Patents by Inventor Lester Donald MILLER
Lester Donald MILLER 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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Publication number: 20240108297Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for making an anti-scatter grid for a radiographic imaging device identifiable. A method for providing an anti-scatter grid (100) for a radiographic imaging device comprises forming, by an additive manufacturing process, a grid pattern (110) in accordance with a product specification of the anti-scatter grid (100) to be provided; and forming, by an additive manufacturing process, a number of structural modifications (121) in or at the grid pattern in a manner making the number of structural modifications (121) image-based recognizable when the anti-scatter grid (100) is viewed according to its intended use in a viewing direction from a radiation source of the radiographic imaging device, and in a unique identification pattern (120) creating a unique identifier to make the anti-scatter grid to be provided identifiable among one or more others.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2022Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: JOHANNES WILHELMUS MARIA JACOBS, LESTER DONALD MILLER, NISHANT SINGH, BERND MENSER
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Patent number: 11864932Abstract: The disclosure relates to an X-ray imaging system for acquiring two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of a subject. A relative position of an X-ray emitting region, as seen in a coordinate system which is stationary relative to an anti-scatter arrangement and/or an X-ray sensitive surface is controlled so that a first and a second image are acquired at different relative positions of the X-ray emitting region relative to the anti-scatter arrangement and/or the X-ray sensitive surface (10). A data processing system of the imaging system generates an output image, based on each of the images. In the output image, artefacts generated by the anti-scatter arrangement, are reduced, suppressed or eliminated compared to the first and the second image.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Nishant Singh, Klaus Jürgen Engel, Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Jacobs, Bernd Menser, Lester Donald Miller, Fred Simon Berend Van Nijnatten
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Publication number: 20230200756Abstract: The disclosure relates to an X-ray imaging system for acquiring two-dimensional or three- dimensional images of a subject. A relative position of an X-ray emitting region, as seen in a coordinate system which is stationary relative to an anti-scatter arrangement and/or an X-ray sensitive surface is controlled so that a first and a second image are acquired at different relative positions of the X-ray emitting region relative to the anti-scatter arrangement and/or the X-ray sensitive surface (10). A data processing system of the imaging system generates an output image, based on each of the images. In the output image, artefacts generated by the anti-scatter arrangement, are reduced, suppressed or eliminated compared to the first and the second image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2021Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: NISHANT SINGH, KLAUS JÜRGEN ENGEL, JOHANNES WILHELMUS MARIA JACOBS, BERND MENSER, LESTER DONALD MILLER, FRED SIMON BEREND VAN NIJNATTEN
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Patent number: 10791615Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating X-rays. It is described to produce (210) with a power supply (40) at least two voltages between at least one cathode (20) and an anode (30), wherein the at least two voltages comprises a first voltage and a second voltage. The at least one cathode is positioned relative to the anode. Electrons are emitted (220) from the at least one cathode. Electrons emitted from the at least one cathode are interacted (230) with the anode with energies corresponding to the at least two voltages. X-rays are generated (230) from the anode, wherein the electrons interact with the anode to generate the X-rays. First X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the first voltage and second X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the second voltage. The power supply is controlled (250), such that a ratio between the first X-rays and the second X-rays is controllable.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Lester Donald Miller, Nirmal Soni, Rolf Karl Otto Behling, Roland Proksa, Dionys Van De Ven
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Patent number: 10757795Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change, a system (1) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change for an x-ray tube (20), a method for spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change for an x-ray tube (20), a computer program element for controlling such device (10) or system (1) for performing such method and a computer readable medium having stored such computer program element. The device (10) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change comprises an acquisition unit (11), a processing unit (12), a calculation unit (13), and a combination unit (14). The acquisition unit (11) is configured to acquire x-ray flux degradation data for the x-ray tube (20). The processing unit (12) is configured to process the x-ray flux degradation data into spatially dependent flux degradation data.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2016Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Lester Donald Miller, Carolina Ribbing, Dionys Van De Ven
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Patent number: 10575391Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (34) and a method (70) for determining a status of an X-ray tube (10) of an X-ray system (36). Due to ageing and/or wear of the X-ray tube, the spectrum of the X-ray radiation (30) provided by the X-ray tube may change over the operation time of the X-ray tube. The present invention therefore suggests evaluating spectrally different values detected with an X-ray detector arrangement (32) of the X-ray system. A reference data set representing a reference condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different reference-values (44) and a working data set representing an aged condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different working-values (46) of detected X-ray radiation are used to determine an equivalent filtration function for an filtration material influencing a source X-ray radiation (26) emitted by an anode (16) of the X-ray tube.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Roland Proksa, Rolf Karl Otto Behling, Carolina Ribbing, Lester Donald Miller, Alexander Eitel
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Publication number: 20190116654Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating X-rays. It is described to produce (210) with a power supply (40) at least two voltages between at least one cathode (20) and an anode (30), wherein the at least two voltages comprises a first voltage and a second voltage. The at least one cathode is positioned relative to the anode. Electrons are emitted (220) from the at least one cathode. Electrons emitted from the at least one cathode are interacted (230) with the anode with energies corresponding to the at least two voltages. X-rays are generated (230) from the anode, wherein the electrons interact with the anode to generate the X-rays. First X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the first voltage and second X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the second voltage. The power supply is controlled (250), such that a ratio between the first X-rays and the second X-rays is controllable.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2017Publication date: April 18, 2019Inventors: LESTER DONALD MILLER, NIRMAL SONI, ROLF KARL OTTO BEHLING, ROLAND PROKSA, DIONYS VAN DE VEN
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Publication number: 20180279457Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change, a system (1) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change for an x-ray tube (20), a method for spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change for an x-ray tube (20), a computer program element for controlling such device (10) or system (1) for performing such method and a computer readable medium having stored such computer program element. The device (10) for determining spatially dependent x-ray flux degradation and photon spectral change comprises an acquisition unit (11), a processing unit (12), a calculation unit (13), and a combination unit (14). The acquisition unit (11) is configured to acquire x-ray flux degradation data for the x-ray tube (20). The processing unit (12) is configured to process the x-ray flux degradation data into spatially dependent flux degradation data.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Lester Donald MILLER, Carolina RIBBING, Dionys VAN DE VEN
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Publication number: 20180270939Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (34) and a method (70) for determining a status of an X-ray tube (10) of an X-ray system (36). Due to ageing and/or wear of the X-ray tube, the spectrum of the X-ray radiation (30) provided by the X-ray tube may change over the operation time of the X-ray tube. The present invention therefore suggests evaluating spectrally different values detected with an X-ray detector arrangement (32) of the X-ray system. A reference data set representing a reference condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different reference-values (44) and a working data set representing an aged condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different working-values (46) of detected X-ray radiation are used to determine an equivalent filtration function for an filtration material influencing a source X-ray radiation (26) emitted by an anode (16) of the X-ray tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2016Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: ROLAND PROKSA, ROLF KARL OTTO BEHLING, CAROLINA RIBBING, LESTER DONALD MILLER, ALEXANDER EITEL
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Publication number: 20180249566Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray source (2) for an imaging device comprising at least three electrodes; a power supply configured to provide a primary gap voltage between a first (13) and a second (12) electrode among said at least three electrodes, said primary gap voltage having an AC component, causing a transport of electrons from the first electrode toward the second electrode; and a controller configured to supply a variable potential on a third electrode (14) among said at least three electrodes, wherein the X-ray source is configured to generate an X-ray beam with an energy spectrum based on the voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the controller is configured to set the variable potential on the third electrode to a value causing at least a partial blocking of said transport of electrons, whenever a predetermined condition is met.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2016Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Roland PROKSA, Lester Donald MILLER