Patents by Inventor James Lacey
James Lacey 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: 9817133Abstract: A heat controlling apparatus for a detector of a CT machine and a detector. The heat controlling apparatus comprises: a heat conducting frame, which is disposed at a side where a chip on a circuit board in the detector is located; a heater, which thermally contacts with the heat conducting frame and is used for heating the heat conducting frame; a heat dissipating member, which is connected with the heat conducting frame and used for dissipating heat produced by the detector; and a heat isolating member, which is wrapped at a periphery of a collimator of the detector, the heat conducting frame and the heater.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Xinfeng Li, Hua Zhang, Pengcheng Liu, Joseph James Lacey
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Publication number: 20170200522Abstract: A collimator for an imaging detector assembly of a computed tomography imaging system is provided. The collimator includes a collimator module that includes a primary collimation grid having a first edge and a second edge. The primary collimation grid includes multiple radiation absorbing elements spaced apart from each other and configured to provide primary beam collimation. A first radiation absorbing element is disposed on the first edge and a second radiation absorbing element is disposed on the second edge. The collimator module includes multiple plates located on a side of the primary collimation grid and configured to absorb scattered radiation. A respective plate of the multiple plates is disposed over a respective radiation absorbing element of the multiple radiation absorbing elements of the primary collimation grid except the second radiation absorbing element disposed on the second edge of the primary collimation grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2016Publication date: July 13, 2017Inventors: Joseph James Lacey, David Michael Hoffman
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Patent number: 9700273Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for thermal management in a CT device comprises first and second thermal management zones, each comprising an x-ray detector, at least one variable speed fan proximate to the x-ray detector, an air temperature sensor positioned to measure an air temperature of the intake air to the variable speed fan, a rail heater in thermal contact with the x-ray detector, a rail temperature sensor in thermal contact with the rail heater to measure a rail temperature, and a controller that controls the variable speed fan as a function of at least the air temperature and the rail heater as a function of the rail temperature to maintain a temperature of the x-ray detector within a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joseph James Lacey, Ashutosh Joshi, Venkatarao Ryali, Sanketh Bhat
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Patent number: 9519069Abstract: CT detector modules are disclosed that include a module frame and a plurality of tileable detector sensors positioned on the module frame. Each of the tileable detector sensors includes an array of detector elements and a mounting structure directly or indirectly coupled to the detector elements to provide for a mounting and alignment of the detector sensor to the module frame. The mounting structure includes an alignment plate positioned generally opposite the array of detector elements, with the alignment plate having alignment pins forming a datum structure to align the detector sensor on the module frame and one or more threaded bosses configured to receive a fastener therein that secures the detector sensor to the module frame. The module frame includes keyed features that receive the alignment pins when the detector sensors are mounted on the module frame, so as to align the detector sensors on the module frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2013Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Joseph James Lacey, Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Baiju Zacharia Babu
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Patent number: 9513236Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus is provided. The radiation detecting apparatus includes a plurality of detector modules arranged in a channel direction, each detector module including a plurality of detecting elements arranged in matrix form in the channel direction and a slice direction, and a heat radiating unit thermally coupled to the detecting elements and provided on an X-ray outgoing side of the detecting elements, a wind blowing unit configured to send wind to the heat radiating units of the detector modules in the slice direction, first wind shielding portions provided on a radiation outgoing side of the heat radiating units and configured to shield the wind in a radiation irradiating direction, and second wind shielding portions provided on a radiation incoming side of the heat radiating units and configured to shield the wind in the radiation irradiating direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Kotatsu Kawaguchi, Joseph James Lacey, Richard Paul Vandeweghe
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Publication number: 20160242314Abstract: A heat controlling apparatus for a detector of a CT machine and a detector. The heat controlling apparatus comprises: a heat conducting frame, which is disposed at a side where a chip on a circuit board in the detector is located; a heater, which thermally contacts with the heat conducting frame and is used for heating the heat conducting frame; a heat dissipating member, which is connected with the heat conducting frame and used for dissipating heat produced by the detector; and a heat isolating member, which is wrapped at a periphery of a collimator of the detector, the heat conducting frame and the heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Xinfeng LI, Hua ZHANG, Pengcheng LIU, Joseph James LACEY
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Publication number: 20160174920Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for thermal management in a CT device comprises first and second thermal management zones, each comprising an x-ray detector, at least one variable speed fan proximate to the x-ray detector, an air temperature sensor positioned to measure an air temperature of the intake air to the variable speed fan, a rail heater in thermal contact with the x-ray detector, a rail temperature sensor in thermal contact with the rail heater to measure a rail temperature, and a controller that controls the variable speed fan as a function of at least the air temperature and the rail heater as a function of the rail temperature to maintain a temperature of the x-ray detector within a predetermined range.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joseph James Lacey, Ashutosh Joshi, Venkatarao Ryali, Sanketh Bhat
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Publication number: 20150156920Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus is provided. The radiation detecting apparatus includes a plurality of detector modules arranged in a channel direction, each detector module including a plurality of detecting elements arranged in matrix form in the channel direction and a slice direction, and a heat radiating unit thermally coupled to the detecting elements and provided on an X-ray outgoing side of the detecting elements, a wind blowing unit configured to send wind to the heat radiating units of the detector modules in the slice direction, first wind shielding portions provided on a radiation outgoing side of the heat radiating units and configured to shield the wind in a radiation irradiating direction, and second wind shielding portions provided on a radiation incoming side of the heat radiating units and configured to shield the wind in the radiation irradiating direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2014Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Kotatsu Kawaguchi, Joseph James Lacey, Richard Paul Vandeweghe
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Publication number: 20150071401Abstract: CT detector modules are disclosed that include a module frame and a plurality of tileable detector sensors positioned on the module frame. Each of the tileable detector sensors includes an array of detector elements and a mounting structure directly or indirectly coupled to the detector elements to provide for a mounting and alignment of the detector sensor to the module frame. The mounting structure includes an alignment plate positioned generally opposite the array of detector elements, with the alignment plate having alignment pins forming a datum structure to align the detector sensor on the module frame and one or more threaded bosses configured to receive a fastener therein that secures the detector sensor to the module frame. The module frame includes keyed features that receive the alignment pins when the detector sensors are mounted on the module frame, so as to align the detector sensors on the module frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joseph James Lacey, Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Baiju Zacharia Babu
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Patent number: 8964375Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets; and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2013Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Alan Claassen, Hendrik F. Hamann, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, James A. Lacey, Yves C. Martin, Roger R. Schmidt, Theodore G. van Kessel
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Patent number: 8926177Abstract: A source-side radiation detector (SSRD) includes a detector module assembly, and a monitoring lens coupled to the detector module assembly, the detector module assembly and the monitoring lens being positioned proximate to an x-ray source, the monitoring lens including a plurality of slits configured to receive x-rays therethrough from the x-ray source, the detector module assembly being configured detect the x-rays transmitted through the slits and to generate information to track a position of a focal spot of the x-ray source.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Joseph James Lacey
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Patent number: 8891727Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The radiation imaging apparatus includes a radiation source configured to emit radiation from a first focal point, a plurality of radiation detecting elements disposed opposite to the radiation source and arranged in a channel direction, a plurality of collimator plates provided along the channel direction so as to separate the radiation detecting elements, the collimator plates including radiation absorption members at surfaces of at least one first collimator plate located on a first end side and at least one second collimator plate located on a second end side such that radiation shielding effects of the first and second collimator plates become substantially equivalent when the surfaces of the first and second collimator plates are located along a radial direction from a second focal point, and a data acquisition unit configured to acquire radiation projection data from the radiation detecting elements.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Haruo Kurochi, Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Joseph James Lacey, Mark Adamak
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Patent number: 8890079Abstract: A radiation detection device is provided. The radiation detection device includes a pair of rails spaced in a slice direction and extending parallel to a channel direction, and a plurality of collimator modules arranged along the channel direction on a radiation exit side of the pair of rails, wherein at least one of the pair of rails extending along the channel direction includes a plate member with a plurality of notches formed along the radiation exit side, and wherein the collimator modules each include a first pin protruding on a radiation incidence side and attached to the pair of rails with the first pin fitted in one of the notches of the plate member.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Haruo Kurochi, Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Joseph James Lacey, Richard P. Vandeweghe
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Patent number: 8757878Abstract: A system and method for temperature drift correction capability in a CT detector module is disclosed. A scintillator array of a CT detector module has a plurality of scintillator cells configured to detect high frequency electromagnetic energy passing through an object, with a plurality of photodiodes in a photodiode array optically coupled to the scintillator array to detect light output therefrom. A computer is provided that is programmed to measure a response of the plurality of photodiodes as a function of temperature, determine a transfer function indicative of the response of the plurality of photodiodes as a function of temperature, normalize the transfer function to a virtual operating temperature, measure a temperature of the photodiode array prior to a scan, determine a correction factor from the normalized transfer function based on the measured photodiode temperature and the virtual operating temperature, and apply the correction factor to the photodiode outputs.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Joseph James Lacey
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Patent number: 8699660Abstract: A liquid cooled thermal control system for a computed tomography (CT) detector includes a plurality of temperature sensors and a control mode selector module coupled to the plurality of temperature sensors. The control mode selector module is programmed to receive an input from the plurality of temperature sensors, identify the inputs as either valid inputs or invalid inputs, and determine an operational mode of the liquid cooled thermal control system based on the identified inputs. A CT imaging system and a method of operating a cooling system are also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ashutosh Joshi, Joseph James Lacey, Medy Satria
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Publication number: 20140063729Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets; and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Alan Claassen, Hendrik F. Hamann, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, James A. Lacey, Yves C. Martin, Roger R. Schmidt, Theodore G. van Kessel
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Patent number: 8658981Abstract: A method is provided for image detection. The method includes measuring a temperature of an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter of an imaging system during an imaging scan of an object, and correcting a gain of the A/D converter based on the measured temperature of the A/D converter.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Joseph James Lacey, Russell Hum, Ashutosh Joshi
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Patent number: 8636406Abstract: An apparatus determines cooling characteristics of an operational cooling device used for transferring heat from an electronic device. The operational cooling device is thermally coupled to a heat pipe. The heat pipe has an exposed surface for selective application of heat thereon. Heat from a localized heat source is selectively applied to at least one region of the exposed surface. The heat source is preferably capable of being varied both positionally relative to the exposed surface and in heat intensity. A heat shield is preferably positioned around the exposed surface of the heat pipe to isolate the operational cooling device from the heat from the localized heat source. A temperature detector repeatedly measures a temperature distribution across the exposed surface while the cooling device is in a heat transfer mode. The temperature distribution is then used to thermally characterize the operational cooling device.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2012Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hendrik F. Hamann, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, James A. Lacey, Roger R. Schmidt
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Publication number: 20140001371Abstract: A radiation detection device is provided. The radiation detection device includes a pair of rails spaced in a slice direction and extending parallel to a channel direction, and a plurality of collimator modules arranged along the channel direction on a radiation exit side of the pair of rails, wherein at least one of the pair of rails extending along the channel direction includes a plate member with a plurality of notches formed along the radiation exit side, and wherein the collimator modules each include a first pin protruding on a radiation incidence side and attached to the pair of rails with the first pin fitted in one of the notches of the plate member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Haruo Kurochi, Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Joseph James Lacey, Richard P. VanDeWeghe
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Publication number: 20130308748Abstract: A source-side radiation detector (SSRD) includes a detector module assembly, and a monitoring lens coupled to the detector module assembly, the detector module assembly and the monitoring lens being positioned proximate to an x-ray source, the monitoring lens including a plurality of slits configured to receive x-rays therethrough from the x-ray source, the detector module assembly being configured detect the x-rays transmitted through the slits and to generate information to track a position of a focal spot of the x-ray source.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: ABDELAZIZ IKHLEF, JOSEPH JAMES LACEY