Patents by Inventor Richard Cronce

Richard Cronce 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: 7408168
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments the line time of an X-Ray detector is dynamically selected so as to nullify an aliased interference signal. The frequency of a noise signal generated by a source external to the digital X-ray detector is determined and, based on the determined frequency, the line time of the digital X-ray is adjusted so as to compensate for the interfering noise. The frequency of the noise can be directly determined from an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor or derived through analysis of the power spectrum of the noise signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Aufrichtig, John R Lamberty, Paul R. Granfors, Richard Cronce
  • Patent number: 7005663
    Abstract: Sampling methods and systems that shorten readout time and reduce lag in amorphous silicon flat panel x-ray detectors are described. Embodiments comprise: (a) activating a reset switch to discharge any residual signal being held in a feedback capacitor; (b) deactivating the reset switch; (c) activating a field effect transistor; (d) sampling an electrical signal from the amorphous silicon flat panel x-ray detector, while the field effect transistor is activated; (e) activating a reset switch, after the electrical signal has been sampled and while the field effect transistor is still activated, to discharge any residual signal being held in the feedback capacitor; (f) deactivating the field effect transistor, while the reset switch is still activated; (g) deactivating the reset switch; and (h) repeating steps (c)–(g) as necessary to obtain a predetermined radiographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Manat Maolinbay, Paul Granfors, Richard Aufrichtig, Richard Cronce
  • Publication number: 20050254624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method by which the magnitude of an interfering electrical and/or magnetic field may be sampled locally (in the X-ray detector for example) and reduced or eliminated. More specifically, embodiments comprise a system and method by which an interfering field may be sampled within the same orientation as the X-ray detector panel, and then subtracted out of each respective element sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kautzer, Richard Cronce, Olgun Kukrer
  • Publication number: 20050173642
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a method and system for improved x-ray image data acquisition using a digital x-ray detector. The method and system include defining groups of scan lines in a detector, associating data lines in the detector with the groups of scan lines, and reading image data from the groups of scan lines using the associated data lines. The scan lines are connected with a plurality of pixels. A region of interest may be defined in the detector. The pixels obtain image data regarding the region of interest. The image data may be read from at least one scan line in each of the groups of scan lines using the associated data lines. Alternatively, the image data may be read from alternating groups of the scan lines using the associated data lines. Image data may also be binned from adjacent pixels read using a plurality of data lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Scott Petrick, Alan Blomeyer, Jingyi Liang, Richard Cronce
  • Publication number: 20050040352
    Abstract: Sampling methods and systems that shorten readout time and reduce lag in amorphous silicon flat panel x-ray detectors are described. Embodiments comprise: (a) activating a reset switch to discharge any residual signal being held in a feedback capacitor; (b) deactivating the reset switch; (c) activating a field effect transistor; (d) sampling an electrical signal from the amorphous silicon flat panel x-ray detector, while the field effect transistor is activated; (e) activating a reset switch, after the electrical signal has been sampled and while the field effect transistor is still activated, to discharge any residual signal being held in the feedback capacitor; (f) deactivating the field effect transistor, while the reset switch is still activated; (g) deactivating the reset switch; and (h) repeating steps (c)-(g) as necessary to obtain a predetermined radiographic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Manat Maolinbay, Paul Granfors, Richard Aufrichtig, Richard Cronce
  • Publication number: 20050017187
    Abstract: A method of maintaining an initial bias of an x-ray detector (12) includes setting the initial bias of the x-ray detector. Operating state of a readout circuit (30) is altered. A photodiode common contact voltage potential is adjusted by a data line drift amount to approximately maintain the initial bias. An x-ray imaging system (10) includes a detector (12) that has multiple pixels, multiple data lines (50), and a common contact (62) that is at a common contact voltage potential. The readout circuit (30) is electrically coupled to the data lines (50) and has a multiple power states. A controller (36) is electrically coupled to the readout circuit (30), detects a change in operating state of the readout circuit (30), and adjusts voltage potential of the common contact (62) in response to the change in operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: GE MEDICAL SYSTEMS GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Petrick, Alan Blomeyer, Richard Cronce, Jeffrey Kautzer