Patents by Inventor Atsuro Suzuki

Atsuro Suzuki 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).

  • Patent number: 11918337
    Abstract: The present invention is to perform appropriate noise reduction processing on an image having different signal levels or noise levels depending on an imaging condition or a reconstruction condition. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the invention includes: a measurement unit that receives a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated in a subject by a receiving coil; an image reconstruction unit that processes the nuclear magnetic resonance signal received by the receiving coil and reconstructs an image of the subject; an SNR spatial distribution calculation unit that calculates spatial distribution of a signal-to-noise ratio of the image using spatial distribution of a noise level and spatial distribution of the signal of the image; and a noise reduction unit that reduces noise from the image based on the spatial distribution of the signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Shirai, Suguru Yokosawa, Yukio Kaneko, Atsuro Suzuki, Tomoki Amemiya
  • Patent number: 11914343
    Abstract: A command generation device to control a motor includes command input circuitry configured to receive a first command, first intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate first intermediate data based on the first command, delay time setting circuitry configured to determine a delay time based on the first command, second intermediate data calculation circuitry configured to calculate second intermediate data by smoothing the first intermediate data based on the delay time, and command output circuitry configured to calculate, based on the second intermediate data, a second command according to which the motor is controlled. A first time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is smoothed is longer by the delay time than a second time period during which positioning the motor based on the first command is completed when the first intermediate data is not smoothed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Kenichi Hirose, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Atsuro Tandai, Kenshiro Yokoi
  • Publication number: 20230401701
    Abstract: Provided is a means of easily presenting conditions for obtaining an image quality desired by a user, and this achieves savings in time and effort required for repetitive adjustment of the image quality. A medical image processing apparatus comprises a reception unit configured to receive image quality data reflecting a user's desire for an image quality of a medical image, a feature value calculation unit configured to calculate an image feature value with respect to the image quality data, and a parameter presentation unit configured to use a database associating adjustment parameters related to the image quality with the image feature value, to determine and present the adjustment parameters suitable for the image quality data received by the reception unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Suguru Yokosawa, Atsuro Suzuki, Toru Shirai
  • Publication number: 20230281760
    Abstract: In an image noise reduction process using a CNN, noise can be reduced effectively irrespective of signal levels and noise levels of the image. Noise information and signal level information are calculated from an image inputted in the CNN. Using the calculated information, a normalization factor suitable for the CNN is determined, and normalization of the input image is performed. The noise information is estimated from magnitude of background noise of the input image in the case where the input image is an MRI image. The signal information can be calculated, for example, as a mean value of pixel values of a subject region with respect to an image obtained by dividing the input image by the magnitude of the background noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Atsuro Suzuki, Tomoki Amemiya, Yukio Kaneko, Toru Shirai, Keisuke Nishio
  • Publication number: 20230142011
    Abstract: Provided is a method for performing reconstruction and noise removal with high accuracy on various undersampling patterns including equidistant undersampling. An image processing unit that processes measurement data acquired by an MRI apparatus performs image reconstruction by using measurement data on respective channels measured in a predetermined undersampling pattern and sensitivity distributions of respective reception coils. At this time, denoising of a reconstructed image and a calculation for maintaining consistency between original measurement data and the measurement data on the respective channels created from denoised images are sequentially processed. Accordingly, image restoration and denoising with high accuracy are possible without depending on the undersampling pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Tomoki Amemiya, Toru Shirai, Atsuro Suzuki, Yukio Kaneko, Hiroki Shoji, Keisuke Nishio
  • Publication number: 20220414837
    Abstract: The invention provides a technique capable of effectively and appropriately removing noise from various kinds of images including noise and artifacts and images in which a noise pattern changes due to a difference in imaging conditions. Based on a noise removal technique using AI, noise characteristics including artifacts are analyzed for each image, the image is classified based on an analysis result, an optimal neural network for a noise processing is applied for each classification, and the noise and the artifacts are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Yukio Kaneko, Toru Shirai, Atsuro Suzuki, Tomoki Amemiya, Suguru Yokosawa
  • Publication number: 20220395188
    Abstract: The present invention is to perform appropriate noise reduction processing on an image having different signal levels or noise levels depending on an imaging condition or a reconstruction condition. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the invention includes: a measurement unit that receives a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated in a subject by a receiving coil; an image reconstruction unit that processes the nuclear magnetic resonance signal received by the receiving coil and reconstructs an image of the subject; an SNR spatial distribution calculation unit that calculates spatial distribution of a signal-to-noise ratio of the image using spatial distribution of a noise level and spatial distribution of the signal of the image; and a noise reduction unit that reduces noise from the image based on the spatial distribution of the signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Shirai, Suguru Yokosawa, Yukio Kaneko, Atsuro Suzuki, Tomoki Amemiya
  • Publication number: 20220313204
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic CT device capable of shortening a transmission interval of ultrasonic waves while suppressing influence of a reception signal of reverberation waves of the ultrasonic waves on an original reception signal. when transmission and reception are repeated, a timing of current transmission is controlled such that a timing at which reverberation waves, which are ultrasonic waves transmitted in previous transmission and are reflected by a transducer array at least once, reach transducers used for current reception deviates from a timing at which ultrasonic waves transmitted in current transmission reach the transducers used for the current reception.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Takahide TERADA, Yushi TSUBOTA, Atsuro SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20220198608
    Abstract: A learning model learned to provide high image quality of a first image is generated. A first image and a second image are received from the same target, high image quality of the first image is provided by using the learned model, and a first high image quality image is obtained. By using the first high image quality image and the second image as inputs, a high image quality image of the second image having the image quality of the first high image quality image is generated while maintaining contrast of the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Tomoki AMEMIYA, Atsuro SUZUKI, Yukio KANEKO, Chizue TANAKA, Toru SHIRAI
  • Publication number: 20220031282
    Abstract: A sound wave is transmitted to a subject from one or more transducers in an transducer array in which a plurality of the transducers are arranged. A measured sound pressure measured by a plurality of transducers for the sound wave transmitted through an imaging region of the subject is received from the transducers. The measured sound pressure is processed to generate a transmitted wave image in the imaging region. A simulated sound wave having a sound pressure changing with time is generated from a simulated sound source, the sound pressure when the simulated sound wave is transmitted through the imaging region and reaches a plurality of simulated detectors is obtained by calculation as a calculated sound pressure, and the transmitted wave image is sequentially corrected using the calculated sound pressure with the transmitted wave image as an initial image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Atsuro SUZUKI, Yushi TSUBOTA, Takahide TERADA, Kazuhiro YAMANAKA, Kenichi KAWABATA
  • Patent number: 10959706
    Abstract: Provided herein is a phantom capable of mimicking both a dense breast and a fatty breast. A phantom for ultrasound measurement includes: a first member that mimics an object of interest for measurement; and a second member having provided therein the first member. The second member has the property to decrease its sound speed with a temperature increase brought by external temperature control. The sound speed of the second member at a predetermined temperature is equal to the sound speed of a third member surrounding the second member. The first member and the second member are immiscible with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuro Suzuki, Kenichi Kawabata, Takahide Terada, Yushi Tsubota, Wenjing Wu, Kazuhiro Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20210022705
    Abstract: To provide an ultrasonic CT apparatus that can change an inclination of a side surface of a breast such that an ultrasonic wave is incident on a surface of an entire circumference of the breast at an angle close to perpendicular, and that has less psychological burden on a subject. A container provided with an opening to which the breast is inserted is disposed below a bed provided with a through hole to which the breast of the subject is inserted. In the container, a member that propagates or transmits the ultrasonic wave is disposed, and the member is relatively pressed against a side surface or a nipple portion of the breast such that an inclination of the side surface of the breast is close to perpendicular. A transducer array emits the ultrasonic wave around the breast with the inclination of the side surface being close to perpendicular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Atsuro SUZUKI, Yushi TSUBOTA, Takahide TERADA, Kenichi KAWABATA, Kazuhiro YAMANAKA, Wenjing WU
  • Publication number: 20180310923
    Abstract: Provided herein is a phantom capable of mimicking both a dense breast and a fatty breast. A phantom for ultrasound measurement includes: a first member that mimics an object of interest for measurement; and a second member having provided therein the first member. The second member has the property to decrease its sound speed with a temperature increase brought by external temperature control. The sound speed of the second member at a predetermined temperature is equal to the sound speed of a third member surrounding the second member. The first member and the second member are immiscible with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Atsuro SUZUKI, Kenichi KAWABATA, Takahide TERADA, Yushi TSUBOTA, Wenjing WU, Kazuhiro YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 9870608
    Abstract: A unit (33) for generating count images for separate energy windows generates main measured count images and auxiliary measured count images on the basis of gamma ray (6) count information measured by a detector head (10). A main measurement window direct ray count rate estimation unit (42) estimates a count rate for direct gamma rays in a main measurement energy window, doing so by subtracting a scattered gamma ray count rate for an auxiliary measurement energy window, which has been estimated from an auxiliary measured count image and detector response data by an auxiliary measurement window scattered ray count rate estimation unit (41), from the main measured count image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Takeuchi, Atsuro Suzuki, Yuichi Morimoto, Isao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9757077
    Abstract: When two detector panels are rotationally moved around the entire circumference of a region of interest and projection images of the region of interest are captured during the rotational movement, the respective detector panels are moved along the tangential direction of the rotational movement to a position where the union of the capturing ranges of the projection images captured by the respective detector panels covers the entire region of interest. The projection images captured by the respective detector panels are used to reconstruct a transaxial image of the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuro Suzuki, Yuichiro Ueno, Takafumi Ishitsu, Wataru Takeuchi, Isao Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20160374633
    Abstract: When two detector panels are rotationally moved around the entire circumference of a region of interest and projection images of the region of interest are captured during the rotational movement, the respective detector panels are moved along the tangential direction of the rotational movement to a position where the union of the capturing ranges of the projection images captured by the respective detector panels covers the entire region of interest. The projection images captured by the respective detector panels are used to reconstruct a transaxial image of the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuro SUZUKI, Yuichiro UENO, Takafumi ISHITSU, Wataru TAKEUCHI, Isao TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 9390823
    Abstract: There is provided is a radiation image acquiring device which corrects a positional displacement between a collimator and a detector and obtains an image without artifacts. The device includes a detector (21) to measure a radiation; a collimator (26) including a through-hole (27) having one or more detectors (21) disposed therein and configured to limit an incident direction of the radiation; a positional displacement measuring unit configured to measure a positional displacement between the detector (21) and the collimator (26) by use of a profile of a radiation source measured by the detector (21) based on the radiation source disposed corresponding to a predetermined detector (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuro Suzuki, Takafumi Ishitsu, Isao Takahashi, Wataru Takeuchi, Keiji Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20150379699
    Abstract: A unit (33) for generating count images for separate energy windows generates main measured count images and auxiliary measured count images on the basis of gamma ray (6) count information measured by a detector head (10). A main measurement window direct ray count rate estimation unit (42) estimates a count rate for direct gamma rays in a main measurement energy window, doing so by subtracting a scattered gamma ray count rate for an auxiliary measurement energy window, which has been estimated from an auxiliary measured count image and detector response data by an auxiliary measurement window scattered ray count rate estimation unit (41), from the main measured count image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Wataru TAKEUCHI, Atsuro SUZUKI, Yuichi MORIMOTO, Isao TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150262721
    Abstract: There is provided is a radiation image acquiring device which corrects a positional displacement between a collimator and a detector and obtains an image without artifacts. The device includes a detector (21) to measure a radiation; a collimator (26) including a through-hole (27) having one or more detectors (21) disposed therein and configured to limit an incident direction of the radiation; a positional displacement measuring unit configured to measure a positional displacement between the detector (21) and the collimator (26) by use of a profile of a radiation source measured by the detector (21) based on the radiation source disposed corresponding to a predetermined detector (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Atsuro Suzuki, Takafumi Ishitsu, Isao Takahashi, Wataru Takeuchi, Keiji Kobashi
  • Patent number: 8774350
    Abstract: Scattered X-rays scattered by an object or a structure enter in a detector (a shift detector) for detecting the positional shift of an X-ray focal point and become a noise source, thereby deteriorating the positional shift detection precision. In particular, the estimation of the dose of scattered X-rays originating from the object is difficult prior to the measurement, and correction of the scattered X-rays is important in order to precisely calculate the positional shift of the X-ray focal point. In order to address this drawback, according to the present invention, a scattered X-ray detector 6 is provided which measures the dose of scattered rays entering in a shift detector 5 for detecting the positional shift of an X-ray focal point 9, and has a function that the output by the shift detector 5 is corrected using the scattered ray dose measured by the scattered X-ray detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yushi Tsubota, Fumito Watanabe, Hironori Ueki, Yasutaka Konno, Shinichi Kojima, Atsuro Suzuki