Patents by Inventor Tor C. Anderson
Tor C. Anderson 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).
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Publication number: 20240081943Abstract: A medical instrument includes a tool extender used to retain and move a tool relative to a flexible elongate device. The tool extender includes a slider that allows a user to move the tool relative to a flexible elongate device with one hand using a portion of the slider that is configured to be engaged and manipulated by the user's hand or fingers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Salim Dogan Sekercioglu, Tor C. Anderson, Jason K. Chan, Benjamin G. Cohn, Stephan Vrudny, Cynthia Warman
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Publication number: 20230059738Abstract: An optical fiber alignment assembly may comprise an alignment fixture including a groove configured to engage first and second optical fiber ferrules, a first clamping mechanism configured to selectively apply a force on the first optical fiber ferrule to constrain motion of the first optical fiber ferrule within the groove, and a second clamping mechanism configured to selectively apply a force on the second optical fiber ferrule to constrain motion of the second optical fiber ferrule within the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Matthew R. Cavalier
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Patent number: 10561394Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample are described, the apparatus comprising an ultrasound transducer and a membranous sheet, the membranous sheet compressing the tissue sample, the ultrasound transducer contacting the membranous sheet and ultrasonically scanning the tissue sample therethrough, wherein the membranous sheet has a generally arcuate shape and the ultrasound transducer is movable in a generally arcuate trajectory therealong during the ultrasonic scan. Also described is an apparatus for facilitating a medical procedure, comprising a membranous sheet compressing a tissue sample, an ultrasound transducer contacting the membranous sheet to ultrasonically scan the tissue sample therethrough, and a biopsy guide operably coupled to the ultrasound transducer for maintaining a biopsy instrument in a scan plane of the ultrasound transducer to facilitate a percutaneous biopsy of a lesion located in the scan plane.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Douglas G. Summers
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Patent number: 9131919Abstract: Versatile ultrasound scanning of a breast is described using an apparatus (1202) including a hand-manipulable compression/scanning assembly (1208). The compression/scanning assembly (1208) comprises an ultrasound transducer (1304) and a compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane (1218) in a substantially taut state, the membrane (1218) having a first surface compressing the breast in a generally chestward direction and a second surface opposite the first surface. The compression/scanning assembly (1208) further comprises a transducer translation mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer (1304) and configured to sweep the ultrasound transducer across the second surface of the membrane to scan the breast while compressed in the generally chestward direction. Systemized and/or standardized ultrasonic scanning of a breast based on hand-manipulable scanners (1208, 1508) having substantially planar scanning surfaces is also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2012Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: U-Systems, Inc.Inventors: Douglas G. Summers, Shih-Ping Wang, Jiayu Chen, Tor C. Anderson
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Patent number: 8721552Abstract: Automated ultrasonic scanning of a chestwardly compressed breast of a supine patient uses a scanning assembly that moves down to compress the breast through a membrane that is secured to the assembly across a bottom opening. A motorized ultrasound transducer moves across the breast while the breast remains downwardly compressed against the patient's chest, sending and receiving ultrasound energy through the membrane. The membrane is porous with respect to an acoustic coupling liquid that impregnates it. The transducer outputs ultrasound information that is processed to form initial planar images and then reconstructed slice images of breast tissue.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: U-Systems, Inc.Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Shih-Ping Wang
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Publication number: 20140121520Abstract: A system and a method related to improving ultrasound examination of a patient, specifically of a patient's breast by sensing and controlling the pressure/force that an ultrasound probe and/or a compression/scanning assembly housing the probe exert on the breast and/or the chest wall of the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Inventors: Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Douglas G. Summers
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Publication number: 20140066771Abstract: Versatile ultrasound scanning of a breast is described using an apparatus (1202) including a hand-manipulable compression/scanning assembly (1208). The compression/scanning assembly (1208) comprises an ultrasound transducer (1304) and a compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane (1218) in a substantially taut state, the membrane (1218) having a first surface compressing the breast in a generally chestward direction and a second surface opposite the first surface. The compression/scanning assembly (1208) further comprises a transducer translation mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer (1304) and configured to sweep the ultrasound transducer across the second surface of the membrane to scan the breast while compressed in the generally chestward direction. Systemized and/or standardized ultrasonic scanning of a breast based on hand-manipulable scanners (1208, 1508) having substantially planar scanning surfaces is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Inventors: Douglas G. Summers, Shih-Ping Wang, Jiayu Chen, Tor C. Anderson
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Patent number: 8496586Abstract: Navigation among breast ultrasound volumes derived from different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast is described. On a display of a breast ultrasound workstation, a first image derived from a first ultrasonic volume is displayed. A user election of a source region of interest (ROI) in the first image is received. A destination ROI within a second ultrasonic volume is identified that at least roughly corresponds to a same locality of tissue in the breast as the source ROI. A second image derived from the second ultrasonic volume and including the destination ROI is displayed, the destination ROI being highlighted.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2010Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: U Systems, Inc.Inventors: Wei Zhang, Jiayu Chen, Thomas P. Neff, Michael E. Reed, Jeanine M. Rader, Douglas G. Summers, Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Zengpin Yu, Tommy Earl Cupples
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Publication number: 20120302887Abstract: Automated ultrasonic scanning of a chestwardly compressed breast of a supine patient uses a scanning assembly that moves down to compress the breast through a membrane that is secured to the assembly across a bottom opening. A motorized ultrasound transducer moves across the breast while the breast remains downwardly compressed against the patient's chest, sending and receiving ultrasound energy through the membrane. The membrane is porous with respect to an acoustic coupling liquid that impregnates it. The transducer outputs ultrasound information that is processed to form initial planar images and then reconstructed slice images of breast tissue.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2012Publication date: November 29, 2012Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Tor C. ANDERSON, Jiayu CHEN, Shih-Ping WANG
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Patent number: 8241219Abstract: Automated ultrasonic scanning of a chestwardly compressed breast of a supine patient uses a scanning assembly that moves down to compress the breast through a membrane that is secured to the assembly across a bottom opening. A motorized ultrasound transducer moves across the breast while the breast remains downwardly compressed against the patient's chest, sending and receiving ultrasound energy through the membrane. The membrane is porous with respect to an acoustic coupling liquid that impregnates it. The transducer outputs ultrasound information that is processed to form initial planar images and then reconstructed slice images of breast tissue.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: U-Systems, Inc.Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Jiaya Chen, Shih-Ping Wang
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Publication number: 20120130241Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue volume are described, the apparatus being particularly advantageous in the context of freehand ultrasound assisted biopsy of the breast although readily applied to non-biopsy contexts and other body parts. The apparatus comprises a casing configured and dimensioned for single-handed manipulation relative to a surface of the tissue, and a texturably couplant-porous material sheet extending across an opening of the casing. The texturably couplant-porous material sheet has an outer side and an inner side relative to the casing, the outer side for compressively contacting the tissue surface. The apparatus further comprises an ultrasound transducer positioned against the inner side of the texturably couplant-porous material sheet and being mechanically translatable thereacross for volumetrically scanning the tissue volume therethrough.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2012Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Shih-Ping WANG, Douglas G. SUMMERS, Jiavu CHEN, Tor C. ANDERSON
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Patent number: 8128568Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue volume are described, the apparatus being particularly advantageous in the context of freehand ultrasound assisted biopsy of the breast although readily applied to non-biopsy contexts and other body parts. The apparatus comprises a casing configured and dimensioned for single-handed manipulation relative to a surface of the tissue, and a texturably couplant-porous material sheet extending across an opening of the casing. The texturably couplant-porous material sheet has an outer side and an inner side relative to the casing, the outer side for compressively contacting the tissue surface. The apparatus further comprises an ultrasound transducer positioned against the inner side of the texturably couplant-porous material sheet and being mechanically translatable thereacross for volumetrically scanning the tissue volume therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: U-Systems, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Ping Wang, Douglas G. Summers, Jiayu Chen, Tor C. Anderson
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Publication number: 20100280375Abstract: Navigation among breast ultrasound volumes derived from different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast is described. On a display of a breast ultrasound workstation, a first image derived from a first ultrasonic volume is displayed. A user election of a source region of interest (ROI) in the first image is received. A destination ROI within a second ultrasonic volume is identified that at least roughly corresponds to a same locality of tissue in the breast as the source ROI. A second image derived from the second ultrasonic volume and including the destination ROI is displayed, the destination ROI being highlighted.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Wei Zhang, Jiayu Chen, Thomas P. Neff, Michael E. Reed, Jeanine M. Rader, Douglas G. Summers, Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Zengpin Yu, Tommy Earl Cupples
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Publication number: 20100256500Abstract: Automated ultrasonic scanning of a chestwardly compressed breast of a supine patient uses a scanning assembly that moves down to compress the breast through a membrane that is secured to the assembly across a bottom opening. A motorized ultrasound transducer moves across the breast while the breast remains downwardly compressed against the patient's chest, sending and receiving ultrasound energy through the membrane. The membrane is porous with respect to an acoustic coupling liquid that impregnates it. The transducer outputs ultrasound information that is processed to form initial planar images and then reconstructed slice images of breast tissue.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2010Publication date: October 7, 2010Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Jiaya Chen, Shih-Ping Wang
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Publication number: 20100174185Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample are described, the apparatus comprising an ultrasound transducer and a membranous sheet, the membranous sheet compressing the tissue sample, the ultrasound transducer contacting the membranous sheet and ultrasonically scanning the tissue sample therethrough, wherein the membranous sheet has a generally arcuate shape and the ultrasound transducer is movable in a generally arcuate trajectory therealong during the ultrasonic scan. Also described is an apparatus for facilitating a medical procedure, comprising a membranous sheet compressing a tissue sample, an ultrasound transducer contacting the membranous sheet to ultrasonically scan the tissue sample therethrough, and a biopsy guide operably coupled to the ultrasound transducer for maintaining a biopsy instrument in a scan plane of the ultrasound transducer to facilitate a percutaneous biopsy of a lesion located in the scan plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2007Publication date: July 8, 2010Inventors: Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Douglas G. Summers
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Patent number: 7731662Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample are described, the apparatus comprising an ultrasound transducer and a taut fabric sheet compressing the tissue sample, the ultrasound transducer contacting the taut fabric sheet and ultrasonically scanning the tissue sample therethrough. Preferably, the taut fabric sheet is substantially porous with respect to an acoustic couplant. In another embodiment, an ultrasound transducer and a vented membrane are provided, the vented membrane having a first surface contacting the tissue surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the ultrasound transducer contacting the second surface and being translated across the second surface for ultrasonically scanning the tissue volume. An acoustic couplant is applied to one of the tissue surface, the first surface, and the second surface, the vented membrane being provided with a void pattern such that it is substantially porous with respect to the acoustic coupling agent.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: U-Systems, Inc.Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Shih-Ping Wang
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Publication number: 20100076311Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for acquiring, processing, and displaying breast ultrasound information are described. In one preferred embodiment, a three-dimensional data volume of a sonographic property of a chestwardly compressed breast is acquired, and the data volume is processed to generate a plurality of two-dimensional coronal thick-slice images. Each coronal thick-slice image is representative of the sonographic property within a thick-slice subvolume of the breast substantially parallel to a coronal plane. The thick-slice subvolume has a thickness selected for optimal viewing of terminal ductal lobular unit (TDLU) patterns in a display of the thick-slice images.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2007Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Laszlo Tabar, Shih-Ping Wang, Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen
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Publication number: 20100063396Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample are described, the apparatus comprising an ultrasound transducer and a taut fabric sheet compressing the tissue sample, the ultrasound transducer contacting the taut fabric sheet and ultrasonically scanning the tissue sample therethrough. Preferably, the taut fabric sheet is substantially porous with respect to an acoustic couplant. In another embodiment, an ultrasound transducer and a vented membrane are provided, the vented membrane having a first surface contacting the tissue surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the ultrasound transducer contacting the second surface and being translated across the second surface for ultrasonically scanning the tissue volume. An acoustic couplant is applied to one of the tissue surface, the first surface, and the second surface, the vented membrane being provided with a void pattern such that it is substantially porous with respect to the acoustic coupling agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2006Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: U-SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Tor C. Anderson, Jiayu Chen, Shih-Ping Wang
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Publication number: 20090024039Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for ultrasonically scanning a tissue volume are described, the apparatus being particularly advantageous in the context of freehand ultrasound assisted biopsy of the breast although readily applied to non-biopsy contexts and other body parts. The apparatus comprises a casing configured and dimensioned for single-handed manipulation relative to a surface of the tissue, and a texturably couplant-porous material sheet extending across an opening of the casing. The texturably couplant-porous material sheet has an outer side and an inner side relative to the casing, the outer side for compressively contacting the tissue surface. The apparatus further comprises an ultrasound transducer positioned against the inner side of the texturably couplant-porous material sheet and being mechanically translatable thereacross for volumetrically scanning the tissue volume therethrough.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Inventors: Shih-Ping WANG, Douglas G. Summers, Jiayu Chen, Tor C. Anderson
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Publication number: 20080269613Abstract: Versatile ultrasound scanning of a breast is described using an apparatus (1202) including a hand-manipulable compression/scanning assembly (1208). The compression/scanning assembly (1208) comprises an ultrasound transducer (1304) and a compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane (1218) in a substantially taut state, the membrane (1218) having a first surface compressing the breast in a generally chestward direction and a second surface opposite the first surface. The compression/scanning assembly (1208) further comprises a transducer translation mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer (1304) and configured to sweep the ultrasound transducer across the second surface of the membrane to scan the breast while compressed in the generally chestward direction. Systemized and/or standardized ultrasonic scanning of a breast based on hand-manipulable scanners (1208, 1508) having substantially planar scanning surfaces is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2005Publication date: October 30, 2008Inventors: Douglas G. Summers, Shih-Ping Wang, Jiayu Chen, Tor C. Anderson