Patents by Inventor Donald Langler
Donald Langler 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).
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Patent number: 8690426Abstract: A method of fabricating a portable x-ray detector includes coupling a gravity sensor to the portable x-ray detector and coupling a processor to the gravity sensor. The processor is programmed to receive an input from the gravity sensor, determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input, and generate an indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector. A portable detector and an imaging system including the portable detector are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Rowland Saunders, Kenneth Kump, Donald Langler, Roy Schley
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Patent number: 8653826Abstract: A method of monitoring the voltage transmitted through a pair of electrical connector devices is provided. The pair of electrical connector devices include a source connector coupled to a power supply and a load connector coupled to a load, the source connector being coupled to the load connector. The method includes determining the voltage utilized by the load, determining the voltage generated by the power supply, and determining an electrical resistance of the pair of electrical connectors using the determined voltage utilized by the load and the voltage generated by the power supply. A connector monitoring circuit and a portable X-ray detector including the connector monitoring circuit is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Donald Langler, Scott Petrick
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Patent number: 8319506Abstract: A portable imaging detector and a method for operating the portable imaging detector are provided. The portable imaging detector includes a docking connector having a plurality of docking connector contacts. The method includes measuring a voltage at a first docking connector contact, and determining whether the portable detector is (i) operating in a digital cassette mode or is (ii) installed in either a cassette holder or a charging bin using the measured voltage. A detector state monitoring system is also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Scott Petrick, Donald Langler, Chuande Liu, Gary McBroom, Roy Schley
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Patent number: 8213573Abstract: A method for imaging an object includes radiating the object of interest and sensing the radiation that penetrates through the object using a detector having at least one active area and at least one inactive area, determining when the radiation is completed using information received from the inactive area of the imaging detector, and reconstructing an image of the object using information received from the active area of the imaging detector. A medical imaging system and a computer-readable medium are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2010Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Feng (Frank) Gao, Chuande Liu, Ping Xue, Jon Omernick, Donald Langler
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Publication number: 20110316568Abstract: A portable imaging detector and a method for operating the portable imaging detector are provided. The portable imaging detector includes a docking connector having a plurality of docking connector contacts. The method includes measuring a voltage at a first docking connector contact, and determining whether the portable detector is (i) operating in a digital cassette mode or is (ii) installed in either a cassette holder or a charging bin using the measured voltage. A detector state monitoring system is also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: JAMES ZHENGSHE LIU, CHUANDE LIU, GARY MCBROOM, ROY SCHLEY, SCOTT PETRICK, DONALD LANGLER
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Publication number: 20110305319Abstract: A method of fabricating a portable x-ray detector includes coupling a gravity sensor to the portable x-ray detector and coupling a processor to the gravity sensor. The processor is programmed to receive an input from the gravity sensor, determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input, and generate ah indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector. A portable detector and an imaging system including the portable detector are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: JAMES ZHENGSHE LIU, ROWLAND SAUNDERS, KENNETH KUMP, DONALD LANGLER, ROY SCHLEY
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Publication number: 20110254563Abstract: A method of monitoring the voltage transmitted through a pair of electrical connector devices is provided. The pair of electrical connector devices include a source connector coupled to a power supply and a load connector coupled to a load, the source connector being coupled to the load connector. The method includes determining the voltage utilized by the load, determining the voltage generated by the power supply, and determining an electrical resistance of the pair of electrical connectors using the determined voltage utilized by the load and the voltage generated by the power supply. A connector monitoring circuit and a portable X-ray detector including the connector monitoring circuit is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2010Publication date: October 20, 2011Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Donald Langler, Scott Petrick
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Publication number: 20110255666Abstract: A method for imaging an object includes radiating the object of interest and sensing the radiation that penetrates through the object using a detector having at least one active area and at least one inactive area, determining when the radiation is completed using information received from the inactive area of the imaging detector, and reconstructing an image of the object using information received from the active area of the imaging detector. A medical imaging system and a computer-readable medium are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2010Publication date: October 20, 2011Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Feng (Frank) Gao, Chuande Liu, Ping Xue, Jon Omernick, Donald Langler
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Patent number: 7963697Abstract: A gain correction and calibration technique for digital imaging systems is provided. In one embodiment, a method may include acquiring a plurality of dark images via a digital detector of an X-ray system. Acquiring the plurality of dark images may include acquiring data from a plurality of data channels of the digital detector during an analog test mode of the digital detector in which calibration voltages are applied to the data channels. The method may also include calibrating a channel gain map of the detector based on the plurality of dark images. Additional systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2009Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, John Lamberty, Ping Xue, Donald Langler
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Patent number: 7852985Abstract: A digital detector of a digital imaging system is provided. In one embodiment, a digital detector includes a detector array disposed in a housing and configured to generate image data based on received radiation. The digital detector may also include a battery configured to be disposed within a receptacle of the housing and to supply operating power to the detector array. In one embodiment, the receptacle and the housing may be configured such that the receptacle is externally accessible to enable a user to selectively insert and remove the battery from the receptacle. Additional systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2009Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Donald Langler, Gary V. McBroom
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Publication number: 20100230606Abstract: A digital detector of a digital imaging system is provided. In one embodiment, a digital detector includes a detector array disposed in a housing and configured to generate image data based on received radiation. The digital detector may also include a battery configured to be disposed within a receptacle of the housing and to supply operating power to the detector array. In one embodiment, the receptacle and the housing may be configured such that the receptacle is externally accessible to enable a user to selectively insert and remove the battery from the receptacle. Additional systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2009Publication date: September 16, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Donald Langler, Gary V. McBroom
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Publication number: 20100183124Abstract: A gain correction and calibration technique for digital imaging systems is provided. In one embodiment, a method may include acquiring a plurality of dark images via a digital detector of an X-ray system. Acquiring the plurality of dark images may include acquiring data from a plurality of data channels of the digital detector during an analog test mode of the digital detector in which calibration voltages are applied to the data channels. The method may also include calibrating a channel gain map of the detector based on the plurality of dark images. Additional systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, John Lamberty, Ping Xue, Donald Langler
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Patent number: 7755059Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations field-effect-transistor (FET) leakage from a pixel array panel of a digital X-ray detector is reduced by acquiring an image and an offset image from the pixel array panel of the digital X-ray detector while a negative voltage of the pixel array panel is at a higher level than a negative voltage of a threshold state of the pixel array panel of the digital X-ray detector.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Ping Xue, Ching-Yeu Wei, Donald Langler, Fengchao Zhang
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Publication number: 20100108898Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations field-effect-transistor (FET) leakage from a pixel array panel of a digital X-ray detector is reduced by acquiring an image and an offset image from the pixel array panel of the digital X-ray detector while a negative voltage of the pixel array panel is at a higher level than a negative voltage of a threshold state of the pixel array panel of the digital X-ray detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Fengchao Zhang, Donald Langler, James Zhengshe Liu, Ping Xue, Ching-Yeu Wei
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Publication number: 20060291624Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for offset correction of images from a flat panel detector. In some embodiments, the apparatus and method develops one or more offset maps, acquired during system idle, for the imaging system at a plurality of exposure windows. In some embodiments, exposure parameters acquired for the imaging system before image acquisition are used to select an offset map to subtract from subsequent X-ray images. In some further embodiments, executable instructions are disclosed for directing a processor to compile one or more offset map and exposure parameters to subtract based on a selected offset map noise elements from X-ray images and thereby minimizing the time between image acquisition and display of processed images.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2005Publication date: December 28, 2006Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ping Xue, Donald Langler
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Publication number: 20050206769Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing power consumption of a medical imaging detector by the use of triggering signals, environmental condition data, and/or determination of a variable time interval triggering event that is unique for each power consumption state. Systems and methods are provided for managing power and temperature of a device, after receiving a request for a function to be performed by the device determining an “on” trigger component, an “off” trigger component, associated circuits for performing the received function, providing power to the associated circuits upon the occurrence of the “on” trigger component, and removing power to the associated circuits upon the occurrence of the “off” trigger component. Further, an instruction is described for determining and displaying a variable time interval that is indicative of a time to change from one state to a desired state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: September 22, 2005Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ken Kump, John Lamberty, Aaron Haen, Paul Granfors, Jason Ertel, Jibril Odogba, David Neumann, Donald Langler, Ping Xue, Habib Vafi, Scott Petrick
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Publication number: 20050207534Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing power consumption of a medical imaging detector by the use of triggering signals, environmental condition data, and/or determination of a variable time interval triggering event that is unique for each power consumption state. Systems and methods are provided for managing power and temperature of a device, after receiving a request for a function to be performed by the device determining an “on” trigger component, an “off” trigger component, associated circuits for performing the received function, providing power to the associated circuits upon the occurrence of the “on” trigger component, and removing power to the associated circuits upon the occurrence of the “off” trigger component. Further, an instruction is described for determining and displaying a variable time interval that is indicative of a time to change from one state to a desired state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: September 22, 2005Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Scott Petrick, Donald Langler, Paul Granfors, Ken Kump, Aaron Haen, Jibril Odogba, Jason Ertel, David Neumann, John Lamberty, Ping Xue, Habib Vafi