Patents by Inventor Takihito Sakai

Takihito Sakai 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: 10980498
    Abstract: A radiography apparatus sequentially determines, on the basis of the positions of markers as time-sequential feature points (of a plurality of frames), positions at which the markers in the frames are displayed. This makes it possible to display a moving object while the position, direction and size thereof are properly set. Another advantage is that when a plurality of markers are extracted, information relating to the direction and size of the object is retained and the proximal and distal directions of the object and the length of a device (e.g., stent) can be intuitively determined from an image. Since positioning is performed using the plurality of positions of markers and the plurality of display positions, the position and direction of a corrected image to be finally displayed can also be set properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Sato, Wataru Takahashi, Michel Dargis, Takihito Sakai, Keiichi Goto, Sebastien Matte
  • Patent number: 10188362
    Abstract: An X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus includes: an image generation element that generates the fluoroscopic images of the subject; an image processing element that executes an image processing to superimpose a plurality of fluoroscopic images that the image generation element continuously generates, and generates and displays the image denoting the movement locus of the marker that denotes the location of a stent introduced inside a body of the subject; and a region-of-interest setting element that set up the region-of-interest includes the movement locus relative to the superimposed image, in which the fluoroscopic images are superimposed one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Sato, Takihito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20190015056
    Abstract: A radiography apparatus sequentially determines, on the basis of the positions of markers as time-sequential feature points (of a plurality of frames), positions at which the markers in the frames are displayed. This makes it possible to display a moving object while the position, direction and size thereof are properly set. Another advantage is that when a plurality of markers are extracted, information relating to the direction and size of the object is retained and the proximal and distal directions of the object and the length of a device (e.g., stent) can be intuitively determined from an image. Since positioning is performed using the plurality of positions of markers and the plurality of display positions, the position and direction of a corrected image to be finally displayed can also be set properly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota SATO, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Michel DARGIS, Takihito SAKAI, Keiichi GOTO, Sebastien MATTE
  • Publication number: 20180206809
    Abstract: An X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus includes: an image generation element that generates the fluoroscopic images of the subject; an image processing element that executes an image processing to superimpose a plurality of fluoroscopic images that the image generation element continuously generates, and generates and displays the image denoting the movement locus of the marker that denotes the location of a stent introduced inside a body of the subject; and a region-of-interest setting element that set up the region-of-interest includes the movement locus relative to the superimposed image, in which the fluoroscopic images are superimposed one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota SATO, Takihito SAKAI
  • Patent number: 9585625
    Abstract: In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, a composite image generating device generates a composite high-voltage/low-voltage image for every time of the same high voltage/low voltage based on a plurality of high-voltage/low-voltage images successively acquired by a high-voltage/low-voltage image acquiring device. Based on the composite high-voltage/low-voltage image generated by the composite image generating device, a subtraction processing device carries out a subtraction process concerning high-voltage images and low-voltage images, to acquire subtraction images. Thus, a mistake by arithmetic processing is made inconspicuous without causing a dose shortage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Patent number: 8837671
    Abstract: This invention has one object to provide radiographic apparatus for acquiring a radioscopic image through superimposing of strip images. The radiographic apparatus allows prevention of blurring in the image with shortened imaging time for acquiring a clearer radioscopic image. According to the configuration of this invention, the FPD-4 is entirely within an imaging range throughout continuous taking of the strip images. In so doing, a minimum movement distance of the FPD-4 may be achieved in continuous taking of the strip images. Even when movement of the FPD-4 deviates from original setting, a range of the deviation may be suppressed to be small, since the movement distance of the FPD-4 is suppressed to be small. Consequently, superimposing of the strip images may realize acquisition of a clearer radioscopic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Takihito Sakai, Takayuki Sano
  • Patent number: 8385623
    Abstract: A radiographic apparatus of this invention, imaging (slot imaging) is carried out in one operation for obtaining a plurality of radiographic images based on radiation detected with an irradiation field restricted to be narrow by the irradiation field control device. Since these plurality of radiographic images are images picked up with the irradiation field restricted to be narrow, a center calculating device can determine a shifted center of the radiographic images. A shift calculating device derives a shift of the center of the X-ray images from a positional relationship between the shifted center of the radiographic images determined and the irradiation field of a radiation detecting device. Since the shift is corrected for the plurality of radiographic images per se based on the shift determined, the shift can be corrected in one slot imaging operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Takihito Sakai, Masahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8213567
    Abstract: In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining long images in a longitudinal direction, a correcting device corrects radiographic images based on overlapping areas of a plurality of radiographic images based on the radiation detected whenever a relative movement is made in the same direction, an image decomposing device decomposes corrected radiographic images for every predetermined distance, and an image composing device composes the decomposed images for each of the same projection angles to obtain a projection image for each projection angle. Thus, with a reconstruction processing device carrying out a reconstruction process based on the composed projection images, sectional images having a long field of view in the longitudinal direction can be obtained, while reducing luminance differences among different radiographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20110228900
    Abstract: In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining long images in a longitudinal direction, a correcting device corrects radiographic images based on overlapping areas of a plurality of radiographic images based on the radiation detected whenever a relative movement is made in the same direction, an image decomposing device decomposes corrected radiographic images for every predetermined distance, and an image composing device composes the decomposed images for each of the same projection angles to obtain a projection image for each projection angle. Thus, with a reconstruction processing device carrying out a reconstruction process based on the composed projection images, sectional images having a long field of view in the longitudinal direction can be obtained, while reducing luminance differences among different radiographic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20110206185
    Abstract: This invention has one object to provide radiographic apparatus for acquiring a radioscopic image through superimposing of strip images. The radiographic apparatus allows prevention of blurring in the image with shortened imaging time for acquiring a clearer radioscopic image. According to the configuration of this invention, the FPD-4 is entirely within an imaging range throughout continuous taking of the strip images. In so doing, a minimum movement distance of the FPD-4 may be achieved in continuous taking of the strip images. Even when movement of the FPD-4 deviates from original setting, a range of the deviation may be suppressed to be small, since the movement distance of the FPD-4 is suppressed to be small. Consequently, superimposing of the strip images may realize acquisition of a clearer radioscopic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Takihito Sakai, Takayuki Sano
  • Patent number: 7978811
    Abstract: In a radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining a long image in a longitudinal direction, an image composing unit combines a plurality of radiographic images in the longitudinal direction based on detected radiation, and a setting unit sets a length of a radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, with the setting unit setting the length of the radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction, the length can be set without requiring an expansion or reduction of the radiographic image of a site of concern. The site of concern is constantly maintained on the same scale to reduce the chance of inducing errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100189336
    Abstract: In a radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining a long image in a longitudinal direction, an image composing unit combines a plurality of radiographic images in the longitudinal direction based on detected radiation, and a setting unit sets a length of a radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, with the setting unit setting the length of the radiographic image to be composed in the longitudinal direction, the length can be set without requiring an expansion or reduction of the radiographic image of a site of concern. The site of concern is constantly maintained on the same scale to reduce the chance of inducing errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100183215
    Abstract: A radiographic apparatus of this invention, imaging (slot imaging) is carried out in one operation for obtaining a plurality of radiographic images based on radiation detected with an irradiation field restricted to be narrow by the irradiation field control device. Since these plurality of radiographic images are images picked up with the irradiation field restricted to be narrow, a center calculating device can determine a shifted center of the radiographic images. A shift calculating device derives a shift of the center of the X-ray images from a positional relationship between the shifted center of the radiographic images determined and the irradiation field of a radiation detecting device. Since the shift is corrected for the plurality of radiographic images per se based on the shift determined, the shift can be corrected in one slot imaging operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Takihito Sakai, Masahiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100177949
    Abstract: In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, a composite image generating device generates a composite high-voltage/low-voltage image for every time of the same high voltage/low voltage based on a plurality of high-voltage/low-voltage images successively acquired by a high-voltage/low-voltage image acquiring device. Based on the composite high-voltage/low-voltage image generated by the composite image generating device, a subtraction processing device carries out a subtraction process concerning high-voltage images and low-voltage images, to acquire subtraction images. Thus, a mistake by arithmetic processing is made inconspicuous without causing a dose shortage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Takihito Sakai
  • Patent number: 5682891
    Abstract: An MR imaging apparatus using NMR phenomenon includes a main magnet, a first, a second and a third gradient field coils, a RF coil, a gradient field controller connected to the first, second and third gradient field coils, a RF controller connected to the RF coil, a waveform generator, a carrier wave generator, an amplitude modulator, a RF controller connected to the RF coil, and a data processor. The waveform generator generates a modulating signal expressed by F(t)=A {cos (.omega.t)-cos (E.omega.t)}/t, where A is an amplitude coefficient, .epsilon. is a non-excitation band coefficient, and .omega. is a frequency of the modulating signal. The RF controller causes the RF coil, in each pulse sequence, to transmit a RF signal and to apply, to the RF signal, a modulated wave output from the amplitude modulator as an MTC pulse having a frequency component slightly offset from a resonance frequency of free water protons, and a resonance frequency component of free water protons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyohito Sonoki, Takihito Sakai