Author: claimsbot

1. A method of acquiring image data of a subject with an imaging system, comprising:
determining a region of the subject to acquire image data;
calling from a memory system a start position of an image detector;
calling from the memory system an end position of the image detector;
calling from the memory system a path from the start position to the end position, said path being defined based on an analysis of image acquisition data of a plurality of patients;
moving the image detector relative to the determined region of the subject from the start position to the end position along the called path;
detecting radiation with the image detector at a selected rate as the image detector moves along the path; and
forming a reconstruction of the determined region of the subject based at least in part on the detected radiation that passed through the subject.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory system includes a physical memory system having stored thereon instructions regarding movement of the image detector from the start position to the end position based upon the determined region;
wherein the stored instructions include both physical movements of the image detector and timing of image data collection.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein calling from the memory system includes inputting the determined region into a processor system and accessing the memory system with the processing system to retrieve the instructions and execute the instructions to drive movement of the image detector;
wherein moving the image detector includes moving the image detector based upon the instructions executed with the processor system.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
positioning the subject within a substantially annular gantry housing to encircle at least determined region of the subject;
wherein moving the image detector includes moving the image detector within the substantially annular gantry housing.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein moving the image detector further includes iso-swaying the gantry housing, tilting the gantry housing relative to a longitudinal axis of the subject, moving the gantry housing axially along the longitudinal axis of the subject, moving the gantry perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the subject, and moving the gantry housing transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the subject.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the image detector includes moving the image detector substantially 360\xb0 around the subject in a substantially non-circular path.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the image detector includes moving the image detector less than 360\xb0 around the subject in a substantially non-circular path.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the image detector includes automatically moving the image detector along a non-symmetrical path based on the called path and acquiring image data of the determined region of the subject to form a three dimensional reconstruction of the determined region of the subject by moving the image detector in a substantially non-circular path;
wherein forming a reconstruction of the determined region of the subject includes forming a substantially three dimensional reconstruction of the determined region of the subject.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a reconstruction of the determined region of the subject includes forming a reconstruction of the subject based upon an algebraic iterative process of reducing an error between theoretical projection image data computed from a stylized model and image data by detecting radiation of the image detector as the image detector moves along the path.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein moving the image detector includes moving the image detector substantially automatically without intervention of a user once the path is called.
11. A method of acquiring image data of a subject with an imaging system, comprising:
selecting a region of a human subject to be imaged with an x-ray imaging system having an x-ray radiation detector;
defining a predetermined non-symmetrical non-circular path based on an analysis of image acquisition data of a plurality of patients;
moving the x-ray radiation detector along the predetermined non-symmetrical non-circular path relative to the human subject while detecting x-ray radiation from a x-ray source moving in combination with the x-ray radiation detector; and
detecting x-ray radiation with the x-ray radiation detector from substantially 360 degrees around the human subject;
wherein moving the x-ray radiation detector includes moving the x-ray radiation detector in a substantially non-symmetrical non-circular manner.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the x-ray radiation detector and the x-ray source is housed within a gantry that is operable to substantially annularly encompass the human subject.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gantry is operable to be moved from a first operating theater to a second operating theater with a wheeled structure to which the gantry is mounted.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the gantry is moveably mounted relative to the wheeled structure wherein the wheeled structure is operable to be fixed relative to the human subject while moving the x-ray radiation detector and detecting x-ray radiation.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein moving the x-ray radiation detector includes moving the gantry axially along a longitudinal axis of the human subject, iso-swaying the gantry relative to the wheeled structure, tilting the gantry relative to the wheeled structure, moving the gantry transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the human subject, moving the gantry perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the human subject, and combinations thereof to move the x-ray radiation detector in the substantially non-circular and non-symmetrical path.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein moving the x-ray radiation detector along a predetermined path includes moving the x-ray radiation detector along a path defined in a three dimensional space by movements of both the x-ray radiation detector within the gantry and the gantry relative to the wheeled structure andor the human subject.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the path may be continuous and wherein the x-ray radiation detector moves in a substantially non-stop manner relative to the subject.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the path includes oscillations of the x-ray radiation detector and wherein the x-ray radiation detector moves back over a portion of movement already traversed by the x-ray radiation detector.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined path is determined based upon known movement limitations of the x-ray radiation detector, the gantry, and the selected region of the human subject based upon analysis of a plurality of human subjects and a selected orientation of detecting x-ray radiation with the x-ray radiation detector to acquire appropriate image data of the current human subject to generate a three dimensional reconstruction of the selected region of the current human subject.
20. A method of acquiring image data of a subject with an imaging system, comprising:
positioning a gantry to completely encompass a region of interest;
positioning the gantry in a predetermined first orientation relative to the region of interest based upon known possible movements of the gantry and a detector within the gantry to acquire a selected image data set of a portion of the region of interest;
moving at least one of the gantry and the detector to a predetermined final orientation automatically without intervention of a user relative to the portion of the region of interest while acquiring image data of the portion of the region of interest to acquire the selected image data set of the portion of the region of interest by moving one of the gantry and the detector axially along a longitudinal axis of a human subject, iso-swaying one of the gantry and the detector relative to a wheeled structure, tilting one of the gantry and the detector relative to the wheeled structure, moving one of the gantry and the detector transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the human subject, moving one of the gantry and the detector perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the human subject, and combinations thereof to move the relative location of the x-ray radiation detector in a substantially non-circular and non-symmetrical path;
constructing a three-dimensional model of the portion of the region of interest using an algebraic algorithm with the acquired image data; and
displaying the three-dimensional model.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein moving at least one of the gantry and the detector includes moving both of the gantry and the detector at least one of sequentially and simultaneously to move the detector relative to the region of interest in a substantially spiral pattern to acquire the selected image data set of the region of interest.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein known possible movements of the gantry in the detector include testing movements and sampling amounts of the region of interest positioned within the gantry to acquire an appropriate sampling of detected x-ray radiation with the detector to acquire the selected image data set of the region of interest.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein constructing the three dimensional model of the portion of the region of interest includes executing instructions with one or more processors to iteratively form a three dimensional virtual model of the portion of the region of interest with the selected image data set of the region of interest;
wherein the iterative process includes decreasing an error in theoretical projection from theoretical model relating thereto and the constructed three dimension model of the portion of the region of interest.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the gantry is moveably mounted to a wheeled cart and operable to be moved from a first operating theatre to a second operating theatre and relative to the region of interest to encompass the region of interest within the gantry;
wherein the gantry is operable to move relative to the wheeled cart from the predetermined first orientation to the predetermined final orientation.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined first orientation and the predetermined final orientation along with a path for moving the gantry and the detector from the predetermined first orientation to the predetermined final orientation are stored with a memory device;
wherein a processor accesses the stored predetermined first orientation, stored predetermined final orientation, and stored predetermined path information to instruct movement of the gantry and the detector to acquire the selected image data set of the region of interest.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein moving at least one of the gantry and the detector to a predetermined final orientation automatically without intervention includes moving the at least one of the gantry and the detector to a predetermined final orientation is based on a predetermined movement of moving the at least one of the gantry and the detector to acquire image data necessary to construct the three-dimensional model of the portion of the region of interest using the algebraic algorithm.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A computer enclosure, comprising:
a chassis comprising a bottom panel and a side panel with a vent defined therein;
a heat generating component attached in the chassis;
a heat sink attached on the heat generating component;
a heat dissipation fan having a fixing hole defined therein; and
an airflow guide comprising a first portion and a second portion separated from the first portion, the fan is located between the first portion and the second portion, a first side of the fan is mounted to the first portion, and a second side of the fan is mounted to the second portion.
2. The computer enclosure of claim 1, wherein a securing hole is defined in the side panel of the chassis; the first portion comprises a securing hook engaging in the securing hole.
3. The computer enclosure of claim 2, wherein the first portion further comprises a mounting panel secured to the fan and a plurality of encasing panels extending from side edges of the mounting panel; the securing hook protrudes from one of the encasing panels.
4. The computer enclosure of claim 3, wherein an opening aligned with the first side of the fan is defined in the mounting panel; an airflow passage surrounded by the encasing panels communicates with the opening and the vent of the chassis.
5. The computer enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a latch structure latchably engaging with the fan.
6. The computer enclosure of claim 5, wherein the latch structure comprises a pressing portion and securing portion, the pressing portion and the securing portion are movable along opposite directions; the securing portion is capable of securing the fan.
7. The computer enclosure of claim 6, wherein a central portion of the latch structure is immovable.
8. The computer enclosure of claim 7, wherein the second portion further comprises an upper panel, a pair of side panels connected to the top panel, and a lower connecting panel connected to the side panels of the second portion; the connecting panel comprises a fixing post engaging with the fixing hole of the fan.
9. A computer enclosure, comprising:
a chassis comprising a bottom panel and a side panel with a vent defined therein;
a heat generating component attached in the chassis;
a heat sink attached on the heat generating component;
a heat dissipation fan having a fixing hole defined therein;
a first duct attached between a first side of the fan and the vent of the chassis;
a second duct attached to a second side of the fan and covering the heat generating component, the second duct comprising a resilient latch structure securing the second side of the fan in the second duct.
10. The computer enclosure of claim 9, wherein a securing hole is defined in the side panel of the chassis, the first duct comprises a securing hook engaged in the securing hole.
11. The computer enclosure of claim 10, wherein the first duct further comprises a mounting panel secured to the fan and a plurality of encasing panels extending from side edges of the mounting panel; the securing hook protrudes from one of the encasing panels.
12. The computer enclosure of claim 11, wherein an airflow opening aligned with the first side of the fan is defined in the mounting panel; an airflow passage surrounded by the encasing panels communicates with the airflow opening and the vent of the chassis.
13. The computer enclosure of claim 9, wherein the latch structure comprises a pressing portion and a securing portion, the pressing portion and the securing portion are movable along opposite directions; the securing portion is capable of securing the fan.
14. The computer enclosure of claim 13, wherein a central portion of the latch structure is immovable.
15. The computer enclosure of claim 14, wherein the second duct further comprises an upper panel, a pair of side panels is connected to the top panel, and a lower connecting panel connected to the side panels; the connecting panel comprises a fixing post engaging with the fixing hole of the fan.
16. The computer enclosure of claim 14, wherein an opening is defined in each of the side panels of the second duct; the central portion of the latch structure is connected to an edge of the opening.

1. A fluid temperature adjusting device comprising:
a heater configured to heat a fluid passing through a fluid passageway;
a peltier module including a plurality of peltier elements, the peltier module being configured to heat or cool the fluid passing through the fluid passageway; and
a controller configured to divide a total thermal energy for keeping the fluid at a target temperature into a thermal energy to be supplied from the heater and a thermal energy to be supplied from the peltier module to give the total thermal energy from both the heater and the peltier module to the fluid.
2. The fluid temperature adjusting device according to claim 1,
wherein the controller is configured to change a ratio between an operation amount of the heater and an operation amount of the peltier module depending on a magnitude of the thermal energy to be supplied to the fluid.
3. The fluid temperature adjusting device according to claim 2,
wherein the controller is configured to control the heater and the peltier module so that the operation amount of the peltier module becomes larger than the operation amount of the heater when the total thermal energy to be supplied to the fluid is smaller than a predetermined value.
4. The fluid temperature adjusting device according to claim 1,
wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the heater by a cycle control or a duty control.
5. The fluid temperature adjusting device according to claim 1,
wherein the controller is configured to change the thermal energy to be supplied by each of the peltier module and the heater while keeping a ratio between an operation amount of the peltier module and an operation amount of the heater at a constant value when the thermal energy to be supplied to the fluid changes.
6. The fluid temperature adjusting device according to claim 1,
wherein the controller is configured to monotonously increase a supply amount of the heater and a supply amount of the peltier module.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An exhaust system for a dual-fuel engine that is provided with a first fuel and a different second fuel for combustion, comprising:
an exhaust passageway;
an exhaust treatment component provided in the exhaust passageway, the exhaust treatment component being configured to treat exhaust from combustion of the second fuel and not from combustion of the first fuel;
a thermal enhancement device in communication with the exhaust passageway and located upstream from the exhaust treatment component; and
a controller for activating and deactivating the thermal enhancement device based on switching from the first fuel to the second fuel, wherein the first fuel has a higher sulfur content than the second fuel,
wherein the thermal enhancement device increases a temperature of an exhaust to combust a residual amount of the first fuel present in the exhaust passageway during the switch between the first fuel and the second fuel.
2. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust treatment component is a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) component.
3. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust by-pass pipe for by-passing the exhaust treatment component.
4. The exhaust system of claim 3, further comprising a valve that is operable to open and close the exhaust by-pass pipe.
5. The exhaust system of claim 3, further comprising a bleed passage in communication between the exhaust passageway and the exhaust by-pass pipe.
6. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the thermal enhancement device is activated before the switch, simultaneously with the switch, or immediately following the switch from the first fuel to the second fuel.
7. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the thermal enhancement device comprises a burner for combusting residual fuel present in the exhaust passageway prior to the residual fuel entering the exhaust treatment component.
8. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the thermal enhancement device is operated for a predetermined amount of time after the supply of the first fuel to the engine is discontinued.
9. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust generated by engine combustion of the first fuel escapes to atmosphere prior to entering the exhaust treatment component and the exhaust generated by engine combustion of the second fuel passes through the exhaust treatment component, wherein after discontinuing the supply of the first fuel to the ending, the residual amount of first fuel that was not combusted by the engine is combusted by the thermal enhancement device and the exhaust from the thermal enhancement device passes through the exhaust treatment component.
10. A method of treating exhaust produced by a dual-fuel engine that is operable to switch between a first fuel and a second fuel, comprising operating a thermal enhancement device that raises an exhaust temperature while switching between the first fuel and the second fuel.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first fuel has a greater sulfur content than the second fuel.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising treating exhaust produced through combustion of the second fuel with an exhaust treatment device.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the exhaust treatment component is an SCR.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising expelling exhaust produced through combustion of the first fuel into the atmosphere before treating the exhaust produced through combustion of the second fuel with an exhaust treatment device.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the thermal enhancement device to combust a residual amount of the first fuel present in the exhaust emitted by the engine and supplying the exhaust from the thermal enhancement device to the exhaust treatment component.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermal enhancement device is operated before switching the fuels, during switching of the fuels, or after switching of the fuels.