Patents by Inventor Charles Frederick Lloyd

Charles Frederick Lloyd 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: 9402639
    Abstract: A system and method for positioning a medical imaging unit is disclosed. The method may include accessing data from a plurality of sensors. The method may also include computing an optimal position for the medical imaging unit to acquire images of a point of interest. The computation may be based on data from plurality of sensors and information for calibrating the point of interest with at least one sensor. The method may also include computing instructions for manipulating the medical imaging unit from a first position to an optimal position. In an embodiment, the instructions may be displayed for a user to manually position the medical imaging unit. Alternatively, the instructions may be sent to an electric motor to position the medical imaging unit, or the electric motor may provide force feedback to guide a user to position the medical imaging unit in an optimal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Patent number: 9320569
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for implant distance measurement. Certain embodiments of a method provide determining a tool trajectory, comparing the trajectory to one or more measured distances stored in memory to identify a requested distance measurement, and indicating the requested distance measurement to a user based on a matched trajectory. Certain embodiments of a system provide a processor configured to determine a tool trajectory with respect to a region of interest. The processor compares the trajectory to one or more measured distances between implants stored in memory to identify a requested distance measurement. The system also includes a display configured to display an image including the implants and the requested distance measurement to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Patent number: 8682413
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for automated tracker-driven image selection. The method includes determining a location of a tracked device and automatically sorting an image set based at least in part on the location of the tracked device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Patent number: 8131031
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for automatically labeling an image using an intraoperative imaging system. The method includes acquiring a first image at a first position, labeling the first image with a first label, acquiring a second image at a second position, automatically labeling the second image with a second label based at least in part on the first label, the first position, and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Patent number: 7660622
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for positioning an electromagnetic tracking sensor. The method includes attaching a sensor to an anatomy, obtaining an image of the anatomy, indicating a size of each of a plurality of volumes on the image, where the volumes include a smaller and larger volume, and making a determination of whether a region of interest is encompassed by one or more of the volumes. The present invention also provides a system for positioning an electromagnetic tracking sensor. The system includes a sensor attached to a patient anatomy, an imaging modality obtaining an image of the anatomy, an image processor indicating a size of each of a plurality of volumes on the image, where the plurality of volumes includes a smaller and larger volume, and an operator making a determination of whether a region of interest is encompassed by one or more of the volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Yun Wu, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Patent number: 7497621
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for improved calibration of an image acquisition device. Certain embodiments of the system include an image acquisition device for obtaining at least one image of an object and a calibration fixture positioned in relation to the image acquisition device. The calibration fixture includes a radiotranslucent material providing low frequency content for characterizing the image acquisition device. In an embodiment, the calibration fixture includes a plurality of peaks and valleys to create a low frequency signal for characterizing the image acquisition device. The calibration fixture may be positioned between the image acquisition device and an energy source such that a distance between the image acquisition device and the calibration fixture is minimized. In certain embodiments, a grating or other calibration fixture may be used to generate a moiré pattern to calibrate the image acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dimitri Victorovich Yatesenko, Jon Thomas Lea, Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20080300477
    Abstract: An image guided surgical system and method for correction of automated image registration via user interaction. The system and method comprising at least one imaging apparatus adapted to acquire a first image and a second image of a region of interest of a subject, a registration component adapted to perform a registration of the second image to a dataset of the first image, at least one display for displaying a visualization of the registration of the second image to a dataset of the first image as it is occurring, and a user interface for manipulating the visualization of the registration to correct any misalignments between the first image and the second image in the registration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Publication number: 20080119725
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for medical navigation including determining an initial registration for a data set, determining an accuracy region, detecting a position of a tracked instrument with respect to the data set, and providing an indication to a user when the tracked instrument is detected outside the accuracy region. The data set is based at least in part on one or more medical images. The initial registration is based at least in part on a region of interest. The accuracy region defines a region of the data set where the accuracy of the detected position of the tracked instrument conforms to a tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20080119712
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for registering a medical image including determining an initial registration based at least in part on a first image to a data set, acquiring a second image during a procedure, and determining a second registration of the second image to the data set based at least in part on the initial registration. The initial registration is based at least in part on input from a user. The initial registration includes an error estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20080114267
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for implant distance measurement. Certain embodiments of a method provide determining a tool trajectory, comparing the trajectory to one or more measured distances stored in memory to identify a requested distance measurement, and indicating the requested distance measurement to a user based on a matched trajectory. Certain embodiments of a system provide a processor configured to determine a tool trajectory with respect to a region of interest. The processor compares the trajectory to one or more measured distances between implants stored in memory to identify a requested distance measurement. The system also includes a display configured to display an image including the implants and the requested distance measurement to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Publication number: 20080114238
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for automated tracker-driven image selection. The method includes determining a location of a tracked device and automatically sorting an image set based at least in part on the location of the tracked device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20080112604
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for automatically labeling an image using an intraoperative imaging system. The method includes acquiring a first image at a first position, labeling the first image with a first label, acquiring a second image at a second position, automatically labeling the second image with a second label based at least in part on the first label, the first position, and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventor: Charles Frederick Lloyd
  • Patent number: 7371068
    Abstract: A system and method for an improved surgical workflow development includes creating and editing a modifiable module used to direct a medical procedure through a sequence of images and functions included in the module. A plurality of users may review and/or evaluate the module to determine what, if any, edits to the module are required. Evaluations of the module may include a research evaluation, a cadaver evaluation or a clinical evaluation. A scripting tool may be used to create or edit the module, where the scripting tool includes a computer programming software application. The module may be stored on a computer-readable memory accessible by a plurality of computers and/or display devices connected to a network. In this way, the system and method provide for rapid dynamic development of surgical workflows contained in modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Frederick Lloyd, Gregory David Stern, Thomas C. Kienzle, Jon Thomas Lea
  • Patent number: 7344307
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for improved calibration of an image acquisition device. Certain embodiments of the system include an image acquisition device for obtaining at least one image of an object and a calibration fixture positioned in relation to the image acquisition device. The calibration fixture includes a radiotranslucent material providing low frequency content for characterizing the image acquisition device. In an embodiment, the calibration fixture includes a plurality of peaks and valleys to create a low frequency signal for characterizing the image acquisition device. The calibration fixture may be positioned between the image acquisition device and an energy source such that a distance between the image acquisition device and the calibration fixture is minimized. In certain embodiments, a grating or other calibration fixture may be used to generate a moiré pattern to calibrate the image acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dimitri Victorovich Yatsenko, Jon Thomas Lea, Charles Frederick Lloyd