Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Nakai

Hiroaki Nakai 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).

  • Publication number: 20200063737
    Abstract: In an asymmetrical scroll compressor, at least one injection port through which an intermediate-pressure refrigerant is injected into a first compression chamber and a second compression chamber, at least one injection port penetrating an end plate of a fixed scroll at a position where the injection port is open to the first compression chamber or the second compression chamber during a compression stroke after a suction refrigerant is introduced and closed. Further, the amount of a refrigerant injected from an injection port into the first compression chamber is made more than the amount of a refrigerant injected from the injection port into the second compression chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroaki NAKAI, Atsushi SAKUDA
  • Publication number: 20200064498
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sensitivity correction method includes acquiring count rates for respective pixels in a photon counting detector; preparing incident dose adjustment materials for the respective pixels based on the count rates for the respective pixels; and providing the incident dose adjustment materials in a surface of the photon counting detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki NAKAI, Hiroaki MIYAZAKI, Tooru KATO, Mikihito HAYASHI, Naoki SUGIHARA
  • Publication number: 20200033273
    Abstract: A photon counting X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes: data acquiring circuitry, and processing circuitry. The data acquiring circuitry is configured to allocate energy measured by signals output from a photon counting detector in response to incidence of X-ray photons to any of a plurality of first energy bins so as to acquire a first data group as count data of each of the first energy bins. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a plurality of second energy bins obtained by grouping the first energy bins in accordance with a decomposition target material that is a material to be decomposed in a imaging region, allocate the first data group to any of the second energy bins so as to generate a second data group, and use the second data group to generate an image representing a distribution of the decomposition target material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta Moriyasu, Taichiro Shiodera, Shuhei Nitta, Tomoyuki Takeguchi, Hidenori Takeshima, Toshiyuki Ono, Takashi Ida, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10497152
    Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes an X-ray tube, a photon counting detector, and a processing circuitry. The X-ray tube is configured to generate X-rays. The photon counting detector includes a plurality of detecting elements each configured to output a signal in response to any of the X-rays becoming incident thereto after having passed through an examined subject. The processing circuitry is configured to determine, within a reconstruction region, a first region on which a spectrum reconstructing process is to be performed and a second region on which an energy integral reconstructing process is to be performed, on the basis of output values related to energy spectra based on the signals output by the detecting elements. The processing circuitry is configured to generate an image on the basis of the determined first region and the determined second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Miyazaki, Hiroaki Nakai, Naoki Sugihara, Tooru Kato, Mikihito Hayashi, Emi Tamura
  • Patent number: 10451568
    Abstract: A photon counting X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes: data acquiring circuitry, and processing circuitry. The data acquiring circuitry is configured to allocate energy measured by signals output from a photon counting detector in response to incidence of X-ray photons to any of a plurality of first energy bins so as to acquire a first data group as count data of each of the first energy bins. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a plurality of second energy bins obtained by grouping the first energy bins in accordance with a decomposition target material that is a material to be decomposed in a imaging region, allocate the first data group to any of the second energy bins so as to generate a second data group, and use the second data group to generate an image representing a distribution of the decomposition target material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta Moriyasu, Taichiro Shiodera, Shuhei Nitta, Tomoyuki Takeguchi, Hidenori Takeshima, Toshiyuki Ono, Takashi Ida, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Publication number: 20190309750
    Abstract: In a scroll compressor according to the present invention, at least one injection port penetrating a second end plate of a fixed scroll at a position where the injection port is open to a first compression chamber or a second compression chamber in a compression stroke after the suction refrigerant is introduced and closed. Further, the discharge bypass port is disposed such that a volume ratio, which is a ratio of a suction volume to a discharge volume of the second compression chamber at which the refrigerant in the first compression chamber can be discharged, is smaller in the first compression chamber, which is one compression chamber having the large amount of the refrigerant injected from the injection port, than in the second compression chamber, which is the other compression chamber among the first compression chamber and the second compression chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroaki NAKAI, Atsushi SAKUDA
  • Patent number: 10338012
    Abstract: A photon counting detector of an embodiment includes X-ray detection elements, a capacitor, and generating circuitry. The X-ray detection elements detect an X-ray and generate an electrical signal. The capacitor is provided for each of the X-ray detection element, and accumulates an electrical signal generated in each of the X-ray detection element. The generating circuitry has low sensitivity to radiation, and generates a digital signal by using an accumulation result of the electrical signal in the capacitors, and reference information that is stored in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru Kato, Hiroaki Nakai, Mikihito Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10251626
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes a storage and processing circuitry. The storage stores a first image indicating a breast of an object captured by a medical image diagnostic apparatus and interpretation information associated with the first image. The processing circuitry generates, based on position information of a region of interest based on the interpretation information and information of an interpretation direction, schematic diagram information for adding information about a position of the region of interest onto a schematic diagram of the breast. The processing circuitry transmits information, including the schematic diagram information, for generating the schematic diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Utsunomiya, Yusuke Kano, Shinya Sugiyama, Kei Mori, Tooru Kato, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10233930
    Abstract: A rotary compressor having two cylinders includes crankshaft having first eccentric portion and second eccentric portion connected to each other by connecting portion. The rotary compressor further includes two compressive elements that compress working fluid in cylinder as first piston inserted over first eccentric portion eccentrically rotates in accordance with rotation of crankshaft. Further, first piston inserted over first eccentric portion undergoes assembly by being inserted over first eccentric portion through second eccentric portion. Further, a releasing portion is provided at each of outer diameter portions of first eccentric portion and second eccentric portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakai, Hirofumi Yoshida, Shingo Oyagi, Yu Shiotani, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Patent number: 10233929
    Abstract: A rotary compressor having two cylinders includes crankshaft having first eccentric portion and second eccentric portion connected to each other by connecting portion. The rotary compressor further includes two compressive elements that compress working fluid in cylinder as first piston inserted over first eccentric portion eccentrically rotates in accordance with rotation of crankshaft. Further, first piston inserted over first eccentric portion undergoes assembly by being inserted over first eccentric portion through second eccentric portion. Further, a releasing portion is provided at each of outer diameter portions of first eccentric portion and second eccentric portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakai, Hirofumi Yoshida, Shingo Oyagi, Yu Shiotani, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Patent number: 10219775
    Abstract: A photon-counting X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus according to an embodiment includes an X-ray tube, a detector, a photon counting circuitry, a correcting circuitry, and a calculating circuitry. The X-ray tube irradiates a subject with X-rays. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements that detect photons of X-rays incident on the detection elements. The photon counting circuitry counts the count of X-ray photons for each energy bin set in an X-ray energy distribution, for each position of the X-ray tube, and for each of the detection elements. The correcting circuitry corrects the count of the X-ray photons counted by the photon counting circuitry, based on a detection characteristic, of the detection elements. The calculating circuitry calculates the reliability of a pixel in a reconstruction image, based on the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakai, Mikihito Hayashi, Tooru Kato
  • Patent number: 10215451
    Abstract: A compressor uses a refrigerant containing R1123 (1,1,2-trifluoroethylene) as a working fluid, and uses a polyol ester oil as a compressor lubricating oil. In addition, a fixed scroll and a revolving scroll each having a spiral lap rising from an end plate, and a compression chamber which is formed by meshing the fixed scroll and the revolving scroll, are provided. In addition, a discharge hole which is provided at a center position of the end plate of the fixed scroll, and is open to a discharge chamber, a bypass hole which is provided in the end plate of the fixed scroll, and communicates with the compression chamber and the discharge chamber at a timing different from a timing at which the compression chamber communicates with the discharge hole, and a check valve which is provided in the bypass hole, and allows a flow from the compression chamber side to the discharge chamber side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Fujitaka, Fuminori Sakima, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Atsushi Sakuda, Hiroaki Nakai, Shigehiro Sato, Kenji Takaichi
  • Patent number: 10206638
    Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes a detector, counted result collecting circuitry, count rate calculating circuitry, control circuitry, and image reconstruction circuitry. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements including a plurality of types of detection elements with different response characteristics to an X-ray dose, and outputs a detection signal according to an incidence of an X-ray photon to each of the detection elements. The counted result collecting circuitry collects counted results obtained by counting X-ray photons from detection signals output by the detection elements. The count rate calculating circuitry calculates a count rate from the detection signals output by the detection elements. The control circuitry selects a detection element based on the count rate and respective response characteristics of the detection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10197511
    Abstract: An X-ray computer tomography (CT) apparatus according to an embodiment includes an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, and generating circuitry. The X-ray source radiates X-rays. The X-ray detector includes a scintillator including a first region close to the X-ray source and a second region distant from the X-ray source, an optical sensor that detects scintillator light obtained by converting the X-rays radiated from the X-ray source with the scintillator, and a variable layer that is provided in the scintillator and switchable between a first state in which the variable layer transmits the scintillator light between the first region and the second region and a second state in which the variable layer does not transmit the scintillator light between the first region and the second region. The generating circuitry generates a CT image based on a signal output from the X-ray detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tooru Kato, Hiroaki Nakai, Mikihito Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20190021687
    Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes a photon counting detector and processing circuitry. The photon counting detector includes a plurality of detection areas arranged in a channel direction and a column direction and is configured to output detection signals corresponding to the quantity of photons incident thereto, the detection areas each including a plurality of detecting elements. The processing circuitry is configured to calculate a heat generation amount for each of the detection areas on the basis of the detection signal corresponding to the incident photons detected in the detection area, to determine a control amount on the basis of the heat generation amount calculated for each of the detection areas, and to control temperature in each of the detection areas by using the determined control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru KATO, Hiroaki Miyazaki, Emi Tamura, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10182775
    Abstract: An X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to an embodiment stores a plurality of reference count data indicative of energy spectra of X-rays, which are associated with a plurality of tube voltages or tube currents. Estimation circuitry estimates a tube voltage or a tube current at a time of X-ray irradiation, based on a comparison of energy spectra between second count data and each of the plurality of reference count data. Correction circuitry corrects first count data acquired together with the second count data, by using an energy spectrum calculated based on the estimated tube voltage or tube current. Reconstruction circuitry reconstructs medical image data, based on the corrected first count data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakai, Daizo Oikawa
  • Publication number: 20190000409
    Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus according to one embodiment includes a photon counting detector and a processing circuitry. The photon counting detector includes a plurality of detecting elements configured to detect X-rays. The processing circuitry is configured to set a control parameter corresponding to a position of each of the detecting elements in the photon counting detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Hiroaki MIYAZAKI, Hiroaki NAKAI, Toshiyuki ONO
  • Patent number: 10159450
    Abstract: An X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus according to an embodiment includes a photon-counting detector, correction circuitry, and reconstruction circuitry. The photon-counting detector includes a plurality of X-ray detection elements detecting X-ray photons applied from an X-ray tube. The correction circuitry corrects detection signals detected by the photon-counting detector for the respective X-ray detection elements, based on a centroid of an X-ray spectrum detected by the photon-counting detector. The reconstruction circuitry reconstructs a CT image based on the corrected detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru Kato, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10151514
    Abstract: A compressor uses a refrigerant containing R1123 (1,1,2-trifluoroethylene) as a working fluid, and uses a polyol ester oil as a compressor lubricating oil. In addition, a fixed scroll and a revolving scroll each having a spiral lap rising from an end plate, and a compression chamber which is formed by meshing the fixed scroll and the revolving scroll, are provided. In addition, a discharge hole which is provided at a center position of the end plate of the fixed scroll, and is open to a discharge chamber, a bypass hole which is provided in the end plate of the fixed scroll, and communicates with the compression chamber and the discharge chamber at a timing different from a timing at which the compression chamber communicates with the discharge hole, and a check valve which is provided in the bypass hole, and allows a flow from the compression chamber side to the discharge chamber side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Fujitaka, Fuminori Sakima, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Atsushi Sakuda, Hiroaki Nakai, Shigehiro Sato, Kenji Takaichi
  • Patent number: 10149655
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photon counting imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube, an X-ray detector, and data acquisition circuitry. The X-ray detector includes a detector pixel including photoelectric conversion cells each configured to individually generate an electrical signal of a predetermined pulse height, and output circuitry configured to generate an energy signal having a pulse height corresponding to energy of the X-rays based on the electrical signals from the photoelectric conversion cells. The data acquisition circuitry corrects the energy signal based on a relationship between an amplification factor and an applied voltage to the detector pixel during a period until the voltage applied to the detector pixel recovers from a breakdown voltage to a reverse bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru Kato, Mikihito Hayashi, Hiroaki Nakai