Patents Examined by Rodney Fuller
  • Patent number: 10234681
    Abstract: A thermoplastic film for a laminated-glass pane, having a non-linear continuous wedge insert in both a vertical and horizontal direction in some sections, is described. In the vertical direction, the laminated-glass pane is, from the perspective of an observer, further at a lower end than at an upper end. In a laminated-glass pane equipped with the thermoplastic film, the thermoplastic film is located between two glass layers. The thermoplastic film has at least a first section having a wedge angle profile that is continuous and non-linear in the vertical and horizontal direction, such that ghost images from a head-up display are minimized in the region of the first section. The thermoplastic film also minimizes double images in transmission in the first section and in further sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Martin Arndt, Stefan Gossen
  • Patent number: 10191129
    Abstract: A method for operating a magnetic resonance tomograph having at least one receiving antenna, at least one converter device for analog/digital conversion and a programmable computing device is provided. The method includes generating, with the converter device, digital measured values by digitizing the analog reception signal from the receiving antenna and/or at least one analog signal derived from the reception signal. A time-coding device adds an item of time information that describes the recording time of the measured values to each of the digital measured values or to groups of measured values including a plurality of the digital measured values in order to generate a time-coded data stream. The programmable computing device processes the time-coded data stream further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Swen Campagna
  • Patent number: 10191131
    Abstract: In a method for operating a medical imaging apparatus having subsystems, a control protocol assigned to a scan sequence to be performed is provided to a control computer that determines sequence control data for the control protocol, which define different functional subsequences of the scan sequence. Different effective volumes are assigned to each functional subsequence, and current ambient conditions of the apparatus are determined for the sequence control data and associated effective volumes, for a series of states of physiological processes that occur during the scan sequence. Control signals for the scan sequence are determined from the sequence control data, the effective volumes and the current ambient conditions per observed state, that optimize the functional subsequences of the scan sequence locally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Peter Speier
  • Patent number: 10175330
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of a body (10) of a patient. It is an object of the invention to provide a method that enables efficient compensation of flow artifacts, especially for MR angiography in combination with Dixon water/fat separation. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: a) generating MR echo signals at two or more echo times by subjecting the portion of the body (10) to a MR imaging sequence of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, wherein the MR imaging sequence is a Dixon sequence; b) acquiring the MR echo signals; c) reconstructing one or more single-echo MR images from the MR echo signals; d) segmenting the blood vessels from the MR images; e) detecting and compensating for blood flow-induced variations of the amplitude or phase in the single-echo MR images within the blood vessel lumen, and f) separating signal contributions from water and fat spins to the compensated single-echo MR images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Holger Eggers, Peter Bornert
  • Patent number: 10168407
    Abstract: In a method for operating a medical imaging apparatus having multiple subsystems, a control protocol assigned to a scan sequence to be performed is provided to a control computer that determines sequence control data for the control protocol, which define different functional subsequences of the scan sequence. Different effective volumes are assigned to each functional subsequence, and current ambient conditions of the apparatus are determined for the sequence control data and associated effective volumes. Control signals for the scan sequence are determined from the sequence control data, the effective volumes and the current ambient conditions that optimize the functional subsequences of the scan sequence locally, at least with regard to a sub-region of the respective effective volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Peter Speier
  • Patent number: 10159513
    Abstract: A custom arthroplasty guide and a method of manufacturing such a guide are disclosed herein. The method of manufacturing the custom arthroplasty guide includes: a) generating medical imaging slices of the portion of the patient bone; b) identifying landmarks on bone boundaries in the medical imaging slices; c) providing model data including image data associated with a bone other than the patient bone; d) adjusting the model data to match the landmarks; e) using the adjusted model data to generate a three dimensional computer model of the portion of the patient bone; f) using the three dimensional computer model to generate design data associated with the custom arthroplasty guide; and g) using the design data in manufacturing the custom arthroplasty guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corporation
    Inventors: Elena Pavlovskaia, Oleg Mishin, Boris E. Shpungin
  • Patent number: 10139732
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus 2 includes a first protection processing unit U01, a film forming unit U02, a first cleaning processing unit U03 and a control unit U08. The control unit U08 is configured to control the first protection processing unit U01 to form a first protective film on a peripheral portion Wc of a wafer W, control the film forming unit U02 to form a resist film on a front surface Wa of the wafer W, control the first cleaning processing unit U03 to supply a first cleaning liquid for removing the resist film to the peripheral portion Wc, control the first cleaning processing unit U03 to supply a second cleaning liquid for removing a metal component to the peripheral portion Wc, and control the first cleaning processing unit U03 to supply a third cleaning liquid for removing the first protective film PF1 to the peripheral portion Wc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kawakami, Hiroshi Mizunoura, Shinichi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 10139731
    Abstract: A conveyor, a developing system and a developing method are provided. The conveyor includes a conveying unit configured to convey a substrate and having a plurality of conveying portions. The plurality of conveying portions includes a first tilt conveying portion and a second tilt conveying portion. One of a conveying surface of the first tilt conveying portion and a conveying surface of the second tilt conveying portion is a rising surface configured to raise the substrate gradually, and the other one of the conveying surfaces is a falling surface configured to bring down the substrate gradually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaohui Cheng, Hui Yang, Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 10132885
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography system includes a plurality of MRT plugs for connection of antenna elements, respectively, of one of a plurality of local coils. Due to at least one analog switch matrix, antenna elements respectively connected to fewer than all of the MRT plugs may be connected in an analog fashion to receive signal processing elements of one of a plurality of receive signal processing element blocks respectively having a plurality of receive signal processing elements. Between outputs of receive signal processing element blocks and an evaluation device of the magnetic resonance tomography system, a digital channel selection unit is provided. On an input side of the digital channel selection unit, the digital channel selection unit may be connected to antenna elements. Signals from fewer antenna elements are present at the output of the digital channel selection unit than at an input of the digital channel selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Georg Pirkl
  • Patent number: 10132891
    Abstract: A PET-MRI system for imaging an object is provided. The PET-MRI system includes a magnetic resonance imaging sub-system, a positron emission tomography sub-system, an optical sensor, and a data processing controller. The magnetic resonance imaging sub-system includes a surface coil that acquires magnetic resonance signals from the object. The positron emission tomography sub-system acquires PET emissions from the object. The optical sensor detects at least one of a spatial location and a shape of the surface coil. The data processing controller communicates with the magnetic resonance imaging sub-system, the positron emission tomography sub-system, and the optical sensor, and utilizes at least one of the detected spatial location and the detected shape of the surface coil to correct the acquired PET emissions for attenuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiaqi Li, Andrew Byshenk, Chinmoy Goswami, Tongzhou Wang
  • Patent number: 10132900
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance examination of an examination object, in order to determine a substance by execution of a magnetic resonance fingerprinting procedure for examination of an examination object in which a substance is located, a magnetic resonance signal waveform of a voxel of an examination area of the examination object is acquired by a magnetic resonance fingerprinting recording procedure, and a signal comparison of the magnetic resonance signal waveform is made in a computer with a substance signal waveform stored in a database, and the result of the signal comparison is provided as an output from the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: David Grodzki, Rene Kartmann
  • Patent number: 10132905
    Abstract: A phantom for magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is provided. In particular, systems and methods for a phantom that is capable of generating a wave-like pattern in MRE images where a wavelength of the generated wave-like pattern is controlled by the phantom geometry. The geometrically controlled wavelength enables the phantom to calibrate MRE image acquisition and mechanical property calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
    Inventors: Bogdan Dzyubak, Jun Chen, Richard Ehman
  • Patent number: 10126394
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for acquiring magnetic resonance (MR) data from a subject, wherein the MR data are acquired in respective data sets individually from multiple slices in a stack within the examination subject, and wherein the number of slices in the stack is not an integer multiple of a number of slices that are desired to be scanned simultaneously, a quotient of the number of slices in the stack and the number of slices to be acquired simultaneously is formed. A protocol for operating the scanner of the apparatus is then determined wherein the number of simultaneously scanned slices is set either by rounding by quotient up to the next highest integer, or rounding the quotient down to the next lowest integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Beck, Himanshu Bhat, Uvo Hoelscher, Mario Zeller
  • Patent number: 10126389
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gradient coil assembly (122) for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system (110) comprising a set of inner coils (142) and a set of outer coils (144), which are concentrically arranged in respect to a common rotational axis of the set of inner and outer coils (142, 144), wherein the set of inner coils (142) and a set of outer coils (144) can be controlled to generate gradient magnetic fields within an inner space of the gradient coil assembly (122), and at least one coil (152, 154, 156) of the set of outer coils (144) is at least partially made of aluminum. The present invention further provides a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110) comprising the above magnetic gradient coil assembly (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Cornelis Leonardus Gerardus Ham
  • Patent number: 10126398
    Abstract: A method judiciously applies or manages randomness, incoherence, nonlinearity and structures for improving signal encoding or decoding. The method in a compressed sensing-based imaging example comprises acquiring a set of base data samples, obtaining a base result, perturbing the base set, obtaining perturbed result(s), and deriving an outcome facilitating assessment and improvement of image quality. The method in a magnetic resonance imaging example comprises acquiring data samples in parallel and in accordance with a k-space sampling pattern, identifying a signal structure in an assembly of the acquired data samples, and finding a result consistent with both the acquired data samples and the identified signal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventor: Yudong Zhu
  • Patent number: 10120047
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus for performing at least one adjusting measurement for the magnetic resonance apparatus, a localizing measurement is performed using the magnetic resonance apparatus and a localization dataset is created, and at least one examination region on the localization dataset. At least one examination region of the localization dataset is selected, and at least one adjusting measurement is performed according to the at least one selected examination region. The at least one adjusting measurement can be the calculation of a radio-frequency pulse amplitude, the calculation of a system frequency and the calculation of at least one current of at least one shim coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilhelm Horger, Michael Koehler, Dieter Ritter, Michael Wullenweber
  • Patent number: 10114096
    Abstract: In a multi-slice data acquisition method and device and a magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus, a number NC of fractional acquisitions and a number NS of slice individual, complete data acquisition of the multi-slice data acquisition are determined. Using an iterative odd/even arranging method, a slice data acquisition order of each of the fractional acquisitions is arranged according to an ideal number of iterations. The ideal number of iterations is obtained from multiple undetermined numbers j of iterations of the iterative odd/even arranging method according to the number NS of slice data and the number NC of fractional acquisitions. This multi-slice data acquisition method optimizes the slice data acquisition order so as to significantly reduce the effect of magnetization transfer and crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Zhi Guo Sun
  • Patent number: 10114089
    Abstract: A sample tube is arranged in a sample temperature adjusting pipe, and a temperature adjustment gas is supplied. A vacuum vessel is formed with the sample temperature adjusting pipe and an outer wall body, and a detection coil and the like to be placed in a cooling state are arranged in the vacuum vessel. A sealed section between the sample temperature adjusting pipe and the outer wall body is sealed by a sealing structure. The sealing structure includes a high-vacuum O-ring and a low-temperature O-ring. The high-vacuum O-ring has characteristics for sealing the sealed section in a regular temperature region. The regular temperature region is a temperature region excluding a low temperature region, and the low temperature region is a temperature region including a lower limit in a possible temperature adjustment range of the temperature adjustment gas. The low-temperature O-ring has characteristics for sealing the sealed section in the low temperature region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Toshima, Shinji Nakamura, Shigenori Tsuji
  • Patent number: 10114271
    Abstract: A system for evenly-scattered adaptable subject lighting for mobile device photography, comprising a case configured to enclose and securely fasten a mobile device and an illuminating portion, the illuminating portion configured to produce light based on input received from a plurality of sensors. The system further comprising a plurality of programming instructions stored in a memory and operating on a processor of a network-connected computing device, and configured to direct the operation of the illuminating portion comprising at least a sensor processor and an image capture device, wherein the sensor processor adjusts the illuminating portion based on preconfigured thresholds to provide evenly-scatter lighting for capturing images of subjects via the image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SMPL Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Hennings, Jeremy Cox
  • Patent number: 10108111
    Abstract: A developing method includes: horizontally holding a substrate; disposing an opposing surface of a developer nozzle that faces a portion of a surface of the substrate, above one of central and peripheral portions of the surface; discharging a developer to form a liquid collection portion of the developer; spreading the liquid collection portion by moving the developer nozzle toward the other of the central and peripheral portions with the opposing surface brought into contact with the liquid collection portion; lifting the developer nozzle relative to the surface while stopping the discharge of the developer, and pulling up a portion of the liquid collection portion; stopping the lifting, and forming a pillar of the developer having a tapered upper end which is brought into contact with the opposing surface; and applying a shearing force to the pillar to shear the tapered upper end and separating the pillar from the opposing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi Shimoaoki, Yusaku Hashimoto, Masahiro Fukuda