Patents by Inventor Michael Hopple

Michael Hopple 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: 20080166033
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is disclosed. A pixel offset correction is performed in integer format on the radiographic image using saturation arithmetic to produce an image in integer format with any negative corrected values clipped to a value of zero. The resulting pixels are converted to floating point format and the converted pixels are multiplied by a gain factor. Optionally the resulting pixels are recursively averaged with previous results. The resulting pixels are converted to integer format and the converted pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. Non-functional pixel correction is performed in integer format and the resulting pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. An optional processing path replaces the recursive average by a linear average. The resulting pixel values are optionally filtered to enhance features of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Clifford Bueno, Elizabeth Dixon, Walter Dixon, Forrest Hopkins, Michael Hopple, Brian Lasiuk, Ronald McFarland, August Matula, Robert Mitchell, Kevin Moermond, Gregory Mohr
  • Patent number: 7215801
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is disclosed. A pixel offset correction is performed in integer format on the radiographic image using saturation arithmetic to produce an image in integer format with any negative corrected values clipped to a value of zero. The resulting pixels are converted to floating point format and the converted pixels are multiplied by a gain factor. Optionally the resulting pixels are recursively averaged with previous results. The resulting pixels are converted to integer format and the converted pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. Non-functional pixel correction is performed in integer format and the resulting pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. An optional processing path replaces the recursive average by a linear average. The resulting pixel values are optionally filtered to enhance features of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Clifford Bueno, Elizabeth Dixon, Walter Dixon, Forrest Hopkins, Michael Hopple, Brian Lasiuk, Ronald McFarland, August Matula, Robert Mitchell, Jr., Kevin Moermond, Gregory Mohr
  • Publication number: 20060058974
    Abstract: A digital radiography imaging system for acquiring digital images of an object, and a method for transforming digital images into an absolute thickness map characterizing the object under inspection. The system includes a radiation source for directing radiation through a desired region of the object, and a radiation detector having a plurality of sensing elements for detecting radiation passing through the object. Numerical data generated from each sensing element is calibrated, for example by correcting for variations in radiation paths between the source and detector, by correcting for variations in the spatial frequency response (MTF) of the detector, by correcting for variations in the geometric profile of the object under inspection, and by correcting for material contained in and/or around the object. The calibrated data is processed in order to generate and display an absolute thickness map of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: GE Betz, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lasiuk, Thomas Batzinger, Manoharan Venugopal, Elizabeth Dixon, Michael Hopple, Nityanand Gopalika, Sivaramanivas Ramaswamy, Debasish Mishra, Rajashekar Venkatachalam, Vamshi Reddy Kommareddy
  • Publication number: 20040247167
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is disclosed. A pixel offset correction is performed in integer format on the radiographic image using saturation arithmetic to produce an image in integer format with any negative corrected values clipped to a value of zero. The resulting pixels are converted to floating point format and the converted pixels are multiplied by a gain factor. Optionally the resulting pixels are recursively averaged with previous results. The resulting pixels are converted to integer format and the converted pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. Non-functional pixel correction is performed in integer format and the resulting pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. An optional processing path replaces the recursive average by a linear average. The resulting pixel values are optionally filtered to enhance features of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Clifford Bueno, Elizabeth Dixon, Walter Dixon, Forrest Hopkins, Michael Hopple, Brian Lasiuk, Ronald McFarland, August Matula, Robert Mitchell, Kevin Moermond, Gregory Mohr