Patents by Inventor Deborah J. Walter

Deborah J. Walter 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: 7308073
    Abstract: A bowtie filter is constructed to have a fluidic envelope filled with attenuating fluid and a displacement insert that can present various x-ray attenuation profiles during a scan. The insert is designed to displace the attenuating fluid to achieve a denied attenuating or filtering profile. The insert can be rotated, twisted, moved, and otherwise contorted within the fluidic envelope as needed during the course of a scan. As the angle, position and shape of the zombie is changed, the x-ray profile of the filter changes. The insert may have a default shape when at rest, but can have its shape changed when external forces are placed thereon. As x-ray filtering needs change during the course of the scan, the insert can be compressed, stretched, and/or contorted to achieve additional filtering profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: J. Eric Tkaczyk, Deborah J. Walter, Xiaoye Wu, Brian C. Bales, James W. Leblanc, Yanfeng Du
  • Patent number: 6848827
    Abstract: The present technique provides for the spectral calibration of the detector elements of a CT detector using one or more offset calibration phantoms. The offset phantoms provide greater coverage of the detector elements as well as spectral response data associated with penetration lengths ranging in length from a minimum chord of the phantom to the diameter of the phantom. The spectral response as a function of penetration length can be obtained for each detector element by comparing the fitting of each projection view to the corresponding measured projection view over all view angles. The fitting information may then be employed to derive the coefficients of the spectral response curve for each detector element, which may in turn be employed to provide rapid correction of the spectral response for each element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoye Wu, James LeBlanc, Deborah J. Walter
  • Publication number: 20040228451
    Abstract: The present technique provides for the spectral calibration of the detector elements of a CT detector using one or more offset calibration phantoms. The offset phantoms provide greater coverage of the detector elements as well as spectral response data associated with penetration lengths ranging in length from a minimum chord of the phantom to the diameter of the phantom. The spectral response as a function of penetration length can be obtained for each detector element by comparing the fitting of each projection view to the corresponding measured projection view over all view angles. The fitting information may then be employed to derive the coefficients of the spectral response curve for each detector element, which may in turn be employed to provide rapid correction of the spectral response for each element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Xiaoye Wu, James LeBlanc, Deborah J. Walter