Patents by Inventor Jan Bollenbeck

Jan Bollenbeck 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: 10481227
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus for transmitting an intermediate frequency signal and an oscillator signal for mixing down the intermediate frequency signal, a magnetic resonance tomograph with a local coil, a receive unit, and a transmission apparatus are provided. The transmission apparatus has a symmetrical transmission line for transmission of the oscillator signal and the intermediate frequency signal and a symmetrizing element for adaptation of an unsymmetrical signal source and/or signal sink to the symmetrical transmission line. The symmetrizing element has only ferrite-free inductances. The local coil and the receive unit are connected for signaling purposes via the transmission apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck, Martin Hemmerlein
  • Patent number: 10393845
    Abstract: A transmitter for pilot tone navigation in a magnetic resonance tomography system includes a power supply and an antenna. The transmitter is configured to transmit a pilot tone signal via the antenna. The transmitter also includes a decoupling element in order to protect a transmitter output from signals that the antenna receives with excitation pulses of the magnetic resonance tomography system during a magnetic resonance tomography. In a method, movement-dependent changes to the pilot tone signal of the transmitter are identified by a controller of the magnetic resonance tomography system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Schröter, Jan Bollenbeck, Matthias Fenchel, Peter Speier, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 10338182
    Abstract: A receiver assembly of a magnetic resonance (MR) system for generating MR recordings of an examination object includes a plurality of reception channels for receiving and amplifying MR signals from reception coils of the MR system connected therewith. A calibration data memory for storing calibration data for the plurality of reception channels is arranged on the receiver assembly. The receiver assembly includes a data link for transmitting the calibration data to the MR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck
  • Patent number: 10222443
    Abstract: A method for generating motion information for an at least partially moving examination region includes outputting at least one first excitation signal with a first frequency band. The first excitation signal is picked up with a receive coil arrangement of a magnetic resonance system. The at least one coil of the receive coil arrangement is configured to pick up a receive frequency band that includes the first frequency band. At least one item of motion information for the examination region is determined from the picked up first excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Georg Pirkl, Robert Rehner, Peter Speier, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20180364320
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a local coil with a device for providing a first mixed frequency signal and a second mixed frequency signal by a first auxiliary frequency signal and a second auxiliary frequency signal. The device has an auxiliary mixer configured to generate the second mixed frequency signal from the first auxiliary frequency signal and the second auxiliary frequency signal. The local coil has a signal input including a first signal connection to the device. The local coil is configured to jointly receive the first auxiliary frequency signal and the second auxiliary frequency signal by way of the signal input and supply them to the device by way of the first signal connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Ralph Oppelt, Robert Rehner, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20180299522
    Abstract: A device for recovering a temporal reference in a free-running magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) receive chain includes a time reference encoder and a time reference decoder. The time reference encoder is configured to generate a modulation signal as a function of a reference clock, where the modulation signal is configured for a correlation with a temporal resolution less than a maximum predetermined phase deviation and a maximum that may clearly be identified. The time reference decoder is configured to receive, via the first signal input, a receive signal as a function of the modulation signal, perform a correlation with a reference signal, and generate a signal as a function of a temporal reference of the modulation signal in the receive signal in relation to the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck, Sven Heggen, Martin Nisznansky, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 10101418
    Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method and a receiving system for an imaging magnetic resonance tomography system. The receiving system includes at least one multiplexer entity for a plurality of receive signals, which respectively come from an antenna of a local coil and may be switched to an analog-digital converter, wherein sampling rates (e.g., 20 MS/s per Ch, 40 MS/s per Ch, 80 MS/s per Ch) of an analog-digital converter for the sampling of a receive signal may be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck
  • Patent number: 10048342
    Abstract: An apparatus, a magnetic resonance imaging system, and a method of use are provided for a reception system for transmitting magnetic resonance signals from local coils to an image processing unit of a magnetic resonance imaging system. The apparatus includes an analog receiver for receiving and processing analog signals from the local coils that is configured to directly sample analog signals having different individual frequency bands and/or frequency band pairs, to distinguish the analog signals and to process them differently. The apparatus also includes an A/D converter for converting the processed analog signals from the local coils into digital signals. The apparatus further includes a digital signal processor for processing the digital signals, wherein the digital signal processor includes a Weaver unit and a downstream decimation filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jan Bollenbeck
  • Patent number: 9985776
    Abstract: A communication method for communication between a first and a second communication apparatus, where at least one wanted signal is transmitted from the second communication apparatus to the first communication apparatus is provided. The method includes sending a first carrier signal at a first frequency using the first communication apparatus. The method also includes receiving the first carrier signal using the second communication apparatus and generating a second carrier signal at a second frequency. The method includes changing the second frequency and/or a specified phase angle, and/or modulating the second carrier signal in each case as a function of the wanted signal in order to generate a transmit signal. The transmit signal is sent by the second communication apparatus, and the transmit signal is received and demodulated in order to recover the wanted signal using the first communication apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jan Bollenbeck
  • Patent number: 9903926
    Abstract: A method for determining communication latency in a magnetic resonance tomography system includes emitting a high-frequency pulse at a first timepoint, receiving the high-frequency pulse by a local coil arrangement of the magnetic resonance tomography system, and transmitting a return signal from the local coil arrangement to a receiving unit. The method also includes receiving the return signal by the receiving unit at a second timepoint, and evaluating a time difference between the first timepoint and the second timepoint in order to determine the communication latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Stefan Schwarzer, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 9897671
    Abstract: A detuning apparatus for a receive coil for a magnetic resonance device includes a number of coil elements. The coil elements may be selectively connected to a receive channel of a data processing apparatus by way of a switching apparatus. Each of the coil elements includes at least one detuning assembly such as, for example, a PIN diode that may be switched between a detuning state and a receive state by way of a continuous switching signal. A controller is provided to switch the switching apparatus and to generate the switching signals. The detuning apparatus has first diplexers connected upstream of the switching apparatus for injecting switching signals for switching the detuning assembly for coil elements to be detuned dynamically. The detuning apparatus also includes detuning modules for each of the coil elements to switch the detuning assembly to the detuning state if there is no switching signal present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Klaus Porzelt, Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20170350950
    Abstract: A transmitting device and a method for transmitting two high frequency signals for a magnetic resonance tomograph are provided. The transmitting device includes a shielded balanced transmission line, a first signal driver, and a second signal driver. The first signal driver and the second signal driver feed the first high frequency signal to a first conductor and the second high frequency signal to a second conductor of the balanced transmission line. A shielding of the balanced transmission line has an electrical connection to a common ground potential for the first signal driver and the second signal driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Jan Bollenbeck
  • Patent number: 9817089
    Abstract: A selection unit for a magnetic resonance imaging system may be provided. The selection unit electrically connects a first number of electrical terminals to a second number of communication entities. The selection unit is arranged in and/or on a mobile object-support element for moving an examination object which is to be depicted by the magnetic resonance imaging system into a recording position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck, Ralph Oppelt, Georg Rauh, Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20170322267
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus for transmitting an intermediate frequency signal and an oscillator signal for mixing down the intermediate frequency signal, a magnetic resonance tomograph with a local coil, a receive unit, and a transmission apparatus are provided. The transmission apparatus has a symmetrical transmission line for transmission of the oscillator signal and the intermediate frequency signal and a symmetrizing element for adaptation of an unsymmetrical signal source and/or signal sink to the symmetrical transmission line. The symmetrizing element has only ferrite-free inductances. The local coil and the receive unit are connected for signaling purposes via the transmission apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck, Martin Hemmerlein
  • Patent number: 9810752
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a magnetic resonance imaging system are provided. A type of further processing of signals transmitted by a local coil to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is determined in dependence on information received in or from the local coil about a local-coil type of the local coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jan Bollenbeck, Markus Vester, JianMin Wang
  • Patent number: 9813149
    Abstract: In a method for communicating between a first communication device of a magnetic resonance apparatus and a second communication device, in particular one that is mobile and on the patient side, of the magnetic resonance apparatus, a communication technology using visible light is used as the transmission medium for transmission of a useful signal from at least one of the communication devices to the other communication device, in particular from the first communication device to the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiegesellschaft
    Inventor: Jan Bollenbeck
  • Publication number: 20170311802
    Abstract: A connecting device for establishing a data link between a docking device provided at a part of a magnetic resonance scanner, and a patient support, with at least one slot for a local coil, which can be docked to the docking device, has a first data transmission device on the patient support side, which interacts with a second data transmission device on the docking device side in order to establish the data link in the docked state. The data transmission devices each have at least one communication device designed for wireless near field communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Robert Rehner
  • Publication number: 20170160367
    Abstract: A transmitter for pilot tone navigation in a magnetic resonance tomography system includes a power supply and an antenna. The transmitter is configured to transmit a pilot tone signal via the antenna. The transmitter also includes a decoupling element in order to protect a transmitter output from signals that the antenna receives with excitation pulses of the magnetic resonance tomography system during a magnetic resonance tomography. In a method, movement-dependent changes to the pilot tone signal of the transmitter are identified by a controller of the magnetic resonance tomography system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Steffen Schröter, Jan Bollenbeck, Matthias Fenchel, Peter Speier, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 9581669
    Abstract: The embodiments relate to an image reconstruction to be carried out on a base unit of a MRI system, where data is formed by reception signals obtained by a local coil unit. Provisions are made for an alternating magnetic field, modulated in accordance with a reference clock, the alternating magnetic field to be used by the local coil unit for obtaining electric energy for supplying local electronics of the local coil unit and the reference clock to be retrieved from the received alternating magnetic field by the local electronics, a radio signal containing MRI information representing the reception signals and clock information representing the retrieved reference clock to be produced by the local electronics and transmitted to the base unit, and the received radio signal to be processed by the base unit such that the data and the clock information are retrieved therefrom and provided for the image reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Jörg Hüttner, Klaus Pistor, Stefan Schwarzer, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 9529067
    Abstract: An arrangement for the transmission of magnetic resonance signals that are received with the aid of local coils is provided. The magnetic resonance signal is fed to an analog/digital converter and digitized by the analog/digital converter. The magnetic resonance signal is compressed in amplitude before being fed to the analog/digital converter, is low-pass filtered or band-pass filtered, and is expanded after digitization by the analog/digital converter. A clock rate that is higher by a factor 2n than a sampling rate n of the analog/digital converter (ADC) is used for the digital expander. A digital equalizing filter for compensating for a filter transmission function in a transition range may also be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Bollenbeck, Ralph Oppelt, Markus Vester