Patents by Inventor Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR.

Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR. 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: 20230346232
    Abstract: Methods for calculating a MetaKG signal are provided. The method including illuminating a region of interest in a sample with a near-infrared (NIR) light source and/or a visible light source. The region of interest includes a sample portion and background portion, each having a different set of optical characteristics. Images of the region of interest are acquired and processed to obtain metadata associated with the acquired images. MetaKG signals are calculated for the region of interest and for the background. The MetaKG signal for the background is used to adjust the MetaKG signal for the region of interest to provide a final adjusted MetaKG signal for the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Sunghan Kim, William Hempstead, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11553844
    Abstract: Methods for calculating a MetaKG signal are provided. The method including illuminating a region of interest in a sample with a near-infrared (NIR) light source and/or a visible light source. The region of interest includes a sample portion and background portion, each having a different set of optical characteristics. Images of the region of interest are acquired and processed to obtain metadata associated with the acquired images. MetaKG signals are calculated for the region of interest and for the background. The MetaKG signal for the background is used to adjust the MetaKG signal for the region of interest to provide a final adjusted MetaKG signal for the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, Jr., Sunghan Kim, William Hempstead, Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20210030277
    Abstract: Methods for calculating a MetaKG signal are provided. The method including illuminating a region of interest in a sample with a near-infrared (NIR) light source and/or a visible light source. The region of interest includes a sample portion and background portion, each having a different set of optical characteristics. Images of the region of interest are acquired and processed to obtain metadata associated with the acquired images. MetaKG signals are calculated for the region of interest and for the background. The MetaKG signal for the background is used to adjust the MetaKG signal for the region of interest to provide a final adjusted MetaKG signal for the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Sunghan Kim, William Hempstead, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 10792492
    Abstract: Methods for calculating a MetaKG signal are provided. The method including illuminating a region of interest in a sample with a near-infrared (NIR) light source and/or a visible light source; acquiring images of the region of interest; processing the acquired images to obtain metadata associated with the acquired images; and calculating the MetaKG signal from the metadata associated with the acquired images. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Thomas Bruce Ferguson, Jr., Sunghan Kim, Zhiyong Peng, Kenneth Michael Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20200305721
    Abstract: Systems for obtaining an image of a target are provided including at least one multi-wavelength illumination module configured to illuminate a target using two or more different wavelengths, each penetrating the target at different depths; a multi-wavelength camera configured to detect the two or more different wavelengths illuminating the target on corresponding different channels and acquire corresponding images of the target based on the detected two or more different wavelengths illuminating the target; a control module configured synchronize illumination of the target by the at least one multi-wavelength illumination module and detection of the two or more different wavelengths by the camera; an analysis module configured to receive the acquired images of the target and analyze the acquired images to provide analysis results; and an image visualization module modify the acquired images based on the analysis results to provide a final improved image in real-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, JIAHONG JIN, THOMAS BRUCE FERGUSON, JR., KENNETH MICHAEL JACOBS, TAYLOR FORBES, BRYENT TUCKER, XIN HUA HU
  • Patent number: 10722173
    Abstract: Methods for combining anatomical data and physiological data on a single image are provided. The methods include obtaining an image, for example, a raw near-infrared (NIR) image or a visible image, of a sample. The image of the sample includes anatomical structure of the sample. A physiologic map of blood flow and perfusion of the sample is obtained. The anatomical structure of the image and the physiologic map of the sample are combined into a single image of the sample. The single image of the sample displays anatomy and physiology of the sample in the single image in real time. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Thomas Bruce Ferguson, Jr., Kenneth Michael Jacobs, Zhiyong Peng
  • Publication number: 20170274205
    Abstract: Methods for calculating a MetaKG signal are provided. The method including illuminating a region of interest in a sample with a near-infrared (NIR) light source and/or a visible light source; acquiring images of the region of interest; processing the acquired images to obtain metadata associated with the acquired images; and calculating the MetaKG signal from the metadata associated with the acquired images. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Sunghan Kim, Zhiyong Peng, Kenneth Michael Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20170224274
    Abstract: Methods for combining anatomical data and physiological data on a single image are provided. The methods include obtaining an image, for example, a raw near-infrared (NIR) image or a visible image, of a sample. The image of the sample includes anatomical structure of the sample. A physiologic map of blood flow and perfusion of the sample is obtained. The anatomical structure of the image and the physiologic map of the sample are combined into a single image of the sample. The single image of the sample displays anatomy and physiology of the sample in the single image in real time. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Kenneth Michael Jacobs, Zhiyong Peng
  • Patent number: 9271658
    Abstract: A non-invasive method for measuring blood flow in principal vessels of a heart of a subject is provided. The method includes illuminating a region of interest in the heart with a coherent light source, wherein the coherent light source has a wavelength of from about 600 nm to about 1100 nm; sequentially acquiring at least two speckle images of the region of interest in the heart during a fixed time period, wherein sequentially acquiring the at least two speckle images comprises acquiring the at least two speckle images in synchronization with motion of the heart of the subject; and electronically processing the at least two acquired speckle images based on the temporal variation of the pixel intensities in the at least two acquired speckle images to generate a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) image and determine spatial distribution of blood flow rate in the principal vessels and quantify perfusion distribution in tissue in the region of interest in the heart from the LSCI image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, Jr., Xin-Hua Hu, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 9226673
    Abstract: Non-invasive methods for determining blood flow distribution in a region of interest are provided. The method includes illuminating a region of interest of a subject with a coherent light source; sequentially acquiring at least two speckle images of the region of interest, wherein sequentially acquiring the at least two speckle images comprises acquiring the at least two speckle images in synchronization with motion of the heart of the subject; and electronically processing the at least two acquired speckle images based on the temporal variation of the pixel intensities in the at least two acquired speckle images to generate a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) image, determine distribution of blood flow speed in principal vessels and quantify perfusion distribution in tissue in the region of interest from the LSCI image. The LSCI image enables detection of different blood flow speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, Jr., Xin-Hua Hu, Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20130245456
    Abstract: Non-invasive methods for determining blood flow distribution in a region of interest are provided. The method includes illuminating a region of interest of a subject with a coherent light source; sequentially acquiring at least two speckle images of the region of interest, wherein sequentially acquiring the at least two speckle images comprises acquiring the at least two speckle images in synchronization with motion of the heart of the subject; and electronically processing the at least two acquired speckle images based on the temporal variation of the pixel intensities in the at least two acquired speckle images to generate a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) image, determine distribution of blood flow speed in principal vessels and quantify perfusion distribution in tissue in the region of interest from the LSCI image. The LSCI image enables detection of different blood flow speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: East Carolina University
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Xin-Hua Hu, Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20130223705
    Abstract: A non-invasive method for measuring blood flow in principal vessels of a heart of a subject is provided. The method includes illuminating a region of interest in the heart with a coherent light source, wherein the coherent light source has a wavelength of from about 600 nm to about 1100 nm; sequentially acquiring at least two speckle images of the region of interest in the heart during a fixed time period, wherein sequentially acquiring the at least two speckle images comprises acquiring the at least two speckle images in synchronization with motion of the heart of the subject; and electronically processing the at least two acquired speckle images based on the temporal variation of the pixel intensities in the at least two acquired speckle images to generate a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) image and determine spatial distribution of blood flow rate in the principal vessels and quantify perfusion distribution in tissue in the region of interest in the heart from the LSCI image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: East Charles Boulevard
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Ferguson, JR., Xin-Hua Hu, Cheng Chen