Patents by Inventor Steffen Weiss

Steffen Weiss 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: 20180160934
    Abstract: A medical apparatus (1100) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system and an interventional device (300) comprising a shaft (302, 1014, 1120). The medical apparatus further comprises a toroidal magnetic resonance fiducial marker (306, 600, 800, 900, 1000, 1122) attached to the shaft. The shaft passes through a center point (610, 810, 908, 1006) of the fiducial marker. The medical apparatus further comprises machine executable instructions (1150, 1152, 1154, 1156, 1158) for execution by a processor. The instructions cause the processor to acquire (100, 200) magnetic resonance data, to reconstruct (102, 202) a magnetic resonance image (1142), and to receive (104, 204) the selection of a target volume (1118, 1144, 1168). The instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: acquire (106, 206) magnetic resonance location data (1146) from the fiducial marker and render (108, 212) a view (1148, 1162) indicating the position of the shaft relative to the target zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Steffen Weiss, Ronaldus Frederik Johannes Holthuizen, Sascha Krueger, Peter Koken, Daniel Wirtz, Thomas Erik Amthor, Alk Uhlemann
  • Patent number: 9968277
    Abstract: A medical apparatus (1100) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system and an interventional device (300) comprising a shaft (302, 1014, 1120). The medical apparatus further comprises a toroidal magnetic resonance fiducial marker (306, 600, 800, 900, 1000, 1122) attached to the shaft. The shaft passes through a center point (610, 810, 908, 1006) of the fiducial marker. The medical apparatus further comprises machine executable instructions (1150, 1152, 1154, 1156, 1158) for execution by a processor. The instructions cause the processor to acquire (100, 200) magnetic resonance data, to reconstruct (102, 202) a magnetic resonance image (1142), and to receive (104, 204) the selection of a target volume (1118, 1144, 1168). The instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: acquire (106, 206) magnetic resonance location data (1146) from the fiducial marker and render (108, 212) a view (1148, 1162) indicating the position of the shaft relative to the target zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Steffen Weiss, Ronaldus Frederik Johannes Holthuizen, Sascha Krueger, Peter Koken, Daniel Wirtz, Thomas Erik Amthor, Falk Uhlemann
  • Publication number: 20180125428
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrocardiograph sensor mat (100), the mat (100) comprising a multitude of electrodes (104) for acquiring cardiac signals and a plug (200), wherein the electrodes (104) are connected to the plug (200) by electric wires (102), wherein the wires (102) are segmented by switches (202), wherein the switches (202) are switchable between a closed state and an open state, wherein in the closed state the electrodes (104) are electrically connected to the plug (200) and wherein in the open state the electrodes (104) are electrically isolated from the plug (200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Jouke Smink, Steffen Weiss, Sascha Krueger
  • Publication number: 20180120396
    Abstract: The invention provides for a method of operating a medical instrument (100, 400, 500, 600), with magnetic resonance imaging system (102). The method comprises acquiring (202) equilibrium magnetization magnetic resonance imaging data (148) by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system according to a T1 measuring magnetic resonance imaging protocol and calculating an equilibrium magnetization baseline image (156). The method further comprises repeatedly acquiring (206) the dynamic PRFS magnetic resonance data according to a proton resonance frequency shift magnetic resonance imaging protocol. The method further comprises repeatedly acquiring (208) magnetic resonance data portions (152) according to the T1 measuring magnetic resonance imaging protocol with a saturation preparation (804) at the start of the acquisition. The acquisition of the dynamic PRFS magnetic resonance data and the magnetic resonance data portions are interleaved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: STEFFEN WEISS
  • Patent number: 9952296
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance method comprises applying a radio frequency excitation in an examination region (14), measuring a magnetic resonance signal generated by the applied radio frequency excitation in a subject (16) in the examination region, monitoring a radio frequency parameter during the applying, and evaluating subject safety based on the monitoring. A magnetic resonance safety monitor (40) comprises an analyzer (42, 44, 46, 50) configured to (i) receive a radio frequency signal during magnetic resonance excitation, (ii) extract a radio frequency parameter from the received radio frequency signal, and (iii) evaluate subject safety based on the extracted radio frequency parameter, and a remediation module (54) configured to perform a remediation of the magnetic resonance excitation responsive to the evaluation (iii) indicating a potentially unsafe condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIP N.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Krueger, Daniel Wirtz, Steffen Weiss
  • Patent number: 9918653
    Abstract: The invention relates to electrophysiology catheter systems and their use, such as in an MRI environment, and in particular to analysis of electric signals from such. An electrophysiology (EP) catheter with a plurality of electrically isolated electrode segments arranged in longitudinally spaced bands around the catheter is used to detect electric signals. A workstation receives the electrical signals which are then processed by a processing unit. Electric signals from electrode segments can be used to determine roll angle information of the catheter in relation to patient anatomy by determining signals from electrode segments in contact with tissue. Also, electric signals can be used to extract a reference signal that can be used to correct for gradient induced artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Oliver Lips, Bernd David, Sascha Krueger, Steffen Weiss
  • Patent number: 9860362
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking appliance using a mobile terminal that is separate from the cooking appliance, both of which have a controller and a BLE communication device, involves the following steps being performed: switching on the cooking appliance and the terminal, setting up a communication link between the two by means of a specified user process on the cooking appliance or on the terminal and confirming the set-up of the communication link by means of a user process by the user on the cooking appliance. A signal strength of the communication link between the two communication devices at the time of confirmation of the communication link on the cooking appliance is stored and is monitored during use. If the signal strength drops below a prescribed signal strength limit value, then user commands from the mobile terminal are blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Hannes Kuemmerle, Ewald Bayer, Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Kay Schmidt, Pierre Metzner, Steffen Weiss, Gerd Knappe, Oliver Zabel
  • Patent number: 9841275
    Abstract: An optical monitoring device for monitoring curvature along a flexible medical instrument including optical fibers, a light source to inject light into the optical fibers, a light receiver configured to measure an optical characteristic of reflected light from the optical fibers, a processor to analyze the measured optical characteristic to determine a curvature of the optical fibers, compare the curvature with a threshold curvature, determine a location along the optical fibers of the determined curvature, store previous curvatures and their associated location along the fibers in a storage, analyze the stored curvatures by counting or summing curvatures determined at a given location over time to predict breakdown of the flexible medical instrument, and produce an indication when the stored curvatures determined at the given location over time predict breakdown of the flexible medical instrument at the given location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklike Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Steffen Weiss
  • Patent number: 9835697
    Abstract: An RF-safe interventional or a non-interventional instrument is used during an MR imaging or MR examination of an examination object (A). The instrument is made of or includes at least one longitudinal or elongated electrically conductive element (1, 3), for example, in the form of a conductor or wire or line for feeding electrical signals, or in the form of the instrument itself or a component or a part thereof, which is not provided for feeding electrical signals but is nevertheless electrically conductive. All such elements are subject to RF common mode currents which are induced in the element when the instrument or element is exposed to an RF/MR excitation field generated during MR imaging or MR examination by an MR imaging apparatus. The instrument is made RF-safe by increasing the energy loss of an oscillator which is represented by the conductor (1, 3) by a damping element (4; 6) in order to prevent or limit RF heating of the examination object (A) at or surrounding the conductor (1, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Steffen Weiss, Oliver Lips, Bernd David
  • Publication number: 20170310810
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking appliance using a mobile terminal that is separate from the cooking appliance, both of which have a controller and a BLE communication device, involves the following steps being performed: switching on the cooking appliance and the terminal, setting up a communication link between the two by means of a specified user process on the cooking appliance or on the terminal and confirming the set-up of the communication link by means of a user process by the user on the cooking appliance. A signal strength of the communication link between the two communication devices at the time of confirmation of the communication link on the cooking appliance is stored and is monitored during use. If the signal strength drops below a prescribed signal strength limit value, then user commands from the mobile terminal are blocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Hannes Kuemmerle, Ewald Bayer, Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Kay Schmidt, Pierre Metzner, Steffen Weiss, Gerd Knappe, Oliver Zabel
  • Publication number: 20170269176
    Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100, 300) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (142) from a subject (118) within an imaging zone (108). The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnetic resonance imaging antenna (113, 113?) comprising multiple loop antenna elements (114, 114?) with multiple infrared thermometry sensors (115, 115?). The magnetic resonance imaging antenna is configured for being positioned adjacent to an external surface (119) of the subject and at least a portion of the multiple infrared thermometry sensors are directed towards the external surface. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a memory (134, 136) containing machine executable instructions (150, 152) and pulse sequence instructions (140).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: STEFFEN WEISS
  • Patent number: 9706961
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrocardiograph sensor mat (100), the mat (100) comprising a multitude of electrodes (104) for acquiring cardiac signals and a plug (200), wherein the electrodes (104) are connected to the plug (200) by electric wires (102), wherein the wires (102) are segmented by switches (202), wherein the switches (202) are switchable between a closed state and an open state, wherein in the closed state the electrodes (104) are electrically connected to the plug (200) and wherein in the open state the electrodes (104) are electrically isolated from the plug (200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jouke Smink, Steffen Weiss, Sascha Krueger
  • Publication number: 20170073880
    Abstract: In a method for operating a tumble dryer for drying damp laundry, the profile of the moisture of the air in the tumble dryer, advantageously the absolute moisture, is measured during an initial phase of the drying process. The profile of the measured moisture is then compared with stored profiles for the moisture or a gradient of the profile of the measured moisture is compared with stored gradient threshold values for gradient values of the moisture. In this case, profiles and/or gradient threshold values for fibres from the following group: cotton, wool and synthetic fibres, and also an upper gradient threshold value and a lower gradient threshold value are stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Steffen Weiss, Kay Schmidt, Pascal Hain, Rebecca Grill
  • Patent number: 9575146
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of characterizing the RF transmit chain of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (1) using a local transmit/receive coil system (204; 210), comprising a first local NMR probe and a first local magnetic resonance coil, the first NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the first coil, a local receive coil system (206; 208), comprising a second local NMR probe and a second local magnetic resonance coil, the second NMR probe being spatially located in immediate neighborhood to the second coil, wherein the transmit chain comprises an external MR coil (9; 11; 12; 13), the method comprising: determining with the first magnetic resonance coil, a first MR signal phase evolution of the local RF transmit field generated by MR excitation of the first probe using the first magnetic resonance coil by measuring the RF response of the first probe upon said excitation, determining with the second magnetic resonance coil a second MR signal phase evolution of the local RF
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Johan Van Den Brink, Ingmar Graesslin, Sascha Krueger, Steffen Weiss, Peter Vernickel
  • Publication number: 20170004618
    Abstract: A method for determining wall thickness of an anatomic detail (52), in particular of the heart, of a subject of interest (20) by magnetic resonance imaging, comprising steps of—defining (82) a first location (54) and a second location (56) on a surface representation;—generating (84) a line-structure of interest (60),—determining (86), for each location (62) of a plurality of locations (62), a normal direction (64);—determining (88) a mean normal direction (66);—determining (90) a mean imaging plane (68);—determining (92) a measure that is representative of angular deviations (4(3,) of the determined normal directions (64);—based on the determined measure, determining (96) imaging planes (70);—determining (98) deviations of the determined normal directions (64) to the imaging planes (70);—acquiring (100) magnetic resonance images for all imaging planes (68, 70); and—determining (102) the wall thickness at a specific location (62) from the magnetic resonance image acquired in that imaging plane (70) that has t
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: TOBIAS RATKO VOIGT, STEFFEN WEISS, SASCHA KRUEGER
  • Publication number: 20160310219
    Abstract: At an imaging site an imaging device (14) generates an image of a subject (4) and an imaging light markers generation device (6) generates light markers at locations on a surface of the subject before an interventional procedure is performed. At an interventional site an interventional light markers generation device (17) generates light markers at the locations on the surface of the subject (4) and a localization device (25, 27) determines the position of a catheter during the interventional procedure. A position determination unit (29) then determines the position of the catheter within the pre-interventional image based on the position of the catheter determined by the localization device and provided spatial relations between the devices used for generating the image and the light markers and for localizing the catheter. This allows showing the position of the catheter within the pre-interventional image without necessarily using x-rays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: STEFFEN WEISS
  • Publication number: 20160304843
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mutant transaminase with increased transaminase activity relative to the wild-type transaminase, a fusion protein comprising the transaminase, a polynucleotide coding for the transaminase, a host cell comprising the polynucleotide, mutant transaminase and/or fusion protein, a method of producing an amine with the mutant transaminase or fusion protein and the use of the mutant transaminase or fusion protein for the production of an amine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Paul HANLON, Hans IDING, Paul SPURR, Beat WIRZ, Uwe BORNSCHEUER, Ioannis PAVLIDIS, Martin Steffen WEISS
  • Publication number: 20160302880
    Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100) with a magnetic resonance coil assembly (102, 102?) comprising a magnetic resonance antenna with a first antenna portion (108, 108?) and a second antenna portion (110, 110?) for receiving magnetic resonance location data (1246) from a fiducial marker (118, 300, 400, 500). The magnetic resonance coil assembly further comprises a clamp with a first clamping portion (104, 104?) and a second clamping portion (106, 106?) operable for being moved between an open and a closed configuration. The first clamping portion comprises the first antenna portion. The second clamping portion comprises the second antenna portion. The first and second clamping portions are operable for securing the fiducial marker within a signal reception volume (111) in the closed configuration. When in the open position, the first and second clamping portions enable the fiducial marker being moved into or out of the signal reception volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: FALK UHLEMANN, SASHA KRUEGER, DANIEL WIRTZ, STEFFEN WEISS
  • Patent number: 9429637
    Abstract: A method of magnetic resolution (MR) imaging of a moving portion of a body of a patient placed in an examination volume of a MR device. For the purpose of enabling improved interventional MR imaging from acquiring a MR signal data with motion compensation, the invention proposes that the method includes repeated acts of collecting tracking data from an interventional instrument introduced into the portion of the body, subjecting the portion of the body to an imaging sequence for acquiring one or more MR signals therefrom, wherein parameters of the imaging sequence are adjusted on the basis of the tracking data, and reconstructing one or more MR images from the MR signal data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Sascha S. Krueger, Steffen Weiss, Bernd David, Oliver Lips, Robert Manzke
  • Patent number: 9348005
    Abstract: An interventional or a non-interventional instrument like a catheter, a surgical device, a biopsy needle, a pointer, a stent or another invasive or non-invasive device, like a position marker, or a surface or local coil like a head coil is disclosed, wherein these instruments are provided with an MR-safe RF transmission line or cable (2, 3) for connecting the instrument with related RF transmit/MR receive units or other signal processing units for operating the instrument during an MR imaging or MR examination of an examination object. Basically, MR safety is obtained or increased by means of a plurality of fuses (6) which are serially connected into the transmission line or cable (2, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Jouke Smink, Steffen Weiss