Patents Examined by John Lee
  • Patent number: 10240950
    Abstract: A scale is configured to measure a displacement or velocity of a rotating object. The scale includes a first region that includes a first mark row including a plurality of marks arranged in a first period, and a second region that includes a second mark row including a plurality of marks arranged in a second period having a phase continuity with the first mark row formed in the first region. A periodic mark row including the first mark row and the second mark row is formed over an entire circumference of the rotating object including the first region and the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10229820
    Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are directed to optical detector and optical systems. In some examples, the optical detector can include a plurality of dynodes, in which one or more of the dynodes are coupled to an electrometer. In other configurations, each dynode can be coupled to a respective electrometer. Methods using the optical detectors are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Urs Steiner, Daniel Robert Marshak
  • Patent number: 10209103
    Abstract: A linear encoder includes a scale disposed within a housing and a scanning unit that is displaceable in a measuring direction relative to the scale. The scanning unit includes a scanning head disposed inside of the housing opposite to the scale such that the scale is scannable by the scanning head, as well as a mount to which the scanning head is fastened, and a driving component, via which the mount is coupled to a mounting base disposed outside of the housing. A vibration damper suppresses vibrations transversely to the measuring direction. The vibration damper is disposed on the mount or on the scanning head, and includes a damping mass and an elastic element. The damping mass is fastened by the elastic element to an attachment surface of the mount or of the scanning head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Daisuke Shimoda, Katsumi Motoyuki, Yoshio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10205533
    Abstract: A method and system for optoelectronic receivers utilizing waveguide heterojunction phototransistors (HPTs) integrated in a wafer are disclosed and may include receiving optical signals via optical fibers operably coupled to a top surface of the chip. Electrical signals may be generated utilizing HPTs that detect the optical signals. The electrical signals may be amplified via voltage amplifiers, or transimpedance amplifiers, the outputs of which may be utilized to bias the HPTs by a feedback network. The optical signals may be coupled into opposite ends of the HPTs. A collector of the HPTs may comprise a silicon layer and a germanium layer, a base may comprise a silicon germanium alloy with germanium composition ranging from 70% to 100%, and an emitter including crystalline or poly Si or SiGe. The optical signals may be demodulated by communicating a mixer signal to a base terminal of the HPTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.
    Inventors: Gianlorenzo Masini, Subal Sahni
  • Patent number: 10197729
    Abstract: As a result of the size of the detector elements thereof, optoelectronic detectors such as photoelectron multipliers comprising a light-entry region sealed by a protective disc can only be used with much outlay for recording an image of a diffraction-limited focus volume in a two-dimensional spatially resolved manner, even if the image is significantly magnified in relation to the focus volume. The novel detector is intended to enable the spatially resolved detection of point spread functions with little outlay and high accuracy. 2.2 For this purpose, a body made of glass or glass ceramics comprising an opening, in which one end of an optical fiber is arranged, is cemented to the cover disc in such a way that the end of the optical fiber faces the cover disc and the optical axis thereof intersects the light-entry region. Thus, the relative position of optical fiber and entry region can be provided permanently with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg Steinert, Oliver Holub, Gunther Lorenz
  • Patent number: 10196855
    Abstract: A sensor assembly comprises a housing having a major face and a side edge. The side edge is formed of a material that is capable of conducting light. A photosensitive element is positioned within the housing and facing the major face of the housing. A reflector is positioned within the housing. The reflector is shaped to direct light entering through the side edge onto the photosensitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Blair, Stephen Lundy, Brandon L. Szoke, David A. Kirby
  • Patent number: 10200573
    Abstract: The imaging device includes a pixel array and first to seventh circuits. The first and second circuits select a pixel in the pixel array. The third circuit performs difference calculation between imaging data of the first frame and the second frame in the selected pixels. The fourth and the fifth circuits output addresses of the row and column of the pixels which has been subjected to the difference calculation. A row address and a column address for determining a specific region of the pixel array are stored in the sixth circuit. The seventh circuit compares coordinates included in the specific region with coordinates of pixels where a difference is detected. If the coordinates of the pixels where a difference is detected are included in the specific region which has been stored in the sixth circuit, imaging data is obtained again and is output to the external devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Yoneda, Shuhei Maeda
  • Patent number: 10190893
    Abstract: A scale has a first pattern area and a second pattern areas disposed with an offset from the first pattern area in a measurement direction by 1/(2×s) of pitch. A detection head detects interference fringes caused by positive s-th-order diffracted beams and negative s-th-order diffracted beams diffracted by the scale, and output a detection result. A signal processing unit detects a reference position based on a position where light intensity is lower than a predetermined value which appears in a light intensity distribution of the interference fringes, and detects incremental positions based on the interference fringes which appear at other positions. The detection head includes a light source, a detecting unit configured to output the detection result of the beams radiated onto light receiving devices to the signal processing unit, and an optical system configured to image positive s-th-order diffracted beams and negative s-th-order diffracted beams on the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihide Kimura
  • Patent number: 10194064
    Abstract: A camera module and an array camera module based on an integral packing process are disclosed. The camera module or each of the camera module units of the array camera module includes a circuit board, an integral base, a photosensitive element operatively connected to the circuit board, a lens, a light filter holder installed at the integral base and a light filter installed at the light filter holder. The light filter is not required to be directly installed to the integral base, so that the light filter is protected and the requiring area of the light filter is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Bojie Zhao, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10190892
    Abstract: A scale is provided with a reference mark and an incremental pattern. A detection head is relatively movable in a measurement direction with respect to the scale, and detects a light intensity distribution of diffracted beams if beams radiated onto the scale are diffracted by the reference mark, and outputs the detection result. A signal processing unit detects a reference position based on a position in the light intensity distribution where light intensity is lower than a predetermined value. The reference position has a plurality of pattern areas having a plurality of patterns arranged with a predetermined pitch in the measurement direction. At least one pattern area of the plurality of pattern areas is disposed with an offset from a neighboring pattern area in the measurement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihide Kimura
  • Patent number: 10193635
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode (APD) bias control method may include acquiring a photocurrent intensity voltage and generating a control signal by superposing the acquired photocurrent intensity voltage and a bias setting signal, wherein the control signal controls a voltage drop between an adjustable power supply output voltage and a voltage of the APD. The APB bias control method may further include adjusting the adjustable power supply output voltage and the bias setting signal simultaneously so that the voltage drop is within a target voltage drop range and the APD bias voltage approaches a bias voltage that corresponds to an APD optical input power. An avalanche photodiode (APD) bias controller and an avalanche photodiode (APD) photoelectric receiver are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: InnoLight Technology (Suzhou) Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiangzhong Wang
  • Patent number: 10190916
    Abstract: A system for type-2 ghost imaging of an object located in or obstructed by a turbulent air section includes a thermal light source, a beamsplitter configured to split light from the thermal light source into two optical paths of substantially equal length, a surface divided into two regions of equal area, a first region including the object and a second region that does not include the object, a narrowband spectral filter, and at least one detector having a predetermined spatial resolution and a predetermined temporal resolution. The object is located on one side of the turbulent air section and the at least one detector is located on another side of the turbulent air section. The at least one detector may be a large area picosecond photo-detector (LAPPD) having a spatial resolution of the order of millimeters and a temporal resolution of the order of 10 to 100 picoseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventor: Bernhard W. Adams
  • Patent number: 10192922
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels coupled to analog-to-digital conversion circuitry formed from pinned photodiode charge transfer circuits. Majority charge carriers for the pinned photodiodes in the charge transfer circuits may be electrons for photodiode wells formed from n-type doped regions and may be holes for photodiode formed from p-type doped regions. Pinned photodiodes may be used for charge integration onto a capacitive circuit node. Pinned photodiodes may also be used for charge subtraction from a capacitive circuit node. Comparator circuitry may be used to determine digital values for the pixel output levels in accordance with single-slope conversion, successive-approximation-register conversion, cyclic conversion, and first or second order delta-sigma conversion techniques. The array of image pixels used for imaging may have a conversion mode wherein at least a portion of the pixel circuitry in the array are operated similar to the charge transfer circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Panicacci
  • Patent number: 10190960
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides improved optical systems for particle processing (e.g., cytometry including microfluidic based sorters, drop sorters, and/or cell purification) systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous micro-lens array optical detection assemblies for particle (e.g., cells, microscopic particles, etc.) processing systems and methods (e.g., for analyzing, sorting, processing, purifying, measuring, isolating, detecting, monitoring and/or enriching particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: CYTONOME/ST, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Charles Sharpe, Donald Francis Perrault, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10188007
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical unit for an opto-electronic system, said optical unit comprising: a first and a second opto-electronic component; a casing suitable for containing said first and second opto-electronic component; and a fastening system suitable for connecting together said first and second opto-electronic components, characterized in that said fastening system is fixed to a first end of said first opto-electronic component and to a first end of said second opto-electronic component and comprises: an elastic device movable between an undeformed operative position and a compressed operative position, and a mechanical fastening device suitable for taking said elastic device into said compressed operative position when said mechanical fastening device couples together said first and said second optoelectronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Datalogic IP Tech S.r.l.
    Inventor: Luca Rossetti
  • Patent number: 10184892
    Abstract: A monitoring system configured to receive an on-line sample associated with a process includes a sample chamber positioned to receive the on-line sample and a detector positioned to selectively receive and detect multiple wavelengths of light transmitted through the sample during an absorbance measurement, and emitted by the sample during a fluorescence measurement in response to illumination by each of the at least one excitation wavelength. An optical fiber couples light transmitted through the sample and directs the transmitted light to the multi-channel detector during the absorbance measurement. Optics direct light emitted by the sample during the fluorescence measurement to the detector without passing through any optical fiber. A computer in communication with the detector is configured to correct the fluorescence measurement using the absorbance measurement and determine a sample parameter based on the fluorescence and absorbance measurements of the on-line sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, HORIBA ADVANCED TECH CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Matthew Gilmore, Kiichiro Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10180504
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a system having a detection sensor array, which includes multiple detection sensors with each detection sensor having an enabled state and a disabled state, and having a control module configured to operate the detection sensor array. Under the enabled state, each detection sensor is configured to detect and identify electromagnetic radiation, and under the disabled state, each detection sensor is configured not to detect and identify electromagnetic radiation. Further, the detection sensor array comprises a test state and an operational state. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignees: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
    Inventors: Joseph Smith, Eric Forsythe, David Allee
  • Patent number: 10171170
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a multi-channel parallel optical transceiver module. The disclosed optical transceiver module/device may include a shell body and a circuit board located in the shell body, and an optical emitter base soldered to a first end of the circuit board. A notch located on the base, for engaging the first end of the circuit board, and the optical emitter base engaged with the first end of the circuit board may be soldered to two sides of the circuit board. The optical emitters may be disposed in parallel on the base, and separated from each other by a block. A lens and a laser may be disposed at a first side of each of the optical emitters that is adjacent to the circuit board, and an optical monitor may be disposed on a second end of the circuit board adjacent to the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Global Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Jian-Hong Luo, Chao-Hung Tsai, Che-Shou Yeh, Lai-Wei Lu
  • Patent number: 10168493
    Abstract: An optical module includes: a stem; a temperature control module; a carrier; a light emitting element fixed on a light emitting element fixing surface of the carrier, having a front surface and a rear surface opposite to each other, emitting signal light from a first emission point in the front surface, and emitting back light from a second emission point in the rear surface; a light receiving element fixed on the carrier by a light receiving element fixing surface; a lens cap; and a lens, wherein a reflecting surface is provided on the carrier, the light receiving element receives the back light reflected by the reflecting surface, and a center of a light receiving surface of the light receiving element is positioned between the front surface and the rear surface in an optical axis direction of the signal light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Shirasaki, Norio Okada, Nobuo Ohata
  • Patent number: 10156510
    Abstract: A particle imaging apparatus comprises a flow path comprising a first flow path section, a second flow path section connected downstream of the first flow path section, and a third flow path section that is branched from the first flow path section, a particle detection unit comprising a light source and a light detector, a particle sorting unit configured to adjust a flow direction of the particle, and a particle imaging unit configured to take an image of a particle that flows in the second flow path section. The flow path is structured such that a cross-sectional area of the second flow path section is greater than a cross-sectional area of the first flow path section. The first flow path section and the second flow path section are disposed so as to be linearly aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SYSMEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiichiro Tabata, Masaki Ishisaka, Kenji Akama, Yoshinobu Miura, Masatoshi Yanagida