Patents by Inventor John Patrick Kaufhold

John Patrick Kaufhold 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: 20040062429
    Abstract: A method for facilitating an enhancement of a visibility of an object in an x-ray image includes generating an x-ray image including at least one object, generating an estimate of a background surrounding the at least one object, subtracting the background estimate from the x-ray image to generate an estimate of pixel intensities due the object, mapping the estimate of pixel intensities due to the object, and combining the mapped estimate of pixel intensities due to the object and the x-ray image to generate an enhanced image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: John Patrick Kaufhold
  • Patent number: 6674835
    Abstract: A method for estimating a material composition of an imaged object using an imaging system. The imaging system includes a radiation source and a digital detector. The method also includes scanning a plurality of calibration phantoms with varying material composition to acquire a plurality of reference calibration images, estimating an attenuation coefficient thickness product for each pixel in the reference calibration images, and estimating a material composition of a region of interest using the estimated pixelwise coefficient thickness product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: John Patrick Kaufhold, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Dinko E. Gonzalez Trotter, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, John Eric Tkaczyk
  • Publication number: 20030194115
    Abstract: At least one metric for a mammographic image is computed by a workstation, and provided on a workstation display along with the mammographic image. A clinician can select one or more different metrics to be computed for an image, as well as where they are to be shown and the manner in which they are to be shown on the display. Speech (may also be an audible sound which is not speech) may also be used in the workstation to audibly provide metrics information to the clinician.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Patrick Kaufhold, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard
  • Patent number: 6632020
    Abstract: A method for calibration of an imaging system includes providing a calibration phantom system including a first phantom element material block having a first surface at a first height, wherein the first phantom element material block at least partially includes a first material having a first attenuation coefficient. Providing a calibration phantom system also includes providing a second phantom element material block having a second surface at a second height different than the first height, the second phantom element material block at least partially including a second material having a second attenuation coefficient different than the first attenuation coefficient, wherein the first phantom element material block and said second phantom element material block are co-positioned on a detector. The method also includes imaging the calibration phantom system to obtain phantom images, processing the phantom images, and extracting a plurality of calibration values from the processed phantom images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Patrick Kaufhold, John Eric Tkaczyk, Dinko E. Gonzalez Trotter, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Jerry A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20030072409
    Abstract: A method for estimating a material composition of an imaged object using an imaging system. The imaging system includes a radiation source and a digital detector. The method also includes scanning a plurality of calibration phantoms with varying material composition to acquire a plurality of reference calibration images, estimating an attenuation coefficient thickness product for each pixel in the reference calibration images, and estimating a material composition of a region of interest using the estimated pixelwise coefficient thickness product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: John Patrick Kaufhold, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Dinko E. Gonzalez Trotter, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, John Eric Tkaczyk
  • Publication number: 20030072417
    Abstract: A method for calibration of an imaging system, the imaging system including a radiation source and a digital detector. The method includes providing a calibration phantom system including a first phantom element material block having a first surface at a first height, wherein the first phantom element material block at least partially includes a first material having a first attenuation coefficient. Providing a calibration phantom system also includes providing a second phantom element material block having a second surface at a second height different than the first height, the second phantom element material block at least partially including a second material having a second attenuation coefficient different than the first attenuation coefficient, wherein the first phantom element material block and said second phantom element material block are co-positioned on a detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: John Patrick Kaufhold, John Eric Tkaczyk, Dinko E. Gonzalez Trotter, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Jerry A. Thomas