Patents by Inventor Naoharu Kobayashi

Naoharu Kobayashi 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: 10698053
    Abstract: Described here are systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) using a sweeping frequency excitation applied during a time-varying magnetic field gradient. As an example, a gradient-modulated offset independent adiabaticity (“GOIA”) approach can be used to modify the pattern of the sweeping frequency excitation. Data are acquired as time domain signals and processed to generate images. As an example, the time domain signals are processed using a correlation between a Fourier transform of the gradient-modulated sweeping frequency excitation and a Fourier transform of the time domain signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Jinjin Zhang, Michael Garwood, Djaudat Idiyatullin, Curt Corum, Naoharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10591566
    Abstract: A method for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from a subject. The method includes performing a series of radio frequency pulses formed of individual RF pulses applied with a constant time interval between each of the individual RF pulses to form a consistent magnetic field about at least of a region of interest in the subject, where the RF pulse has a flip angle of less than 30 degrees. The method also includes performing phase encoding gradients to achieve spatial encoding and performing an imaging acquisition process over an acquisition window to acquire imaging data. The method further includes performing phase encoding rephasing gradients and repeating the preceding steps such that a time between a center of the acquisition window and a center of a first RF pulse in a first RF pulse in a repetition of the RF pulses is equal to the constant pulse interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Naoharu Kobayashi, Djaudat Idiyatullin, Michael Garwood
  • Publication number: 20190369193
    Abstract: A method for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from a subject. The method includes performing a series of radio frequency pulses formed of individual RF pulses applied with a constant time interval between each of the individual RF pulses to form a consistent magnetic field about at least of a region of interest in the subject, where the RF pulse has a flip angle of less than 30 degrees. The method also includes performing phase encoding gradients to achieve spatial encoding and performing an imaging acquisition process over an acquisition window to acquire imaging data. The method further includes performing phase encoding rephasing gradients and repeating the preceding steps such that a time between a center of the acquisition window and a center of a first RF pulse in a first RF pulse in a repetition of the RF pulses is equal to the constant pulse interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Naoharu Kobayashi, Djaudat Idiyatullin, Michael Garwood
  • Patent number: 10175326
    Abstract: Systems and methods for pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (“PETRA”) magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) using a gradient modulation scheme to enable higher readout bandwidth while keeping the missing samples of the central region of k-space small are provided. This acquisition scheme allows independent selection of the excitation and readout bandwidths, which allows a higher readout bandwidth while keeping the required number of missing central k-space samples low. This flexibility in selecting the excitation and readout bandwidth settings can mitigate the peak radio frequency power and specific absorption rate limitations on flip angle in traditional PETRA imaging schemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Naoharu Kobayashi, Michael Garwood
  • Publication number: 20160334483
    Abstract: Systems and methods for pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (“PETRA”) magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) using a gradient modulation scheme to enable higher readout bandwidth while keeping the missing samples of the central region of k-space small are provided. This acquisition scheme allows independent selection of the excitation and readout bandwidths, which allows a higher readout bandwidth while keeping the required number of missing central k-space samples low. This flexibility in selecting the excitation and readout bandwidth settings can mitigate the peak radio frequency power and specific absorption rate limitations on flip angle in traditional PETRA imaging schemes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Naoharu Kobayashi, Michael Garwood
  • Publication number: 20150226821
    Abstract: Described here are systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) using a sweeping frequency excitation applied during a time-varying magnetic field gradient. As an example, a gradient-modulated offset independent adiabaticity (“GOIA”) approach can be used to modify the pattern of the sweeping frequency excitation. Data are acquired as time domain signals and processed to generate images. As an example, the time domain signals are processed using a correlation between a Fourier transform of the gradient-modulated sweeping frequency excitation and a Fourier transform of the time domain signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: JINJIN ZHANG, MICHAEL GARWOOD, Djaudat Idiyatullin, CURT CORUM, Naoharu Kobayashi