Patents by Inventor Josh Star-Lack

Josh Star-Lack 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: 9733198
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging wherein a radiation source comprising rows of discrete emissive locations can be positioned such that these rows are angularly offset relative to rows of sensing elements on a radiation sensor. A processor can process and allocate responses of the sensing elements in appropriate memory locations given the angular offset between source and sensor. This manner of allocation can include allocating the responses into data rows associated with unique positions along a direction of columns of discrete emissive locations on the source. Mapping coefficients can be determined that map allocated responses into an image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: NOVARAY MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Augustus Percival Lowell, Tobias Funk, Chwen-Yuan Ku, Josh Star-Lack, Edward Gerald Solomon, Winston Y. Sun
  • Publication number: 20170092458
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for generating a charged particle beam comprising a magnetic element for controlling the profile of the beam in a predetermined plane. A cathode can be provided for emitting charged particles and an anode for accelerating the charged particles along an axis of travel. The present invention also pertains to a method for generating a particle beam that has a uniform profile in a predetermined plane comprising inducing emission of charged particles from an emitter, accelerating those particles along and toward an axis of beam travel, generating a magnetic field with a component aligned with the axis of beam travel but different in the predetermined plane than at the emitter, and modifying the beam profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas A CASE, Josh STAR-LACK, Brian Patrick WILFLEY
  • Publication number: 20170090042
    Abstract: In a method of making pixelated scintillators, an amorphous scintillator material in a molten state is pressed into a plurality of cavities defined by a plurality of walls of a mesh array. The molten scintillator material in the plurality of cavities is cooled to form a pixelated scintillator array. An x-ray imager including a pixelated scintillator is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Shedlock, Josh Star-Lack, Richard Mead
  • Patent number: 9520263
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for generating a charged particle beam comprising a magnetic element for controlling the profile of the beam in a predetermined plane. A cathode can be provided for emitting charged particles and an anode for accelerating the charged particles along an axis of travel. The present invention also pertains to a method for generating a particle beam that has a uniform profile in a predetermined plane comprising inducing emission of charged particles from an emitter, accelerating those particles along and toward an axis of beam travel, generating a magnetic field with a component aligned with the axis of beam travel but different in the predetermined plane than at the emitter, and modifying the beam profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Novaray Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Case, Josh Star-Lack, Brian Patrick Wilfley
  • Publication number: 20160213345
    Abstract: One example method for estimating scatter associated with a target object may include acquiring a set of original projection data that includes primary radiation and scattered radiation at one or more selected projection angles associated with the target object, generating a first set of estimated scatter data from the set of original projection data, generating reconstructed image data by performing a first pass reconstruction using the first set of estimated scatter data, and generating a set of reference scatter data associated with the target based on the reconstructed image data. The example method may also include generating a set of reference primary plus scatter data associated with the target object based on the reconstructed image data, generating a second set of estimated scatter data associated with the target object based on the set of reference primary plus scatter data, and generating perturbation data associated with the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Josh STAR-LACK, Mingshan SUN
  • Patent number: 9400332
    Abstract: An imaging method includes obtaining a first image data for a subset of a target region, the subset of the target region having a first metallic object, obtaining a second image data for the target region, and using the first and second image data to determine a composite image. A imaging system includes a first detector configured to provide a first projection data using a first radiation having high energy, and a second detector configured to provide a second projection data using a second radiation having low energy, wherein the first detector has a first length, the second detector has a second length, and the first length is less than 75% of the second length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignees: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL AG, VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Michael Green, Heinrich Riem, Timothy Guertin
  • Publication number: 20160123902
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging wherein a radiation source comprising rows of discrete emissive locations can be positioned such that these rows are angularly offset relative to rows of sensing elements on a radiation sensor. A processor can process and allocate responses of the sensing elements in appropriate memory locations given the angular offset between source and sensor. This manner of allocation can include allocating the responses into data rows associated with unique positions along a direction of columns of discrete emissive locations on the source. Mapping coefficients can be determined that map allocated responses into an image plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Augustus Percival Lowell, Tobias Funk, Chwen-Yuan Ku, Josh Star-Lack, Edward Gerald Solomon, Winston Y. Sun
  • Patent number: 9330458
    Abstract: Techniques described herein generally relate to estimating scatter. In one embodiment, one example method for estimating scatter associated with a target object may include generating a set of original projections associated with the target object, generating a set of reference scatter data associated with the target object at one or more selected projection angles, generating a first set of estimated scatter data associated with the target object also at the one or more selected projection angles, adjusting first values for one or more kernel parameters of one or more kernels that reduce a difference between the set of reference scatter data and the first set of estimated scatter data, interpolating the adjusted first values for remaining projections out of the set of original projections to generate second values for the one or more kernel parameters, and generating a second set of estimated scatter data associated with the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun
  • Patent number: 9217719
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging wherein a radiation source comprising rows of discrete emissive locations can be positioned such that these rows are angularly offset relative to rows of sensing elements on a radiation sensor. A processor can process and allocate responses of the sensing elements in appropriate memory locations given the angular offset between source and sensor. This manner of allocation can include allocating the responses into data rows associated with unique positions along a direction of columns of discrete emissive locations on the source. Mapping coefficients can be determined that map allocated responses into an image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Novaray Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Augustus Percival Lowell, Tobias Funk, Chwen-Yuan Ku, Josh Star-Lack, Edward Gerald Solomon, Winston Y. Sun
  • Patent number: 9086496
    Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning objects comprising scanning a portion of an object by a first radiation beam having a first value of a beam characteristic, such as the dose, and detecting the first radiation beam after interaction with the object by a first detector. It is determined whether to change the first value to a second value based, at least in part, on the detected first radiation beam. That portion of the object is then scanned by a second radiation beam having the first value or the second value based on the determination. The second radiation is detected after interacting with the object by a second detector. The second detector may have a second resolution greater than a first resolution of the first detector. The first and second radiation beams may be formed by first and second slots angled with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Shedlock, Timothy R. Fox, Josh Star-Lack, Richard E. Colbeth, Gary Virshup, James E. Clayton, David T. Nisius
  • Publication number: 20150170359
    Abstract: Techniques described herein generally relate to estimating scatter. In one embodiment, one example method for estimating scatter associated with a target object may include generating a set of original projections associated with the target object, generating a set of reference scatter data associated with the target object at one or more selected projection angles, generating a first set of estimated scatter data associated with the target object also at the one or more selected projection angles, adjusting first values for one or more kernel parameters of one or more kernels that reduce a difference between the set of reference scatter data and the first set of estimated scatter data, interpolating the adjusted first values for remaining projections out of the set of original projections to generate second values for the one or more kernel parameters, and generating a second set of estimated scatter data associated with the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun
  • Publication number: 20150139386
    Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning objects comprising scanning a portion of an object by a first radiation beam having a first value of a beam characteristic, such as the dose, and detecting the first radiation beam after interaction with the object by a first detector. It is determined whether to change the first value to a second value based, at least in part, on the detected first radiation beam. That portion of the object is then scanned by a second radiation beam having the first value or the second value based on the determination. The second radiation is detected after interacting with the object by a second detector. The second detector may have a second resolution greater than a first resolution of the first detector. The first and second radiation beams may be formed by first and second slots angled with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh STAR-LACK, Timothy R. Fox, Daniel Shedlock, Richard E. Colbeth, Gary Virshup, James E. Clayton, David T. Nisius
  • Patent number: 9001961
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally set forth techniques for adjusting an estimate of scattered radiation of a target object. One example method includes generating a plurality of radiographic projections, selecting a first radiographic projection and a second radiographic projection of the target object from the plurality of radiographic projections, forming first estimates of scattered radiation in the first and second radiographic projections, applying the first estimates of scattered radiation to the first and second radiographic projections to generate a modified first radiographic projection and a modified second radiographic projection, comparing the modified first and second radiographic projections to generate correction modules, and applying one of the correction modules to a first subset of the plurality of radiographic projections and another of the correction modules to a second subset of the plurality of radiographic projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun
  • Patent number: 8983165
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter describes a novel technique to measure the beam profile using an area detector. In one embodiment, a set of one-dimensional beam profile measurements is performed by taking two images under the same source conditions but at two different positions of the detector, with each position of the detector shifted by a certain distance in the direction corresponding to the direction of the one-dimensional profile measurement. In further embodiments, a set of two-dimensional beam profile measurements is achieved by determining a second set of one-dimensional profiles from the same sampling points in a second direction and building a two-dimensional map of the beam profile by correlating the first one-dimensional profile measurement with the second one-dimensional profile measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingshan Sun, Josh Star-Lack, Gary Virshup, Daniel Morf, Stefan Jochem Thieme-Marti
  • Patent number: 8913710
    Abstract: In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a process for enhancing an image is presented. The process may include receiving a first plurality of projections, wherein the first plurality of projections contain computed tomography (CT) data obtained in multiple motion phases and also image data attributable to a first portion of a scanned object. The process may include expanding the first plurality of projections to cover at least the first portion of the scanned object to generate a second plurality of projections. The process may further include generating a phase-correlated image based on a multi-phase image and a phase-correlated difference image, wherein the multi-phase image is reconstructed based on the second plurality of projections, and the phase-correlated difference image is reconstructed based on the first plurality of projections and the second plurality of projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun, John Milan Pavkovich
  • Patent number: 8903150
    Abstract: In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a process for enhancing a motion-blurred image is presented. The process may include obtaining a prior image based on a plurality of projections, wherein the plurality of projections are computed tomography (CT) images obtained in multiple motion phases. The process may further include performing an enhancement operation based on the prior image to generate an enhanced prior image, generating a plurality of re-projections by forward-projecting the enhanced prior image, generating a plurality of phase-correlated difference images based on the plurality of projections and the plurality of re-projections, filtering the plurality of phase-correlated difference images to generate a plurality of filtered phase-correlated difference images, and generating a plurality of phase-correlated images based on the plurality of filtered phase-correlated difference images and the enhanced prior image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun
  • Patent number: 8897527
    Abstract: In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a process for enhancing a motion-blurred image is presented. The process may include receiving a plurality of projections, wherein the plurality of projections contain computed tomography (CT) data obtained in multiple motion phases. The process may include generating an enhanced multi-phase image by performing an enhancement operation based on the plurality of projections. The process may further include generating a plurality of phase-correlated images based on the plurality of projections and the enhanced multi-phase image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Mingshan Sun
  • Publication number: 20140224996
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for generating a charged particle beam comprising a magnetic element for controlling the profile of the beam in a predetermined plane. A cathode can be provided for emitting charged particles and an anode for accelerating the charged particles along an axis of travel. The present invention also pertains to a method for generating a particle beam that has a uniform profile in a predetermined plane comprising inducing emission of charged particles from an emitter, accelerating those particles along and toward an axis of beam travel, generating a magnetic field with a component aligned with the axis of beam travel but different in the predetermined plane than at the emitter, and modifying the beam profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: THOMAS A. CASE, JOSH STAR-LACK, BRIAN PATRICK WILFLEY
  • Publication number: 20140192955
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging wherein a radiation source comprising rows of discrete emissive locations can be positioned such that these rows are angularly offset relative to rows of sensing elements on a radiation sensor. A processor can process and allocate responses of the sensing elements in appropriate memory locations given the angular offset between source and sensor. This manner of allocation can include allocating the responses into data rows associated with unique positions along a direction of columns of discrete emissive locations on the source. Mapping coefficients can be determined that map allocated responses into an image plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Inventors: AUGUSTUS PERCIVAL LOWELL, TOBIAS FUNK, CHWEN-YUAN KU, JOSH STAR-LACK, EDWARD GERALD SOLOMON, WINSTON Y. SUN
  • Publication number: 20140110594
    Abstract: An imaging method includes obtaining a first image data for a subset of a target region, the subset of the target region having a first metallic object, obtaining a second image data for the target region, and using the first and second image data to determine a composite image. A imaging system includes a first detector configured to provide a first projection data using a first radiation having high energy, and a second detector configured to provide a second projection data using a second radiation having low energy, wherein the first detector has a first length, the second detector has a second length, and the first length is less than 75% of the second length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicants: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL AG, VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Josh STAR-LACK, Michael GREEN, Heinrich RIEM, Timothy GUERTIN