Patents Examined by Susan S. Lee
  • Patent number: 11073788
    Abstract: Provided are an image bearing member, a developer bearing member, and a cleaning member. A fixation layer, including at least one of an organosilicon polymer and inorganic particles, is provided on a surface of the developer borne on the developer bearing member, and a fixation percentage of the fixation layer is 85% or greater. The image bearing member and the developer bearing member are rotationally driven such that, a surface of the image bearing member and a surface of the developer bearing member move in opposite directions from each other at a contact portion where the image bearing member and the developer bearing member are in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Oka, Yoshihiro Mitsui, Yasukazu Ikami
  • Patent number: 11073588
    Abstract: A method is provided for performing a quality analysis of a radio frequency (RF) coil of a magnetic resonance imaging device. In an operational mode, the RF coil is configured to acquire MR signals from an object to be observed. In a test mode: a test signal is emitted by a RF transmitter; the test signal from the RF transmitter is received directly by the RF coil, wherein the RF coil provides an output signal; and a performance indicator is provided by analyzing the output signal of the RF coil for performing the quality analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Pascal Mühlich, Andreas Potthast
  • Patent number: 11069063
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system for noise analysis. The system may acquire a plurality of signals of a subject, and determine a signal representation of the subject based on the plurality of signals. The system may determine an updated signal representation of the subject by adding a signal disturbance into the plurality of signals. The system may further determine a value of a noise parameter indicative of a signal level of the plurality of signals relative to noise of the plurality of signals based on the signal representation and the updated signal representation of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: UIH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Yongquan Ye
  • Patent number: 11061352
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding part, a sheet conveying path, an image forming unit, a document feeding part, a document conveying path, an image reading unit, and a common discharge part. The sheet conveying path extends from the sheet feeding part to a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction. The image forming unit is disposed on the sheet conveying path. The document feeding part is disposed at a different position from the sheet feeding part, to send out a document. The document conveying path extends from the document feeding part to a downstream side in the document conveying direction. The image reading unit is disposed on the document conveying path. The common discharge part is disposed at a junction of the sheet conveying path and the document conveying path, to discharge the sheet after image formation and the document after reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Nguyen Danh Chien
  • Patent number: 11061088
    Abstract: A container has a sample installation unit and an NMR circuit therein, and is connected to a bearing gas supply path and a drive gas supply path for supplying gas to the inside of that container. This container is also connected to an exhaust path that exhausts the gas from the inside of the container. The exhaust path has a pressure control valve as an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressure in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignees: Osaka University, JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Fujiwara, Yoh Matsuki, Yuki Endo, Shinji Nakamura, Hiroki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11061098
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a memory for storing machine executable instructions and preparation pulse sequence commands. The preparation pulse sequence commands are configured to control the system to acquire the preliminary MR data as a first data portion and a second data portion; to generate a first bipolar readout gradient during acquisition of the first portion; and to generate a second bipolar readout gradient during acquisition of the second portion, wherein the first bipolar readout gradient has an opposite polarity to the second bipolar gradient. The system is further configured to calculate a measured normalised phase correction quantity in image space using the first and second data portions; and fit a modeled phase correction to the measured phase error, wherein modeled phase correction is an exponential of a complex value multiplied by a phase error function that is spatially dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Adrianus Joseph Willibrordus Duijndam
  • Patent number: 11051695
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes: a static magnetic field generating magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field in a space where a subject is arranged; a transmission unit configured to transmit a high frequency magnetic field to the subject; a reception unit configured to receive a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated in the subject due to transmission of the high-frequency magnetic field thereto; a gradient magnetic field application unit configured to apply a gradient magnetic field which adds positional information to the nuclear magnetic resonance signal; a computer configured to control the transmission unit, the reception unit, and the gradient magnetic field application unit, and configured to process the nuclear magnetic resonance signal; and a display unit configured to display an image processed by the computer; and the computer performs a predetermined calculation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Shirai, Ryota Satoh, Hisaaki Ochi, Takenori Murase, Yoshitaka Bito
  • Patent number: 11047942
    Abstract: A method and system for improving the quality of MR images acquired with optimal variable flip angles includes receiving MRI parameters for a target tissue, selecting at least one objective function from a plurality of objective functions, simulating a relationship between each flip angle and the at least one objective functions based on the MRI parameters, determining optimal variable flip angle distribution to reach optimization of the at least one objective function for whole acquisition of the MR image, selecting or optimizing a k-space strategy, applying a plurality of radio frequency (RF) pulses with the optimal variable flip angle distribution and the k-space strategy to a target area in an object, receiving MR signals from the target area, the MR signals corresponding to the plurality of RF pulses, acquiring, in the k-space strategy, k-space lines based on the MR signals, and reconstructing the MR image from the k-space lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
    Inventor: Jinghua Wang
  • Patent number: 11047944
    Abstract: A method for multi-point magnetic resonance imaging including: receiving measured magnetic resonance data, which maps the magnetizations of a number of spin species in a measuring range with a number of echo times; carrying out an optimization for determining fitted magnetic resonance data on the basis of the measured magnetic resonance data, wherein an optimization function of the optimization implements a penalty for a higher rank of a matrix representing the fitted magnetic resonance data and a correction term for the localized evolution of a phase of the measured magnetic resonance data by means of field inhomogeneities or by means of a counterrotation of gradient fields with the number of echo times; and applying a spectral model to the fitted magnetic resonance data to determine magnetic resonance images with contrasts which correspond to the number of spin species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Marcel Dominik Nickel, Manuel Schneider
  • Patent number: 11041918
    Abstract: At least one first component is operable in a sleep operating mode avoiding electromagnetic interference signals. A first component in the sleep operating mode is placed at least temporarily into the normal operating mode upon receiving a communication message via a bus system. The first and second components along at least one communication pathway are each arranged such that all first components are provided at an end of the communication pathway distant from a master component as a bus segment connected directly downstream of at least one of the second components and containing exclusively first components. At least the second component of each communication pathway that is provided directly adjacent to the bus segment in the communication pathway has a switch for temporarily blocking the communication forwarding on the communication line of the line connection assigned to the bus segment and a controller for actuating the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Kalnischkies
  • Patent number: 11035787
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second light sources configured to emit light on a recording material, with the light from the second light source having a peak wavelength that is longer than the peak wavelength of the light from the first light source. The apparatus also includes a light receiving unit configured to receive the first light and the second light transmitted through the recording material. A control unit is configured to control an image forming condition on which the image is formed on the recording material based on the first light and the second light received by the light receiving unit. Additionally, a detection device includes first, second, and third light sources configured to emit first light on a sheet. The detection device further includes a light receiving unit configured to receive the first light and the second light transmitted through the sheet and receive the third light reflected on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mizuki Ishimoto, Norio Matsui, Masafumi Monde
  • Patent number: 11035922
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry calculates a static magnetic field correction amount based on a static magnetic field distribution of a first imaging range narrower than a second imaging range. The processing circuitry collects a magnetic resonance (MR) image of the second imaging range under a static magnetic field which is corrected based on the static magnetic field correction amount. The processing circuitry corrects distortion of the collected MR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Nitta, Naho Imamura, Takahiro Ohmure, Hiroshi Takai, Nobuyasu Ichinose, Yoshimori Kassai
  • Patent number: 11022665
    Abstract: Systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) that address the geometric distortions and blurring common to conventional echo planar imaging (“EPI”) sequences, and that provide new temporal signal evolution information across the EPI readout, are described. Echo planar time-resolved imaging (“EPTI”) schemes are described to implement an accelerated sampling of a hybrid space spanned by the phase encoding dimension and the temporal dimension. In general, each EPTI shot covers a segment of this hybrid space using a zigzag trajectory with an interleaved acceleration in the phase-encoding direction. The hybrid space may be undersampled and a tilted reconstruction kernel used to synthesize additional data samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Kawin Setsompop, Lawrence L. Wald, Fuyixue Wang
  • Patent number: 11022908
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 11022924
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a control unit configured to acquire base information by making a reading unit read a surface of the recording material with all image forming units set in a non-forming state, acquire first determination information by making the reading unit read a non-image region of the recording material with only a first image forming unit set in a forming state, and acquire second determination information by making the reading unit read the non-image region with all image forming units set in the forming state or with only all second image forming units set in the forming state. The control unit is further configured to determine a color of a toner adhered to the non-image region based on the base information, the first determination information, and the second determination information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kuniaki Kasuga
  • Patent number: 11009577
    Abstract: A system and computerized method for generating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images is provided that includes accessing data acquired from a subject using an MRI system that includes Nyquist ghosts and processing the data using a cost function that exploits a cosine and sine modulation in a ghosted image component of the data. An image of the subject is produced from the data after processing the data using the cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Jessica McKay, Patrick Bolan
  • Patent number: 11002816
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a coil assembly of an MRI device. The MRI device may be configured to perform an MR scan on a subject. The coil assembly may include one or more coil units, a substrate, and a sensor mounted within or on the substrate. The one or more coil units may be configured to receive an MR signal from the subject during the MR scan. The substrate may be configured to position the one or more coil units during the MR scan. The one or more coil units may be mounted within or on the substrate. The sensor may be configured to detect a motion signal relating to a physiological motion of the subject before or during the MR scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ling Ji
  • Patent number: 11002813
    Abstract: A gradient coil assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging system includes at least one gradient coil, a cooling arrangement for cooling the gradient coil, and an RF shield. The cooling arrangement includes at least one cooling tube that is configured to transport a cooling fluid and which is disposed on and in thermal contact with the gradient coil, wherein the assembly further comprises a thermal connector arrangement with at least one of a first thermal connector disposed between the RF shield and the at least one cooling tube, which provides a radially extending connection between the RF shield and the at least one cooling tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Jun Pan, Lingcheng Yuan, Jian Lin, Yun Zhou
  • Patent number: 10996307
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) apparatus and operating method, a field of view for imaging a target object is acquired. A relative position of this field of view in relation to a receiving space of the MRT scanner, in which the target object is received, is then automatically determined. A radio-frequency (RF) pulse to be used by the MRT scanner for imaging the target object is then automatically adjusted depending on this relative position. An excitation angle produced in the field of view by the RF pulse is changed compared to the use of the corresponding unadjusted RF pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Flavio Carinci, George William Ferguson, Michael Koehler, Dieter Ritter, Dominik Paul
  • Patent number: 10990053
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store correction data; an identifying unit configured to identify a correction amount for a correction target pixel based on the correction data stored in the storage unit; a correction unit configured to correct an exposure amount of the correction target pixel among a plurality of pixels indicated by image data, from an exposure amount indicated by the image data, based on the correction amount for the correction target pixel; and an image forming unit configured to form an image based on an exposure amount after correction by the correction unit. The correction data includes only a correction amount corresponding to each of representative parameter values of a plurality of parameter values of a parameter for varying the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Go Araki, Yoshihiro Mitsui