Patents by Inventor Ehud Dafni

Ehud Dafni 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: 7042977
    Abstract: A method for determining a modulation function for modulating intensity of X-rays provided by an X-ray source of a CT-system for CT-imaging a slice of a region a person's body, the method comprising: acquiring X-ray attenuation data for a first substantially anterior-posterior or lateral view of the slice; determining a first maximum X-ray attenuation from the attenuation data; determining a length of a projection of the slice along an axis in the plane of the slice that is substantially orthogonal to the view angle using the attenuation data; determining a second maximum X-ray attenuation for a second view orthogonal to the first view based on the determined length; and using the first and second attenuation maxima to determine the modulation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Ehud Dafni
  • Patent number: 6970585
    Abstract: A method for modifying a planar image slice in a CT scanner having a predetermined reconstruction angle, comprising: reconstructing an image of the slice using initial X-ray attenuation data acquired along an initial scan path sector; acquiring additional X-ray attenuation data along an additional scan path sector in a vicinity of the axial position of the slice, the sector having an angular extent substantially less than the reconstruction angle; and modifying the image, to provide a modified image of the slice, responsible to the additional attenuation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, Uri Shreter, Haim Gelman
  • Publication number: 20050171443
    Abstract: A non-invasive apparatus for measuring cardiac mechanical performance of a patient, the apparatus comprising a pressure applying element (301) mountable on a limb of the patient for applying pressure high enough to make a segment of an artery within the limb achieve a collapsed state and empty it from blood at least momentarily; at least one of a plurality of sensors coupled to the pressure applying element, sensing mechanical changes corresponding to volumetric changes in the artery as the artery progressively recuperates from its collapsed state; processing unit (303) communicating with the sensors for receiving output corresponding to the mechanical changes from the sensors and computing factors correlated with blood flow and calculate parameters indicating heart performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Miguel Gorenberg, Hector Rotstein, Michael Naroditzky, Alon Marmor, Ehud Dafni
  • Patent number: 6914957
    Abstract: A CT-scanner having a gantry comprising a stator and a rotor, wherein an X-ray source and array of X-ray detectors are mounted to the rotor for determining absorption of X-rays along paths through the body of a patient imaged by the CT-scanner, the CT imager comprising: a processor that processes data comprised in signals generated by the X-ray detectors responsive to intensity of X-rays from the X-ray source incident on the detectors to generate an image of the patient; at least one spread spectrum transmitter that receives data comprised in the signals generated by the X-ray detectors and transmits signals encoded with the data in accordance with a spread spectrum coding; and at least one spread spectrum receiver that receives the encoded signals transmitted by the at least one spread spectrum transmitter and forwards the encoded data to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, James W. Green
  • Publication number: 20050135560
    Abstract: A computed tomography scanner includes a base system and a rotor system. The rotor system has an axle that is rotationally mounted to the base system. At least one x-ray source is mounted to the rotor system. A power interface system at least partially disposed about the axle couples power to the x-ray source. The power interface may include a slip ring assembly or a cable assembly that winds and unwinds about the axle as the rotor system rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, Eliahu Heyman
  • Publication number: 20050070805
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of assessment of relative changes in the cross sectional area of a limb artery. The method includes applying to the artery an external pressure, which causes the cross-sectional area of the artery to change between systole and diastole much more than if the pressure is not applied, determining, over one or more cardiac cycles, a baseline value for a parameter related to the cross-sectional area of the artery, while the pressure is applied, applying a stimulus to the artery, determining, over one or more cardiac cycles, a stimulus-affected value for the parameter related to the cross-sectional area of the artery, while the pressure is applied and while the artery is in a dilated state affected by the stimulus and evaluating the artery based on a comparison of the determined stimulus-affected and baseline values, the baseline value is determined while the artery is substantially not affected by the stimulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventor: Ehud Dafni
  • Publication number: 20040247071
    Abstract: A method for determining a modulation function for modulating intensity of X-rays provided by an X-ray source of a CT-system for CT-imaging a slice of a region a person's body, the method comprising: acquiring X-ray attenuation data for a first substantially anterior-posterior or lateral view of the slice; determining a first maximum X-ray attenuation from the attenuation data; determining a length of a projection of the slice along an axis in the plane of the slice that is substantially orthogonal to the view angle using the attenuation data; determining a second maximum X-ray attenuation for a second view orthogonal to the first view based on the determined length; and using the first and second attenuation maxima to determine the modulation function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Ehud Dafni
  • Publication number: 20040044288
    Abstract: A non-invasive apparatus for measuring cardiac mechanical performance of a patient, the apparatus comprising a pressure applying element mountable on a limb of the patient for applying pressure high enough to make a segment of an artery within the limb achieve a collapsed state and empty it from blood at least momentarily; at least one of a plurality of sensors coupled to said pressure applying element, sensing mechanical changes corresponding to volumetric changes in the artery as the artery progressively recuperates from its collapsed state; processing unit communicating with said at least one of a plurality of sensors for receiving output corresponding to the mechanical changes from said at least one of a plurality of sensors and computing factors correlated with blood flow and calculate parameters indicating heart performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Miguel Gorenberg, Hector Rotstein, Michael Naroditzky, Alon Marmor, Ehud Dafni
  • Publication number: 20030185338
    Abstract: A CT-scanner having a gantry comprising a stator and a rotor, wherein an X-ray source and array of X-ray detectors are mounted to the rotor for determining absorption of X-rays along paths through the body of a patient imaged by the CT-scanner, the CT imager comprising: a processor that processes data comprised in signals generated by the X-ray detectors responsive to intensity of X-rays from the X-ray source incident on the detectors to generate an image of the patient; at least one spread spectrum transmitter that receives data comprised in the signals generated by the X-ray detectors and transmits signals encoded with the data in accordance with a spread spectrum coding; and at least one spread spectrum receiver that receives the encoded signals transmitted by the at least one spread spectrum transmitter and forwards the encoded data to the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, James W Green
  • Patent number: 6400789
    Abstract: A method for reconstructuring a planar image slice in a CT scanner having a predetermined reconstrunction angle and including a detector array having n rows, n being an integer greater than 1, said method comprising: acquiring X-ray attentuation data from the detector array along a predetermined portion of a helical scan path in the vicinity of an axial position corresponding to the planar image slice, wherein the predetermined portion has an angular extent that is generally equal to the reconstruction angle; and processing the data to reconstruct an image of the slice, using data acquired substantially only along the predetermined portion of the scan path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Philips Medical Systems Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Ehud Dafni
  • Publication number: 20010028697
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing multiple image slice data responsive to incident radiation, comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Ehud Nahaliel, Ehud Dafni, Andre Feldman, David Ruimi, David Freundlich
  • Patent number: 6243438
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing multiple image slice data responsive to incident radiation passing through an object. The apparatus includes a detector array having a plurality (p) of parallel rows of detector elements which receive such incident radiation and generate signals therefrom, each of which rows is characterized by a width measured prior to collimation in the direction perpendicular to a long dimension thereof; and signal processing circuitry which receives signals from the detector elements and which combines the signals in a first combination mode and in at least m additional combination modes. In the first combination mode, the circuitry forms a set of n groups of rows, each such group of rows having an effective group width substantially equal to the effective group width of each of the other groups in the set. In each of the m additional combination modes, the circuitry forms different sets of n groups of rows, each such set having a different effective group width common to all groups in the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Marconi Medical Systems Isreal Ltd.
    Inventors: Ehud Nahaliel, Ehud Dafni, Andre Feldman, David Ruimi, David Freundlich
  • Patent number: 6198789
    Abstract: A method for adjusting radiation flux in a CT scanner, including acquiring radiation attenuation data with respect to a body being imaged by the scanner from a CT scan, in a vicinity of a first axial position along the body and determining a modulation function, depending on radial view angle, based on the data. The body is translated relative to the scanner to a second axial position along the body, and a CT scan is performed in a vicinity of the second axial position, while controlling the radiation flux impinging on the body using the modulation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Marconi Medical Systems Israel Ltd.
    Inventor: Ehud Dafni
  • Patent number: 6118839
    Abstract: A computerized tomography system wherein the X-ray source rotates about the subject and moves axially relative to the subject to provide a helical scan. A detector array includes a plurality of rows of detector elements extending axially and each element being of the same size to enable the acquisition of multiple planar data per rotation. The acquired data is reformatted into planar data by interpolating as a function of both the axial subject position and the axial detector element position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Elscint Ltd.
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, David Ruimi
  • Patent number: 5966422
    Abstract: A Computerized Tomographic (CT) helical scanner system including multiple, separate x-ray sources mounted on the same gantry, each irradiating different two-dimensional detectors at any given time to simultaneously acquire data from multiple slices and combining the data obtained from the multiple slices to provide images either of individual slices or combined slices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Picker Medical Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ehud Dafni, David Ruimi
  • Patent number: 5194738
    Abstract: Apparatus for digital imaging including at least one electron multiplier arranged to receive beta radiation from a sample, apparatus for collimating the beta radiation without totally blocking all radiation from any location within a given region of interest on the sample, and readout electrodes operative in response to electrons from the electron multiplier to provide a first output indication of the incidence and location of beta radiation from the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Yeda Research & Development Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Amos Breskin, Rachel Chechik, Ehud Dafni