Samuel S Ahn

US Patent:

6398710, Jun 4, 2002

Filed:

Jan 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/478591

Inventors:

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Assignee:

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

International Classification:

A61N 500

US Classification:

600 3, 2504845, 600300

Abstract:

A radiation dosimetry system ( ) using miniature implanted transponder balls. A patient having a tumor that is the target of the radiation treatment lies in a treatment area with the tumor positioned beneath a target ( ) used for alignment purposes. The system ( ) is controlled and monitored by a CPU ( ) which receives instructions from a radiologist operating a control panel ( ), and displays control parameters, data and graphics to the radiologist on a display ( ). The CPU ( ) controls an RF system operating through a broad-band antenna ( ) and directed at the target area ( ). The CPU ( ) controls operation of a radiation source ( ), which may be a conventional linear accelerator, for directing radiation at the target area ( ). The radiation source ( ) includes a collimator ( ) or similar apparatus for shaping a radiation beam for accurate application to the target area ( ). A pair of RF receivers ( ) and ( ) are positioned such that they are spaced apart and opposite from the CPU antenna ( ) with respective antennas ( ) and ( ) directed at the target area ( ).

US Patent:

6415184, Jul 2, 2002

Filed:

Jan 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/478592

Inventors:

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Assignee:

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

International Classification:

A61N 105

US Classification:

607 45, 607116

Abstract:

A ball semiconductor for stimulating a mass of nervous system brain tissue for therapeutic purposes. The ball ( ) is embedded in a mass of nervous system tissue ( ) of a brain. Electrical pulses generated and transmitted to the ball ( ) by a remote electrical pulse generator system ( ) are picked up by a receiving antenna of the ball ( ), and are applied to an electrode pair of the ball ( ) to cause the mass of nervous system tissue ( ) of the brain located between output pads of the electrode to become stimulated, as therapy for a pathological condition.

US Patent:

6423056, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Dec 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/475819

Inventors:

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Assignee:

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

International Classification:

A61B 1818

US Classification:

606 28, 600 12, 607113

Abstract:

A method of tumor ablation using injectable thermal-sensing balls. A catheter system ( ) is used to inject a slurry ( ) of thermal-sensing balls ( ) into a tumor ( ) located in, for example, a liver ( ). The catheter system ( ) comprises a catheter ( ) and a specialized syringe ( ) consisting of a housing ( ) and a plunger ( ). The housing ( ) includes a cylindrical chamber having the slurry ( ) of thermal-sensing balls ( ). The catheter ( ) is inserted retrograde into the femoral artery and passed to the site of the tumor ( ). The hepatic artery ( ) branches into smaller vessels, one of which is a tumor artery ( ) which feeds the tumor ( ). The tip of the catheter ( ) is placed in the tumor artery ( ) guided by conventional fluoroscopy. The injected balls ( ) then receive energy from an external control system ( ). The system ( ) comprises a control panel ( ) as an operator interface for controlling the system ( ) and reading data therefrom.

US Patent:

6447448, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

Dec 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/475820

Inventors:

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Assignee:

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

International Classification:

A61B 500

US Classification:

600300, 600373, 600377, 128899

Abstract:

A substantially spherical semiconductor ball implanted in orthopedic structures for sensing and/or stimulation. In one embodiment, a vertebral column ( ) having a number of intervertebral discs ( ) interspersed among respective vertebral bodies ( ), material placed in intervertebral discs ( ) allows for a semi-synthetic vertebral disc ( ) to be constructed. The artificial intervertebral disk ( ) contains one or more ball sensors ( ) located within the body of the disk ( ) in order to monitor the compression forces. Conventionally, the semi-synthetic disc ( ) is monitored only retrospectively, and visualized on x-ray. In this particular embodiment, any of a number of semi-synthetic intervertebral discs ( ) can be implanted with one or more ball sensors ( ) such that stress and compression forces can be monitored to assure proper alignment of vertebrae ( ) in the vertebral column ( ), and to monitor the development of any nonphysiologic forces due to vertebral degeneration, disk malfunction, and so on.

US Patent:

6464687, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Mar 9, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/521922

Inventors:

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hayes - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Assignee:

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

International Classification:

A61K 922

US Classification:

6048911

Abstract:

A miniature implantable drug delivery capsule system. The drug delivery system ( ) comprises one or more ball semiconductor aggregations ( ) and ( ) facilitating release of a drug stored in a reservoir ( ). The first aggregate ( ) is used for sensing and memory, and a second aggregation ( ) for control aspects, such as for pumping and dispensing of the drug. Notably, the aggregates ( ) and ( ) may be interconnected by a common bus ( ) for communication purposes, or may be implemented to operate independently of each other. Each aggregate ( ) and ( ) is encased in a semipermeable membrane ( ) to allow species which are to be monitored, and drugs to be delivered, to freely diffuse. The system ( ) may communicate with a remote control system, or operate independently on local power over a long period for delivery of the drug based upon a request of the patient, timed-release under control by the system ( ), or delivery in accordance with measured markers.

US Patent:

8027773, Sep 27, 2011

Filed:

Aug 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/891427

Inventors:

Samuel S. Ahn - Torrance CA, US

Assignee:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Erlanger KY

International Classification:

G08G 1/16
B60T 8/24

US Classification:

701 70, 701301

Abstract:

Method and systems for automated anticipatory braking of a vehicle are provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a vehicle accelerator movable between a maximum speed position and a minimum speed position, and a sensor configured to determine the rate of travel of the accelerator toward the minimum speed position. The system further comprises a controller configured to utilize the rate of travel of the accelerator to determine if a rapid braking condition is desired, and to provide a control signal to apply increased negative torque to the drive wheels of the vehicle prior to the user applying the vehicle brake. In some embodiments, driver history and/or other vehicle conditions are taken into account. In some embodiments, negative torque is applied via varying of valve timing, control of combustion chamber intake, control of exhaust backpressure, control of motor energy, and/or shifting of a transmission to a numerically higher speed ratio.

US Patent:

8099226, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/614322

Inventors:

Samuel S. Ahn - Torrance CA, US

Assignee:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Erlanger KY

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

701103

Abstract:

A system and method for throttle control during a second gear start in a vehicle with a manual transmission. A powertrain control module (PCM) is coupled to a throttle and is configured to control movement of the throttle according to a winter mode e-throttle map that is stored in the PCM. The PCM is configured to control the throttle based upon the winter mode e-throttle map upon detection of a second gear start condition.

US Patent:

8255133, Aug 28, 2012

Filed:

Jun 5, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/479347

Inventors:

Samuel S. Ahn - Torrance CA, US

Assignee:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Erlanger KY

International Classification:

F16H 61/00

US Classification:

701 64, 340441

Abstract:

An improper gear shift timing indicator system for a manual transmission vehicle. The system includes a gear position detector for detecting gear position information and a control unit in communication with the gear position detector. The control unit is configured to detect a gear shift event based on a change in the gear position information. The control unit measures elapsed time during the gear shift event and compares the elapsed time with a threshold value, which is based on various vehicle operating parameters and the given gear shift event. A signal system is in communication with the control unit and the control unit causes the signal system to provide a signal to a driver of the vehicle when the elapsed time of the gear shift event is less than the threshold value.