Imaging Patents (Class 378/62)
  • Patent number: 10173078
    Abstract: Methods of two-dimensional x-ray imaging of a target volume and tracking a target structure contained within a target volume are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ACCURAY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Mu Young Lee, Gopinath Kuduvalli, Petr Jordan, Prashant Chopra
  • Patent number: 10168537
    Abstract: A source assembly for providing light. The source assembly comprises a source element array, and a scanning mirror assembly. The source element array includes a super luminous diode (SLED) array of SLEDs that are configured to emit light. The SLED array is on a single chip. Each SLED in the SLED array may emit light in the same color channel (e.g., green). There may be multiple SLED arrays that each are on respective chips and each are associated with a different color channel (e.g., one is red, one is blue, and one is green). The scanning mirror assembly is configured to scan light emitted from the SLED array (and/or multiple SLED arrays) to an entrance location of an output waveguide (e.g., of a waveguide display) as scanned image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Maxwell Parsons
  • Patent number: 10162066
    Abstract: The present approach relates to the use of energy-resolved, photon-counting detectors, such as CZT- or CdTe-based detectors, to acquire spectral information that is not available with conventional energy-integrating detectors. In certain embodiments, the present approach discussed reduces or eliminates spectral contamination incurred by transient signals in neighboring pixels in designs employing coincidence logic and shaping amplifiers with short shaping times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Geng Fu, Yannan Jin, Peter Michael Edic, Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 10143431
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus, includes: a reconstructed moving image obtainer that obtains a reconstructed moving image; a focus region identifier that identifies a first focus region corresponding to the designated focus; a fluoroscopic moving image obtainer that obtains at least one-period data on a fluoroscopic moving image; a second characteristics identifier that identifies each of two or more second characteristics regions corresponding to the internal body portion; a comparison selector that compares the two or more first characteristic regions; a conversion parameter calculation unit that calculates a conversion parameter for converting the first characteristic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignees: TOSHIBA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR QUANTUM AND RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ryusuke Hirai, Yukinobu Sakata, Yasunori Taguchi, Fumi Maruyama, Shinichiro Mori
  • Patent number: 10136874
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus that includes a bias voltage source that provides a bias voltage to pixels that detect X-rays and an automatic exposure control (AEC) processing unit that detects a current flowing between the bias voltage source and the pixels and outputs an AEC signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Vieworks Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Kook Han
  • Patent number: 10141081
    Abstract: A phase grating for a phase contrast X-ray imaging device has a transverse surface which is to be aligned substantially transversely with respect to a radiation incidence direction and which is spanned by an x-axis and a y-axis perpendicular thereto. The phase grating is formed from a multiplicity of grating webs composed of a basic material, which are arranged alternately with optically denser interspaces. The grating webs subdivide the transverse surface into grating strips which are in each case elongated in the y-direction and which are lined up parallel alongside one another in the x-direction. The phase grating has in each grating strip along a z-axis, which is perpendicular to the transverse plane, a homogeneous total thickness of the basic material which always differs between adjacent grating strips. At least one grating web extends within the transverse surface over a plurality of grating strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Preusche
  • Patent number: 10130327
    Abstract: Intra-fraction movement of the patient puts at risk sensitive regions that are near to a radiation dose. In a radiotherapy system that delivers a dose as a series of discrete sub-doses, an initial CT scan is performed to determine the patient's position, after which the sub-doses that are directed to regions within a preset distance of a sensitive structure are performed first, while the sub-doses directed to regions that are more remote from a sensitive structure are performed later.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Elekta AB (publ)
    Inventor: Per Carlsson
  • Patent number: 10130321
    Abstract: To provide a technique which can reduce a working load and a mistake of the operation when introducing a radiation detector, a control apparatus has: a display control unit for causing a display unit to display a selecting screen for presenting a list of registered radiation detectors and receiving a selection from the list; and an associating unit for associating in such a manner that when an unregistered radiation detector is registered, imaging information regarding a radiation imaging associated with the radiation detector selected through the selecting screen is associated with the unregistered radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 10117633
    Abstract: A method for continuously evaluating an X-ray unit. The method includes placing an X-ray sensor converter having a photo diode and a scintillation crystal in a path of an X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray unit, using the X-ray sensor converter to convert an X-ray beam energy into an electric signal, providing an amplifier connected to the X-ray sensor converter, conveying the electric signal from the X-ray sensor converter to the amplifier, amplifying the electric signal with the amplifier, and measuring a spectrum of the X-ray tube energy by continuously sampling and quantifying the amplified electric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventors: Albert Davydov, Peter Usov
  • Patent number: 10098609
    Abstract: An X-ray apparatus which aligns an X-ray radiator with an X-ray detector, an X-ray apparatus which aligns an X-ray radiator with an X-ray detector while maintaining a Source to Image-receptor Distance (SID) and a Source to Object Distance (SOD) therebetween, and methods of operating the X-ray apparatuses are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-eui Kim, Do-hyeong Hwang, Seung-hoon Kim, Sung-jin Park, Il-hwan Park
  • Patent number: 10097775
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) is operatively connected to receive photocurrent from a plurality of photodetectors (e.g., from a plurality of photodetectors of a photodetector array (PDA)). An event detection circuit in each ROIC pixel readout circuit generates binary output data, wherein the ROIC compresses the binary output data with a logical summary binning of N×M pixel binary outputs into a single summary output bit. The ROIC can be configured to receive image data from the photodetectors to form an image at a first frame rate, and to receive the binned binary data from the photodetectors at a second frame rate higher than the first frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua Lund
  • Patent number: 10085706
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray source configured to radiate X-rays onto an object region, an X-ray detector configured to detect the radiated X-rays and obtain image frames of the object region based on the detected X-rays, and a filter configured to filter X-rays radiated from the X-ray source such that the X-rays incident on a region of interest (ROI) of the object region have a lower dose than a dose of X-rays incident on a non-ROI of the object region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-Goo Kang, Sunghoon Kang, Young Hun Sung, Jaemock Yi, Jae Hak Lee, Seokmin Han
  • Patent number: 10085710
    Abstract: A radiographing system includes a plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses and a composition processing unit which composites a plurality of radiation images acquired from the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses to generate a long-length image. Each of the radiation imaging apparatuses includes a radiation detecting panel which has a plurality of pixels arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix and converts radiated radiation into an image signal, and a position acquiring unit which acquires positional information by communicating with an external apparatus. A position deciding unit decides an order, in which the plurality of radiation images to be composited by the composition processing unit are composited, based on the positional information acquired by the position acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Suzuki, Shichihei Sakuragi, Ryo Suzaki, Motoki Tagawa
  • Patent number: 10083772
    Abstract: A curved radiographic detector has electromagnetic radiation sensitive elements disposed in a two-dimensional array. A curved housing encloses the two-dimensional array of radiation sensitive elements and includes a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott T. MacLaughlin
  • Patent number: 10080541
    Abstract: An image obtainment unit obtains plural radiographic-images generated by arranging plural storable-phosphor-sheets in such a manner that at least portions of the sheets are overlapped with each other in an irradiation direction of radiation, by arranging a marker at a position to be detected by the plural sheets, and by detecting the radiation that has passed through a subject and the marker by each of the plural sheets. A first-information obtainment unit obtains first-information representing a distance between detection surfaces of the plural sheets. A second-information obtainment unit obtains second-information representing a magnification ratio of a second marker image of the marker included in a radiographic- image obtained by a second sheet with respect to a marker image of the marker included in a radiographic-image obtained by a first sheet of the plural sheets. A distance calculation unit calculates, based on the first and the second information, a radiation-source-to-image-surface distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10076295
    Abstract: A mobile C-arm system contains a main unit having a relocation apparatus for moving the main unit in a horizontal movement direction and a C-arm which is movable at least in the orbital and angular movement direction, a data processing unit having a memory for storing programs which are executed during operation, and a control and display system, connected to the main unit with operating and display elements. A plurality of sensors are provided for capturing at least part of the immediate environment of the C-arm. A control system is present, which is configured to warn against an obstacle in the intended or actual movement direction on the basis of the environment captured by at least one sensor, in dependence on an intended or actual movement of the main unit and/or at least part of the main unit in a movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Gemmel, Sultan Haider
  • Patent number: 10070838
    Abstract: An obtaining unit obtains, with respect to a plurality of groups of time-course fluoroscopic images that are obtained by acquiring a subject, in at least two directions, each of which intersect, first transition information that indicates transition of a signal intensity of a contrast media in a proximal region to which the contrast media flows earlier than a region of interest. A three dimensional reconstruction unit reconstructs three-dimensional image data in the region of interest such that a value that is obtained by projecting a voxel value approximates a value of a corresponding pixel in each of the groups of time-course fluoroscopic images, the voxel value being represented by second transition information that is obtained by deforming the first transition information with a factor that is related to the contrast media. A display displays the fluoroscopic image with a blood vessel image based on the three-dimensional image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Ohishi
  • Patent number: 10074173
    Abstract: A method, computer system and computer readable storage medium for searching for one or more images having a region of interest similar to the region of a subject, including: receiving imaging data comprising a plurality of image elements of the region of interest of the subject; segmenting the imaging data of the region of interest of the subject into a plurality of sub-regions corresponding to various structures at a plurality of levels of granularity, the plurality of levels of granularity having a relationship such that a level of granularity has fewer structures at a lower level of granularity; and calculating at each of the plurality of levels of granularity an abnormality factor or risk factor for the segmented various structures of said region of interest, to provide a segmented said region of interest of said subject with at least one of said abnormality factor or risk factor associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Michael I. Miller, Susumu Mori
  • Patent number: 10062539
    Abstract: Provided is an anode capable of keeping the X-ray dose steady in an X-ray generating tube by preventing a crack in a connecting electrode layer, which electrically connects a target layer and an anode member. The anode includes a first bonding boundary where the connecting electrode layer, which electrically connects the target layer and the anode member, is bonded to a supporting substrate of a target, and a second bonding boundary where the connecting electrode layer is bonded to the anode member in which the connecting electrode layer is formed so that the first bonding boundary and the second bonding boundary are on the same side with respect to the connecting electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yanagisawa, Shuji Yamada, Takao Ogura, Nobuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10057460
    Abstract: Techniques for proving digital photograph authorship using ECG biometrics are described. Electrodes are located on the exterior of a digital camera and are electrically coupled to an ECG circuit. When a photographer holds the camera with both hands, the electrodes detect electrical voltages from the photographer's hands and the ECG circuit produces a digital ECG signal. When the photographer uses the digital camera to capture a photograph, the camera's stenographic engine uses a stenographic key to embedded the ECG signal into the raw image file, producing a watermarked image. The camera's cryptographic engine uses a cryptographic key to encrypt the watermarked image to produce an encrypted image. If a dispute arises regarding authorship of the photograph, the stenographic and cryptographic engines convert the encrypted image into the raw image file and the photographer's ECG signals, which are compared to the ECG signals of the disputed author(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Muralidhar M. Dixit
  • Patent number: 10051241
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus, including an image combination section which connects a plurality of partial images, each of which is an image obtained by imaging a part of a region to be observed, and a connection information generation section which generates connection information of a combined image combined by the image combination section. The connection information is provided, along with the combined image or separately from the combined image, to an image display apparatus capable of displaying the combined image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10048215
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to non-destructively obtain, in an X-ray imaging apparatus, a sectional image of a subject with spatial resolution higher than spatial resolution of an image detector. In the present invention, the image detector is two-dimensionally moved with respect to an incident X-ray for each half (180°) rotation of the subject, and a plurality of image groups (CT data sets) is obtained at different positions of the image detector. An image (sinogram) is synthesized from each image group thus obtained, which image is equal to an image obtained with a detector whose pixel size is smaller than the pixel size constituting the above described image detector. From this synthesized image, a sectional image with high spatial resolution is calculated by reconstruction calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Yoneyama, Rika Baba, Keisuke Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 10032264
    Abstract: An imaging assembly includes a radiation camera configured to obtain position-sensitive radiation data of at least one source of interest. The assembly includes a controller includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for reducing background interference in the position-sensitive radiation data in an image domain. The controller is programmed to generate a first set of image data (G1) from the position-sensitive radiation data with a first energy window. A second set of image data (G2) is generated from the position-sensitive radiation data with a second energy window such that the second energy window does not overlap with the first energy window. A third set of image data (G3) is generated having reduced background interference, based at least partially on the first and second sets of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: H3D, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhong He, Weiyi Wang, William Robert Kaye, Christopher Glenn Wahl, Jason Michael Jaworski
  • Patent number: 10028716
    Abstract: The present invention relates to differential phase-contrast imaging, in particular to a structure of a diffraction grating, e.g. an analyzer grating and a phase grating, for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging. In order to make better use of the X-ray radiation passing the object, a diffraction grating (14) for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging is provided with at least one portion (24) of a first sub-area (26) and at least one portion (28) of a second sub-area (30). The first sub-area comprises a grating structure (54) with a plurality of bars (34) and gaps (36) being arranged periodically with a first grating pitch P G (38), wherein the bars are arranged such that thy change the phase and/or amplitude of an X-ray radiation and wherein the gaps are X-ray transparent. The second sub-area is X-ray transparent and wherein the at least one portion of the second sub-area provides an X-ray 1 transparent aperture (40) in the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Ewald Rössl
  • Patent number: 10022098
    Abstract: A method of generating a preview of at least one low-dose x-ray image includes the followings steps: obtaining an initial volumetric representation of a patient from an x-ray device; creating at least one x-ray image projection from the initial volumetric representation; injecting correlated noise into at least one of the x-ray image projections; and processing the noise-injected x-ray image projections to create at least one preview of a patient-specific low-dose x-ray for showing to a user. There are also described a device for generating at least one preview of a low-dose x-ray image, a corresponding imaging system, and a non-transitory computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Gerhard Kleinszig, Jeffrey Siewerdsen, Sebastian Vogt, Adam Wang
  • Patent number: 10022101
    Abstract: In the present invention, a method and associated system is provided that produces a new sequence of combined X-ray/fluoro images obtained in synchrony with intravascular dataset/images. This synchronization is based on the time tags recorded at the acquisition of one dataset of the X-ray/fluoroscopic images and the intravascular images/datasets and the cardiac cycle correspondence between the combined X-ray/fluoro datasets/images. The combined X-ray/fluoro and intravascular sensor images provided in the method for each position of intravascular measurement/slice along the blood vessel allows the physician the ability to determine the planned position of the treatment, e.g., a stent, in the X-ray/fluoro images based on the intravascular images, and allows an accurate assessment of the target/lesion location in the X-ray/fluoro images during treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Regis Vaillant, Francisco Sureda
  • Patent number: 10027340
    Abstract: A field programmable gate array based multi-channel flash ADC unit combined with a high speed multi-lane data communications channel/Ethernet-like modular intercommunication providing a complete but easily expandable high-speed data acquisition system. This apparatus and method permits high-speed pulse-shape digitalization allowing position resolution imaging of particles having a range of energies and is scalable to achieve the efficient capture of coincident data from large electromagnetic detector arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Weisenberger, John E. McKisson, Hai Dong, Chris Cuevas, John McKisson, Wenze Xi
  • Patent number: 10009593
    Abstract: A device and a method for obtaining densitometric images which comprise at least one radiological device, at least one depth sensor, and image processing means, which combine the radiological absorption information from the set of recorded radiological images obtained with the radiological systems with the distances of the traversed material, provided by the three-dimensional reconstruction of the objects obtained by means of the depth sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (CSIC), UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE VALENCIA, UNIVERSIDAD DE VALENCIA
    Inventors: Avelina Fernandez Garcia, German Vicente Rodrigo Garcia, Francisco Javier Albiol Colomer, Antonio Jose Albiol Colomer, Alberto Albiol Colomer
  • Patent number: 9993213
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus displays a bone or soft tissue image of an X-ray image, which corresponds to a region selected by a user, thereby reducing a diagnosis time. In addition, an X-ray imaging system transmits a first energy X-ray image and a second energy X-ray image to a central image management system, and a user control apparatus receives the images from the central image management system and displays a bone or soft tissue image corresponding to the selected region, thereby reducing burden imposed on server capacity of the central image management system as well as reducing a diagnosis time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Duhgoon Lee
  • Patent number: 9984210
    Abstract: A method for performing a job list of radiographic recordings indicated in a radiographic information systems includes communicating the job list to a mobile apparatus, e.g. a smartphone, whereby, in a first step, a peer-to-peer communication is set up between the radiographic information system and the mobile apparatus by a Near Field Communication technique, whereupon the job list is transmitted to the mobile apparatus via a WIFI peer-to-peer communication. A radiographer then completes the job list by using, inter alia, a self-triggering direct radiographic panel and a radiographic generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: AGFA HEALTHCARE NV
    Inventors: Wim Govaerts, Patrick Pandelaers
  • Patent number: 9974505
    Abstract: An X-ray device includes a camera to image an object and output the image of the object, a display member using a touch screen to display the image of the object output from the camera, and an X-ray irradiation region of the object, an X-ray irradiation region controller to control a region of the object to which an X-ray is irradiated, and a control member to enable the irradiation region controller to control the region of the object to which an X-ray is irradiated according to the X-ray irradiation region, when the X-ray irradiation region is determined, based on the image of the object displayed in the display member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byeong Won Lee, Jae Hwa Moon
  • Patent number: 9968311
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a holding unit configured to hold a plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses configured to convert radiation emitted onto the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses into image signals. The radiation imaging system is configured to obtain a long radiographic image based on the image signals respectively from the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses. The holding unit is configured to hold the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses having imaging areas of different sizes, in such a manner that the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses is partially overlapped with each other spatially, by a predetermined overlapping area as viewed from a radiation incident side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motoki Tagawa, Masataka Suzuki, Ryo Suzaki, Shichihei Sakuragi
  • Patent number: 9962137
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a radiation sensor, including pixels each for obtaining electric charges, includes: a control unit configured to start driving for imaging in response to radiation irradiation, and stop the driving when a first time elapses after the start of the driving; and a receiving unit configured to externally receive a predetermined instruction signal. The control unit is configured to, in response to reception of the predetermined instruction signal, control a state of the radiation sensor based on a difference between the first time and a second time from the start of the driving to the reception of the predetermined instruction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadahiko Iijima
  • Patent number: 9967962
    Abstract: A signal relay device comprises a first connection I/F, to which an emission switch is connected, a second connection I/F, to which an emission signal I/F of an electronic cassette is connected, and a third connection I/F, to which a switch I/F of a source control device is connected, and a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit generates an emission execution signal during a time period in which an emission command signal from the emission switch and an emission enable signal from the electronic cassette are inputted. The source control device drives an X-ray tube to allow X-ray emission while the emission execution signal is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Ryou Imamura
  • Patent number: 9941092
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes devices and methods relating to anode assemblies and/or X-ray assemblies. In some aspects, a method of forming an X-ray assembly may include providing an anode base formed of a first material and including a first end. The method may include depositing a second material different from the first material over a first surface of the anode base to form a coated portion of the anode base. The coated portion may be configured such that some backscattered electrons do not travel beyond the coated portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kasey Otho Greenland, Robert S. Miller
  • Patent number: 9936928
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus according to the embodiments includes a memory circuitry that stores a program, and a processing circuitry that reads out the program from the memory circuitry and executes the program. The processing circuitry sets a region of interest to be observed and a region of non-interest that is different from the region of interest based on volume data, and determines a trajectory of an arm that holds an X-ray irradiator that irradiates X-rays and a detector that detects the irradiated X-rays based on a relative positional relationship between the region of interest and the region of non-interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Wakai
  • Patent number: 9927922
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to touch input detection in a touch sensor. One example provides a method comprising establishing a first reference sequence, starting with a first set of candidate reference sequences each differing from the first reference sequence, reducing the first set of candidate reference sequences by applying a rule set to the first set to derive a relatively smaller second set of candidate reference sequences, for each candidate reference sequence in the second set of candidate reference sequences, calculating a touch detection performance score of a combined reference sequence, and configuring at least a portion of a receive circuit to correlate signals to at least one of the touch detection conditions by using the first reference sequence in a combined correlation operation with at least a selected candidate reference sequence from the second set of candidate reference sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Westhues, Tianzhu Qiao
  • Patent number: 9929882
    Abstract: A receiver for a wireless device. A channel estimation module is configured to calculate a first channel estimate on a first tone of a data packet and calculate a second channel estimate on a second tone of the data packet. A phase roll estimation module is configured to calculate a conjugate of the second channel estimate and calculate, using the first channel estimate and the conjugate of the second channel estimate, an estimate of a phase roll caused by an error in symbol timing of the data packet. The phase roll corresponds to a difference between phases across adjacent tones of the data packet. The phase roll estimation module is further configured to calculate, based on the estimate of the phase roll, a timing advance to be applied to the symbol timing of the data packet. The timing advance corresponds to a number of samples of the data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyuan Zhang, Sudhir Srinivasa
  • Patent number: 9922409
    Abstract: A subtraction image is generated by performing subtraction between a mask image serving as a radiation image obtained by capturing an object, at least of a specific region of which does not include contrast medium, and a live image serving as a radiation image obtained by capturing the object which includes the contrast medium. The emphasis degree serving as the degree of emphasis processing for the subtraction image is determined based on at least either the mask image or live image. The emphasis processing is performed for the subtraction image based on the emphasis degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9905004
    Abstract: A target place is set in an area of a human body structure having a tree structure in a three-dimensional image. The tree structure of the human body structure is extracted. A path from a reference point set on a branch upstream side of the target place on the tree structure to the target place is determined. Priority is set for respective portions of the tree structure of the human body structure outside the path based on a positional relationship between the portions and the target place. An initial image representing only a portion of the path and images for confirmation of each step sequentially representing the respective portions of the human body structure outside the path according to the priority are generated from the three-dimensional image. The initial image is displayed, and then, the generated images for confirmation of each step are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuanzhong Li
  • Patent number: 9901317
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a dynamic image acquiring unit acquiring a dynamic image; a time range setting unit setting a first time range and a second time range in an overall time of the dynamic image; a thumbnail generating unit generating a first thumbnail image and a second thumbnail image that are still images obtained by performing statistical processing on frame images in the first time range and frame images in the second time range, respectively; and a display unit displaying the first thumbnail image and the second thumbnail image so that they can visually be compared with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenta Shimamura, Hiroshi Yamato, Osamu Toyama, Shintaro Muraoka, Sho Noji
  • Patent number: 9897709
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each pixel being configured to generate an electric signal, and each being configured such that the electric signal can be read out nondestructively, an output amplifier configured to sequentially output electric signals read out nondestructively from the plurality of pixels, and a control unit configured to, in a period when electric signals for one frame of image data are being read out nondestructively from the plurality of pixels, execute nondestructive readout processing a plurality of times for reading out electric signals nondestructively from pixels in a first row, and execute nondestructive readout processing a plurality of times for reading out electric signals nondestructively from pixels in a second row adjacent to the first row. In this case, the control unit resets the output amplifier in a period when the nondestructive readout processing is performed a plurality of times on the pixels of the first row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9892509
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for obtaining an improved visualization of bone objects comprised in a projection X-ray image. The projection X-ray image comprises bone objects which at least in part overlap. According to the system and method, a number of the bone objects are delineated by a contour, thereby obtaining a number of delineated bone objects. For each of the number of delineated bone object, a bone suppression technique is applied to the image to obtain respective bone image data individually showing the respective delineated bone object while suppressing shadows of obstructing objects. The bone image data generated for each of the number of delineated bone objects is used to generate an output image in which the bone objects do not overlap. An advantage of the system and method is that a non-overlapping, shadow-suppressed, presentation of the bone objects may be created from an X-ray image which was obtained by projectional radiography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Jens Von Berg, Stewart Young, Prasad Adhikarath Valappil
  • Patent number: 9892510
    Abstract: Certain aspects of an apparatus and method for automatic ER/PR scoring of tissue samples may include for determining a cancer diagnosis score comprising identifying a positive stained nucleus in a slide image of the tissue sample, identifying a negative stained nucleus in the slide image, computing a proportion score based on number of the positive stained nucleus identified and number of the negative stained nucleus identified and determining the cancer diagnosis score based on the proportion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Liu, Ximin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9887232
    Abstract: To provide a photodetector circuit capable of obtaining signals in different periods without being affected by characteristics of a photoelectric conversion element. The photodetector circuit has n signal output circuits (n is a natural number of 2 or more) connected to the photoelectric conversion element. Further, the n signal output circuits each include the following: a transistor whose gate potential varies in accordance with the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion element; a first switching element which holds the gate potential of the transistor; and a second switching element which controls a signal output from the transistor. Thus, after data based on the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion elements is held as the gate potentials of the transistors, the second switching elements are turned on, whereby signals in different periods can be obtained without being affected by characteristics of the photoelectric conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Takuya Tsurume
  • Patent number: 9881710
    Abstract: An achromatic phase-contrast imaging apparatus for examining an object of interest is provided which comprises two different phase gratings which have different pitches. Thus, the imaging apparatus yields phase-contrast information for two different energies. Thus, phase-information over a wider energy band can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Ewald Roessl, Thomas Koehler
  • Patent number: 9877693
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus has an X-ray tube that irradiates an X-ray to a subject, an flat panel detector (FPD) that takes an X-ray image on the basis of the X-ray transmitted through the subject, a real-time image synthesis element that synthesizes an image by connecting in turn an image of a plurality of strip-shape X-ray images concurrently taken while letting the X-ray tube and the FPD move relative with respect to the subject, and a real-time image monitor that displays an intermediate image taken by the FPD and is synthesized in turn by the real-time image synthesis element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihide Toyoda, Naohiko Wakayama
  • Patent number: 9877795
    Abstract: Enhanced targeting systems and methods may be used to visualize trajectories for surgical instruments. Such a targeting system may have a fixture that can be secured at a predetermined location relative to a patient, a first light source attached to the fixture, and a second light source attached to the fixture. The first light source may project first light along a first plane, and the second light source may project second light along a second plane nonparallel to the first plane. At an intersection of the first and second planes, the first light and the second light may cooperate to produce a targeting line that indicates the desired trajectory. A controller may be connected to first and second sets of motors to orient the first and second light sources, respectively. The targeting line may be projected on a visualization aid that guides the surgical instrument along the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: iMIRGE Medical INC
    Inventors: Wang Hao, Neil Duggal
  • Patent number: 9861330
    Abstract: The present invention relates to differential phase-contrast imaging, in particular to a structure of a diffraction grating, e.g. an analyzer grating and a phase grating, for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging. In order to provide enhanced phase-gradient based image data, a diffraction grating (14, 15) for X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging, is provided with a first sub-area (23) comprising at least one portion (24) of a first grating structure (26) and at least one portion (28) of a second grating structure (30). The first grating structure comprises a plurality of bars (34) and gaps (36) with a first grating orientation GO1 (37), being arranged periodically, wherein the bars are arranged such that they change the phase and/or amplitude of an X-ray radiation and wherein the gaps are X-ray transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Ewald Rössl
  • Patent number: 9855018
    Abstract: Provided are a diagnostic medical image system and the like which enable diagnostic medical images generated in either an imaging system used for general imaging or an imaging system which includes a Talbot imaging device to be accurately associated with imaging order information. In the diagnostic medical image system, a controller groups a plurality of types of diagnostic medical images reconstructed and generated on the basis of a plurality of image signals captured by a second imaging system equipped with a Talbot imaging device and transmits the group to a console; and the console associates one diagnostic medical image generated from one image signal acquired from a first imaging system equipped with an X-ray imaging device with the imaging order information corresponding thereto and, by the same associating method, associates the grouped plurality of types of diagnostic medical images transmitted from the controller with the imaging order information corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masaya Hamano, Akira Kurahashi, Norihiro Matsusaka, Junko Kiyohara, Tomoyasu Yokoyama, Satoshi Nishino