Patents by Inventor Douglas Fraser

Douglas Fraser 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: 9570842
    Abstract: A magnetic connection system suitable for use with a wireless ultrasound probe which utilizes a plurality of magnets to facilitate coupling between said probe and a diagnostic or clinical device in a manner which minimizes the effects of stray magnetic fields on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Nordgren, Tracy C. Brechbiel, John Douglas Fraser
  • Patent number: 9534949
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area (Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15). The cell (10) further comprises a stress layer (17) on the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) having a predetermined stress value with respect to the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) being adapted to provide a bending moment on the membrane (14) in a direction towards the substrate (12) such that the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) is collapsed to the substrate (12). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Dirksen, Ronald Dekker, Vincent Adrianus Henneken, Adriaan Leeuwestein, Bout Marcelis, John Douglas Fraser
  • Patent number: 9371001
    Abstract: A safety shutdown system for a vehicle has a device for detecting a panic-level force applied to a vehicle control with a first state indicative of no detected panic-level forces, and a second state indicative of detected panic-level force. This device is coupled to disable a powerplant of the vehicle when in the second state. In particular embodiments the apparatus for detecting has a hydraulic cylinder coupled to a brake line and detects panic-level force on a brake pedal of the vehicle; and in embodiments the apparatus for detecting is adjustable. In other particular embodiments, a second device disables the powerplant of the vehicle upon detecting panic-level force on an accelerator pedal of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventor: Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20160151618
    Abstract: An apparatus for ultrasound irradiation of a body part (208) includes a first ultrasound transducer (216), and a second ultrasound transducer (212) mounted oppositely, and is configured: a) such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of the first to the second transducer, are attached to the first transducer; b) for a beam, from the first transducer, causing cavitation, and/or bubble destruction of systemically circulating microbubbles, within the body part; or c) both with the attached elements and for the causing. The apparatus registers, with said first transducer, the second transducer, by using as a reference respectively the features a) and/or b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: JEFFRY EARL POWERS, WILLIAM TAO SHI, JOHN DOUGLAS FRASER, RALF SEIP, FRANCOIS GUY GERARD MA VIGNON
  • Patent number: 9317945
    Abstract: A method in a computer system in a vessel for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original chart image for display on a display screen, the computer system displaying a representation of the vessel moving along a course in the original chart image, the region-of-interest being located along the course proximate to the representation of the vessel, the method comprising: establishing a lens for the region-of-interest, the lens having a magnified focal region for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region having a diminishing magnification, the focal region having a size, a shape, and an orientation with respect to the course; receiving one or more signals to adjust at least one of the size, shape, and orientation of the focal region; and, applying the lens to the original chart image to produce the presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: CALLAHAN CELLULAR L.L.C.
    Inventor: Douglas Fraser
  • Patent number: 9117438
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area ((Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane (14) comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15), the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) being collapsed to the substrate (12). The cell further comprises a plug (30) arranged in the hole (15) of the membrane (14), the plug (30) being located only in a subarea (Asub) of the total membrane area (Atotal). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Dirksen, Ronald Dekker, Vincent Adrianus Henneken, Adriaan Leeuwestein, Bout Marcelis, John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20150137950
    Abstract: An apparatus for interrogating radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within an enclosure. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises an RFID module, a first assembly comprising a processor, a second assembly comprising an RFID radiator operatively coupled to the RFID module, and a connection element coupled to the first assembly and second assembly such that the second assembly is movable relative to the first assembly between a first configuration and second configuration. The processor may be configured to interrogate RFID tags via the RFID module and RFID radiator when the second assembly is in the second configuration, and not interrogate RFID tags when the second assembly is in the first configuration. In addition, both the first assembly and the second assembly may comprise attachment components configured to removably couple its respective assembly to one or more surfaces of an enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Kiely Per Faroe, Christopher Lee Fennig, Gordon Douglas Fraser, Patrick J. Sweeney, II, David Vetter
  • Publication number: 20150100218
    Abstract: A safety shutdown system for a vehicle has a device for detecting a panic-level force applied to a vehicle control with a first state indicative of no detected panic-level forces, and a second state indicative of detected panic-level force. This device is coupled to disable a powerplant of the vehicle when in the second state. In particular embodiments the apparatus for detecting has a hydraulic cylinder coupled to a brake line and detects panic-level force on a brake pedal of the vehicle; and in embodiments the apparatus for detecting is adjustable. In other particular embodiments, a second device disables the powerplant of the vehicle upon detecting panic-level force on an accelerator pedal of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Douglas Fraser
  • Patent number: 8947207
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first assembly, a second assembly, and a coupling element coupled to the first assembly and the second assembly. The first assembly includes a processor, a memory, and a radiator module, the processor operatively coupled to the memory and the radiator module. The second assembly includes a radiator operatively coupled to the radiator module. The second assembly is movable relative to the first assembly about the coupling element between a first configuration and a second configuration. The processor is configured to interrogate a radio-frequency identification module via the radiator module and the radiator when the second assembly is in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Quake Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Kiely Per Faroe, Christopher Lee Fennig, Gordon Douglas Fraser, Patrick J. Sweeney, II, David Vetter
  • Publication number: 20140265721
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro -machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12) comprising a first electrode (16), a membrane (14) comprising a second electrode (18), wherein the cell has an outer region (22) where the membrane (14) is mounted to the substrate (12) and an inner region (20) inside or surrounded by the outer region (22), wherein the membrane (14) is collapsed to the substrate (12) in a first collapsed annular-shaped region (24) located within the inner region (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andrew Lee Robinson, John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20140251014
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area (Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15). The cell (10) further comprises a stress layer (17) on the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) having a predetermined stress value with respect to the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) being adapted to provide a bending moment on the membrane (14) in a direction towards the substrate (12) such that the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) is collapsed to the substrate (12). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Peter Dirksen, Ronald Dekker, Vincent Adrianus Henneken, Adriaan Leeuwestein, Bout Marcelis, John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20140247698
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area ((Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane (14) comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15), the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) being collapsed to the substrate (12). The cell further comprises a plug (30) arranged in the hole (15) of the membrane (14), the plug (30) being located only in a subarea (Asub) of the total membrane area (Atotal). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Peter Dirksen, Ronald Dekker, Vincent Adrianus Henneken, Adriaan Leeuwestein, Bout Marcelis, John Douglas Fraser
  • Patent number: 8787116
    Abstract: A capacitive ultrasound transducer capable of operation in collapsed mode either with a reduced bias voltage, or with no bias voltage, is provided. The transducer includes a substrate that is contoured so that a middle region of the flexible membrane is collapsed against the substrate in the absence of a bias voltage. A non-collapsible gap may exists between the substrate and peripheral regions of the flexible membrane. The contour of the substrate may be such as to strain the flexible membrane past the point of collapse, or to mechanically interfere with the flexible membrane. The substrate may include a further membrane disposed beneath the flexible membrane, the further membrane being contoured so that the flexible membrane is collapsed against it. The substrate may a support disposed beneath the further membrane to deflect a corresponding portion of the further membrane upward toward the flexible membrane. The support may be a post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: John Petruzzello, John Douglas Fraser, Shiwei Zhou, Benoit Dufort, Theodore James Letavic
  • Patent number: 8769753
    Abstract: The appliance includes an appliance body (12) as well as a system for producing microbubbles (20) and a system for producing an ultrasound signal beam (22) in a frequency range which activates at least some of the microbubbles. The appliance includes at least one of the following: (a) an array of ultrasound transducer elements (40) which produce a plurality of ultrasound signal beams; (b) an amplitude modulation assembly (51) for modulating the amplitude of the ultrasound signal; and (c) a frequency modulation system (61) for changing the frequency of the ultrasound signals over a selected range, to impact a range of microbubble sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20140005548
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for shear wave measurement transmits push pulses in the form of a sheet of energy. The sheet of energy produces a shear wavefront which is a plane wave, which does not suffer from the 1/R radial dissipation of push pulse force as does a conventional push pulse generated along a single push pulse vector. The sheet of energy can be planar, curved, or in some other two or three dimensional shape. A curved sheet of energy can produce a shear wave source which focuses into a thin line, which increases the resolution and sensitivity of the measuring techniques used to detect the shear wave effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: John Douglas Fraser, Roy Peterson, Jean-Luc Robert, Vijay Shamdasani, Hua XIE
  • Publication number: 20130331705
    Abstract: An array of cMUT cells are formed on individually isolated massive plates on a substrate. The mass of each plate provides an inertial force in opposition to the force and motion of transmission by the cell which reduces the resultant translation of motion in the plate. The reduction in motion results in less coupling of acoustic energy into the substrate and contamination of the signals of adjacent cMUT cells by lateral waves. The unwanted wave coupling into the substrate can be further damped by compliant or sparse periodic mounting of the massive plates on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20130296698
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for shear wave measurement transmits push pulses into tissue for the generation of shear waves. Characteristics of the shear waves such as their velocity of passage through the tissue are measured to assess properties such as tissue stiffness. The measurements are compensated for effects of background motion by sampling echo signals from the tissue at different times and comparing the samples to detect the presence of relative motion between the ultrasound probe and the region of interest where shear waves are detected. Sensed background motion is used to adjust measured shear wave characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: John Douglas Fraser, Hua Xie
  • Patent number: 8203912
    Abstract: A capacitive ultrasound transducer includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the third electrode including a central region disposed in collapsibly spaced relation with the first electrode, and a peripheral region disposed outward of the central region and disposed in collapsibly spaced relation with the second electrode. The transducer further includes a layer of a high dielectric constant material disposed between the third electrode and the first electrode, and between the third electrode and the second electrode. The transducer may be operable in a collapsed mode wherein the peripheral region of the third electrode oscillates relative to the second electrode, and the central region of the third electrode is fully collapsed with respect to the first electrode such that the dielectric layer is sandwiched therebetween. Piezoelectric actuation, such as d31 and d33 mode piezoelectric actuation, may further be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Aarnoud Laurens Roest, Klaus Reimann, Mareike Klee, Jozef Thomas Martinus van Beek, John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20120143062
    Abstract: A magnetic connection system suitable for use with a wireless ultrasound probe which utilizes a plurality of magnets to facilitate coupling between said probe and a diagnostic or clinical device in a manner which minimizes the effects of stray magnetic fields on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Nordgren, Tracy C. Brechbiel, John Douglas Fraser
  • Publication number: 20110256503
    Abstract: The appliance includes an appliance body (12) as well as a system for producing microbubbles (20) and a system for producing an ultrasound signal beam (22) in a frequency range which activates at least some of the microbubbles. The appliance includes at least one of the following: (a) an array of ultrasound transducer elements (40) which produce a plurality of ultrasound signal beams; (b) an amplitude modulation assembly (51) for modulating the amplitude of the ultrasound signal; and (c) a frequency modulation system (61) for changing the frequency of the ultrasound signals over a selected range, to impact a range of microbubble sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: John Douglas Fraser