Patents Examined by Kevin Pyo
  • Patent number: 9887232
    Abstract: To provide a photodetector circuit capable of obtaining signals in different periods without being affected by characteristics of a photoelectric conversion element. The photodetector circuit has n signal output circuits (n is a natural number of 2 or more) connected to the photoelectric conversion element. Further, the n signal output circuits each include the following: a transistor whose gate potential varies in accordance with the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion element; a first switching element which holds the gate potential of the transistor; and a second switching element which controls a signal output from the transistor. Thus, after data based on the amount of light entering the photoelectric conversion elements is held as the gate potentials of the transistors, the second switching elements are turned on, whereby signals in different periods can be obtained without being affected by characteristics of the photoelectric conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Takuya Tsurume
  • Patent number: 9881963
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode sensor includes a plurality of avalanche photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material where individual avalanche photodiodes in the plurality of avalanche photodiodes have an internal electric field parallel with a first surface of the semiconductor material. The individual avalanche photodiodes in the plurality of avalanche photodiodes include a p-doped semiconductor region which extends into the semiconductor material, and an n-doped semiconductor region which extends into the semiconductor material. The internal electric field extends between the p-doped semiconductor region and the n-doped semiconductor region. Processing methods as examples are also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Eric A. G. Webster, Duli Mao, Vincent Venezia, Dyson H. Tai
  • Patent number: 9874463
    Abstract: In an optical encoder which includes a rotary plate formed with a plurality of slit arrays and a plurality of light receiving parts corresponding to the slit arrays, at least one of the outer edge of a light receiving part located on the outer side of the optical axis X of light emitted from a light emitting part and the inner edge of the light receiving part located on the inner side of the optical axis X is positioned at a greater distance from the optical axis than the edge of the slit array corresponding to the light receiving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Miaomiao Wang, Nobuyuki Ootake
  • Patent number: 9874433
    Abstract: A sensor is disclosed that provides measurements in multiple degrees of freedom without significantly increasing size, complexity, or cost. The sensor can include a light component in support of a first light source operable to direct a first beam of light, and a second light source operable to direct a second beam of light. The sensor can also include an imaging device that can directly receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light and convert these into electric signals. The imaging device and the light component can be movable relative to one another. The sensor can further include a light location module and/or a position module configured to receive the electric signals and determine locations of the first beam of light, the second beam of light on the imaging device and a relative position of the imaging device and the light component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Rememdia LC
    Inventor: Fraser M. Smith
  • Patent number: 9874473
    Abstract: To allow a simple cascading without any optical crosstalk at the connection points, an optoelectronic sensor is provided having at least one electronic card which has light transmitter elements and/or light reception elements and having at least two optical modules which can be fastened to the electronic card, wherein each optical module comprises a tube array, which has a plurality of tubes, an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end of the optical module comprises an open first connection element of a connection to the tube array and comprises wall connection elements and wherein the closed end of the optical module comprises a closed second connection element of the connection which has an outer wall which is formed with shape matching to the wall connection elements of the open end of the optical module such that, on a plugging together of an open end of an optical module and of a closed end of a further optical module, the two connection elements of the connection form a connection tube which is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Johannes Eble, Helmut Haringer
  • Patent number: 9870753
    Abstract: A rearview assembly for a vehicle is provided that includes: a housing configured for mounting to the vehicle; a rearview element disposed in the housing that displays images of a scene exterior of the vehicle; a light sensor assembly disposed in the housing; and a controller for receiving the electrical signal of the light sensor and for adjusting a brightness of the images displayed by the rearview element. The light sensor includes a light sensor for outputting an electrical signal representing intensity of light impinging upon a light-receiving surface of the light sensor, and a secondary optical element configured to receive light, wherein the light passes through the secondary optical element to the light sensor, the secondary optical element including a tint material that is substantially color neutral for attenuating light passing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Barry K Nelson, Jon H Bechtel, Daniel G McMillan, Spencer D Reese
  • Patent number: 9871074
    Abstract: An image sensor having a portion including interconnection levels formed on a semiconductor substrate covered with a first layer of a dielectric material, including conductive tracks separated from one another by insulating layers interconnected by vias crossing the insulating layers, and an infrared bandpass filter comprising filter levels adjacent to the interconnection levels formed by an alternation of second layers of the dielectric material and of silicon layers, the refraction index of the dielectric material being smaller than 2.5 at the maximum transmission wavelength of the filter, one of the second dielectric layers of each filter level being identical to the insulating layer of the adjacent interconnection level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
    Inventors: Laurent Frey, Michel Marty, Lilian Masarotto
  • Patent number: 9869833
    Abstract: A constructed photodetector, an optical receiver, and a receiver unit in an optical communication system are disclosed. One example of the disclosed constructed photodetector includes an optoelectronic element having an active area that converts light having a wavelength of interest into electrical signals and a substrate on a face that opposes the active area, where the substrate is non-transparent to light having the wavelength of interest. The constructed photodetector further includes a lens-chip that is at least partially transparent to light having the wavelength of interest, where the lens-chip includes a first side and an opposing second side, where the first side of the lens-chip includes an integrated lens, and where the second side of the lens-chip includes one or more electrical traces. The constructed photodetector further includes at least one connector that provides a physical and electrical connection between the optoelectronic element and the lens-chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Tak Kui Wang, Ye Chen, Chung-Yi Su, Frank Yashar
  • Patent number: 9860466
    Abstract: Pixel aperture size adjustment in a linear sensor is achieved by applying more negative control voltages to central regions of the pixel's resistive control gate, and applying more positive control voltages to the gate's end portions. These control voltages cause the resistive control gate to generate an electric field that drives photoelectrons generated in a selected portion of the pixel's light sensitive region into a charge accumulation region for subsequent measurement, and drives photoelectrons generated in other portions of the pixel's light sensitive region away from the charge accumulation region for subsequent discard or simultaneous readout. A system utilizes optics to direct light received at different angles or locations from a sample into corresponding different portions of each pixel's light sensitive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Alex Chuang, John Fielden, David L. Brown, Jingjing Zhang, Keith Lyon, Mark Shi Wang
  • Patent number: 9859986
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a photodetector element (11) that converts an optical signal into an electric current signal; a transimpedance amplifier (12a) that converts the electric current signal into a voltage signal; a differential amplifier (12d) that converts the voltage signal into a differential signal, by performing differential amplification of a difference between the voltage signal and a threshold voltage; an LOS detection circuit that detects a no-signal section of the optical signal; and an MCU that repeatedly executes offset cancellation processing, the offset cancellation processing including threshold voltage change processing in which the threshold voltage is changed such that an offset voltage of the differential signal is reduced, the MCU 13 skipping the threshold voltage change processing in the no-signal section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tanaka, Minako Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9854183
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes: a pixel array unit that has a plurality of pixels 2-dimensionally arranged in a matrix and a plurality of signal lines arranged along a column direction; A/D conversion units that are provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and convert an analog signal output from a pixel through the signal line into a digital signal; and a switching unit that switches or converts the analog signal output through each signal line into a digital signal using any of an A/D conversion unit provided corresponding to the signal line through which the analog signal is transmitted, and an A/D conversion unit provided corresponding to a signal line other than the signal line through which the analog signal is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 9854231
    Abstract: A silicon photomultiplier includes a plurality of microcells providing a pulse output in response to an incident radiation, each microcell including circuitry configured to enable and disable the pulse output. Each microcell includes a cell disable switch. The control logic circuit controls the cell disable switch and a self-test circuit. A microcell's pulse output is disabled when the cell disable switch is in a first state. A method for self-test calibration of microcells includes providing a test enable signal to the microcells, integrating dark current for a predetermined time period, comparing the integrated dark current to a predetermined threshold level, and providing a signal if above the predetermined threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jianjun Guo, Sergei Ivanovich Dolinsky
  • Patent number: 9851629
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projector, the projector including a light source, an illumination unit illuminating light incident from the light source, and a display device enabling to realize an image by receiving the light irradiated from the illumination unit, and whose center is positioned at an axis different from an optical axis of the illumination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eunsung Seo, Seungman Jeong, Hyunho Choi, Sanghun Lee
  • Patent number: 9836132
    Abstract: An image processing method capable of detecting noise includes adjusting a lighting unit to acquire an over-exposure image, comparing each pixel of the over-exposure image with at least one threshold value, labeling a pixel of the over-exposure image as the noise while bright intensity of the pixel is lower than the threshold value, and removing the noise to execute a displacement detecting calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Chen, Ren-Hau Gu
  • Patent number: 9835542
    Abstract: An integrated optical block that is highly portable and compact, designed to measure cells and particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: DNA Medicine Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Y. Chan, Julia Z. Sharpe
  • Patent number: 9834714
    Abstract: Composite materials comprising electrically conductive particles in a form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) are provided. Also provided as radiation sensors incorporating the composites and methods for detecting radiation using the composites. The PCMs comprise crosslinked polyether polyol that undergoes a reversible solid-solid phase change upon heating. Prior to the phase change, the crosslinked polyether polyol comprises microscopic crystalline domains. When the PCM is heated beyond its phase transition temperature these microscopic crystalline domains melt. However, the form-stable PCMs retain their solid form at the macroscopic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shaoqin Gong, Zhenqiang Ma, Yunming Wang, Hongyi Mi
  • Patent number: 9829351
    Abstract: An encoding device includes a sensing unit having a signal transmitting element and a signal receiving element. The signal transmitting element and the signal receiving element are respectively disposed on different carrier members. Accordingly, when performing the rectification and alignment processes between the signal receiving element and the signal unit, the other components are prevented from hindering the rectification and alignment processes, whereby the rectification and alignment processes can be easily performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM CORP.
    Inventors: Yan-Shiang Wang, Yi-Shun Huang
  • Patent number: 9823097
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for determining absolute coding represented by code elements of an optical code track, with illumination of the absolute coding with light, modulating of some of the illuminating light on code elements, determining of the absolute coding as modulated light and continuously varying modulation of the light on neighboring code elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Urs Vokinger, Heinz Lippuner
  • Patent number: 9823359
    Abstract: A radiation image detecting device includes a photodetecting element that detects fluorescence light, and a prism that is disposed on an optical path of excitation light traveling toward an imaging plate and between the photodetecting element and the imaging plate. The prism includes, as surface thereof, a side face that is opposed to the imaging plate, and a side face and a side face that are inclined relative to the side face. The prism is disposed so that the excitation light incident through the side face propagates inside and is output from the side face and so that reflection from the imaging plate incident through the side face propagates inside and is output from the side face. The photodetecting element is disposed so as to be opposed to a region different from a region where the reflection from the imaging plate is output, in the surface of the prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Koei Yamamoto, Toshihiro Oikawa, Hiroki Suzuki, Yuichi Miyamoto, Naoto Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9823123
    Abstract: A system for controlling excess bias of a single photon avalanche photo diode (SPAD) is provided. The system includes a power supply, a SPAD, a control circuit and a load. The power supply generates a supply voltage. The SPAD has a first terminal receiving the supply voltage and a second terminal generating an output voltage signal. The control circuit is connected to the second terminal of the SPAD. The load has a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the SPAD, and a second terminal connected to the control circuit for receiving a reset level. The control circuit is capable of monitoring a swing of the output voltage level and generating the reset level in response to the excess bias level and the swing of the output voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chia-Ming Tsai, Po-Hsuan Chang, Ming-Ching Kuo, Tzu-Yi Yang