patient; acquiring second magnetic resonance image data of the portion of the patient subsequent to acquiring the first magnetic resonance image data; aligning the first magnetic resonance image data and the second magnetic resonance image data; and comparing the aligned first magnetic resonance image data and second magnetic resonance image data to detect at least one change in the biological subject matter of the portion of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Hyperfine Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Michal Sofka, Jonathan M. Rothberg, Gregory L. Charvat, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Patent number: 10942233
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to multi-turn magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coil arrays employing ring decoupling, and MRI apparatuses employing such coil arrays. One example embodiment comprises: four or more RF coil elements that enclose a cylindrical axis, wherein each RF coil element comprises a first capacitor of that RF coil element and a loop comprising at least two turns; and a ring structure that facilitates decoupling of the RF coil elements, wherein each RF coil element is adjacent to two neighboring RF coil elements and is non-adjacent to one or more other coil elements, wherein each RF coil element has a shared side in common with the ring structure, wherein the shared side comprises a second capacitor of that RF coil element with a capacitance selected to mitigate inductive coupling between that RF coil element and non-adjacent RF coil elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Quality Electrodynamics, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Yang, Haoqin Zhu, Tsinghua Zheng
  • Patent number: 10935613
    Abstract: A device for receiving RF signal is provided. The device includes a receiving component configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and a sampling component configured to sample the RF signal. The sampling component may include a plurality of filters, a demultiplexer, a clock synthesizer, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a digital signal processing device. The sampling component may obtain an intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the plurality of filters, the demultiplexer, the clock synthesizer, the ADC, and the digital signal processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD
    Inventors: Xiaolei Guan, Jianfan Zhou, Fangyan Hou, Qiang Xie
  • Patent number: 10928337
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-temperature and high-pressure nuclear magnetic resonance core holder. An inner cylinder body of the core holder is provided in an outer cylinder body, a nuclear magnetic resonance probe coil is provided between the outer cylinder body and the inner cylinder body, two plugging sleeves are respectively provided between both ends of the inner cylinder body and between both ends of the outer cylinder body, a sealing groove is provided at the inner side of each plugging sleeve, a sealing joint component is provided in each sealing groove of each plugging sleeve, and two ends of the nuclear magnetic resonance probe coil are respectively connected with the sealing joint component, so that the nuclear magnetic resonance probe coil can be led out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IGGCAS)
    Inventors: Naigui Liu, Xiaorong Luo, Likuan Zhang, Yuhong Lei, Ming Cheng, Jianzhao Yan
  • Patent number: 10928477
    Abstract: In a method and a magnetic resonance apparatus for generating movement information relating to an examination region of a patient, a reception circuit is provided that receives MR signals within a reception frequency range. An electromagnetic signal is generated that has a first frequency that is outside the reception frequency range of the reception circuit, and that interacts with at least some of the examination region, so the electromagnetic signal undergoes a modification. A modulated signal based on the modified first signal is generated that has a frequency within the reception frequency range. The modulated signal is transmitted to the reception circuit, and is forwarded to a computer, wherein movement information is determined based on the modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Speier, Markus Vester, Karsten Wicklow
  • Patent number: 10928468
    Abstract: At least one adjustable stiffening device is integrated into a mechanically flexible MR surface coil. The stiffening device can have, in particular, at least one stiffening volume including magnetorheological, electrorheological or thermorheological material. The stiffening device extends at least in one surface direction of the MR surface coil. The MR surface coils positioned on limbs, such as wrapping around, and are stiffened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Greiser
  • Patent number: 10921270
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for measuring wettability of a rock sample. One method includes: at each temperature of a plurality of temperatures, obtaining a first Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) surface relaxation time for a rock sample having a saturation level; determining a first temperature sensitivity based on the first NMR surface relaxation times and corresponding temperatures; at each temperature of the plurality of temperatures, obtaining a second NMR surface relaxation time for the rock sample that is saturated with oil; determining a second temperature sensitivity based on the second NMR surface relaxation times and corresponding temperature; and determining a wettability of the rock sample based on the first temperature sensitivity and the second temperature sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hyung Tae Kwak, Ahmad Mubarak Al-Harbi
  • Patent number: 10908239
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) probe and method of use of a NMR probe for matching a resonant mode in a circuit to a required impedance (e.g., Z=50 Ohm) using a variable inductor which allows matching of the resonant mode in the circuit within a broad frequency range. In an additional aspect, the NMR probe and the method of use of a NMR probe allows matching of a resonant mode in a circuit to a required impedance (e.g., Z=50 Ohm) using a variable inductor without requiring the coupling constant K to be varied over a broad frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Albert Zens
  • Patent number: 10900916
    Abstract: A method for transforming an earth formation and/or a completion component for the earth formation based on estimating a parameter of the earth formation includes: performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment on the earth formation, the NMR experiment includes transmitting an initial radio-frequency (RF) pulse and a series of refocusing RF pulses; detecting a truncated free induction decay (FID) signal following the initial RF pulse and a spin echo following at least one refocusing RF pulse, the truncated FID signal missing an initial part of a total FID signal; reconstructing the total FID signal using the truncated FID signal, the detected spin echo, and a calculated or measured time between end of transmitting the initial RF pulse and beginning of receiving the truncated FID signal; estimating the parameter using the total FID signal; and transforming the earth formation and/or the completion component based on the estimated property using transformation-equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Stephen Ramirez, Quming Zhou
  • Patent number: 10890685
    Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods and apparatus are provided for investigating a sample utilizing NMR pulse sequences. In various embodiments, the NMR pulse sequences have a solid state portion and a line-narrowing portion. In other embodiments, the NMR pulse sequences have a first line-narrowing portion and a second line-narrowing portion where the sequences of the different portions are different. In yet other embodiments, the NMR pulse sequences have a T1 portion and a line-narrowing portion. Processing of detected signals permits determination of characteristics of the sample including, in some cases, a differentiation of multiple components of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ravinath Kausik Kadayam Viswanathan, Yiqiao Song
  • Patent number: 10877117
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for providing a high-precision and fast changing driving current for a gradient coil to generate a gradient magnetic field to acquire a high-quality image in an MRI device are provided. An example gradient amplifier includes a controller, a power amplifying circuit and a filtering circuit. The controller is configured to output pulse signals. The power amplifying circuit includes a first H bridge circuit and a second H bridge circuit and is configured to perform power conversion on an input power supply according to the pulse signals to output a driving current to a gradient coil. The filtering circuit is configured to filter the driving current output by the power amplifying circuit. A phase difference between the pulse signals output by the controller to drive switching tubes on a same position in the first H bridge circuit and the second H bridge circuit is a particular degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Shanghai Neusoft Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hongju Zhao
  • Patent number: 10871537
    Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing background in time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are disclosed. An exemplary method includes obtaining a first TOF image through a high-resolution acquisition with a saturation band on one side of an imaging slab, obtaining a second TOF image through a low-resolution acquisition with two saturation bands on both sides of the imaging slab, and subtracting the second TOF image from the first TOF image to obtaining a subtraction TOF image. Post processing such as maximum intensity projection (MIP) is performed on the subtraction TOF image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Jia Guo, Yongchuan Lai, Pengfei Lu, Xuan Liu
  • Patent number: 10866295
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for processing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data to assign resonance peaks in an NMR spectrum of a molecule to atomic nuclei in said molecule, based on graph-theoretical principles. In particular, the methods of the invention may be employed in the assignment of data obtained from methyl-TROSY spectroscopy of proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Oxford University Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Iva Pritisanac, Matteo Thomas Degiacomi, Andrew James Baldwin
  • Patent number: 10852375
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging configuration and methodology to straighten and otherwise homogenize the field lines in the imaging portion, creating improved image quality. Through use of calibrated corrective coils, magnetic field lines can be manipulated to improve uniformity and image quality. Additionally, when the apparatus is composed of non-ferromagnetic materials, field strengths can be increased to overcome limitations of Iron-based systems such as by use of superconductivity. A patient positioning apparatus and methodology allows multi-positioning of a patient within the calibrated and more uniform magnetic field lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: FONAR Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond V. Damadian, Gordon T. Danby, Hank Hsieh, John W. Jackson, Mark Gelbien, William H. Wahl, Charles A. Green
  • Patent number: 10845445
    Abstract: In general, according to the present embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes sequence control circuitry and processing circuitry. The sequence control circuitry collects MR data corresponding to each of a plurality of echo times. The processing circuitry generates a plurality of magnitude images corresponding to the plurality of echo times based on the MR data. The processing circuitry generates a relaxation time map of tissue based on the plurality of magnitude images. The processing circuitry generates a susceptibility map quantitatively indicating susceptibility values in a subject based on a magnetic field distribution that is generated based on a plurality of phase images corresponding to the plurality of echo times and the relaxation time map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Taichiro Shiodera