Patents by Inventor Andrew Dewdney

Andrew Dewdney has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20260186085
    Abstract: A method for acquiring magnetic flux densities of a magnetic resonance device within a patient tunnel of the magnetic resonance device includes ascertaining a first spatial direction and/or a second spatial direction in which the magnetic flux density/densities of a B0 magnetic field of a B0 main magnet of the magnetic resonance device within the patient tunnel is or are below a predefined value at at least one position. At least one magnetic field strength sensor is arranged at the at least one position within the patient tunnel. The magnetic field strength sensor is arranged and configured to acquire the magnetic flux density at least in the first spatial direction and/or in the second spatial direction. The magnetic flux density/densities are acquired by the at least one magnetic field strength sensor in the first spatial direction and/or in the second spatial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2025
    Publication date: July 2, 2026
    Inventors: Johann Sukkau, Andrew Dewdney, Andreas Krug, Manuela Rösler, Daniel Niederlöhner, Stefan Popescu, Axel vom Endt, Matthias Gebhardt
  • Publication number: 20260079219
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a measuring device for acquiring a magnetic field strength in the environment of a magnetic resonance device. The measuring device may include two or more magnetic field sensors. The measuring device may include a sensor rod on which the two or more magnetic field sensors are arranged and distributed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2025
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Applicant: Siemens Healthineers AG
    Inventors: Johann Sukkau, Andrew Dewdney, Hannes Hotzmann
  • Patent number: 12504490
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a detector unit comprising a radio frequency antenna unit and a gradient coil unit surrounding the radio frequency antenna unit concentrically, each embodied as hollow cylinders surrounding a cylinder axis in the longitudinal direction. The detector unit comprises at least four shim units, which are embodied as oblong shapes and are each arranged in parallel to the cylinder axis at various positions in the circumferential direction on a first inner surface, with said first inner surface corresponding to the side of the gradient coil unit facing towards the cylinder axis, and forming raised areas in the direction of the cylinder axis. The detector unit comprises a fixing unit embodied for fixing the at least four shim units to the gradient coil unit, and an RF screen, which is arranged at least partly between the radio frequency antenna unit and the gradient coil unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Stefan Stocker, Andrew Dewdney, Jürgen Nistler, Ludwig Eberler, Simon Körber
  • Patent number: 12436215
    Abstract: According to one or more example embodiments, a shim apparatus for an MR apparatus includes a specimen holder, the specimen holder including a plurality of MR reference specimens, the MR reference specimens being on the specimen holder; a frame; a shaft, the shaft being mounted on the frame such that the shaft is rotatable about an axis of rotation, the specimen holder being non-rotatably connected to the shaft, the MR reference specimens being spaced apart from the axis of rotation; a drive unit, the drive unit being configured to output a torque, the drive unit being electrical or pneumatic; and a gear unit, the gear unit being configured to transfer the torque output by the drive unit to the shaft and to rotate or swivel the MR reference specimens about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
    Inventors: Johann Sukkau, Andrew Dewdney, Michael Leigart
  • Patent number: 12436218
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography unit and a method for operating the magnetic resonance tomography unit are provided. The magnetic resonance tomography unit includes a plurality of magnetic field sensors arranged in an environment of the magnetic resonance tomography unit. The plurality of magnetic field sensors are configured to capture low-frequency magnetic fields in the environment of the magnetic resonance tomography unit and to transmit information about the magnetic fields to the controller via a signal connection. According to the method, fields for compensating the low-frequency magnetic fields are ascertained and output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG
    Inventor: Andrew Dewdney
  • Publication number: 20240248160
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a detector unit comprising a radio frequency antenna unit and a gradient coil unit surrounding the radio frequency antenna unit concentrically, each embodied as hollow cylinders surrounding a cylinder axis in the longitudinal direction. The detector unit comprises at least four shim units, which are embodied as oblong shapes and are each arranged in parallel to the cylinder axis at various positions in the circumferential direction on a first inner surface, with said first inner surface corresponding to the side of the gradient coil unit facing towards the cylinder axis, and forming raised areas in the direction of the cylinder axis . The detector unit comprises a fixing unit embodied for fixing the at least four shim units to the gradient coil unit, and an RF screen, which is arranged at least partly between the radio frequency antenna unit and the gradient coil unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Applicant: Siemens Healthineers AG
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Stefan Stocker, Andrew Dewdney, Jürgen Nistler, Ludwig Eberler, Simon Körber
  • Publication number: 20240159851
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography unit and a method for operating the magnetic resonance tomography unit are provided. The magnetic resonance tomography unit includes a plurality of magnetic field sensors arranged in an environment of the magnetic resonance tomography unit. The plurality of magnetic field sensors are configured to capture low-frequency magnetic fields in the environment of the magnetic resonance tomography unit and to transmit information about the magnetic fields to the controller via a signal connection. According to the method, fields for compensating the low-frequency magnetic fields are ascertained and output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventor: Andrew Dewdney
  • Publication number: 20230324483
    Abstract: According to one or more example embodiments, a shim apparatus for an MR apparatus includes a specimen holder, the specimen holder including a plurality of MR reference specimens, the MR reference specimens being on the specimen holder; a frame; a shaft, the shaft being mounted on the frame such that the shaft is rotatable about an axis of rotation, the specimen holder being non-rotatably connected to the shaft, the MR reference specimens being spaced apart from the axis of rotation; a drive unit, the drive unit being configured to output a torque, the drive unit being electrical or pneumatic; and a gear unit, the gear unit being configured to transfer the torque output by the drive unit to the shaft and to rotate or swivel the MR reference specimens about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Johann SUKKAU, Andrew DEWDNEY, Michael LEIGART
  • Patent number: 11294007
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance device (1), having a main magnet unit (2) with a cylindrical patient aperture (3), wherein at least one radial gradient coil (9) is provided in the patient aperture (3) which generates a gradient field having, at least in regions, a radial gradient in relation to its own central axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient aperture (3), the radial gradient coil (9) being embodied as a cylinder coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Dietz, Andrew Dewdney
  • Patent number: 11112472
    Abstract: A gradient system characterization function (e.g., a gradient system transfer function) may be developed by measuring a behavior of the MR device at a target temperature and developing at least one gradient system characterization function for a gradient coil of a magnetic resonance (MR) device at the target temperature based on the measured behavior. A patient may be subsequently imaged by the MR device, wherein the imaging process comprises measuring a temperature of a gradient coil, determining a gradient system characterization function at the measured temperature, calculating a pre-emphasized gradient of the gradient coil, and imaging the patient using the pre-emphasized magnetic field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Gudrun Ruyters, Andrew Dewdney, Manuel Stich, Herbert Köstler, Christiane Pfaff, Tobias Wech, Adrienne Campbell
  • Publication number: 20200333410
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems for developing gradient system characterization functions and imaging a patient using pre-emphasized magnetic field components in a magnetic resonance (MR) device, wherein the processes allow for a reduction in a number of artifacts when reconstructing the magnetic resonance image. The gradient system characterization function (e.g., a gradient system transfer function) may be developed by measuring a behavior of the MR device at a target temperature and developing at least one gradient system characterization function for a gradient coil of the MR device at the target temperature based on the measured behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Gudrun Ruyters, Andrew Dewdney, Manuel Stich, Herbert Köstler, Christiane Pfaff, Tobias Wech, Adrienne Campbell-Washburn
  • Publication number: 20200241093
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance device (1), having a main magnet unit (2) with a cylindrical patient aperture (3), wherein at least one radial gradient coil (9) is provided in the patient aperture (3) which generates a gradient field having, at least in regions, a radial gradient in relation to its own central axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient aperture (3), the radial gradient coil (9) being embodied as a cylinder coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Dietz, Andrew Dewdney
  • Patent number: 10408902
    Abstract: A method for improving shim pre-settings of a magnetic resonance device and a magnetic resonance device are provided. Efficient computation of shim settings for magnetic resonance imaging is provided by the method. The method includes loading of shim pre-settings from a database, creating shim settings using the shim pre-settings for recording magnetic resonance image data of an examination object by a magnetic resonance device, and activating a shim unit of the magnetic resonance device for recording the magnetic resonance image data. The method also includes using the created shim settings, improving the shim pre-settings using the created shim settings, and storing the improved shim pre-settings in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andrew Dewdney
  • Patent number: 10401451
    Abstract: In a method for actuating a shim coil arrangement of a magnetic resonance data acquisition scanner that has a shim controller that operates said shim coil arrangement, and a gradient coil arrangement operated by a gradient controller, the gradient controller determine a gradient pulse shape, in accordance with specifications of a magnetic resonance data acquisition sequence, that is activated by the gradient coil arrangement, when the sequence is executed in said scanner. A modifies the gradient pulse shape and provides the modified gradient pulse shape to the shim controller and the shim controller generates shim settings dependent on the modified gradient pulse shape, and actuates said shim coil arrangement according to the shim settings during activation of the gradient pulse shape by the gradient coil arrangement during execution of the sequence in said scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Andrew Dewdney, Eva Eberlein, Andreas Krug
  • Patent number: 10393829
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a mobile device relative to a B0 field magnet along a z-coordinate axis, and a device and a magnetic resonance tomography unit for performing the method are provided. The device includes a magnetic field strength sensor arranged in a fixed relative position. A characteristic magnetic field strength Bref of the B0 field magnet that emerges for a plurality of x-y coordinate pairs with a same reference z-coordinate zref is ascertained. The device is moved along the z-coordinate axis until the magnetic field strength sensor measures the characteristic magnetic field strength Bref.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Ludwig, Volker Schnetter, Johann Sukkau, Andrew Dewdney, Axel Heitland, Ralf Ladebeck, Ronny Pflichtbeil, Jörg Rothard, Volker Weißenberger
  • Patent number: 10386431
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography system has a frequency control device for temperature compensation, a temperature sensor, and a high frequency generator. An output frequency of an output signal from the high frequency generator is dependent on a value of a digital frequency variable, and a synthesis signal with the system frequency is generated dependent on the output signal. A temperature change is detected using the temperature sensor, a temperature-time function of the temperature is determined using the temperature change that has been detected, a time is determined at which a change in the digital frequency variables in the least significant bit brings about a change in the frequency of the synthesis signal that corresponds with a change in the system frequency due to a temperature, according to the interpolated temperature-time function, and the digital frequency variable in the least significant bit is changed at the specified time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Rudi Baumgartl, Andrew Dewdney
  • Patent number: 10197650
    Abstract: In a method, device and magnetic resonance apparatus for determining basic shim settings for shim elements of a magnetic resonance scanner of the apparatus, an optimization function is established in a processor, which includes multiple optimization parameters, including a first optimization parameter that designates a homogeneity value of a spatial distribution of the basic magnetic field in the scanner, and a second optimization parameter that designates a value of a force acting on the shim elements. The processor is configured to calculate the spatial distribution of the shim elements by minimizing the optimization function, dependent on the first and second parameters. Shim settings for the scanner are determined using the calculated spatial distribution of the shim elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andrew Dewdney
  • Publication number: 20180074141
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography system has a frequency control device for temperature compensation, a temperature sensor, and a high frequency generator. A system frequency of the magnetic resonance tomography system has a temperature dependence on a temperature. An output frequency of an output signal from the high frequency generator is dependent on a value of a digital frequency variable, and a synthesis signal with the system frequency is generated dependent on the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Rudi Baumgartl, Andrew Dewdney
  • Patent number: 9880237
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner includes a control device, a gradient coil for generating a gradient field, a gradient coil connector for connecting the gradient coil to the control device, and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is configured and disposed to detect a temperature of the gradient coil connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andrew Dewdney
  • Publication number: 20170248665
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of a mobile device relative to a B0 field magnet along a z-coordinate axis, and a device and a magnetic resonance tomography unit for performing the method are provided. The device includes a magnetic field strength sensor arranged in a fixed relative position. A characteristic magnetic field strength Bref of the B0 field magnet that emerges for a plurality of x-y coordinate pairs with a same reference z-coordinate zref is ascertained. The device is moved along the z-coordinate axis until the magnetic field strength sensor measures the characteristic magnetic field strength Bref.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Klaus Ludwig, Volker Schnetter, Johann Sukkau, Andrew Dewdney, Axel Heitland, Ralf Ladebeck, Ronny Pflichtbeil, Jörg Rothard, Volker Weißenberger