Ultrasonic Patents (Class 600/437)
  • Patent number: 11259704
    Abstract: A photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) device for the in vivo detection of cells circulating in blood or lymphatic vessels is described. Ultrasound transducers attached to the skin of an organism detect the photoacoustic ultrasound waves emitted by target objects in response to their illumination by at least one pulse of laser energy delivered using at least one wavelength. The wavelengths of the laser light pulse may be varied to optimize the absorption of the laser energy by the target object. Target objects detected by the device may be unlabelled biological cells or cell products, contrast agents, or biological cells labeled with one or more contrast agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BIOVENTURES, LLC
    Inventor: Vladimir Pavlovich Zharov
  • Patent number: 11263998
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for providing animation in electronic communications. An image is generated by capturing multiple photographs from a camera or video camera. The first photograph is called the “key photo”. Using a graphics program, photos subsequent to the key photo are edited to cut an element common to the subsequent photos. The cut images are pasted into the key photo as layers. The modified key photo, including the layers, is stored as a web-enabled graphics file, which is then transmitted in conjunction with electronic communication. When the electronic communication is received, the key photo is displayed and each of the layers is displayed and removed in the order that each was taken with a short delay between photos. In this manner, a movie is generated with much smaller files than is currently possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventor: Douglas G. Richardson
  • Patent number: 11253230
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving circuitry, an input circuitry, and a processing circuitry. The transmitting and receiving circuitry transmits a first ultrasound wave used for changing the shape of a tissue in the body of a patient and transmits/receives a second ultrasound wave that is transmitted/received with timing different from that of the first ultrasound wave. The input circuitry receives an input of a request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted. When the input circuitry has received the input of the request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted, the processing circuitry controls the transmission of the first ultrasound wave in accordance with the strength of a reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave or one or more pixel values of an image resulting from an imaging process performed by using the reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iwama, Hironobu Hongou, Isao Uchiumi, Koichi Morikawa, Yasuo Miyajima, Takatoshi Okumura
  • Patent number: 11253730
    Abstract: An ultrasound deep brain stimulation method and system, the ultrasound deep brain stimulation method comprises: medically imaging a head of an animal or a human being, to generate image data; creating a head 3D digital model according to the image data; creating a 3D digital model of an ultrasound transducer array according to structure, density and acoustic parameters information of the ultrasound transducer array; generating a first ultrasound transmitting sequence according to the head 3D digital model, the 3D digital model of the ultrasound transducer array, structure, density and acoustic parameters of the skull and brain tissues, and structure, density and acoustic parameters of the ultrasound transducer array; and controlling the ultrasound transducer array to transmit ultrasound waves in accordance with the first ultrasound transmitting sequence, to implement ultrasound deep brain stimulation to the brain nucleus to be stimulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: GREENVALLEY BRAINTECH (SHENZHEN) MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hairong Zheng, Lili Niu, Congzhi Wang, Ming Qian, Yang Xiao, Long Meng
  • Patent number: 11247045
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment of injured peripheral nerves or other tissue using electrical stimulation. The systems can be used either in intraoperative or peri-operative settings and incorporate the use of either a plurality of monopolar electrodes with a patch used as return or a plurality of bipolar electrodes such as a cuff. The systems can provide hands-free delivery of electrical stimulation therapy over a predetermined set of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Epineuron Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Willand, Sergio David Aguirre
  • Patent number: 11243974
    Abstract: A method of dynamically converting a document from a non-DICOM format to a DICOM format includes receiving a query for use in searching for the document from one or more repositories, searching the one or more repositories for the document that matches the query, receiving from the one or more repositories one or more document results of the searching, receiving from a user a request for retrieval of at least one document from the one or more document results of the searching, determining if the at least one document requested for retrieval is in the non-DICOM format, upon positive determination, converting the at least one document requested for retrieval from the non-DICOM to the DICOM format, and sending the at least one converted document to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hyland Switzerland Sarl
    Inventors: Razvan Atanasiu, Otto Hunter Gasser, Larry Robert Sitka
  • Patent number: 11234772
    Abstract: Disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as localization markers during a surgical procedure. Adaptation includes incorporation of materials detectable under ultrasound during surgery, as well as features for co-registration with image guidance or other real-time imaging technologies during surgery. Such biopsy markers, when used as localization markers, improve patient comfort and reduce challenges in surgical coordination and surgery time. Additional disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as monitoring and/or detection apparatuses. Localization of an implanted marker may be done with ultrasound technology. Ultrasound image data is analyzed to identify the implanted marker. A distance to the marker or a lesion may be determined and displayed. The determined distance may be a distance between the ultrasound probe and the marker or lesion, a distance between the marker or lesion and an incision instrument, and/or a distance between the ultrasound probe and the incision instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hologic, Inc.
    Inventors: John Laviola, Shawn St. Pierre, Brian Stellmach, Lori Fontaine, Joseph A. Stand, III, Estefania Alvarez, Stephen Grantz, Michelle Dawn Lyman, Shannon Marie Butler, Yuliya Mathis
  • Patent number: 11229442
    Abstract: Vascular compression devices with an inflatable chamber are disclosed. The inflatable chamber of the vascular compression devices can be inflated and then deflated with a liquid with ultrasound properties similar to biological tissues. Ultrasound waves may be applied to the vascular compression device and may propagate through the vascular compression device and into the biological tissue of the patient to produce an ultrasound image to determine the patency of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Lampropoulos, Tyler David Rees, Aaron Hopkinson, Ahmed A. Hassan
  • Patent number: 11224404
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a memory storing a program, and one or more processors that, by executing the program, function as an obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to a posture of an imaging device that is imaging a region of a subject, and a determination unit configured to perform a determination, based on the information relating to the posture, regarding which region of the subject corresponds to the region imaged by the imaging device. The determination unit performs the determination based on the information relating to the posture obtained at a timing when a posture of the imaging device satisfies a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Naganawa, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Takaaki Endo
  • Patent number: 11224406
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a storage, a comparison function, and an evaluation function. The storage is provided in an ultrasound probe, and stores, in advance, an initial value of transmitting/receiving sensitivity measured with respect to each channel, of the ultrasound probe. The comparison function compares transmitting/receiving sensitivity newly measured with the initial value. The evaluation function evaluates the degree of the deterioration of the ultrasound probe based on a comparison result and a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Fuminori Fujita
  • Patent number: 11224405
    Abstract: An apparatus and method that uses shape sensing and imaging to record, display and enable return to an imaging probe location or to predetermined imaging parameters. The apparatus includes an ultrasound probe (104, 304, 404, 750); a shape-sensing-device (SSD) (102, 302, 602, 740) associated with the ultrasound probe; and a controller (122, 710). The controller may be configured to: determine at least one of location and orientation of the ultrasound probe based upon position sensor information (PSI) received from the SSD; select a view of a plurality of views of a workflow that are stored in the memory; obtain view setting information (VSI) including parameters and a position and/or orientation of the ultrasound probe for each of the views; determine guidance information; and render the determined guidance information on the rendering device and set ultrasound probe parameters based on the parameters of the VSI for the selected view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Paul Thienphrapa, Bharat Ramachandran, Molly Lara Flexman, Neriman Nicoletta Kahya
  • Patent number: 11213279
    Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes: an ultrasonic vibrator that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave; a wire member that is electrically connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and is provided along a side surface of the ultrasonic vibrator; a shield member that is provided outside the wire member from a viewpoint of the ultrasonic vibrator and electrically protects the ultrasonic vibrator; and a first heat conduction member that is provided in contact with the ultrasonic vibrator, wherein the first heat conduction member and the shield member are thermally connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Shuhei Okuda
  • Patent number: 11207054
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, there is provided a headset mountable on a head, the headset including a probe for emitting energy into the head. The headset further includes a support structure coupled to the probe. The support structure includes translation actuators for translating the probe along two axes generally parallel to a surface of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NovaSignal Corp.
    Inventors: Roman Flores, II, Matthew Hutter, Gerard Salinas, Michael Costa, Matthew Sylvester, Robert Hamilton, Corey Thibeault, Leo Petrossian, Aaron Green, Shankar Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11202618
    Abstract: An ultrasound processing system includes an ultrasound interface and processing electronics. The ultrasound interface receives imaging information. The processing electronics are coupled to the ultrasound interface and are configured to utilize the ultrasound imaging information to use time-varying frame selection to estimate strain so that the processing electronics perform the time-varying frame selection by comparing a single frame to a plurality of previous frames and selecting a single comparison set for each frame for strain estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: EDAN INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Seshadri Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11191523
    Abstract: An ultrasonic-image-construction apparatus can construct an ultrasonic-tomographic image of a thin, layer-structured target object to be measured relatively easily and highly accurately in a manner in which such layered structure is easily understood. An ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasonic-image-constructing apparatus transmits ultrasonic waves to the target object. A reference substance makes contact with a base substrate, with such ultrasonic waves being incident on the target object via the base substrate, then receives an impulse response of an ultrasonic waveform. A computing means performs calculation to estimate acoustic-physical-property distribution in consideration of the multiple-reflections influence based on normalized-impulse information obtained from impulse-response information of such ultrasonic waveform incident on the reference substance and from impulse-response information of such ultrasonic waveform incident on the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: HONDA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SHISEIDO COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Ogura, Naohiro Hozumi, Sachiko Yoshida, Kazuto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11185719
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling acoustic energy deposition in various media or objects are disclosed. The system and method can generate an acousto-mechanical or acousto-elastic effect in the various media or objects. The acousto-mechanical or acousto-elastic effect can induce a fragmentation of the media or objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems LLC
    Inventors: Michael H. Slayton, Paul Jaeger
  • Patent number: 11185309
    Abstract: Control device 10 of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a hardware processor that sets, among a plurality of operation modes in which pulse waveforms of ultrasound pulses to be transmitted are different from one another, at least first and second operation modes for which observation results are to be simultaneously displayed on a screen, sets at least one operation type that defines transmission timing of ultrasound pulses, and sets a switching frequency of a switching signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mutsuhiro Akahane, Yasuhiro Nakamura, Yosuke Kimura, Kazuya Osada
  • Patent number: 11179138
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide systems and methods for portable medical ultrasound imaging. Preferred embodiments utilize a tablet touchscreen display operative to control imaging and display operations without the need for using traditional keyboards or controls. Certain embodiments provide ultrasound imaging system in which the scan head includes a beamformer circuit that performs far field sub array beamfonning or includes a sparse array selecting circuit that actuates selected elements. Exemplary embodiments also provide an ultrasound engine circuit board including one or more multi-chip modules, and a portable medical ultrasound imaging system including an ultrasound engine circuit board with one or more multi-chip modules. Exemplary embodiments also provide methods for using a hierarchical two-stage or three-stage beamforming system, three dimensional ultrasound images which can be generated in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Teratech Corporation
    Inventors: Alice M. Chiang, William M. Wong, Noah Berger
  • Patent number: 11172839
    Abstract: A wearable assembly has a pulse plethysmography (PPG) sensor and a piezoelectric pressure sensor and is attachable to a patient's finger or other area corresponding to a peripheral vascular region, and further includes a signal processor configured to monitor blood flow dependent measurements and pressure measurements over time, comparing these measurements to determine properties of the vascular region, such as vascular resistance of a blood vessel, vascular radius of the blood vessel, vascular stiffness of the vascular region, blood pressure, and/or cardiac vascular power. The signal processor may apply a hysteresis comparison of the sensor outputs, e.g., using an elliptical model, and in some examples may apply an extended Kalman filter for optimizing output of the vascular region properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Kevin R. Ward, Sardar Ansari, Lu Wang, Kayvan Najarian, Kenn Oldham
  • Patent number: 11160608
    Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (700, 800) comprising: a first display device (200), a second display device (754), a database (768), and a processor (746). Execution of instructions cause the processor to: receive (900) a medical image (102, 102?, 102?, 102??); display (902) the medical image in a physician graphical user (202, 1000) interface using the first display device and on a technician graphical user interface (100, 1000) using the second display device. Execution of the instructions causes the processor to repeatedly: receive (906) planning data (764) from the physician graphical user interface, display (908) the planning data on the technician graphical user interface; receive (910) treatment plan data (766) from the technician graphical user interface; store (912) the treatment plan data in the database; and generate (914) control data (770, 772) for controlling a treatment system using the treatment plan data in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Erkki Tapani Vahala, Jari Matti Ilmari Salminen
  • Patent number: 11160522
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a radiographic image of a breast; and a derivation unit that derives a percentage of mammary glands of a breast image in the radiographic image acquired by the acquisition unit on the basis of an amount of incident radiation on a direct region which is a region directly irradiated with radiation without passing through the breast and an amount of incident radiation on a mammary gland tissue pixel obtained by a portion of the breast which is estimated to be composed of only mammary gland tissues in the radiographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junya Morita
  • Patent number: 11147537
    Abstract: A method and system for analyzing stiffness in a volume of tissue, the method including: emitting acoustic waveforms toward the volume of tissue with an array of ultrasound transmitters; detecting, with an array of ultrasound receivers, a set of acoustic signals derived from acoustic waveforms transmitted through the volume of tissue; generating, from the set of acoustic signals, a sound speed map and an acoustic attenuation map of a region of the volume of tissue, generating a stiffness map derived from combination of a set of sound speed parameter values of the sound speed map and a corresponding set of acoustic attenuation parameter values of the acoustic attenuation map, the stiffness map representing the distribution of the stiffness parameter across the region; and at a display in communication with the computer processor, rendering a stiffness image of the volume of tissue, based upon the stiffness map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: DELPHINUS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Duric, Peter Littrup, Cuiping Li, Olivier Roy, Steven Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11147536
    Abstract: Handheld ultrasound imaging devices for identification of target regions are generally described. Medical ultrasound is a popular medical imaging modality primarily used for diagnostic imaging of soft tissue but also for interventional procedures such as guidance of a needle or catheter placement. Examples include diagnostic imaging of organs, such cardiac or liver structures. Common interventional procedures that rely on ultrasound guidance are central line placement and guidance of nerve blocks, both of which are high volume procedures in certain hospital settings such as the intensive care unit (ICU). Handheld ultrasound imaging devices with integral display screens and improve portability are described, along with systems and methods for orienting displayed ultrasound images so as to improve their usefulness in guiding interventional procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Rivanna Medical LLC
    Inventors: Frank William Mauldin, Jr., Kevin Owen, Adam Dixon
  • Patent number: 11141135
    Abstract: A method of displaying an ultrasound image includes reading, based on a user's input, the ultrasound image stored in a storage medium; displaying, on a screen, the ultrasound image and TGC information that is matched to the ultrasound image; receiving an input of modifying the TGC information by adjusting a TGC value in the TGC information, the at least one TGC value corresponding to a depth value; and updating the ultrasound image based on the modified TGC information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun-jin Cho, Eun-ho Yang, Su-jin Kim, Woong Lee
  • Patent number: 11141133
    Abstract: A catheter includes a hollow body which extends longitudinally and has at least one first side window and a probe emitting a wave beam, the first side window allowing the radiation of the beam in a region next to the catheter for generating imaging, the catheter also including a longitudinal guiding device allowing a transmission of a movement to an intervention element, the intervention element moving in at least an area of the beam, the intervention angle between the first intervention element and the axis of the catheter being controlled by a remote control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Louis Marc Jean Lucien Labrousse, Lionel Jean Pierre Leroux
  • Patent number: 11134922
    Abstract: A technique is disclosed for downsizing a motor drive unit (MDU) and improving durability in an imaging apparatus for diagnosis. In the motor drive unit, when a catheter connector is connected, a motor drive unit connector (MDU connector) for being connected to the catheter connector has a shape which accommodates the catheter connector in order to optically connect an optical fiber of a cylindrical member of a catheter and an optical fiber leading from the imaging apparatus for diagnosis to each other, and in order to connect an electrical contact portion of the catheter and an optical/electrical signal line leading from the imaging apparatus for diagnosis to each other. Then, the motor drive unit has a structure, which supports a center position of an end portion of the optical fiber exposed from the cylindrical member of the catheter, as a rotation center position of an imaging core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toyokazu Horiike
  • Patent number: 11137486
    Abstract: Programmable ultrasound probes and methods of operation are described. The ultrasound probe may include memory storing parameter data and may also include a parameter loader which loads the parameter data into programmable circuitry of the ultrasound probe. In some instances, the ultrasound probe may include circuitry grouped into modules which may be repeatable and which may be coupled together to allow data to be exchanged between the modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: BFLY Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler S. Ralston, Andrew J. Casper, Nevada J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11134918
    Abstract: A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignees: University of Southern California, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Robert G. Wodnicki, Qifa Zhou, Thomas Matthew Cummins, Douglas N. Stephens, Katherine W. Ferrara
  • Patent number: 11134920
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a collation pattern memory that stores a plurality of collation patterns corresponding to a plurality of examination parts of a subject in advance; an information input unit that is used by a user to input examination type information; a determination order decision unit that decides a determination order of the plurality of examination parts to be continuously examined, on the basis of the examination type information input to the information input unit; and a part determination unit that reads the collation patterns corresponding to the examination parts to be continuously examined from the collation pattern memory according to the determination order decided by the determination order decision unit and sequentially collates the ultrasound image in the determination order using the read collation patterns to determine an imaging part of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11131650
    Abstract: A method of facilitating ultrasonic analysis of a subject is provided. The method involves producing signals for causing a set of outgoing ultrasonic signals to be transmitted to the subject, wherein the set of outgoing ultrasonic signals is defined at least in part by a variable imaging parameter that varies over time in accordance with a variable imaging parameter function, the variable imaging parameter function represented or representable at least in part by a function characteristic, receiving signals representing a time dependent representation of the subject generated from a set of received ultrasonic signals scattered by the subject, determining at least one property representation of the subject based on the function characteristic and the time dependent representation of the subject, and producing signals representing the at least one property representation of the subject to facilitate analysis of the subject. Systems, non-transitory computer readable media, and other methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: The University of British Columbia, Queen's University at Kingston
    Inventors: Purang Abolmaesumi, Parvin Mousavi
  • Patent number: 11129592
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus for diagnosis is disclosed, which has a motor drive unit (MDU) configured to be connected to a catheter, and which generates a vascular optical coherence tomographic image and an ultrasound tomographic image of a subject, based on a signal output from the catheter. The apparatus includes a first inspection unit that inspects the presence or absence of the ultrasound transceiver, based on intensity distribution of the electric signal of the reflected wave which is obtained by a first drive unit, and a second inspection unit that generates line image data in a radial direction, regarding a position of the imaging core as an origin, based on the electric signal of the interference light which is obtained by a second drive unit, and that inspects the presence or absence of the optical transceiver, based on pixel data distribution within a predetermined range from a position of the origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toyokazu Horiike, Kenji Maeda
  • Patent number: 11123041
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and method enabling general users to easily acquire ultrasound images even when the users are unskilled at using ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses, including a probe comprising an analog front-end controller, an analog-to-digital converter, a field-programmable gate array, and a communication module, the probe being configured to acquire ultrasound data of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-young Ryu, Dong-ki Kim, Young-hwan Kim, Min-woo Seo, Jei-young Lee
  • Patent number: 11116405
    Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (200) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system (202) and a high-intensity focused ultrasound system (204) with an electronically controllable and a mechanically controllable focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventors: Ari Ilkka Mikael Partanen, Matthew Robert Dreher, Pavel Sergeyevich Yarmolenko, Bradford Johns Wood, Elma Natalia Carvajal Gallardo
  • Patent number: 11116475
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe; an imaging unit that transmits and receives an ultrasound beam to and from a subject using the ultrasound probe and converts a received signal output from the ultrasound probe into an image to generate an ultrasound image of the subject for each frame; a part determination unit that determines an imaging part of the subject using the ultrasound image generated by the imaging unit; a probe state determination unit that determines whether the ultrasound probe is in an aerial emission state or a contact state with the subject; and an apparatus control unit that controls the part determination unit such that part determination is not performed in a case in which the probe state determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe is in the aerial emission state and the part determination is performed in a case in which the probe state determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe has been changed from the aerial emission state to the c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: FUJTFIT.M Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsurou Ebata
  • Patent number: 11120564
    Abstract: A medical imaging apparatus (10) for inspecting a volume of a subject (12) is disclosed. The medical imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasound acquisition unit (14) including an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound image data of the subject, an image interface (20) for receiving medical image data of the subject, a position determining unit (30) for determining a position of the ultrasound probe. An alignment unit is provided for aligning the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on anatomical features (32) of the subject and the detected position of the ultrasound probe and for adapting the alignment of the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on a motion model. An image processing unit (18) is provided for processing the ultrasound image data and the medical image data to fuse the ultrasound image data and the medical image data based on the alignment to combined image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Cecile Dufour, Stephane Allaire, Thomas Tang, Gary Cheng-How Ng
  • Patent number: 11114199
    Abstract: A surgical workflow system for performing a surgical procedure. The surgical workflow system comprises one or more locators arrangeable to determine locations of a plurality of surgical objects. Information conveyor devices are coupled to the one or more locators and are assigned to different participants in the surgical procedure. A workflow controller accesses a pre-scripted workflow having a plurality of workflow steps associated with the surgical procedure, identifies a change event that indicates a deviation from the pre-scripted workflow, determines event information tailored to the different participants based on the change event, and transmits the event information to the participants through the plurality of information conveyor devices so that different event information can be conveyed to the different participants, wherein the event information is provided in the context of the surgical objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corp.
    Inventor: Jose Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera
  • Patent number: 11109839
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a 3D ultrasound image volume in a desired view orientation. A 3D ultrasound image can be acquired of an anatomical feature in a patient. The actual orientation of the anatomical feature can be determined in space. The 3D ultrasound image including the anatomical feature can be displayed such that the anatomical feature is positioned in a selected orientation that is different than the actual orientation, and in relation to a lighting model for generating lighting and shadowing on the anatomical feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: David Nigel Roundhill
  • Patent number: 11103212
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes system, application, and/or methods for enabling operation of a transducer probe with a medical imaging device. An example method includes the steps of retrieving a user identification code assigned to a user associated with an imaging device, retrieving a transducer identification code of a transducer probe from a memory of the transducer probe responsive to connecting the transducer probe to the imaging device, generating a temporary digital key based on the user identification code and the transducer identification code, retrieving a stored digital key from the memory of the transducer probe, verifying an association of the transducer probe including comparing the stored digital key with the temporary digital key, enabling operation of the transducer probe with the imaging device if the stored digital key matches the temporary digital key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Dale Allen Chermak
  • Patent number: 11106199
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for interpreting data from a plurality of input sensors, wherein each of the plurality of input sensors is operationally coupled to a component of an industrial environment. Methods including operating a self-organizing network on the data from the plurality of input sensors, thereby determining a structure in the data, determining a reduced dimensionality view of the data in response to the determined structure in the data, wherein the reduced dimensionality view includes fewer dimensions than the data from the plurality of input sensors, and providing the reduced dimensionality view to a user interface are disclosed together with systems therefore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Strong Force IoT Portfolio 2016, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Howard Cella, Gerald William Duffy, Jr., Jeffrey P. McGuckin, Mehul Desai
  • Patent number: 11107455
    Abstract: A method for providing a broadband constant beam pattern acoustic array includes providing an array of transducers in a known three dimensional axisymmetric spherical configuration with each transducer element having an associated signal. A user can specify a far field beam pattern for the array. Weightings are calculated for each transducer in the array as being proportional to the voltage that gives the beam pattern power level associated with the bearing for each transducer. Signal power levels for each transducer are modified in accordance with the weightings. The array can be operated for receiving and transmitting signals with a constant beam pattern over a broad range of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Inventor: Dehua Huang
  • Patent number: 11096670
    Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device including: a transmitter which outputs a driving signal for a C-mode image to an ultrasound probe sending and receiving ultrasound; a receiver which obtains a reception signal from the ultrasound probe; and a controller which: calculates an inner product value of packet data of the reception signal and a first orthonormal basis for each degree; sets a conversion function to convert the inner product value into a removal rate to remove a clutter component; converts the calculated inner product value into the removal rate for each degree by using the set conversion function; and generates image data from which a signal component of the C-mode image is removed according to the removal rate for each degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Takeda
  • Patent number: 11096622
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for measuring user exertion via bone conduction. According to one aspect, a device can generate a measurement signal. The device can cause a transducer to transmit the measurement signal through a body of a user. The device can receive, via the transducer, a modified measurement signal. The modified measurement signal can include the measurement signal as modified by the body of the user. The device can compare the modified measurement signal to a modified baseline signal. The device can determine, based on a result of comparing the modified measurement signal to the modified baseline signal, a level of exertion experienced by the user while the measurement signal was transmitted through the body of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Baldwin, Brian S. Amento
  • Patent number: 11094049
    Abstract: A target object identification method includes acquiring an image to be identified, identifying at least one target area in the image and marking the target area to obtain at least one marked area, performing binarization processing on the marked area, identifying the boundary pixels and effective pixels of the target area in the marked area, and determining a center and a size of the target area according to a position of the boundary pixels and the effective pixels. An area of the marked area is greater than or equal to an area of the target area. The target area is located within the marked area. A color of pixels of the target area after the binarization process is different from a color of pixels outside the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Kuo-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 11086453
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic receiver, and an acoustic delay gradient layer disposed in an acoustic path between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver. The acoustic delay gradient layer is configured to cause a reflection from a platen interface of the transmitted ultrasonic signal to reach the first receiver region at a first time and the reflection from the platen interface of the transmitted ultrasonic signal to reach the second receiver region at a second time that is different from the first time. The apparatus can further include a controller configured to set for a first region or portion of the receiver, a first range gate window (RGW). The controller is also configured to set, for a second region or portion of the receiver, a second RGW, and to establish a first temporal delay between the first RGW and the second RGW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: James Anthony Miranto, Jack Conway Kitchens, Stephen Michael Gojevic, Todd Campbell, Stephen James Potter, Steven Pezanoski
  • Patent number: 11083438
    Abstract: First transmission information in which an optimum transmitting voltage and a transmitting waveform are associated with each other for each display mode, and second transmission information in which a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates and pulse-width modulation transmitting waveforms that are pulse-width-modulation controlled to respectively correspond to the plurality of transmitting voltage candidates are associated with each other for each display mode are used to extract a maximum transmitting voltage candidate that does not exceed an optimum transmitting voltage of a first display mode from a plurality of transmitting voltage candidates included in the second transmission information of a second display mode so as to determine a common transmitting voltage used in common for the first display mode and the second display mode based on the optimum transmitting voltage of the first display mode and/or the maximum transmitting voltage candidate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazushi Ota, Akihiro Kawabata, Tomohito Sakai, Takashi Sakai
  • Patent number: 11083436
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provides an ultrasonic image analysis system which includes an image collection unit which receives and transmits an ultrasonic waveform and obtains two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data; an image analysis unit which registers the two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data to obtain a registration mapping relationship between the two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data; a user interface unit which responds to a treatment done on the two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data by a user through an external hardware device; an image display unit which displays the two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data according to the registration mapping relationship and a result of the treatment of the user interface unit; and an image store unit for storing the two sets of three-dimensional ultrasonic image data and the registration mapping relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO-MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Longfei Cong, Yong Li, Long Xu, Lei Zhu
  • Patent number: 11078381
    Abstract: A hydrogel that adheres to the surface of materials is provided by using as constituent elements a water-soluble main chain monomer, crosslinking agent, polymerization initiator, and adhesive monomer having at least a catechol group in a side chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yabu, Matsuhiko Nishizawa, Kuniaki Nagamine, Yuta Saito, Jun Kamei, Tatsuaki Shimazaki, Shun Chihara
  • Patent number: 11073613
    Abstract: A method is provided for the optimization of the process decoding coded ultrasound signals that comprises: defining/selecting a coding function for ultrasound pulses transmitted to a body under examination by means of a predetermined probe; defining the coefficients of a filter decoding the received signal depending on the selected coding function; using said filter coefficients as the setting of the decoding filter corresponding to said predetermined probe for all the ultrasound systems provided in combination with said probe; and wherein the coefficients of the decoding filters are determined by the minimization, by a heuristic iterative process, of the difference between the characteristics of a receive signal, obtained in a real transmit/receive sequence and filtered with a decoding filter, and the characteristics of an ideal receive signal, that is a nominal one, by using as the coefficients of the decoding filter those obtained in the last iterative step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Esaote S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Questa
  • Patent number: 11071523
    Abstract: An ultrasound observation device includes a controller. The controller is configured to: generate data on an ultrasound image based on an ultrasound signal; automatically set a second region of interest that is relatively stiff in a first region of interest preset within the ultrasound image; and generate data on first and second elastic images each having a display mode according to stiffness of the corresponding first and second regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyake
  • Patent number: 11064942
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods and systems for automated eating detection. Systems comprise a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), accelerometer, and processing unit. During a first time period, the processing unit receives glucose readings and a first set of acceleration readings. The processing unit identifies an eating episode if the glucose readings satisfy one or more criteria. Using the identified eating episode and first set of acceleration readings, the processing unit generates an individual model that identifies eating episodes using acceleration readings without using glucose readings. During a second time period, a processing unit uses the individual model and a second set of acceleration readings to identify a second eating episode. Some embodiments may use additional sensor types (for example, PPG or heart rate) to identify eating episodes in the first or second time period, generate the individual model, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: OPTUM LABS, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Catani, Jed Ludlow, Tyler Stigen, Joseph A. Roxas, Nino Paul D. Batanay