Patents by Inventor Floris ERNST

Floris ERNST 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).

  • AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR ULTRASOUND IMAGING OF PATIENTS IN ANY POSE
    Publication number: 20260144518
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system comprising a robotic arm, an ultrasound probe, at least one depth camera for capturing a depth image of a patient's body and its surroundings, an ultrasound probe pose determination unit, a dense pose determination unit, and an ultrasound probe pose transformation unit configured to determine a six-dimensional pose of the ultrasound probe. The transformation unit transforms this pose between the depth image and a 3D human body surface model using an invertible coordinate transformation function based on dense correspondences. Said system enables recording and autonomous positioning of an ultrasound probe on a patient's body independent of body posture. The invention further relates to a method for recording a six-dimensional pose and/or trajectory of an ultrasound probe, and a method for its autonomous positioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2025
    Publication date: May 28, 2026
    Inventors: Susann Kriebisch, Ralf Bruder, Floris Ernst
  • Apparatus and method for real-time tracking of bony structures
    Patent number: 11076776
    Abstract: A method for measuring skin thickness. The method includes at a first 3D point on an outer surface of a patient, exposing the first point to near infrared (NIR) energy from an NIR source. The method includes measuring reflected energy emanating near the first 3D point, or beam incident point. The method includes determining a pattern of the reflected energy based on a distance from a center of the reflected energy, wherein the center is approximated by the first 3D point. The method includes determining a skin thickness measurement based on the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignees: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH, Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Adler, Jr., Ralf Bruder, Floris Ernst, Achim Schweikard
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME TRACKING OF BONY STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20190246954
    Abstract: A method for measuring skin thickness. The method includes at a first 3D point on an outer surface of a patient, exposing the first point to near infrared (NIR) energy from an NIR source. The method includes measuring reflected energy emanating near the first 3D point, or beam incident point. The method includes determining a pattern of the reflected energy based on a distance from a center of the reflected energy, wherein the center is approximated by the first 3D point. The method includes determining a skin thickness measurement based on the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: John R. ADLER, JR., Ralf BRUDER, Floris ERNST, Achim SCHWEIKARD
  • Apparatus and method for real-time tracking of bony structures
    Patent number: 10201291
    Abstract: A method for measuring skin thickness. The method includes at a first 3D point on an outer surface of a patient, exposing the first point to near infrared (NIR) energy from an NIR source. The method includes measuring reflected energy emanating near the first 3D point, or beam incident point. The method includes determining a pattern of the reflected energy based on a distance from a center of the reflected energy, wherein the center is approximated by the first 3D point. The method includes determining a skin thickness measurement based on the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GMBH
    Inventors: John R. Adler, Jr., Ralf Bruder, Floris Ernst, Achim Schweikard
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME TRACKING OF BONY STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20140121527
    Abstract: A method for measuring skin thickness. The method includes at a first 3D point on an outer surface of a patient, exposing the first point to near infrared (NIR) energy from an NIR source. The method includes measuring reflected energy emanating near the first 3D point, or beam incident point. The method includes determining a pattern of the reflected energy based on a distance from a center of the reflected energy, wherein the center is approximated by the first 3D point. The method includes determining a skin thickness measurement based on the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. ADLER, JR., Ralf BRUDER, Floris ERNST, Achim SCHWEIKARD