Patents by Inventor Kenneth J. Hintz

Kenneth J. Hintz 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: 7907132
    Abstract: An egocentric display that corresponds to a multidimensional frame of reference. The multidimensional frame of reference may include an ego center, a nadir below the ego center, and a zenith above the ego center. The egocentric display includes a center point, an inner concentric circle and an outer concentric circle. The center point represents the nadir. The inner concentric circle is centered about the center point and represents a horizon plane that is perpendicular to a zenith-nadir line that passes through the zenith, the ego center, and the nadir. The outer concentric circle that represents the zenith should have a radius larger that the inner concentric circle and should also be centered about the center point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20110054303
    Abstract: There is provided a device for generating a frame of reference and tracking the position and orientation of a tool in computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system. A first curvature sensor including fiducial markers is provided for positioning on a patient prior to volumetric imaging, and sensing the patient's body position during surgery. A second curvature sensor is coupled to the first curvature sensor at one end and to a tool at the other end to inform the computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system of the position and orientation of the tool with respect to the patient's body. A system is provided that incorporates curvature sensors, a garment for sensing the body position of a person, and a method for registering a patient's body to a volumetric image data set in preparation for computer-assisted surgery or other therapeutic interventions. This system can be adapted for remote applications as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: GEORGE MASON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Earl Frederick Barrick, Judy Barrick, Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7848904
    Abstract: A multidimensional sensor data analyzer that includes: discretizing values in multidimensional sensor data at index locations in value surfaces that reside in a multidimensional value space; deriving surface components resulting from the intersection of a geometric beam shape function that describing the sensor beam with the value surfaces; determining minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; determining surface component index points by identifying the index locations that are located within the minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; and generating a beam value by performing a beam function using the values at the surface component index points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20100210026
    Abstract: Alkalinity determination, including an alkalinity determination process and/or alkalinity determinator. An alkalinity determination process may include providing a known value of volume of an acidic fluid, forming a titration system by providing one or more additions of a known value of volume of a relatively alkaline fluid to an acidic fluid, determining a pH value and/or a temperature value for one or more additions and/or determining an alkalinity value of a system by calculating a transformation including one or more determined pH values and/or temperature values of one or more additions. An alkalinity determination process may include modeling, such that an informed determination may be made with reference to relevant and/or irrelevant factors, as well as parameters to maximize likelihood of alkalinity determination. In embodiments, an alkalinity determinator may include one or more titration cells, one or more sensors and/or one or more alkalinity value determinators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Christopher Hintz, Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7747312
    Abstract: There is provided a device for generating a frame of reference and tracking the position and orientation of a tool in computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system. A first curvature sensor including fiducial markers is provided for positioning on a patient prior to volumetric imaging, and sensing the patient's body position during surgery. A second curvature sensor is coupled to the first curvature sensor at one end and to a tool at the other end to inform the computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system of the position and orientation of the tool with respect to the patient's body. A system is provided that incorporates curvature sensors, a garment for sensing the body position of a person, and a method for registering a patient's body to a volumetric image data set in preparation for computer-assisted surgery or other therapeutic interventions. This system can be adapted for remote applications as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Frederick Barrick, Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20100153060
    Abstract: A multidimensional sensor data analyzer that includes: discretizing values in multidimensional sensor data at index locations in value surfaces that reside in a multidimensional value space; deriving surface components resulting from the intersection of a geometric beam shape function that describing the sensor beam with the value surfaces; determining minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; determining surface component index points by identifying the index locations that are located within the minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; and generating a beam value by performing a beam function using the values at the surface component index points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7698100
    Abstract: A multidimensional sensor data analyzer that includes: discretizing values in multidimensional sensor data at index locations in value surfaces that reside in a multidimensional value space; deriving surface components resulting from the intersection of a geometric beam shape function that describing the sensor beam with the value surfaces; determining minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; determining surface component index points by identifying the index locations that are located within the minimum-maximum index location limits for the surface components; and generating a beam value by performing a beam function using the values at the surface component index points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20090216590
    Abstract: A system for inferring relative system goal values in an inverse goal lattice including: a goal identification module, an inverse goal lattice configuration module, a goal value assignment module, an included goal value allocation module, and an including goal value assignment module. The goal identification module identifies goals for accomplishing system objective(s). The inverse goal lattice configuration module applies an ordering relation to goal(s) to configure the inverse goal lattice. The inverse goal lattice interconnects goals with several levels having “including goals” and “included goals.” The goal value assignment module assigns values to included goal(s) at a lowest level of the inverse goal lattice. The included goal value allocation module allocates goal value(s) from included goal(s) to including goal(s) using a goal value allocation function. The including goal value accrual module assigns an including goal value using: allocated goal value(s) and goal value accrual function(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7545376
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interactive closed loop data entry mechanism with real-time graphical feedback. The mechanism includes a spatial display processor, a graphical feedback mechanism, an entry interface, a value updater, and a connected-system-interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 7382312
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Syntactic Landmine Detector. The syntactic landmine detector processes a received signal from a ground penetrating RADAR which contains at least one spatial sequence, the spatial sequence containing relative spatial information locating impedance discontinuities. The spatial sequence is then associated with at least one physical characteristic of a landmine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Publication number: 20080025614
    Abstract: A pattern recognizer includes a sequential data extractor, a data pairer, and a recognition engine. The sequential data extractor extracts a region of measured data obtained from a measuring device. The measuring device is preferably capable of detecting changes in impedance. The measured data should contain position information of the changes in impedance. The data pairer associates the region of measured data with a priori pattern data that contains expected positions of the changes in impedance. The recognition engine decides whether the associated region of measured data and the a priori pattern data differ within predetermined criteria, the predetermined criteria including: non-expected impedance changes; excessive dither; and missing impedance changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Hintz, James Corey Wright
  • Patent number: 7320271
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Syntactic Landmine Detector. The syntactic landmine detector processes a received signal from a ground penetrating RADAR which contains at least one spatial sequence, the spatial sequence containing relative spatial information locating impedance discontinuities. The spatial sequence is then associated with at least one physical characteristic of a landmine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 6907304
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for measuring a relative utility for each of a plurality of goals which comprise a system objective. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for quantifying the relative contribution of specific goals to a set of broader goals, and for enabling decision making, and resource allocation, with regard to the performance of those goals based on the quantified relative contribution. In preferred embodiments, a lattice is created based on an ordering relation and relative values are apportioned to the goals using their position in the lattice as including, included, and/or unrelated goals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: George Mason University
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Hintz, Gregory Alan McIntyre
  • Patent number: 6801878
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing sensors. In preferred embodiments of the invention, a sensor management system determines system information needs, selects one of several measurement functions capable of satisfying the system information needs, and identifies sensors to be used for performing the selected measurement function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: George Mason University
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Hintz, Gregory Alan McIntyre
  • Publication number: 20020087101
    Abstract: There is provided a device for generating a frame of reference and tracking the position and orientation of a ool in computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system. A first curvature sensor including fiducial markers is provided for positioning on a patient prior to volumetric imaging, and sensing the patient's body position during surgery. A second curvature sensor is coupled to the first curvature sensor at one end and to a tool at the other end to inform the computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system of the position and orientation of the tool with respect to the patient's body. A system is provided that incorporates curvature sensors, a garment for sensing the body position of a person, and a method for registering a patient's body to a volumetric image data set in preparation for computer-assisted surgery or other therapeutic interventions. This system can be adapted for remote applications as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Earl Frederick Barrick, Kenneth J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 4635182
    Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of controlling multiple time varying proces by a central control device through a use of an adaptive data acquisition scheme is disclosed. A state estimator is used to extrapolate the current state of each control process as well as an estimate of the uncertainty of each state estimate. The state whose uncertainty is greatest is selected. The selected process is then measured, estimated, and a control variable calculated. Use of this selection criteria allows a single control device to effectively control more time varying processes then if the controls had been determined by a controller using a fixed sampling rate. Statistics for each process are updated with each measurement in order to compensate for the time/varying nature of the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Hintz