Patents by Inventor Ralph Highnam

Ralph Highnam 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: 7519212
    Abstract: Methods are described for the production of a three-dimensional reconstruction of a undeformed object from two different views of the object under deformation using a volume constraint and also by matching corresponding features in the two images. The volume constraint involves assuming that the deformed volume is the same as the undeformed volume, and calculating the deformed volume from one of the images. Further, the deformation of the object can be parameterised by finding corresponding image entities in the each of the images. The method is particularly applicable to breast mammograms in which case the two images are the cranio-caudal (CC) image and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) image whose angular separation varies from 35 to 60 degrees. The image entities which are detected in the two images are microcalcifications, and these are matched by detecting a value representing their volume a looking for matches in this value between the two images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Brady, Ralph Highnam, Shuk Wah Margaret Yam
  • Patent number: 7315640
    Abstract: A method of enhancing and normalizing x-ray images, particularly mammograms, by correcting the image for digitizer blur, glare from the intensifying screen and the anode-heel effect. The method also allows the calculation of the compressed thickness of the imaged breast and calculation of the contribution to the mammograms of the extra focal radiation. The correction of the image for glare from the intensifying screen allows the detection of noise, such as film shot noise, in the image, and in particular the differentiation between such noise and microcalcifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Mirada Solutions Limited
    Inventors: John Michael Brady, Ralph Highnam
  • Publication number: 20050078799
    Abstract: A method of processing a radiographic image obtained with a slot-scanning radiographic system to compensate for scattering of the illuminating beam in the tissue being imaged. A conventional circularly symmetric scatter mask, for example a point spread function, is adjusted to take account of the shape of the detector and 1o time delay integration used in the slot scanning system, the presence of an air gap between the detector and the bottom of the tissue being imaged, and the collimation of the radiation beam. The result is a sharpened and shortened point spread function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Bruno Ancelin, Ralph Highnam
  • Publication number: 20040094167
    Abstract: Methods are described for the production of a three-dimensional reconstruction of a undeformed object from two different views of the object under deformation using a volume constraint and also by matching corresponding features in the two images. The volume constraint involves assuming that the deformed volume is the same as the undeformed volume, and calculating the deformed volume from one of the images. Further, the deformation of the object can be parameterised by finding corresponding image entities in the each of the images. The method is particularly applicable to breast mammograms in which case the two images are the cranio-caudal (CC) image and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) image whose angular separation varies from 35 to 60 degrees. The image entities which are detected in the two images are microcalcifications, and these are matched by detecting a value representing their volume a looking for matches in this value between the two images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: John Michael Brady, Ralph Highnam, Shuk Wah Margaret Yam