Patents Issued in April 16, 2019
  • Patent number: 10261142
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a scanner unit (12) including a main magnet with a magnet bore (16), and a bore region lighting unit (28) including lighting members (32, 36), which is configured for generating lighting conditions at a bore region (26) by using the lighting members (32, 36), for influencing the subject of interest's optical perception regarding a radial dimension (b) of the magnet bore (16) by at least one out of detracting the subject of interest's attention, generating an optical illusion in connection with the radial dimension (b) of the magnet bore (16) and camouflaging the magnet bore (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Tom Philippe Jean Jacques Delaey, Wee Kar Tan, Wei Lun Sun
  • Patent number: 10261143
    Abstract: A probehead of an NMR-MAS apparatus includes a sample which has a rotation axis tilted by an angle ?>0 with respect to the z-axis. The angle ? can be adjusted about a target angle ?target by tilting around a tilt axis. The rotation axis has a fixed angle with respect to the probehead, and the NMR-MAS apparatus tilts at least part of the probehead to adjust the angle ?. The probehead has an outer contour K between an upper end and a lower end. For all z between the upper end and the lower end, a cross-section S(z) of the contour K exists parallel to the xy-plane with a width Q(z) in the x-direction. The width Q(z) is smaller at points away from z=0, such that Q(z1)<Q(0) and Q(z2)<Q(0) for z1<0 and z2>0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: BRUKER BIOSPIN AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Freytag, Fabian Kuehler
  • Patent number: 10261144
    Abstract: A transmit and/or receive coil assembly includes a first and second exchangeable part configured for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals. The exchangeable parts are exchangeable with each other and configured to co-operate with a permanent part of the transmit and/or receive coil assembly during magnetic resonance imaging in order to generate an RF (or B1+) field that covers a volume of interest of the object to be scanned and/or to receive magnetic resonance signals from the volume of interest of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Christoph Leussler, Cecilia Possanzini, Peter Vernickel
  • Patent number: 10261145
    Abstract: A system and method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and static field (B0) shimming. A coil system includes a conductive loop configured to be arranged proximate to a region of interest (ROI). The coil system also includes an alternating current (AC) circuit electrically connecting the conductive loop to an AC electrical connection configured to be coupled to an MRI system to communicate medical imaging signals received by the conductive loop from the ROI during a medical imaging procedure to the MRI system. The coil system further includes a direct current (DC) circuit electrically connecting the conductive loop to a DC electrical connection configured to be coupled to a DC power source and a plurality of circuit components configured to block DC signals from reaching the AC electrical connection in order to produce a spatially varying static magnetic field for shimming inhomogenieties of the static field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence Wald, Jason Stockmann
  • Patent number: 10261146
    Abstract: A method of reducing artifacts produced during Fast Spin Echo measurements made using permanent magnet NMR instruments. The method includes applying encoding gradients that do not switch signs throughout the experiment. Prior to the 90° RF pulse, a strong RM gradient pulse is given to produce a dominant and constant residual magnetization. The encoding is done through the combination of encoding gradients with the aid of the 180° RF pulses of the echo train. A first constant encoding gradient is given before the first 180 pulse. Then two variable encoding gradients are provided after each 180 pulse; one applied prior to and one applied subsequent to each acquisition in the echo train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ASPECT IMAGING LTD.
    Inventors: Boaz Shapira, Uri Rapoport
  • Patent number: 10261147
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance device includes at least one gradient amplifier and at least one gradient coil. The magnetic resonance device also includes a switching matrix unit that is embodied flexibly to connect the at least one gradient amplifier to the at least one gradient coil. A preliminary pulse sequence for the magnetic resonance device provides that in the optimized pulse sequence, a sufficient number of gradient amplifiers is available at any point for operating the gradient coils used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 10261148
    Abstract: The MRI apparatus includes a main magnet forming a static magnetic field in a bore, and a gradient coil assembly which forms a magnetic field gradient in the static magnetic field and includes a plurality of shim trays arranged therein at a predefined interval and at least one first shim token provided between the shim trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Oh Soo Kwon, Dong Keun Park, Jun Suk Kwak
  • Patent number: 10261149
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus for determining a B1 field map in a scanner of the apparatus, the B1 field map describing a local field distribution of a B1 field resulting from excitation pulses radiated in a measurement sequence, first and second measured values are acquired from a region in which nuclear spins are excited by an excitation pulse having an assigned flip angle, and a provisional flip angle is determined from the first and second measured values. A correction factor, dependent on the pulse shape of a selected excitation pulse, is then determined, and the provisional flip angle is multiplied thereby to obtain a corrected value for entry into said B1 field map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Koehler
  • Patent number: 10261150
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that can display an image showing conditions of tissues such as water and fat more accurately is provided. For this purpose, the signal processing unit 110 processes signals of each pixel of the first image 506 generated based on an NMR signal for each pixel of the first image 506 in order to generate the second image 509 and determines an order of processing unprocessed pixels of the first image 506 by preferentially selecting the unprocessed pixels with a high signal strength from among a plurality of unprocessed pixels for which no process has not been performed yet that are adjacent to the already-processed pixels of the first image 506.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Norimasa Nakai, Masahiro Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10261151
    Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing pulmonary gas exchange and/or alveolar-capillary barrier status include obtaining at least one MRI image and/or image data of 129Xe dissolved in the red blood cells (RBC) in the gas exchange regions of the lungs of a patient. The image is sufficiently sensitive to allow a clinician or image recognition program to assess at least one of pulmonary gas exchange, barrier thickness or barrier function based on the 129Xe MRI RBC image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Bastiaan Driehuys, Gary Price Cofer
  • Patent number: 10261152
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining B1 inhomogeneities or creating a T1 map of a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system that is corrected for an influence of a presence of fat and a presence of iron in the subject on T1 weighting. The method includes controlling the MRI system using a single pulse sequence to acquire, from the subject, a plurality of datasets with varied T1 weighting created by varying at least one of a repetition time (TR) and a flip angle (FA) for repetitions of the single pulse sequence. The method also includes using an MR signal model and the plurality of datasets, estimating B1 inhomogeneities or generating a T1 map of the subject that is corrected for an influence of a presence of fat and a presence of iron in the subject on T1 weighting in the plurality of datasets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Scott B. Reeder, Xiaoke Wang, Diego Hernando
  • Patent number: 10261153
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) method and apparatus use simultaneous multislice imaging, with different excitations being effective for different slices in respective iterations of a single scanning sequence, in order to acquire raw MR data from different multiple slices, with respectively different contrasts, in the single scanning sequence. Single band excitation of a first slice among the multiple slices takes place in a first iteration of the single scanning sequence, with multi-band excitation then occurring for all of the multiple slices. Raw data are then acquired from the first slice, and at least one other slice among the multiple slices, that respectively exhibit different contrasts due to only the first slice being affected by the single band excitation. In a second iteration of the single scanning sequence, another slice is excited with single band excitation, and the first slice is among the multiple slices excited with multi-band excitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Himanshu Bhat, Pedro Miguel Itriago Leon, Dominik Paul, Mario Zeller
  • Patent number: 10261154
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting are described. One example NMR apparatus includes an NMR logic that repetitively and variably samples a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals that are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic that produces an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals, and a characterization logic that characterizes a resonant species in the object as a result of comparing acquired signals to reference signals. The NMR signal evolution may be assigned to a cluster based on the characterization of the resonant species. Cluster overlay maps may be produced simultaneously based, at least in part, on the clustering. The clusters may be associated with different tissue types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mark Griswold, Yun Jiang, Dan Ma, Anagha Deshmane, Chaitra Badve, Vikas Gulani, Jeffrey L Sunshine
  • Patent number: 10261155
    Abstract: Systems and methods for accelerating magnetic resonance fingerprinting (“MRF”} acquisitions are described. Acquisition parameters can be optimized to reduce the number of acquisitions necessary while maximizing the discrimination between the physical parameters to be estimated. The systems and methods may also include implementing pulse sequences that rapidly acquire large volumes of k-space data, including echo-planar imaging (“EPI”} and segmented EPI sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventor: Ouri Cohen
  • Patent number: 10261156
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for determining diffusion-weighted image data, first raw data are acquired with a first diffusion weighting, and the first raw data are assigned to a first k-space matrix. Second raw data are acquired with a second diffusion weighting, and the second raw data are assigned to a second k-space matrix. The first k-space matrix and the second k-space matrix are different from one another at at least one position. The diffusion-weighted image data are determined in a processor based on the first raw data and the second raw data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Andre de Oliveira, David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 10261157
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure include a system that applies magnetic resonance elastography to a sample to obtain uncorrected k-space data where the magnetic resonance elastography utilizes a multi-shot spin-echo sequence with variable density spiral readout gradients, and adjusts the uncorrected k-space data to corrected k-space data by adjusting a k-space trajectory by shifting a center point for each shot to a new center point according to signal intensity and by adjusting a phase for each shot based on a phase offset that is determined according to the signal intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Bradley Sutton, John G. Georgiadis, Curtis Johnson
  • Patent number: 10261158
    Abstract: Method and Apparatus for eliminating motion artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging are disclosed according to the present invention. The present invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging field. The method for eliminating motion artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging according to the present invention utilizes the concept of iterative approximation to control the difference between the data lines in the K-space caused by motions and allow the common features between the data lines to be remained, such that the motion artifacts in the reconstructed image are restrained and the motion artifacts caused under various circumstances are well restrained. Accordingly, the quality of the magnetic resonance imaging is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Renkuan Zhai
  • Patent number: 10261159
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for recording MR signals in a recording volume of an examination object with an imaging sequence, the recording volume has a first recording region in which at least one system component of the scanner of the MR apparatus has a first homogeneity, which is greater than a homogeneity of the at least one scanner component in a second recording region of the recording volume. A magnetization of nuclear spins in the recording volume is produced by at least one RF pulse, with the RF pulse being determined such that the magnetization produced in the first recording region by the at least one RF pulse is greater than magnetization produced in the second recording region by the at least one RF pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Schneider, Mario Zeller
  • Patent number: 10261160
    Abstract: A method of imaging, by means of magnetic resonance, at least a portion of a human or animal subject of interest (20) positioned in a static magnetic field, the method comprising: —taking measurements of electrocardiogram data; —generate vector cardiogram data from the electrocardiogram data; —determining at least one parameter of an acquisition period of acquiring magnetic resonance signals from the vector cardiogram data in order to synchronize measurement of magnetic resonance signals to a cyclic movement of the heart of the subject of interest (20); wherein the at least one parameter of the acquisition period is determined from an actual value of a discriminating function and a predetermined reference function, wherein for determining the at least one parameter of the acquisition period, a step of adapting at least one of the discriminating function and the predetermined reference function is executed, dependent on a breathing status of the human or animal subject of interest (20); and—a magnetic resonanc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jens Muhlsteff, Roy Johannes Hendrikus Gerardus Creemers, Julia Philipp
  • Patent number: 10261161
    Abstract: A phantom for use with magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) and, in particular, for calibrating quantitative diffusion MRI is provided. In general, the phantom includes a solution composed of a solvent that has diffusivity value higher than that of water, and a solute that when added to the solvent reduces the diffusivity of the solution. By varying the combined concentration of the solvent and solute, the diffusivity of the solution can be controlled to fall within a range of diffusivity values found in biological tissues in a variety of different physiological conditions or tissue environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Xiaoke Wang, Scott Brian Reeder, Diego Hernando
  • Patent number: 10261162
    Abstract: Head-mounted augmented reality (AR) devices can track pose of a wearer's head to provide a three-dimensional virtual representation of objects in the wearer's environment. An electromagnetic (EM) tracking system can track head or body pose. A handheld user input device can include an EM emitter that generates an EM field, and the head-mounted AR device can include an EM sensor that senses the EM field. EM information from the sensor can be analyzed to determine location and/or orientation of the sensor and thereby the wearer's pose. The EM emitter and sensor may utilize time division multiplexing (TDM) or dynamic frequency tuning to operate at multiple frequencies. Voltage gain control may be implemented in the transmitter, rather than the sensor, allowing smaller and lighter weight sensor designs. The EM sensor can implement noise cancellation to reduce the level of EM interference generated by nearby audio speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Bucknor, Christopher Lopez, Michael Janusz Woods, Aly H. M. Aly, James William Palmer, Evan Francis Rynk
  • Patent number: 10261163
    Abstract: A system and method of using the system are provided. The system can include at least one source, a plurality of sensors, and a processing device. The source can emit one or more low frequency sounds. The sensors can sense the low frequency sounds and transform the low frequency sounds into one or more signals including a plurality of data values. The processing device can be communicatively operable with the sensors to receive the signals and determine positioning information of the sensors based on the data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: John P. McIntire
  • Patent number: 10261164
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a positioning device and an activity data acquisition device. The positioning device includes: a receiving module configured to receive coarse-positioning location information of each determined person and actual location information of an unknown person to be identified on an activity field; a calculating module configured to calculate a first distance between a position indicated by the actual location information of the person to be identified and a position indicated by the coarse-positioning location information of each determined person; a determining module configured to determine the identity of the person to be identified as the determined person corresponding to the smallest first distance, and use the actual location information as accurate-positioning location information of the determined person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaojun Tang
  • Patent number: 10261165
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for determining a position of a mobile device connected to a network are presented. In various embodiments, the mobile device obtains a synchronization status of the network associated with one or more base stations. If the synchronization status indicates that the network is synchronous, the mobile device determines the position of the mobile device using previously collected crowdsourced time correction data for the synchronous network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mayur Shah, Guttorm Opshaug, Rayman Pon, Grant Marshall, Dominic Farmer
  • Patent number: 10261166
    Abstract: A vessel location validation method and apparatus are provided. The vessel location validation method includes receiving a wireless signal from a vessel, acquiring location information of the vessel from the received wireless signal, and determining whether the acquired location information is valid based on the acquired location information and a signal strength of the received wireless signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Gae Il An, Hyeok Chan Kwon, Kwang Il Lee, Sok Joon Lee, Do Young Chung, Byung Ho Chung
  • Patent number: 10261167
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a co-located Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device and ultrasonic device includes an RFID reader loop antenna element oriented parallel to a reflector panel. An ultrasonic emitter is disposed through an aperture in the reflector panel with a horn that extends through the loop element. The horn can serve as a mounting structure for the antenna element. A diameter of the aperture is less than one-quarter wavelength of an operating frequency of the RFID reader loop antenna element. The aperture is located in the reflector panel near a minimum E-field area of the RFID reader loop antenna element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David E. Bellows, Rehan K. Jaffri, Sean D Marvel
  • Patent number: 10261168
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to localization and, more particularly, to remote localization and radio-frequency identification using a combination of structural and antenna mode scattering responses. A method and system include receiving location data of an object from a plurality of transmitter-reader pairs (TRPs); generating a plurality of first ellipses representing the received location data; determining blocking likelihoods at points of intersection between the plurality of first ellipses; generating additional ellipses representing additional location data received from additional TRPs; and updating the blocking likelihoods at points of intersection between the plurality of first ellipses and the additional ellipses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: KING ABDULAZIZ CITY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Sundar Aditya, Hatim M. Behairy, Andreas F. Molisch
  • Patent number: 10261169
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for an active RFID tag target location system that provides for an iterative recalculating of a target location estimate by successively testing receiver TOA and DTOA error measurements and discarding outlier receivers. The present invention works to reduce the erratic effects that multipath channel interference and random noise play in target location systems due to incorrect identification of the main pulse of the transmit signal. In addition to providing for a greater accuracy and consistency in a TOA-based target location system, the method also provides for an opportunity to reduce a transmission bandwidth associate with the TOA transmission by the multiple receivers. The method may be considered a post-processing element, as the determination of TOA and DTOA may require a real-time calculation, where the timing constraints for the ensuing target location estimate may be less severe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edward A. Richley, Belinda Turner, Chang Wang
  • Patent number: 10261170
    Abstract: An apparatus for a vehicle includes a radar detector configured to detect a police radar signal and a receiver configured to receive information about an image of an environment of the vehicle. A controller in communication with the radar detector and the receiver is configured to change at least one operating characteristic of the radar detector based on the received information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Valentine Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Negussu, Richard L. Dickerson, Gary E. Carrelli, John D. Hiers
  • Patent number: 10261171
    Abstract: A device includes a radar signal detector that can determine a signal strength of a police radar signal and a direction of a source of the police radar signal. Additionally, the device includes a display in communication with the radar signal detector that provides a single display region having a visual appearance which varies based on both the direction and on the signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Valentine Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Valentine, Gary E. Carrelli, Richard L. Dickerson, Michael Negussu, Stephen R. Scholl
  • Patent number: 10261172
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a radar apparatus for vehicle and a method of removing a ghost of the radar apparatus for vehicle by determining a grating lobe ghost based on a reception signal received through linearly and equally spaced receiving antennas and unequally spaced receiving antennas. The radar apparatus comprises: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a predetermined transmission signal to the front of the vehicle through the plurality of transmitting antennas; a receiving unit configured to receive a reception signal generated from the transmission signal transmitted by the transmitting unit and reflected and returned by the target positioned in front of the vehicle through the plurality of receiving antennas and the additionally included receiving antenna; and a signal processing unit configured to remove a grating lobe ghost by using the difference of a gain obtained through a digital beamforming result and the reception signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: HaeSueng Lim, JaeEun Lee, Seong Hee Jeong
  • Patent number: 10261173
    Abstract: A method of processing FMCW radar signal retrieves a configuring parameter set (120) corresponding to a working environment or a detected material, receives a reflection time-domain signal, executes a time-domain-to-frequency-domain converting process to the reflection time-domain signal for obtaining a reflection frequency-domain signal, executes the corresponded process on the reflection frequency-domain signal according to the configuring parameter set (120), and analyzes the processed reflection frequency-domain signal and generates a detecting result. The present disclosed example can effectively reduce the time of the development and the cost of manufacture via executing the corresponded process according to the configuring parameter set (120) corresponding to the working environment or the detected material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FINETEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: I-Chu Lin, Shih-Wei Lu, Chun-Han Huang, Yi-Liang Hou
  • Patent number: 10261174
    Abstract: A laser radar device includes a laser diode and a photodiode. An optical isolator is disposed so as to tilt with respect to the optical axis of a laser beam by a predetermined angle, transmits a laser beam, and reflects reflected light toward the photodiode. A reflecting mirror is rotatably disposed around a center axis extending along the optical axis of the transmitted laser beam. A rotatable deflector, rotated by a motor, deflects a laser beam by the reflecting mirror toward the external space, and reflects reflected light from an object toward the optical isolator. When the side where the laser diode is disposed in the center axis direction is defined as the first side and the side opposite to the first side is defined as the second side, the motor is disposed at a position closer to the first side than the reflecting mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Kouji Sakabe
  • Patent number: 10261175
    Abstract: A ranging apparatus includes a first array with first light sensitive detectors configured to receive light which has been reflected by an object and generate an output. A second array, spaced apart from the first array by a spacing distance, is further included, the second array having second light sensitive detectors. The second array is configurable to either receive light which has been reflected by the object or to be a reference array and generate an output. A processor operates to determine a distance to the object in response to the outputs from the first and the second arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventor: William Halliday
  • Patent number: 10261176
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide orientation and/or position data from an orientation and/or position sensor (OPS) while it is rotating. A system includes a logic device configured to communicate with an OPS that is rotationally coupled to a mobile structure. The logic device is configured to receive orientation and/or position data from the OPS while the OPS is rotating relative to the mobile structure and determine rotationally corrected orientation and/or position data referenced to the mobile structure, a rotationally actuated sensor assembly mounted to the mobile structure, and/or an absolute coordinate frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Paul Stokes, Richard Jales
  • Patent number: 10261177
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for scanning objects and persons, for example, persons in security gates, by means of microwave radiation. Such a system includes an arrangement of several panels between which an angled walk-through passage is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Sherif Sayed Ahmed, Olaf Ostwald, Christian Evers
  • Patent number: 10261178
    Abstract: A wireless network based method for detecting carrying of metal, comprising: installing a wireless signal transmitting device and a wireless signal receiving device indoors; continuously transmitting to the surrounding, by the wireless signal transmitting device, wireless electromagnetic wave signals; continuously receiving, by the wireless signal receiving device, the wireless electromagnetic wave signals; continuously performing, through a signal abnormity detection system, abnormity analysis to the received wireless electromagnetic wave signals, and if any abnormality is determined, performing further analysis in the next step S5 to wireless electromagnetic wave signals within an abnormal waveband; and S5: extracting, through a date feature analysis system, a feature value of the wireless electromagnetic wave signals within the abnormal waveband, comparing and matching the feature value with features stored in an abnormal feature library, and if the feature of the wireless electromagnetic wave signals matc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kaishun Wu, Yuanchao An, Zhong Ming
  • Patent number: 10261179
    Abstract: A radar system has different modes of operation. In one mode, the radar operates as a single-input, multiple output (SIMO) radar system utilizing one transmitted signal from one antenna at a time. Codes with known excellent autocorrelation properties are utilized in this mode. At each receiver the response after correlating with various possible transmitted signals is measured in order to estimate the interference that each transmitter will represent at each receiver. The estimated effect of the interference from one transmitter to a receiver that correlates with a different code is used to mitigate the interference. In another mode, the radar operates as a multi-input, multiple-output (MIMO) radar system utilizing all the antennas at a time. Interference cancellation of the nonideal cross-correlation sidelobes when transmitting in the MIMO mode are employed to remove ghost targets due to unwanted sidelobes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Uhnder, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Davis, Monier Maher, Jean P. Bordes, Manju Hegde, Otto A. Schmid, Raghunath K. Rao, Marius Goldenberg, Aria Eshraghi, Vito Giannini, David S. Trager, Nikhilesh Bhagat, Srikanth Gollapudi, Sundar Govindarajan, Steve Borho, Jonathan Preussner, Paul W. Dent, Paul Bassett, Stephen W. Alland, Fred Harris, Wayne E. Stark, Murtaza Ali
  • Patent number: 10261180
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor apparatus (3) having a multiplicity of ultrasonic sensors (5, 6, 7) arranged in the rear region (4) of a motor vehicle (1) in which the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (3) is used to perform detection of an object (11) in the surroundings of the motor vehicle (1), wherein a first ultrasonic sensor (6), in an object detection mode for detecting an object (11) that is different from a trailer apparatus (10) arranged in the rear region (4), is operated only for the purpose of receiving echo signals from transmission signals transmitted by at least one other ultrasonic sensor (5, 7), and the sending of transmission signals from this first ultrasonic sensor (6) is prevented. The invention also relates to a driver assistance device (2) and a motor vehicle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Ludwig, Ulrich Bressler, Zbyszek Jarzabek
  • Patent number: 10261181
    Abstract: A laser radar system capable of active polarization comprises a signal processing unit for sending a control signal; a laser emitting unit for emitting a first laser to a target after receiving the control signal, wherein the laser emitting unit comprises a liquid crystal polarization driver and a liquid crystal polarization component group, and the liquid crystal polarization driver controls a phase delay of the liquid crystal polarization component group to therefore change a polarized state of the first laser; and a laser receiving unit for receiving a second laser reflected off the target and analyzing polarization information of the second laser through the signal processing unit to evaluate surface characteristics of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Te-Yuan Chung, Ruoh-Rou Chang, Shih-Che Chien, Yu-Sung Hsiao
  • Patent number: 10261182
    Abstract: A light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are provided on a surface of a substrate. The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are sealed by transparent resin members and, respectively. A lens is provided at the transparent resin member at a position above the light-emitting element. The center of the lens and a mounting position of the light-emitting element are disposed being shifted from each other. With this, an optical axis of light outputted via the lens is slanted toward an opposite direction side with respect to the light-receiving element at a predetermined elevation angle. In this case, a beam divergence angle of light outputted from the lens is set to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaname Hanada, Shinichiro Chiku, Tsutomu Yamasaki, Tomiya Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10261183
    Abstract: A system to determine a position of one or more objects includes a transmitter to emit a beam of photons to sequentially illuminate regions of one or more objects; multiple cameras that are spaced-apart with each camera having an array of pixels to detect photons; and one or more processor devices that execute stored instructions to perform actions of a method, including: directing the transmitter to sequentially illuminate regions of one or more objects with the beam of photons; for each of the regions, receiving, from the cameras, an array position of each pixel that detected photons of the beam reflected or scattered by the region of the one or more objects; and, for each of the regions detected by the cameras, determining a position of the regions using the received array positions of the pixels that detected the photons of the beam reflected or scattered by that region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Gerard Dirk Smits
  • Patent number: 10261184
    Abstract: Object detection systems are provided herein. An example system includes an enclosure formed by a sidewall to define an interaction volume, at least one light source for illuminating the interaction volume with a light, at least one light sensor that senses disturbances in light intensity due to scattering, reflection, or absorption of the light by objects within the interaction volume, and a controller that is configured to detect an object or object behavior within interaction volume based on the disturbances in the light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: onVector Technology LLC
    Inventor: Michael Weber-Grabau
  • Patent number: 10261185
    Abstract: The system and method invention herein disclosed and claimed is measuring device that can remotely measure the distance between two points on a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Bin Lu
  • Patent number: 10261186
    Abstract: The invention provides a three-dimensional surveying instrument, which comprises a light emitter for emitting a pulsed distance measuring light, a scanning unit for scanning a range as required including an object to be measured with the distance measuring light from the light emitter, a distance measuring unit for performing a distance measurement based on a reflected light from the object to be measured, at least one image pickup unit for acquiring an image of the object to be measured, a filter unit provided on an image pickup optical axis of the image pickup unit and a control arithmetic unit which enables changing a measurement mode, wherein the filter unit has at least a distance measuring light transmission filter for transmitting the distance measuring light, and the control arithmetic unit calculates a reflectance information of the object to be measured based on a distance measuring light image acquired by the image pickup unit through the distance measuring light transmission filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOPCON Corporation
    Inventor: Kohji Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 10261187
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a laser detection and ranging (LADAR) system. The LADAR system transmits a laser signal including a train of coherent pulses and receives a return signal based on the transmitted laser signal that is reflected from a target. The LADAR system forms one or more range bins of the return signal. Each range bin includes a train of coherent pulses formed based upon the transmitted laser signal. For each range bin, the LADAR system generates a phasogram associated with the train of coherent pulses. The phasogram is generated by determining a relative phase between the return signal and a reference signal. The LADAR system generates a vibration spectrum of the return signal based upon the generated phasogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Maurice J. Halmos
  • Patent number: 10261188
    Abstract: An apparatus for capturing superimposed distance and intensity images includes a distance image measuring arrangement provided with a distance radiation source, an intensity radiation source, a distance detection unit and an intensity detection unit. Distance measurement radiation from the distance radiation source and intensity measurement radiation from the intensity radiation source are incident on an area of a surface of a test object via a jointly used radiation deflection unit. The optical components of the distance image measuring arrangement and the intensity image measuring arrangement are mounted on a support structure in a fixed spatial relationship with respect to each other. Distance and intensity images are thus superimposed in an optically positionally accurate manner to produce high-quality real-time images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Reiterer, Harald Wölfelschneider, Nikolaos Dimopoulos, Heinrich Höfler
  • Patent number: 10261189
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for recording and archiving diverse communications over radio transmissions. The system and apparatus enables unattended airports within a geofenced area to generate a useful archive of all radio communications made by Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipped aircraft and ground personnel. A combination of hardware and software components are provided to record and store radio transmissions in computer files. Once stored, the computer files may then be replayed for training and investigation purposes. Likewise, users may generate custom reports based upon the data embodied in the computer files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: INVISIBLE INTELLIGENCE, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Cote, John Guimond
  • Patent number: 10261190
    Abstract: A processor of a satellite radio wave receiving device processes radio waves received by a receiver to identify a bit value in each of divided unit time segments that are obtained by dividing a time period of one bit into a plurality of unit time segments of equal duration; creates a bit array having the identified bit values in respective divided unit time segments by sequentially arranging the identified bit values in an order of receipt, the one or more processors creating said bit array in a plurality by successively shifting a time at which the bit array starts by one unit time segment; and performs a bit edge detection operation by detecting a head timing of the bit data at which a bit value changes in the received radio waves based on said plurality of bit value arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Matsue
  • Patent number: 10261191
    Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums to collect Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) corrections reliably via multiple network links. In some examples, the GNSS corrections are obtained at a GNSS correction server via multiple network links. The GNSS corrections are processed at the GNSS correction server via a voting algorithm that determines the optimal instance of the GNSS correction to forward to the remote GNSS Client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Clinton Howard Mundt, Marc Roger Tibout, Joshua James Skanderup