Patents Examined by Constantine Hannaher
  • Patent number: 9396916
    Abstract: An electrokinetic pump can be used to deliver calibrant (“lock mass”) ions to a mass spectrometer for calibration of a mass spectrometry system. Electrokinetically controlled calibrant delivery can help to eliminate the need for the more cumbersome mechanisms that are often used for ion delivery. In addition, electrokinetically controlled calibrant delivery can provide for a more user-friendly system in which a calibrant solution can be packaged into a disposable cartridge. Furthermore, when implemented in a microfluidic format, electrokinetically controlled calibrant delivery can be coupled with an electrokinetically controlled separation system, such as capillary electrophoresis (CE), to allow efficient solid-state switching between analytical and calibrant sprays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Geoff C. Gerhardt, Keith Fadgen
  • Patent number: 9255847
    Abstract: Thermo-optical array devices and methods of processing thermo-optical array devices are disclosed. One method of processing thermo-optical array devices includes forming a (001) oriented titanium dioxide material on a bolometer material, and forming a vanadium dioxide material on the (001) oriented titanium dioxide material. One thermo-optical array device includes a bolometer material, a titanium dioxide material on the bolometer material, and a vanadium dioxide material on the titanium dioxide material, wherein the vanadium dioxide material has an optical transition temperature of less than 67 degrees Celsius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Barrett E. Cole
  • Patent number: 9244180
    Abstract: Large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors with sub-nanosecond time resolution based on microchannel plates are provided. The large-area, flat-panel photo-detectors enable the economic construction of sampling calorimeters with, for example, enhanced capability to measure local energy deposition, depth-of-interaction, time-of-flight, and/or directionality of showers. In certain embodiments, sub-nanosecond timing resolution supplies correlated position and time measurements over large areas. The use of thin flat-panel viewing radiators on both sides of a radiation-creating medium allows simultaneous measurement of Cherenkov and scintillation radiation in each layer of the calorimeter. The detectors may be used in a variety of applications including, for example, medical imaging, security, and particle and nuclear physics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Henry Frisch, Herve Grabas, Fukun Tang, Eric J. Oberla, Michael Minot
  • Patent number: 9234967
    Abstract: System and method for linearization of photometric response of an imaging sensor of a multi-camera flat panel X-Ray detector. The linearization includes acquiring by the imaging sensor, during a linearization phase, at least two images related to detectable radiation radiated by a scintillator in response to X-Ray radiation generated by an X-Ray source at a field of view of the imaging sensor, wherein the intensity of the X-Ray radiation generated by the X-Ray source is different for each of the images, measuring by a light energy measurement unit, substantially simultaneously with the acquiring of each of the images, at least two corresponding levels of energy of the detectable radiation, wherein the light energy measurement unit is substantially linear at the range of operation, and calculating an inverse response function to the imaging sensor based on the images and on the corresponding levels of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GENERIC IMAGING LTD
    Inventors: Eduard Batkilin, Irina Karelin, Alex Feldman
  • Patent number: 9228903
    Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems relating to infrared imager devices, methods for providing infrared imagers, methods of operating infrared imagers, and infrared imager systems are disclosed. An infrared imager system includes a number of lenses, a beam splitter, an imager array, and a thermo-optical array, wherein the beam splitter directs light to the imaging array and to the thermo-optical array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert Higashi, Yue Liu, Teresa M. Marta
  • Patent number: 9228989
    Abstract: A sensor device to detect a level of carbon dioxide in a body of gas includes one or more lead selenide detectors as infrared sensing elements. The sensor device operates without temperature regulation required by conventional lead selenide-based sensors, and instead measurements of the sensor device are compensated for a temperature measured by a thermal sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Eugene Peter Gerety, John Glaberson
  • Patent number: 9226712
    Abstract: A physiological sensor having reduced sensitivity to interference includes a light source, a light detector in optical communication with the light source, and a sensor pad at least partially housing the light source and the light detector. The sensor pad is configured to be capacitively isolated from a patient. Moreover, the physiological sensor may be electrically connected to an amplifier having a signal ground and a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Oleg Gonopolskiy, Arik Anderson
  • Patent number: 9222881
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for the determination of the secondary structure composition of proteins using coherent two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) spectroscopy of backbone amide I vibrations (1580-1720 cm?1). Fractions of ?-helix, ?-sheet, and unassigned regions in globular proteins were determined by singular value decomposition using basis spectra from sixteen commercially-available proteins with known crystal structures. Preferred methods included removing each protein from the set and comparing the predicted composition against the crystal structure. The root-mean-squared (RMS) errors of the predicted secondary structure compositions were found to be 7.9% for ?-helix, 5.5% for ?-sheet, and 7.6% for unassigned regions. The structure analysis can also be performed using one-dimensional absorption spectra and the RMS errors are compared with those obtained from 2DIR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Carlos R. Baiz, Kevin C. Jones, Andrei Tokmakoff
  • Patent number: 9211695
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a light source, an optical filter, and an optical detector. The monitoring device may monitor curing processes, such as ultraviolet (UV) curing processes to determine the progression of the level of cure of a light-activated material to a substrate. The light source emits light toward a light-activated material, such as a film, and/or a substrate. The optical filter is positioned so that a wavelength of the light is transmitted through the optical filter after the light is reflected off of the substrate and/or the film. The optical detector is positioned to detect the light that is transmitted through the optical filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Christopher Paulson
  • Patent number: 9204952
    Abstract: A 3D measurement of teeth occurs while exciting fluorescence in the volume of the teeth. To this end, use is made of suitable radiation which, as a result of the fluorescence, is therefore strongly absorbed. As a result of this, the problem of translucence when measuring teeth is significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Smart Optics Sensortechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Lampalzer
  • Patent number: 9201160
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole. The method includes using a first radiation responsive component to detect gamma rays having an energy below a threshold energy; using a second radiation responsive component configured to detect gamma rays that traverse the first radiation responsive component; generating a reduced-Compton gamma ray spectrum by generating an anticoincidence gamma ray spectrum indicative of the gamma rays detected by the first radiation responsive component and the gamma rays detected by the second radiation responsive component. The anticoincidence gamma ray spectrum represents those gamma rays of the gamma rays detected by the second radiation responsive component that are not detected in coincidence with the gamma rays detected by the first radiation responsive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Maxim Vasilyev, Toyli Anniyev, Freddy E. Mendez, John M. Longo
  • Patent number: 9202668
    Abstract: The electrical charging by a primary electronic is inhibited to produce a clear edge contrast from an observation specimen (i.e., a specimen to be observed), whereby the shape of the surface of a sample can be measured with high accuracy. An observation specimen in which a liquid medium comprising an ionic liquid is formed in a thin-film-like or a webbing-film-like form on a sample is used. An electron microscopy using the observation specimen comprises: a step of measuring the thickness of a liquid medium comprising an ionic liquid on a sample; a step of controlling the conditions for irradiation with a primary electron on the basis of the thickness of the liquid medium comprising the ionic liquid; and a step of irradiating the sample with the primary electron under the above-mentioned primary electron irradiation conditions to form an image of the shape of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Miwa, Yoichi Ose, Eiko Nakazawa, Mami Konomi, Shunya Watanabe, Yoshinobu Kimura, Natsuki Tsuno
  • Patent number: 9201151
    Abstract: A method of determining directionality of radiation is disclosed which comprises dividing the tensioned metastable fluid liquid volume adjacent to a radioactive source into a plurality of sectors, determining the opposing sector ratio of the respective sector and determining the direction of the radiation based on the opposing sector ratios of the plurality of sectors. The method further comprising determining directionality of incoming radiation from the tension pressure assisted elongation of bubble shapes pointing towards direction of radiation particles that interacted with nuclei of tensioned metastable fluid detector system. A device capable of carrying out these methods is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Sagamore/Adams Laboratories LLC
    Inventor: Rusi P. Taleyarkhan
  • Patent number: 9194964
    Abstract: A radiation imaging device including: a radiation amount detection pixel that generates charges in amounts corresponding to irradiated radiation amounts, a charge amplifier that accumulates charges provided from the radiation amount detection pixel, and that outputs output signals with signal levels corresponding to accumulated charge amounts; an acquisition section that acquires an output value of the charge amplifier at a time when a first accumulation duration has passed from an accumulation being started, as a first detection value, and that acquires an output value of the charge amplifier at a time when a second accumulation duration has passed from an accumulation being started, as a second detection value; and a derivation section that derives a difference between the first detection value and the second detection value as a pixel value of the radiation amount detection pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takaaki Ito
  • Patent number: 9194958
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a crystal includes thallium bromide (TlBr), one or more positively charged dopants, and one or more negatively charged dopants. According to another embodiment, a system includes a monolithic crystal including thallium bromide (TlBr), one or more positively charged dopants, and one or more negatively charged dopants; and a detector configured to detect a signal response of the crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Cedric Rocha Leao, Vincenzo Lordi
  • Patent number: 9187034
    Abstract: A component of a motor vehicle comprising a photoluminescent interior member formed of a plastic composition, wherein the plastic composition comprises at least one polymer and a plurality of additives comprising at least one photoluminescent material and at least a first ultraviolet protector, wherein the at least one photoluminescent material absorbs electromagnetic radiation in a first ultraviolet range of an electromagnetic spectrum, and thereafter emits electromagnetic radiation in a visible radiation range of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein the first ultraviolet protector is an ultraviolet absorber, wherein the ultraviolet absorber absorbs electromagnetic radiation in a second ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum and does not absorb electromagnetic radiation in the first ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sassan Tarahomi, Zachary Seguin
  • Patent number: 9188685
    Abstract: A stacked type of radiation detector and a calibration method that enables the radiation detector to correct variations in sensor-specific output easily and within a short time, without using a water-phantom dose detector. The radiation detector is equipped with a sensor section including a plurality of sensors arranged in layers in a traveling direction of a particle beam. A dummy absorber has water-equivalent thickness equal to an average water-equivalent thickness of the sensors. A signal-processing unit calculates sensor-specific calibration coefficients using a measurement result obtained during irradiation of the radiation detector with the radiation when electrical signals developed in each sensor are measured, and a measurement result obtained during irradiation of the radiation detector with the radiation when the sensor section is moved in the traveling direction of the radiation, then the dummy absorber is set in place, and electrical signals developed in each sensor are measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Taisuke Takayanagi, Hideaki Nishiuchi, Masahiro Tadokoro, Yusuke Fujii, Takeji Sakae, Toshiyuki Terunuma
  • Patent number: 9176237
    Abstract: In a coincidence determination of a PET device, the PET device uses a scintillator of radioactive isotope containing background noise due to intrinsic radioactivity as a radiation detector. The PET device counts a pair of annihilation radiations that is assumed to occur from a same nuclide. The annihilation radiations are detected within a predetermined coincidence time window by a plurality of radiation detectors. The method includes determining a coincidence with a wide energy window that allows detecting the background noise due to intrinsic radioactivity as multiple coincidences; removing the multiple coincidences; and using an energy window narrower than the wide energy window to limit a coincidence event to a coincidence event in a photopeak from a positron nuclide only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
    Inventors: Eiji Yoshida, Taiga Yamaya
  • Patent number: 9176241
    Abstract: A photon detector (10) includes a detector array (12) comprising single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors (14) configured to break down responsive to impingement of a photon. Trigger circuitry (34) is configured to generate a trigger signal responsive to break down of a SPAD detector of the detector array. Latches (20, 22) are configured to store position coordinates of SPAD detectors of the detector array that are in break down. The latches are configured to latch responsive to a trigger signal generated by the trigger circuitry. The latches may include row latches (22) each connecting with a logical “OR” combination of SPAD detectors of a corresponding row of the detector array, and column latches (20) each connecting with a logical “OR” combination of SPAD detectors of a corresponding column of the detector array. Time to digital converter (TDC) circuitry (28) may generate a digital time stamp for the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Thomas Frach
  • Patent number: 9170337
    Abstract: A method for colorimetric radiation dosimetry includes subjecting an aggregate including a polymeric matrix having uniformly dispersed nanoparticles therein to radiation. The aggregate is soaked in a solution selected to dissolve decomposed pieces of the polymeric matrix to release into the solution nanoparticles from the decomposed pieces. Color of the solution is compared to a reference to determine a dose of radiation based on number of liberated nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC
    Inventors: Qing Cao, Kangguo Cheng, Zhengwen Li, Fei Liu, Zhen Zhang