Patents by Inventor Bu S. Park

Bu S. Park 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: 11493580
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for improving uniformity of RF magnetic field in an MRI system, and thereby improving both signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of imaging sensitivity across a sampling volume, to provide more uniform MRI images. A passive LC resonator develops induced EMF and induced currents in a primary RF magnetic field; the secondary magnetic field produced thereby can counteract magnetic field amplitude gradients to produce a more homogeneous RF magnetic field. In systems with separate transmit and receive coils, a shunt detuning circuit is pulsed ON to prevent interference during the transmit period. In a dual-frequency MRI machine (e.g. 19F and 1H), the RF magnetic field at the lower operating frequency can be homogenized by tuning the resonance of the passive resonator between the two operating frequencies. Another resonator can improve RF field uniformity at the higher operating frequency. Variants and experimental results are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    Inventors: Bu S. Park, Brenton McCright, Sunder S. Rajan
  • Publication number: 20210382126
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for improving uniformity of RF magnetic field in an MRI system, and thereby improving both signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of imaging sensitivity across a sampling volume, to provide more uniform MRI images. A passive LC resonator develops induced EMF and induced currents in a primary RF magnetic field; the secondary magnetic field produced thereby can counteract magnetic field amplitude gradients to produce a more homogeneous RF magnetic field. In systems with separate transmit and receive coils, a shunt detuning circuit is pulsed ON to prevent interference during the transmit period. In a dual-frequency MRI machine (e.g. 19F and 1H), the RF magnetic field at the lower operating frequency can be homogenized by tuning the resonance of the passive resonator between the two operating frequencies. Another resonator can improve RF field uniformity at the higher operating frequency. Variants and experimental results are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETATY, DEPARTMENT OF H
    Inventors: Bu S. Park, Brenton McCright, Sunder S. Rajan
  • Patent number: 11131732
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for improving uniformity of RF magnetic field in an MRI system, and thereby improving both signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of imaging sensitivity across a sampling volume, to provide more uniform MRI images. A passive LC resonator develops induced EMF and induced currents in a primary RF magnetic field; the secondary magnetic field produced thereby can counteract magnetic field amplitude gradients to produce a more homogeneous RF magnetic field. In systems with separate transmit and receive coils, a shunt detuning circuit is pulsed ON to prevent interference during the transmit period. In a dual-frequency MRI machine (e.g. 19F and 1H), the RF magnetic field at the lower operating frequency can be homogenized by tuning the resonance of the passive resonator between the two operating frequencies. Another resonator can improve RF field uniformity at the higher operating frequency. Variants and experimental results are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    Inventors: Bu S. Park, Brenton McCright, Sunder S. Rajan
  • Publication number: 20200408861
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for improving uniformity of RF magnetic field in an MRI system, and thereby improving both signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity of imaging sensitivity across a sampling volume, to provide more uniform MRI images. A passive LC resonator develops induced EMF and induced currents in a primary RF magnetic field; the secondary magnetic field produced thereby can counteract magnetic field amplitude gradients to produce a more homogeneous RF magnetic field. In systems with separate transmit and receive coils, a shunt detuning circuit is pulsed ON to prevent interference during the transmit period. In a dual-frequency MRI machine (e.g. 19F and 1H), the RF magnetic field at the lower operating frequency can be homogenized by tuning the resonance of the passive resonator between the two operating frequencies. Another resonator can improve RF field uniformity at the higher operating frequency. Variants and experimental results are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BYTHE SECRETARY,DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    Inventors: Bu S. Park, Brenton McCright, Sunder S. Rajan