Patents Issued in May 3, 2018
  • Publication number: 20180116591
    Abstract: A medical information bracelet for storing and retrieving medical information from a user. The medical information bracelet includes a housing disposed on an elongated strap, wherein the housing comprises a visual display screen and a non-transitory computer readable medium. A sensor configured to detect physiological data, wherein the sensor is in electronic communication with the visual display screen. A port disposed on the strap and operably connected to the computer readable medium, wherein the port is configured to receive medical information. A logic that is at least partially stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium and that, when executed at least in part by a processor, causes the medical information bracelet to perform a method, the method comprising: transmitting the physiological data detected from the sensor to the screen, such that the screen displays blood pressure, heart rate, and other types of physiological data; receiving medical information received by the port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Kimberly Hensley
  • Publication number: 20180116592
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fibrous transistor, and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a fibrous transistor, in which a source fiber and a drain fiber are formed in a twisted state in a longitudinal direction, so that a contact surface of the source fiber and the drain fiber is increased, thereby enabling charges to easily move, and a method of manufacturing the same. Further, the present invention relates to a fibrous transistor, in which a gate insulating layer is formed by using ion gel, so that the fibrous transistor may obtain a high current at the same operation voltage, thereby having a low operation voltage, and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Jung Ah LIM, SOO JIN KIM, Jeon Kook LEE, Do Kyung Hwang
  • Publication number: 20180116593
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for providing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to a patient using a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) and an extracardiac device (ED). The system is configured to identify atrial events to use as timing markers for the LCP to deliver CRT, and further to determine whether the timing markers are incorrectly sensed and to make adjustment or call for re-initialization as needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Qi An, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Stephen J. Hahn, Yinghong Yu, Krzysztof Z. Siejko, Viktoria A. Averina, Brendan Early Koop, Keith R. Maile, Bin Mi
  • Publication number: 20180116594
    Abstract: A method includes measuring, using at least one sensor, strain on a nail plate of a subject, wherein the at least one sensor outputs a data stream corresponding to the measuring, communicating the data stream to a receiver, and interpreting, by the receiver, the data stream to determine a parameter of interest of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: STEPHEN J. HEISIG, KATSUYUKI SAKUMA
  • Publication number: 20180116595
    Abstract: Disclosed are various examples and embodiments of a cardiac mapping catheter configured for electrophysiological (EP) mapping and suitable for intravascular insertion in a patient's heart, and methods of making same. The cardiac mapping catheter comprises a plurality support arms having electrodes disposed thereon. Various configurations of the cardiac mapping catheter are described and disclosed which provide improved spatial resolution and sensing of EP signals acquired from inside a patient's heart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Peter Ruppersberg
  • Publication number: 20180116596
    Abstract: In nuclear medical imaging, respiratory motion is corrected. Rather than pairwise estimation of motion from projection views, a sequence-based technique is used to jointly estimate parameters for a motion model across many projection views. In one approach, this sequence-based method is iteratively solved with a maximum likelihood objective function incorporating the motion model. A surrogate respiration signal is used to gate for the joint estimation and used to convert gated motion parameters to temporal motion parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: James Chester Sanders, III, Alexander Hans Vija
  • Publication number: 20180116597
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vital sign extraction method and system. The system comprises a receiving module for receiving at least one type of physiological information; a feature extraction module configured to extract a first feature and a second feature of the physiological information by using a first technique and a second technique; a processing module for performing a matching calculation on the first feature and the second feature, marking matching results, and identifying a noise result of the physiological information based on the matching results; and a calculation module for calculating a physiological sign of a living body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: VITA-COURSE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiao YU, Jiwei ZHAO, Zhiyong WANG
  • Publication number: 20180116598
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a method of determining etiology of undiagnosed events comprising monitoring electrocardiogram signals and blood pressure of a patient via a medical device, capturing one or more of an ECG segment and a BP reading in response to a triggering event, classifying one or more of the ECG segment and BP reading as normal or abnormal, and determining etiology of undiagnosed symptomatic events based on the classification. Embodiments further describe a medical device comprising sensors for monitoring ECG signals and BP of a patient, circuitry for capturing one or more of ECG segments and BP readings of a patient in response to a triggering event, and a processor for communicating one of more of captured ECG segments and captured BP readings to a remote monitoring center directly or indirectly where the captured ECG segments and captured BP readings are classified as normal or abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Medtronic Monitoring, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian B. LEE, ShaileshKumar V. MUSLEY, Robert W. STADLER, Maneesh SHRIVASTAV, Randal SCHULHAUSER, Stacie VILENDRER
  • Publication number: 20180116599
    Abstract: Providing heath activity for a participant in a conference call may include receiving data associated with the conference call and location data specifying a location of the participant conducting the conference call. An engagement level of the participant that is to participate in the conference call may be predicted based on the received data and the location data. Sensor data associated with the participant may be received, the sensor data comprising at least current physiological data associated with the participant. The participant's fitness goal may be identified. Based on the predicted engagement level, the sensor data and the participant's fitness goal, an exercise for the participant to perform during the conference call may be determined. A notification signal may be transmitted to the participant to perform the exercise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Paul R. Bastide, Filiz Isabell Kiral-Kornek, Dwarikanath Mahapatra, Susmita Saha, Arun Vishwanath, Stefan von Cavallar
  • Publication number: 20180116600
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for estimating blood pressure is provided, comprising training a machine learning model on a cohort data set. The cohort data set may include subject-specific contextual data, time-varying features, and blood pressure measurements for a plurality of subjects. The method may include receiving contextual data for a specific subject, wherein the contextual data includes medical history data of the subject. The method may further include personalizing the machine learning model to the subject based on the contextual data. The method may include calibrating the machine learning model to the subject based on a set of time-varying features and blood pressure measurements of the subject. In addition, the method may include using the machine learning model and the time-varying features for the subject to generate a blood pressure estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sumit Basu, Daniel Morris, Jeremiah Wander
  • Publication number: 20180116601
    Abstract: A method for providing a thermal feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: TEGway Co., Ltd. a corporation of Republic of Korea
    Inventors: Kyoungsoo YI, Ockkyun OH, Jong Ok KO
  • Publication number: 20180116602
    Abstract: A method for providing a thermal feedback, which is performed by a feedback device. The method includes: applying an operating power to a thermoelectric element to start a thermoelectric operation for outputting a thermal feedback; stopping the application of the operating power to terminate the thermoelectric operation; and when the application of the operating power is stopped, applying a buffering power to the thermoelectric element to reduce a temperature returning speed of a contact surface so that a thermal inversion illusion is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: TEGway Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoungsoo YI, Ockkyun OH
  • Publication number: 20180116603
    Abstract: A sensitive measure of brain condition simultaneously evaluates multiple measurements of water diffusion in brain tissue combined so as to correct for covariance between the different data types of the multipoint measurements and compares the multipoint measurements to a corresponding multipoint measure representing normal brain tissue to provide a distance indicating a likelihood of atypical brain conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Andrew Lafayette Alexander, Douglas Carl Dean, III, Gregory Russel Kirk, Brittany Gail Travers
  • Publication number: 20180116604
    Abstract: A vehicle includes one or more integrated biosensors, such as finger sensors or other user touchpoints. The integrated biosensors are configured to obtain biosensor data, such as a patient's vitals or concentrations of substances in the blood flow of a user. A control module of a vehicle receives the biosensor data and controls operation of one or more systems of the vehicle in response to the biosensor data. The control module may also present the biosensor data on a display of the vehicle and receive user commands to control the biosensors. The control module may also generate warnings for display in response to the biosensor data exceeding one or more predetermined thresholds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Sanmina Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Steven Newberry
  • Publication number: 20180116605
    Abstract: A biosensor control module is integrated in a vehicle and includes a transceiver configured to communicate with a plurality of PPG circuits. The PPG circuits have different locations, including a control button of the vehicle, key fob or steering wheel. The biosensor control module receives first spectral data including PPG waveforms from a first PPG circuit at a first location. The biosensor control module also receives second spectral data including PPG waveforms from a second PPG circuit at a second location. The biosensor control module combines the PPG waveforms from the first spectral data and the second spectral data to obtain health information of a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Robert Steven Newberry
  • Publication number: 20180116606
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic device to monitor a user's biological measurements, where a sensor is configured to acquire a raw signal from a user, and the electronic device determines a snoring signal from the raw signal by appropriately processing the raw signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Yelei Li, Matthew C. Wiggins, Anabel M. De Proft
  • Publication number: 20180116607
    Abstract: A system, method, and device for monitoring a physiological characteristic and/or response of a user includes a wearable monitoring device for displaying a status level of a physiological characteristic and/or response. When attached to or against the user's body, the wearable monitoring device includes an optical signal assembly configured to generate an optical signal based on a reflection or transmission of light from a detected travel of blood and/or pulse wave of the user and received by one or more sensors disposed along the user's extremity. A processor calculates the physiological characteristic and/or response, for example, heart-rate, heart-rate variability, blood pressure, stress intensity level, or energy level of the user, based on the generated signal from the sensor and user data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Sean Shin Yuan Yu, Eric W. Heling, Wai C. Lee, Adam W. Roush
  • Publication number: 20180116608
    Abstract: The local conduction velocity of a cardiac activation wavefront can be computed by collecting a plurality of electrophysiology (“EP”) data points using a multi-electrode catheter, with each EP data point including both position data and local activation time (“LAT”) data. For any EP data point, a neighborhood of EP data points, including the selected EP data point and at least two additional EP data points, can be defined. Planes of position and LATs can then be defined using the positions and LATs, respectively, of the EP data points within the neighborhood. A conduction velocity can be computed from an intersection of the planes of positions and LATs. The resultant plurality of conduction velocities can be output as a graphical representation (e.g., an electrophysiology map), for example by displaying vector icons arranged in a uniform grid over a three-dimensional cardiac model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Erhan Erdemir, Eric J. Voth, Valtino X. Afonso, Carlo Pappone
  • Publication number: 20180116609
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate visualizing how a user will appear in response to adhering to a health and fitness program. In an aspect, a system includes a reception component configured to receive information corresponding to a user's physical appearance and physical health, an analysis component configured to determine or infer one or more changes to the user's physical appearance based on predicted performance of a health and fitness program by the user and the user's physical health, and a visualization component is configured to generate a visual representation of the user based on the information and the one or more changes to the user's physical appearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Louis Kaleal, III, Dominic Guy Carbone, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180116610
    Abstract: A medical device includes a placeable control panel and a medical device control module configured to provide at least one of a therapeutic or a patient monitoring function. The placeable control panel can include a surface that includes button markings and a responder wirelessly interrogateable to report at least application information of the placeable control panel. The medical device control module can include an outer surface configured to receive the placeable control panel such that the button markings of placeable control panel are accessible to a user. The medical device control module also can include an interrogator configured to wirelessly interrogate the responder of the placeable control panel for the application information of the placeable control panel and a controller operatively coupled to the interrogator. The controller can be programmed and configured to control the medical device control module in accordance with the application information of the placeable control panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant ADAMS, Larry ZALESKY, Michael WELSCH
  • Publication number: 20180116611
    Abstract: A method of quantifying structural damage in Lupus is described. The method can be used to assess progress in clinical trials or in clinical practice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Ketan Desai
  • Publication number: 20180116612
    Abstract: A fixing-tool mounting device mounting a fixing tool including a curved surface formed in accordance with a shape of a body surface on a body part of a subject onto the body part of the subject set to a predetermined posture angle, including: a moving mechanism moving the fixing tool in at least one axial direction relative to the body of the subject; an angle adjustment mechanism adjusting an angle of the fixing tool around at least one axis relative to the body of the subject; and a pressure detecting portion configured to, after the fixing tool contacts with the body part of the subject, detect a pressure generated between the fixing tool and the body part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicants: FUJIDENOLO CO., LTD., MEDIPOLIS MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Akari SAKURAGI, Fumitoshi TANAKA, Norihide TAKEUCHI, Hideki MIYAZAKI, Takeshi ARIMURA, Mitsugi MATSUYAMA, Takashi OGINO, Yoshio HISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180116613
    Abstract: The present invention relates to positioning guidance for image acquisition. In order to facilitate positioning of a patient for medical image acquisition, a guiding system (14) is provided. The system comprises a patient detecting device (22) and a patient position prescribing device (24). The patient detecting device is configured to detect an anatomy of interest (36) of a patient for image acquisition and to detect current spatial information of the anatomy of interest. The patient position prescribing device is configured to provide an initial target position (40) for the detected anatomy of interest, wherein the initial target position is provided as a reference for the image acquisition. The patient position prescribing device is further configured to register the initial target position with the current spatial information, and to determine an adapted target position (42) by adapting the initial target position based inter alia on the current spatial information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Jens VON BERG, Jörg SABCZYNSKI
  • Publication number: 20180116614
    Abstract: Provided are a mobile X-ray apparatus for controlling a battery management system (BMS) and a method of operating the mobile X-ray apparatus. The mobile ? ray apparatus may include a power supply that includes a battery and a BMS configured to manage the battery, and a controller configured to control the BMS to shut down in response to detecting a malfunction in the BMS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myeong-je KIM
  • Publication number: 20180116615
    Abstract: A radiation-irradiation device includes a leg unit, a radiation source unit, an arm unit that supports the radiation source unit, and a body unit that is an arm support unit supporting the arm unit. Further, radiation-irradiation device includes a cradle that supports one edge portion of a radiation detector detecting radiation and having the shape of a rectangular flat plate and is mounted on the body unit so as to be movable between a first position at which the radiation detector (80) is held along a flat surface of the body unit and a second position at which at least an opposite edge portion of the radiation detector opposite to the one edge portion of the radiation detector is held at a position away from the body unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki ONOBORI, Kenji TAKATA, Yasuhisa NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20180116616
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging system includes a gantry, rotatable about an axis of rotation, a radiation source mounted on the gantry and configured to emit radiation, and one or more detectors configured to detect the emitted radiation. The gantry includes a gear assembly coupled to a motor to enable rotation of the gantry, wherein the gear assembly comprises a gantry gear. The gantry includes an encoder for detecting position of the gantry, wherein the encoder comprises an encoder gear meshed with the gantry gear. The gantry also includes a gear re-engagement assembly configured to couple to the encoder and to force the encoder gear into correct engagement with the gantry gear when the encoder gear becomes disengaged from the gantry gear. As such, the gear re-engagement assembly keeps engagement of the encoder gear and the gantry gear to maintain the important gantry position tracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Grant Richard Wagner, Curt Allen Zimmerman, Matthew Jason Evangelist
  • Publication number: 20180116617
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus comprises: a leg unit that is capable of traveling on an apparatus-placement surface by a wheel unit; a body unit that is held on the leg unit; an arm unit that is connected to the body unit and is capable of protruding upward from the body unit; and a radiation source that is mounted on the arm unit, wherein the arm unit includes a body-side part that is capable of extending and retracting in a direction of the protruding of the arm unit and is connected to the body unit, and a radiation source-side part on which the radiation source is mounted, the radiation source-side part is connected to a distal end side of the body-side part so as to be revolvable in a direction where an angle between the radiation source-side part and the body-side part changes, and revolution regulating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki NABETA, Fumito NARIYUKI, Masayoshi MATSUURA, Ryosuke OGURA, Haruyasu NAKATSUGAWA
  • Publication number: 20180116618
    Abstract: There are provided a receiving device in which detectors of different sizes can be stably accommodated and an X-ray imaging apparatus having the same. A receiving device having a receiving unit in which a first detecting device is accommodated, the receiving device including a fixer provided in the receiving unit and into which a part of a surface of the first detecting device is inserted in order to prevent movement of the first detecting device, and a guide disposed at an inner side surface of the receiving unit and including a detector support having a side that is connected to a rotating shaft to be rotatable and configured to support at least one surface of the first detecting device and at least one surface of a second detecting device having a different size from the first detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chang Jin YANG
  • Publication number: 20180116619
    Abstract: A method of selecting a slice configuration of a medical imaging apparatus is provided. The method includes: picking out two or more candidate slice configurations from available slice configurations of the medical imaging apparatus; determining a scan dose corresponding to each of the two or more candidate slice configurations; and selecting a candidate slice configuration corresponding to a minimum scan dose as a target slice configuration, where the target slice configuration is used for a current scan protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Ling PANG, Shanshan LOU
  • Publication number: 20180116620
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for deep learning based automatic bone removal in medical images, such as computed tomography angiography (CTA) volumes, is disclosed. Bone structures are segmented in a 3D medical image of a patient by classifying voxels of the 3D medical image as bone or non-bone voxels using a deep neural network trained for bone segmentation. A 3D visualization of non-bone structures in the 3D medical image is generated by removing voxels classified as bone voxels from a 3D visualization of the 3D medical image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Mingqing Chen, Tae Soo Kim, Jan Kretschmer, Sebastian Seifert, Shaohua Kevin Zhou, Max Schöbinger, David Liu, Zhoubing Xu, Sasa Grbic, He Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180116621
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for generating an estimate of a photon attenuation map for an object on the basis of single-scattered coincidences measured in a PET scanner. The system comprises a simulation module configured to calculate single-scattered coincidences by a numerical model calculation based on a preliminary attenuation map, where the estimate of the photon attenuation map is generated by adapting at least some attenuation values. The model calculation is made on the basis of a grid covering the object, the grid comprising grid elements (61) to which attenuation values are assigned, and the simulation module is further configured to determine at least one set of adjacent grid elements (61) in order to form a merged image element (63) including the set of adjacent grid elements (61) and to assign a single attenuation value to the merged image element in the model calculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Yannick BERKER, Volkmar SCHULZ
  • Publication number: 20180116622
    Abstract: The invention provides an automatic exposure control method for a digital X-ray imaging device. The automatic exposure control method for a digital X-ray imaging device includes the following the steps. First, a parameter database is provided before imaging scan. A depth information is generated, wherein the depth information by a depth sensor detect the thickness of a region of interest of an object. Imaging exposure parameters, mAs and kV, are estimated according to the depth information and the parameter database. Then, X-ray imaging is performed according to the imaging exposure parameters estimated by the method described in this application. In addition, an automatic exposure control system for a digital X-ray imaging device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: MEEI-LING JAN, Sheng-Pin Tseng, Chia-Hao Chang
  • Publication number: 20180116623
    Abstract: Provided are a radiation emitting device forming a radiography apparatus, a method for controlling the radiation emitting device, and a program which can reduce power consumption. A radiation emitting device includes a radiation source, a collimator that sets a radiation field region, imaging unit for capturing an image of an imaging target, a display unit that displays the image captured by the imaging unit, an exposure switch, and a control unit that issues a collimator driving command to direct the collimator to set the radiation field region determined from the captured image to the collimator in a case in which the exposure switch is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoki INOUE, Yasunori OHTA, Ryosuke OGURA, Yuzo AOSHIMA, Fumito NARIYUKI, Masayoshi MATSUURA, Haruyasu NAKATSUGAWA
  • Publication number: 20180116624
    Abstract: An operation device (200) for wirelessly operating an X-ray imaging device (1) is held in a removable manner in a holder (100) included in the X-ray imaging device (1). The operation device (200) includes a control unit (211) that provides a notification when detecting that a predetermined condition is satisfied while the operation device (200) remains removed from the holder (100). This structure provides various notifications including a notification for preventing the operation device from being left or lost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kokichi TOBITA, Koichi FURUSAWA
  • Publication number: 20180116625
    Abstract: Provided are a mobile X-ray apparatus and a method of operating the same. The mobile X-ray apparatus may include an X-ray emitter; a battery configured to supply operating power to the X-ray emitter; and a controller configured to calculate an internal resistance value of a battery based on an overcurrent generated when X-rays are emitted by an X-ray emitter, and determine a degradation state of the battery by using the calculated internal resistance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myeong-je KIM
  • Publication number: 20180116626
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a heart activity detector is provided. In the embodiment, the heart activity detector is comprised of a multi-channel stethoscope connected to one or more processors. The multi-channel stethoscope contains an sensors to monitor each of the heart valves of a patient or user, and detect heart diseases The heart activity detector is further provided with a means to connect to a mobile communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Anurag Darbari, Archana Darbari
  • Publication number: 20180116627
    Abstract: A mounting system is provided to allow the attachment of an acoustic collector to a handheld electronic device such that sound is conducted directly to the device's microphone. A fitted case or band encloses part of the device and includes a tube running from the collector to the device's microphone. In certain embodiments, the tube may be embedded in the case, and a detachable mount may be provided to connect the collector to the case. The collector may be a stethoscope chestpiece, or an open air collector, such as a parabolic collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Suman K. Mulumudi, Mahesh S. Mulumudi
  • Publication number: 20180116628
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to medical monitoring and provides a method and an apparatus for detecting an instantaneous fetal heart rate of a Doppler fetal heart sound based on time-frequency analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Kan Xie, Haochuan Zhang, Shengli Xie, Kun Cai
  • Publication number: 20180116629
    Abstract: An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a precise catheter tracking system, Active Ultrasound Pattern Injection System (AUSPIS). AUSPIS establishes ultrasonic communication between any ultrasound external probe and internal catheter (CUTE catheter). The system receives image beacon pulses, analyzes the acquired signal, and fires one or a series of active echo pulses from the same active echo element with a proper timing, frequency, duration and amplitude. Thus it enables injection of any “virtual” pattern into the B-mode image. The pattern injected to the B-mode image is from actively encoded ultrasound field in the tissue. The encoding is based on B-mode ultrasound image formation technique, so it doesn't require hardware or software modification to the US machine. It continuously measures the local acoustic signal amplitude, by which sub-millimeter elevation localization accuracy can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Emad Boctor, Ralph Etienne-Cummings, Jairo Garcia
  • Publication number: 20180116630
    Abstract: An interventional medical device is provided that incorporates a forward-directed ultrasound or optical coherence tomography imaging system that is replaceable depending on how close the device is to the target site for a given medical procedure, the device and system integrated into a single minimally invasive device comprising a first probe housing, needle guide assembly and sheath, a sleeve lock for closing a normally open needle channel of a needle guide of the first distal assembly and a second probe and cable housing assembly locked to the first distal probe housing, needle guide assembly and sheath by a locking tab. The probe and cable housing assembly may comprise a linear phased ultrasound array and an accelerometer for orienting an image produced by the device with the gravitational field of the earth. The medical device can be in the form of an image guided catheter or probe, used in a body orifice, externally on skin tissue or subcutaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Allen Dykes, Michael J. Zipparo, Theodore P. Abraham
  • Publication number: 20180116631
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe, a transmitter, a receiver, a signal intensity adjuster and an image data generator. The ultrasound probe transmits transmission ultrasound to an examination object, receives echo from the examination object and generates an echo signal. The transmitter generates a drive signal and outputs the drive signal to the ultrasound probe to cause the ultrasound probe to generate the transmission ultrasound. The receiver receives the echo signal from the ultrasound probe. The signal intensity adjuster adjusts signal intensity of the echo signal to signal intensity having a flat frequency range. The image data generator generates ultrasound image data from the echo signal having the adjusted signal intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Tetsuya TANIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180116632
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an ultrasonic transducer interface system for use within portable 2-D ultrasonic imagers and includes an on-chip adaptive beamformer and Charge-Redistribution TX (CR-TX) to provide a drive strength of up to 500 pF/channel at 5 MHz (or 10 nF at 250 kHz) while reducing the TX drive power by at least 30% compared to other ultrasonic transducer TX drivers. The ultrasonic transducer interface system can be implemented in a single chip via, for example, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Jerald YOO, Judyta B. TILLAK
  • Publication number: 20180116633
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for controlling visualization of ultrasound image data. The systems can be configured to display a live ultrasound image feed on a touchscreen and receive input via the touchscreen to adjust imaging parameters of the live ultrasound image feed, with the input having continuous contact with the touchscreen. During the continuous contact with the touchscreen, a transitional view of the live ultrasound image feed can be displayed, with the transitional view being continuously updated to indicate previews of the live ultrasound image feed with the imaging parameters adjusted. The continuous updating can be performed in accordance with characteristics of the contact with the touchscreen and while the transitional view continues the display of the live ultrasound image feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Trevor Stephen HANSEN, Benjamin Eric KERBY
  • Publication number: 20180116634
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes an ultrasonic element array that has two-dimensionally arranged ultrasonic elements transmitting ultrasonic waves and receiving reflected echoes, an ultrasonic image generator that generates an ultrasonic image on the basis of the reflected echoes received by the ultrasonic element array, a display that displays the ultrasonic image, a touch panel that is provided on a display surface of the display and receives a user's input so as to output an input signal, and a driving controller that controls driving of the ultrasonic element array on the basis of the input signal from the touch panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Tomonori MANO
  • Publication number: 20180116635
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus (16) is disclosed for providing two-dimensional ultrasound images of a patient. The ultrasound imaging apparatus comprises an input interface (18) for receiving three-dimensional ultrasound data of a volume of the patient from an ultrasound acquisition unit as a continuous data stream and a motion detection unit (22) for determining a motion of an object in the three-dimensional ultrasound data and a direction of the motion in the three-dimensional ultrasound data. An image processing unit (20) determines a spatial rotation angle (46) of an image plane (32, 34) within the volume on the basis of the determined direction of the motion and determines two-dimensional ultrasound image data on the basis of the three-dimensional ultrasound data in the image plane within the volume. The two-dimensional image data is provided via an output interface to a display unit (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: CECILE DUFOUR, STEPHANE ALLAIRE, OUDOM SOMPHONE, VIJAY THAKUR SHAMDASANI, GARY CHENG-HOW NG
  • Publication number: 20180116636
    Abstract: An ultrasonic image generation system having an ultrasonic unit configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal, a drive control/signal processing unit configured to repeat processing to generate an ultrasonic image signal by processing a received signal of the ultrasonic unit as well as to generate a drive signal that is supplied to the ultrasonic unit; and a display unit configured to repeat displaying an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic image signal, to stop updating of a displayed image in response to a stop signal input, and to resume updating of the displayed image in response to a start signal input, wherein the drive control/signal processing unit stops at least part of an operation in response to the stop signal input and resumes the stopped operation in response to the start signal input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Naoto YONEDA, Naoto Adachi, Hiroaki Takagi, Masaya Tamamura, Amane Inoue
  • Publication number: 20180116637
    Abstract: The TGC slide switches which provide the TGC control of an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system have LEDs mounted on the sliders of the slide switches so that the switches can be easily visualized in a darkened room. The light emitted by the LED of a switch is changed to an indicative color or brightness when the slider of the switch is set in its default position for the application of a nominal gain to echo signals received from a given depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Towa Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20180116638
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe and a display. The apparatus includes a power supply including at least one voltage converting circuit converting input voltage to a predetermined power voltage for output. The voltage converting circuit includes a coil and a switching element performing a switching operation for switching routes of current flowing in the coil in response to a predetermined switching control signal, and the voltage converting circuit outputs the power voltage through the repeated switching operations under supply of the input voltage. The power supply is provided with a plurality of coils, and the coils are disposed such that a leakage magnetic field in a vicinity of an aperture of at least one of the coils is partially negated by a leakage magnetic field from one or more of the other coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Yuki MURAMATSU, Yasuhiro NAKAMURA, Yosuke KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20180116639
    Abstract: Doppler ultrasound systems are valuable diagnostic tool for investigation of vascular blood flow pattern and velocity. Error in blood velocity measurements made by doppler instruments will cause probable misdiagnosis in clinical practice. There are different phantom designs for evaluation of the performance and QC of doppler ultrasonography systems. Among different phantom designs the string phantom because of their ability to precise calculation of target velocity were widely used by different investigators. Generally this type of phantom consists of a moving string with known velocity as a target inside a water tank to mimic blood flow inside the vessels of the body. We designed a new string phantom with three dependently adjustable parameters including target velocity, target angle and target depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: FARAJ TABEIE
  • Publication number: 20180116640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for collecting aerosol particles in an exhaled air flow. Said particles may be aerosol particles such as biomarkers or particles related to drugs or other substances formed or found in the alveoli of the lungs. Said device comprises a housing having an extension direction between a first end with an inlet arranged to receive an exhaled air flow and a second end with an outlet arranged to transmit the exhaled air flow and an inner cross section defined by inner walls of the housing and at least four first type partition walls, arranged in a direction essentially perpendicular to the walls, partly covering the inner cross section of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Peter Stambeck