Patents by Inventor Wilfried Schnell

Wilfried Schnell 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: 7986141
    Abstract: A patient bed, in particular for a magnetic resonance apparatus, has at least one socket for accommodation of a plug of a device (in particular a local coil) to be arranged at the patient bed. A generation of a force generator that automatically assists or effects the insertion or the unplugging of the plug is built into the socket or is associated with the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Feld, Hubertus Fischer, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7977944
    Abstract: An apparatus to control an antenna arrangement in a magnetic resonance apparatus has an amplifier with an input connected to a radio-frequency transmission signal to be amplified. The antenna arrangement has at least one antenna element for emission of the amplified transmission signal. The antenna element has an infeed point with two terminals, wherein the amplified transmission signal is connected at the terminals. The amplifier is connected on the output side with two terminals of the infeed point. The antenna element has at the infeed point, a mounting surface to accommodate the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralph Oppelt, Wolfgang Renz, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7944210
    Abstract: A radio-frequency transmission device for a magnetic resonance system to generate magnetic resonance exposures of an examination region of an examination subject, has: a first radio-frequency transmission antenna that emits radio-frequency signals in the examination region, a radio-frequency amplifier that supplies the first radio-frequency transmission antenna, with radio-frequency signals with a predetermined radio-frequency transmission power, and a second radio-frequency transmission antenna fashioned to label a medium flowing in the examination region and/or examination regions via emission of labeling radio-frequency signals, such that the medium can be identified in the generated magnetic resonance exposures of the examination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hubertus Fischer, Helmut Kess, Georg Rauh, Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20110066027
    Abstract: During operation of a combined imaging system with a magnetic resonance system and a UWB radar, a wireless signal transmission in conjunction with a patient monitoring system is to be enabled in a simpler and more cost-effective manner. To this end, the use of already existing components of the UWB radar is proposed for the wireless signal transmission. This makes it possible to dispense with an additional transmitting and/or receiving antenna for the wireless signal transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventor: Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20110062958
    Abstract: In a combined imaging system, including a magnetic resonance system and a UWB radar, interference signals in the received signal of the one imaging system can be caused by the respective other imaging system. Therefore filters which contain in particular adaptive filters are used in order to filter out the interference signals caused in the received signal of the one system by the respective other system. By eliminating the mutually negative influence, the advantages can be completely exploited when operating the different imaging systems at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventor: Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20110057652
    Abstract: A flexible design of a transmission system for a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus has multiple radio-frequency control units, connectors that are connected to the radio-frequency control units, a unit to which at least one first connector is connected, which connector is also connected to a first radio-frequency control unit of the radio-frequency control units. The unit is connected via a connector to only some—in particular only one—of the radio-frequency control units. One of these few radio-frequency control units is connected to an additional radio-frequency control unit via an additional connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Philipp Hoecht, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7904762
    Abstract: In a transmission error logging device, method and computer-readable medium for logging transmission errors that occur on a high speed transmission route of a medical technology diagnostic apparatus, the in-feed port for a signal is provided on the high speed transmission route and an error signal is generated upon detection of an error. The transmission volume is detected by a transmission volume counter and the number of errors is detected by a transmission error counter. The transmission volume counter makes a transmission volume count, representing the transmission volume, available as an output from the transmission volume counter, and the transmission error counter makes a count of the number of errors detected by the error detection device available at an output of the transmission error counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Nikolaus Demharter, Philipp Hoecht, Georg Pirkl, Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20110050224
    Abstract: Optimized transmission system for an MRT is achieved by a device and a method to generate transmission signals (29) via multiple transmission units of a transmission system for a magnetic resonance tomography system, wherein transmission data are respectively received from the transmission units via a transmission data input, received transmission data are stored in transmission data memory elements of the transmission units, transmission signals representing stored transmission data are generated with transmission data (stored in transmission data memory elements) by transmission signal transmission units of the transmission units, and the generation of transmission signals proceeds simultaneously via the transmission signal transmission units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Rudi Baumgartl, Nikolaus Demharter, Philipp Hoecht, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7808243
    Abstract: A circulator has a ferrite, and the circulator is arranged in the vicinity of a device that produces a static magnetic field in the environment surrounding the device, this static magnetic field giving the circulator a non-reciprocal behavior, with respect to circulation of energy among the gates of the circulator, as a result of interaction of the ferrite with the static magnetic field. A magnetic resonance apparatus embodies such a circulator, and the basic field magnet of this magnetic resonance apparatus generates the static magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Feld, Georg Rauh, Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20100213939
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method, radio frequency signals are radiated into an examination subject and/or received from the examination subject by an array of radio frequency coils that completely encircles the examination subject, and that is located at a distance from the examination subject out of contact with the examination subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Daniel Sodickson, Stephan Biber, Markus Vester, Wolfgang Renz, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7761070
    Abstract: An amplifier device for a mode antenna has a number of amplifiers and a number of outputs. An input signal is fed to each amplifier, which is amplified by the respective amplifier into an amplified input signal. The amplified input signals are fed to an output matrix arranged after the amplifiers. Respective output signals are emitted by the output matrix at the outputs. The output matrix causes each amplified input signal to supply an output signal contribution for each output signal. Each output signal contribution of each output signal has an output-side contribution offset in relation to the corresponding amplified input signal, which depends on the amplified input signal that supplied the output signal contribution, and the output signal to which the output signal contribution contributes. The amplifier device is especially able to be used in a transmit arrangement for radio-frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20100176809
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography device has a magnet system that generates a gradient field; with a local coil that receives a magnetic resonance signal; and with a localization system that is fashioned to locate the local coil. The localization system has a number of magnetic field sensors that are integrated with the local coil and fashioned to detect the gradient field. Such a device is used in a corresponding method for localization of a local coil in a magnetic resonance tomography device, and a local coil is fashioned so as to be suitable for this purpose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Peter Heubes, Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20100156412
    Abstract: A local coil arrangement for magnetic resonance applications has a base body in which at least one local coil is arranged. An excitation signal to excite an examination subject to emit a magnetic resonance signal can be emitted by the local coil and/or a magnetic resonance signal emitted by the examination subject can be received by means of said local coil. At least one volume region is present in the base body, in which an amount of a substance is located that can be excited by means of the coil or another coil so as to emit a magnetic resonance signal. A shielding is arranged in the base body. The shielding can be controlled so as to either shield or not shield the volume region depending on the control state, so that the volume region is occluded or visible with regard to magnetic resonance applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Peter Heubes, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7683622
    Abstract: A radio-frequency transmission arrangement for an MR system for generation of a total B1 field which has a first antenna device that generates a first portion of the total B1 field and at least one antenna insert that generates a second portion of the total B1 field, such that the resulting B1 field is generated by the first antenna device and the at least one antenna insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Juergen Nistler, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7616932
    Abstract: A multi-channel amplifier has inputs via which input signals can be fed to the multi-channel amplifier. The input signals are amplified into output signals by amplifier channels of an amplification stage of the multi-channel amplifier and then are emitted via outputs of the multi-channel amplifier. An adjustment device is associated with the amplification device that allows dynamic adjustment of a limit power, up to which the respective output signal can be amplified, for each output. The limit power can be set to a maximum value for each output. The multi-channel amplifier is fashioned such that the sum of the limit powers of all outputs can always be simultaneously emitted independent of the current setting of the limit powers, but such that the sum of the limit powers is always smaller than the sum of the maximum values of all outputs. Such a multi-channel amplifier is particularly suitable for use in a transmission arrangement for radio-frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7602189
    Abstract: An examination platform for a magnetic resonance apparatus has a patient bed for supporting a patient, a local antenna device for acquisition of magnetic resonance signals, and a drive device arranged at the patient bed. The drive device is coupled with the local antenna device. The local antenna device thus can be moved parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient bed independently of a movement of the patient bed. A magnetic resonance apparatus and a method for acquisition of image data of a patient employ such an examination platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Guenther Decke, Hubertus Fischer, Wilfried Schnell
  • Patent number: 7579835
    Abstract: A resonator for magnetic resonance applications has a conductor element that extends from a first conductor end to a second conductor end. During operation of the conductor element at a resonance frequency, a resonance current-oscillates from the first conductor end to the second conductor end and back. The conductor ends are coupled with one another via a circuit that tunes the conductor element to the resonance frequency. The conductor element is fashioned as a multi-layer conductor with a number of layers that have first and second layer ends at the conductor ends. The circuit causes layer currents that are of equal magnitudes to flow in the layers themselves during active operation of the conductor element at the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 7579836
    Abstract: A resonator for magnetic resonance applications has a conductor element proceeding in an extension direction, that operates with a resonance current at a resonance frequency oscillating therein in the extension direction. The conductor element is tuned to the resonance frequency and has an overall length in the extension direction that is smaller than half of the wavelength of the resonance frequency. The conductor element is a multi-layer conductor with layers that are electrically insulated from each other that, in said extension direction, have layer ends that are capacitively coupled with each other. During operation of the conductor element at the resonance frequency, respective layer currents flow in the layers in the extension direction that are substantially equal in magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
  • Publication number: 20090201022
    Abstract: An apparatus to control an antenna arrangement in a magnetic resonance apparatus has an amplifier with an input connected to a radio-frequency transmission signal to be amplified. The antenna arrangement has at least one antenna element for emission of the amplified transmission signal. The antenna element has an infeed point with two terminals, wherein the amplified transmission signal is connected at the terminals. The amplifier is connected on the output side with two terminals of the infeed point. The antenna element has at the infeed point, a mounting surface to accommodate the amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Ralph Oppelt, Wolfgang Renz, Wilfried Schnell
  • Publication number: 20090146660
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance system has multiple individual transmission antennas each charged with a transmission current to emit an individual excitation field in an examination volume to excite magnetic resonances in a subject in the examination volume, with a total excitation field being a superimposition of the individual excitation fields. A determination device is provided with a spatial distribution of an absorption rate of the examination subject and determines a combination of amplitudes and phase positions for the transmission currents relative to one another such that a locally absorbed power at a first point of the examination subject relative to a locally absorbed power at a second point of the examination subject satisfies a relative condition. The determination device communicates the combination of amplitudes and phase positions that it has determined to a control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester