Patents by Inventor Thorsten Speckner

Thorsten Speckner 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: 20160203265
    Abstract: Situation-dependent data exchange between a user and the medical imaging apparatus is achieved in accordance with the invention by a method for the exchange of data between a medical imaging apparatus having a scanner situated inside an examination room, and a user situated inside the examination room, wherein position data and/or motion data of the user inside the examination room are acquired by a position data acquisition detector, and the position data and/or motion data are evaluated by a data evaluation processor, whereby at least one situation parameter of the user is determined. At least one item of output information is generated by the data evaluation processor in dependence on the at least one situation parameter. The at least one item of output information is presented as an output to the user by a graphical interface situated inside the examination room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Donald Hardie, Anja Kuerten, Stephan Nufer, Thorsten Speckner, Jens Thoene
  • Patent number: 9366739
    Abstract: A method for activating a magnetic resonance system having a transmit antenna arrangement is provided. The transmit antenna arrangement includes a plurality of independent high-frequency transmit channels with a respectively assigned transmit antenna. Each high-frequency transmit channel has a controllable oscillator. The individual high-frequency transmit channels are activated with independent transmit pulses, and a frequency of the controllable oscillators is controlled independently. At least two of the controllable oscillators therefore oscillate in different frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20160091587
    Abstract: In a method for operating a medical imaging examination apparatus having multiple subsystems, current ambient conditions in a scan volume of the apparatus are determined and stored in a global ambient condition parameter set. A control computer starts a scan sequence according to a selected scan protocol, and sequence control data that define different functional sub-sequences for the respective subsystems are provided to the control computer. Different effective volumes are assigned to each functional sub-sequence, and respective current sub-regions in the effective volume associated with the respective sub-sequence are determined, in which a volume optimization is to take place. Control signals for the scan sequence are calculated using the sequence control data, the global ambient condition parameter set, and the determined current sub-regions of the affected volumes, in order to optimize the functional sub-sequences at least with regard to the current sub-region of the assigned effective volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Thorsten Speckner, Peter Speier, Daniel Nico Splitthoff, Michael Wullenweber
  • Publication number: 20160091585
    Abstract: In a method for determining time windows in a scan sequence, in which values of setting parameters of a scan can be changed during a current scan without adversely affecting the scan data obtained with the scan, comprising the following a scan sequence is loaded into a control computer, that then determines the time windows in the scan sequence in which values of setting parameters can be changed during a current scan, on the basis of an analysis of useful coherences in the scan sequence. The determined time windows are stored or processed so as to be available to operate an imaging apparatus to execute the scan sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Thorsten Speckner, Peter Speier, Daniel Nico Splitthoff
  • Publication number: 20160091590
    Abstract: In a method for operating a medical imaging examination apparatus having multiple subsystems controlled by a control computer in a scan sequence, a control protocol for the scan is provided to the control computer, which determines sequence control data for the control protocol that define different functional subsequences of the scan, with different effective volumes assigned to each functional subsequence. Current ambient conditions of the apparatus are determined that are decisive for the determined relevant sequence control data and associated effective volumes. Control signals for the scan are determined from the sequence control data, the effective volumes and the current ambient conditions determined that optimize the functional subsequences of the scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Thomas Loeffler, Thorsten Speckner, Peter Speier, Daniel Nico Splitthoff, Stephan Stoecker, Johann Sukkau, Michael Wullenweber
  • Publication number: 20160091586
    Abstract: In a method for operating a medical imaging apparatus having subsystems, a control protocol assigned to a scan sequence to be performed is provided to a control computer that determines sequence control data for the control protocol, which define different functional subsequences of the scan sequence. Different effective volumes are assigned to each functional subsequence, and current ambient conditions of the apparatus are determined for the sequence control data and associated effective volumes, for a series of states of physiological processes that occur during the scan sequence. Control signals for the scan sequence are determined from the sequence control data, the effective volumes and the current ambient conditions per observed state, that optimize the functional subsequences of the scan sequence locally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Benner, Swen Campagna, Thorsten Feiweier, Bernd Kuehn, Thorsten Speckner, Peter Speier, Daniel Nico Splitthoff
  • Patent number: 9297875
    Abstract: A method for time synchronization of various components of a magnetic resonance system includes generating a series of amplitude-modulated radio-frequency pulses and associated gradient fields to deflect the magnetization of a slice detecting at least two spin signals, determining a phase difference between two of the spin signals, processing the phase difference in order to determine at least one time shift between two of the following variables that are generated by different components of the magnetic resonance system, an envelope of the amplitude-modulated radio-frequency pulses, a radio-frequency portion of the amplitude-modulated radio-frequency pulses, and one or more gradient fields, and synchronizing the associated components of the magnetic resonance system depending on the at least one time shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Landschuetz, Thorsten Speckner
  • Patent number: 9244142
    Abstract: A receiving device for magnetic resonance (MR) image signals of a body is operated in an MR system such that for at least one coil element of the receiving device, a space domain, in which a spatial sensitivity of the coil element satisfies a predetermined criterion, is determined. A center frequency and a bandwidth of the MR image signal radiated by the body in the space domain are determined for the space domain. A receive path disposed downstream of the coil element is parameterized for operation at the determined center frequency and with the determined bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20150346296
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus has a magnet unit that includes at least one superconducting basic magnetic field coil, a magnet housing unit surrounding the at least one superconducting basic magnetic field coil, a cooling system that has at least one cooling loop and a heat absorption unit to cool the at least one superconducting basic magnetic coil, and an additional unit. The cooling system has a switching unit with at least one first cooling mode, and the switching unit couples the at least one cooling loop of the cooling system with the additional unit for a heat exchange in the first cooling mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Thorsten Speckner
  • Patent number: 9194926
    Abstract: A method for operating a coil, through which a varying current flows, is provided. Mechanical resonance responses of the coil are recorded and are modeled by an electrical resonant circuit model. A check is made as to whether a varying current that is to be sent through the coil evokes a resonant response in the electrical resonant circuit model. The current flow through the coil is blocked if the resonant response exceeds a predefined limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Dietz, Georg Pirkl, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20150297148
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance facility has a main magnet unit with a cylindrical patient accommodation region, and an optical display apparatus with at least one display unit disposed within the patient accommodation region in a region viewable by a patient positioned therein for the magnetic resonance measurement. The display apparatus is shaped at least partially to follow the boundary of the patient accommodation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Swen Campagna, Stephan Nufer, Thorsten Speckner, Jens Thöne
  • Publication number: 20150226820
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system includes an arrangement of magnet systems for generating a homogeneous main magnetic field and additional gradient fields for spatial encoding. At least one transmission coil is used to radiate in an alternating electromagnetic field in order to induce magnetic resonance signals and measure the latter using at least one reception coil. The magnetic resonance imaging system is configured in such that, during an imaging measurement of the magnetic resonance signals for generating the alternating electromagnetic field, at least one fixedly installed whole body coil system and at least one mobile local coil system are operated simultaneously with separately actuated channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jürgen Nistler, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20150070013
    Abstract: The embodiments relate to a B1-map establishment system for establishing B1-maps, operating using a method including: establishing a number of relative B1-maps and storing the relative B1-maps for subsequent, in particular repeated use. The B1-maps are used in a method for establishing an actuation sequence including: establishing a quantitative B1-map. establishing normalized B1-maps on the basis of the relative B1-maps and the quantitative B1-map, and establishing an actuation sequence or acquiring magnetic resonance measurement data using the normalized B1-maps. Furthermore, the embodiments relate to an actuation sequence establishment system and a magnetic resonance imaging system including such an actuation sequence establishment system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Andreas Schmidt, Thorsten Speckner, Johann Sukkau, Michael Wullenweber
  • Publication number: 20140218021
    Abstract: In a method to acquire magnetic resonance (MR) data within a volume segment with a magnetic resonance system, the MR data are repeatedly acquired with a sequence that includes radiating a first resonant RF pulse, radiating a second resonant RF pulse, applying a dephasing first gradient after the first resonant RF pulse and before the second resonant RF pulse, radiating a third resonant RF pulse after the second resonant RF pulse, applying a second gradient after the third RF pulse in order to refocus a stimulated echo of a magnetization component prepared by the first gradient, and read out MR data. At least one of the first gradient and/or the second gradient is/are different in a respective repetition of the sequence and an additional repetition of the sequence that directly follows the respective repetition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Koehler, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20140218022
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) system to acquire MR data within a volume segment, the MR data are repeatedly acquired with a sequence that which includes the following steps. A first resonant RF pulse is radiated and a second resonant RF pulse is radiated. A dephasing first gradient is applied after the first resonant RF pulse and before the second resonant RF pulse. A third resonant RF pulse is radiated after the second resonant RF pulse. A second gradient is applied after the third RF pulse in order to refocus a stimulated echo of a magnetization component prepared by the first gradient. MR data are read out, and a fourth resonant RF pulse is radiated after the readout of the MR data, to reduce the longitudinal magnetization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Koehler, Thorsten Speckner
  • Patent number: 8633690
    Abstract: In an imaging system having a number of subsystems and a control device that controls the subsystems in a coordinated manner to implement a measurement sequence and an operating method therefor, sequence control data that define different functional sub-sequences of the measurement sequence are transmitted to the control device. Different active volumes are associated with the functional sub-sequences. In addition to the sequence control data, active volume position data are provided to the control device that define bearing and extent of the active volumes associated with the different functional sub-sequences. Control signals to implement the measurement sequence for the different subsystems are generated automatically by the control device based on the sequence control data and the active volume position data so that the individual functional sub-sequences are locally optimized at least with regard to a sub-region of their associated active volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Daniel Fischer, Hendrik Jeschke, Thorsten Speckner, Stephan Stoecker
  • Publication number: 20130320977
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus to determine a subject-specific B1 distribution of an examination subject in a measurement volume in the magnetic resonance apparatus, a first measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a first pulse sequence, a second measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a second pulse sequence, and a third measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a third pulse sequence. A first phase is determined from the first measurement data set, a second phase from the second measurement data set and a third phase from the third measurement data set. A relevant phase shift is calculated from the first phase, the second phase and the third phase, and the B1 distribution are determined from the calculated relevant phase shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Koehler, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20130307539
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus to continuously correct phase errors in a magnetic resonance measurement sequence in which multiple sequentially radiated, multidimensional, spatially-selective radio-frequency excitation pulses are used, multiple calibration gradient echoes are acquired in a calibration acquisition sequence and a correction value for a phase response and a correction value for a phase difference are calculated from the multiple calibration gradient echoes. Furthermore, an additional radio-frequency excitation pulse is radiated takes into account the correction values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Josef Pfeuffer, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20130307538
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance system to correct phase errors in multidimensional, spatially selective radio-frequency excitation pulses in a pulse sequence used to operate the system to acquire magnetic resonance data, a multidimensional, spatially selective radio-frequency excitation pulse is radiated and multiple calibration gradient echoes are acquired. A phase correction and a time correction of the multidimensional, spatially selective radio-frequency excitation pulse is then calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Josef Pfeuffer, Thorsten Speckner
  • Publication number: 20130257426
    Abstract: A method for activating a magnetic resonance system having a transmit antenna arrangement is provided. The transmit antenna arrangement includes a plurality of independent high-frequency transmit channels with a respectively assigned transmit antenna. Each high-frequency transmit channel has a controllable oscillator. The individual high-frequency transmit channels are activated with independent transmit pulses, and a frequency of the controllable oscillators is controlled independently. At least two of the controllable oscillators therefore oscillate in different frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Thorsten Speckner