1038results about How to "Improve imaging resolution" patented technology

Ultrasound applicators able to both image a treatment site and administer ultrasound therapy include an array of transducer elements that can be focused. In several embodiments, an electronically phased array is used for controlling the focal point of an ultrasound beam. The ultrasound beam produced thereby can also be electronically steered. To reduce the quality factor or Q of the array when the array is used for imaging, an electronic switch is selectively closed, placing a resistance in parallel with each of the array elements. A flexible array is employed in several embodiments and is selectively bent or flexed to vary its radius of curvature and thus control the focal point and/or a direction of focus of the array. In another embodiment, each of the transducer elements comprising the array are individually mechanically pivotable to steer the ultrasonic beam produced by the transducer elements.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided methods for generating an isotropic or near-isotropic three-dimensional images from two-dimensional images. In accordance with the present invention the method includes, obtaining a first image of a body part in a first plane, wherein the first image generates a first image data volume; obtaining a second image of the body part in a second plane, wherein the second image generates a second image data volume; and combining the first and second image data volumes to form a resultant image data volume, wherein the resultant image data volume is isotropic or near-isotropic.

Multiple electrode element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (“cMUT”) devices and fabrication methods are provided. A cMUT device generally comprises a top electrode disposed within a membrane, a bottom electrode disposed on a substrate, and a cavity between the membrane and the bottom electrode. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a plurality of electrode elements. The electrode elements can be positioned and energized to shape the membrane and efficiently transmit and receive ultrasonic energy, such as ultrasonic waves. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.

A method of creating an image file and an imaging device comprising at least two image capturing apparatus is provided. Each apparatus is arranged to produce an image, wherein at least one first apparatus comprises a color filter matrix of red and blue elements, and at least one second apparatus comprises a green color filter. A controller is arranged to combine the images produced with the apparatus with each other to produce an image with an enhanced image quality.

The present invention provides plasmonic crystals comprising three-dimensional and quasi comprising three-dimensional distributions of metallic or semiconducting films, including multi-layered crystal structures comprising nanostructured films and film arrays. Plasmonic crystals of the present invention include precisely registered and deterministically selected nonplanar crystal geometries and spatial distributions providing highly coupled, localized plasmonic responses in thin film elements and/or nanostructures of the crystal. Coupling of plasmonic responses provided by three-dimensional and quasi-three dimensional plasmonic crystal geometries and structures of the present invention generates enhanced local plasmonic field distributions useful for detecting small changes in the composition of an external dielectric environment proximate to a sensing surface of the plasmonic crystal. Plasmonic crystal structures of the present invention are also useful for providing highly localized excitation and/or imaging of fluorophores proximate to the crystal surface.

Improved optical devices and methods transmit optical images along elongate optical paths with relatively limited cross-sectional dimensions using an improved objective, relay, and ocular systems. In a first aspect, at least one intermediate image formed within an optical component, rather than being formed in a gap between optical components. In a preferred embodiment, a first intermediate image is formed within glass of the most proximal objective lens, with the first intermediate image extending axially along a curved image location within the glass. The last intermediate image may similarly be disposed within a distal lens of the ocular system. By making use of a first and/or last intermediate image disposed in this manner within a lens, endoscopes can exhibit a significantly larger Numerical Aperture than known endoscopes having similar cross-sectional dimensions. In a second aspect, the ocular system allows independent adjustment of diopters, magnification, X-Y positioning, and rotation orientation of the captured image while introducing minimal aberrations.

A catheter with a small optical fiber or bundle of fibers includes a scanning mechanism constructed with the use of any vibration capable component. Magnetic, piezoelectric or other mechanisms are used to vibrate the end of the fiber and thus create a scanning effect which extends the field of view. One or more lenses may be utilized, including a lens attached to the distal tip of the image fiber, or a lens attached to the distal tip of the catheter for creating an image plane which can be scanned by the fiber. In one embodiment, multiple light sources may be connected to the fiber for enabling the use of field sequential color techniques for real-time imaging, as well as real-time fluorescent imaging for disease detection. A photodetector assembly connected to the proximal end may contain both filtered and unfiltered detectors for use with both standard imaging and fluorescent imaging. The resulting vision catheter is relatively inexpensive and disposable.

A solid imaging apparatus and method employing levels of exposure varied with gray scale or time or both of digitally light projected image of a cross-section of a three-dimensional object on a solidifiable photopolymer build material. The gray scale levels of exposure of projected pixels permits the polymerization boundaries in projected boundary pixels to be controlled to achieve preserved image features in a three-dimensional object and smooth out rough or uneven edges that would otherwise occur using digital light projectors that are limited by the number of pixels in an image projected over the size of the image. Software is used to control intensity parameters applied to pixels to be illuminated in the image projected in the cross-section being exposed in the image plane.

A method for improving a resolution of an image is provided. The method includes reconstructing an image of an initial portion of an object at an initial resolution, and reconstructing an additional portion of the object at an additional resolution.

A vessel-mountable integrated sonar system is provided. The vessel-mountable integrated sonar system comprises at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device and at least one processing system electronically and removably connected to the at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device, wherein the sonar data acquisition device preferably provides acoustic data to the processing system, producing sonar imageries utilizing the acoustic data, and wherein the system provides digital tilt and azimuth direction feedback for accurate geo-referencing of data to localize targets of interest.

A process for the preparation of toner by, for example, mixing a colorant, a latex, optionally a wax and a water solubilized silica with an alumina coating or an aluminized silica as a coagulant.

The subject matter discloses a method and apparatus for re-sampling a sequence of images in order to improve its resolution, fill-in missing pixels, or de-interlace it. The method operates locally in the images to be processed, comparing pixel values of pixels surrounding the target pixel to pixel values of substantially the same locations in neighboring images. The comparison results in assigning a weight value for each area compared with the area containing the reviewed pixel. The pixel value of the reviewed pixel is updated as a function of multiplying pixel values of the areas by the weight assigned to each area. In another embodiment, areas within the same image are compared to areas containing the reviewed pixel. The subject matter also discloses two possible penalty functions for improving the resolution of images.

To have a good resolution/sharpness for the displayed pictures (e.g. low interference banding in case of showing a pattern having Nyquist limit problems), the multiprimary display (100), has more than 3 additive primaries (R,C,G,B), in which that half of the primaries (C,G) having the highest output luminances of the more than 3 additive primaries (R,C,G,B) when a corresponding driving signal (r) for the respective primary is maximal, is generatable by subpixels (104, 108) of the display at approximately equidistant subpixel positions (Dd).

A system and method for locating and verifying a position of an underground target utilizes a virtual reality display to guide a cutting probe to the target. Initial coordinates of the target may be obtained from prior survey data and a vertical access borehole is excavated at the initial coordinates in a first attempt to verify the target position. If the target it not encountered at the initial coordinates, a lateral sensor is positioned within the vertical access borehole to determine three-dimensional coordinates of the target. A second borehole is then excavated by a cutting head that is guided to the three-dimensional target coordinates with the assistance of a virtual reality display that shows both the target coordinates and a real time position of the cutting head. A down-hole camera or other sensor positioned within the second borehole may verify the presence or condition of the target.

An improved theater geometry which is capable of providing improved image resolution and improved image contrast over prior systems is achieved with a unique projection geometry and image re-mapping technique. The projected image is provided with a continuously variable image resolution and brightness over the surface of a preferably dome-shaped screen which is to receive the image, concentrating the resolution and the brightness of the image within the central field-of-view of viewers that are unidirectionally seated in the theater, and sacrificing resolution and brightness toward the outside edges of the viewers' field-of-view. The result is a more efficient use of available projector resolution and brightness, an increase in the number of quality seats available in the theater, and an enhanced image contrast due to reductions in the light which is scattering from image elements to the rear of the screen.

A sensor 40 that detects a chemical such as an organic vapor. The sensor 40 includes a film that has a film body 58 that includes a detection layer 48 and that is responsive to the presence of a chemical by providing a color change. The film also includes an occluding layer 54 that has a first major surface 59 and that is bound to the film body 58 but is inert to the detection layer 48 to preclude the occluding layer 54 and the chemical from causing a color change in the film body 58 in an area 42 normal to the first major surface 59 of the occluding layer 54. A sensor having this construction can provide a distinctly visible image on the sensor, which may be helpful in evaluating the remaining life of a filter cartridge.