Patents by Inventor Stephen Wayne Metz

Stephen Wayne Metz 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: 7697743
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for performing tomosynthesis including: receiving an image representative of an anatomy of a patient; allowing an interaction with the image to arrange at least one element with respect to the image to form an arrangement; and prescribing at least one parameter for obtaining a tomosynthesis image based at least in part on the arrangement. In an embodiment, the method further includes performing tomosynthesis in accordance with the at least one parameter. In an embodiment, the at least one element includes a detector representation. In an embodiment, the at least one element includes at least one thickness guide. In an embodiment, the at least one element includes at least one slice location guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Stephen Wayne Metz
  • Patent number: 7292675
    Abstract: A method of providing an automatic protocol assistance includes determining a number of exposures for a scan of an object, acquiring a low dose AEC exposure of the object or acquiring at least one of a PA and an AP view, calculating an initial technique, and automatically determining whether to use the initial technique to perform the scan or to not perform the scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baojun Li, Stephen Wayne Metz, Rowland Frederick Saunders, Yaxi Shen
  • Patent number: 7152785
    Abstract: Patient-centric data acquisition protocol selection systems and methods, and identification tags therefor, are described. Embodiments comprise a patient-centric data acquisition protocol selection system comprising: a programmable identification tag capable of allowing predetermined information about a patient to be stored therein and retrieved therefrom; a medical imaging system capable of communicating with the programmable identification tag; and programming associated with the medical imaging system for selecting an optimal data acquisition protocol; wherein the medical imaging system reads information from the programmable identification tag and then the programming selects an optimal data acquisition protocol based, at least in part, on the predetermined information about the patient that is stored in the programmable identification tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Wayne Metz, Christopher D. Unger