Patents by Inventor William L. Ashburn
William L. Ashburn 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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Patent number: 6541763Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2002Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Dory, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Publication number: 20020148957Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Applicant: Digirad Corporation, a Delaware corporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Dory, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Publication number: 20010025928Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2001Publication date: October 4, 2001Applicant: Digirad Corporation, a Delaware corporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6194715Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector including a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module includes a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1999Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6172362Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector including a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module includes a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6147352Abstract: A single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) imager for the study of a patient to whom a radionuclide has been administered. The imager has an arcuate detector carrier encompassing at least 180.degree. of arc about an examination axis through a target area of the patient. One or more scintillation detectors are carried by the detector carrier for taking a plurality of readings of gamma ray emissions from the radionuclide. While the plurality of readings are taken, the carrier remains substantially immobile relative to the patient.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1998Date of Patent: November 14, 2000Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventor: William L. Ashburn
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Patent number: 6091070Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1997Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6055450Abstract: The medical imaging system has first and second gamma camera heads. Each head has a front facing an examination field. The heads are articulatable between a first plurality of relevant orientations in which a first edge of the first head is aligned with the first edge of the second head in a parallel spaced-apart relation. A gap is defined between the first edges of sufficient dimension to accommodate a biomedical instrument.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventor: William L. Ashburn
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Patent number: 5847396Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1997Date of Patent: December 8, 1998Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 5786597Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 5742060Abstract: A system for obtaining multiple images of a body is described wherein the images are obtained by multiple imaging detectors attached to one another in a configuration which best allows the desired images to be obtained. The imaging detectors of the invention preferably detect radiation and will most preferably be gamma cameras having differently sized fields of view. In a preferred embodiment, at least one secondary imaging detector is mounted on a primary imaging detector. The primary imaging detector preferably has a larger field-of-view than the secondary imaging detectors. Particularly useful gamma cameras and imaging systems for use as the secondary imaging detectors are also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1996Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventor: William L. Ashburn