Patents by Inventor John V. Sandusky

John V. Sandusky has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9750413
    Abstract: Diffuse optical tomography systems and methods are described herein. In a general embodiment, the diffuse optical tomography system comprises a plurality of sensor heads, the plurality of sensor heads comprising respective optical emitter systems and respective sensor systems. A sensor head in the plurality of sensors heads is caused to act as an illuminator, such that its optical emitter system transmits a transillumination beam towards a portion of a sample. Other sensor heads in the plurality of sensor heads act as observers, detecting portions of the transillumination beam that radiate from the sample in the fields of view of the respective sensory systems of the other sensor heads. Thus, sensor heads in the plurality of sensors heads generate sensor data in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: John V. Sandusky, Todd A. Pitts
  • Publication number: 20150313470
    Abstract: Diffuse optical tomography systems and methods are described herein. In a general embodiment, the diffuse optical tomography system comprises a plurality of sensor heads, the plurality of sensor heads comprising respective optical emitter systems and respective sensor systems. A sensor head in the plurality of sensors heads is caused to act as an illuminator, such that its optical emitter system transmits a transillumination beam towards a portion of a sample. Other sensor heads in the plurality of sensor heads act as observers, detecting portions of the transillumination beam that radiate from the sample in the fields of view of the respective sensory systems of the other sensor heads. Thus, sensor heads in the plurality of sensors heads generate sensor data in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: John V. Sandusky, Todd A. Pitts
  • Patent number: 7995191
    Abstract: A scannerless 3-D imaging apparatus is disclosed which utilizes an amplitude modulated cw light source to illuminate a field of view containing a target of interest. Backscattered light from the target is passed through one or more loss modulators which are modulated at the same frequency as the light source, but with a phase delay ? which can be fixed or variable. The backscattered light is demodulated by the loss modulator and detected with a CCD, CMOS or focal plane array (FPA) detector to construct a 3-D image of the target. The scannerless 3-D imaging apparatus, which can operate in the eye-safe wavelength region 1.4-1.7 ?m and which can be constructed as a flash LADAR, has applications for vehicle collision avoidance, autonomous rendezvous and docking, robotic vision, industrial inspection and measurement, 3-D cameras, and facial recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: John V. Sandusky
  • Patent number: 7495748
    Abstract: Scannerless loss modulated flash color range imaging methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing three dimensional (3D) images of a target within a scene. Apparatus and methods according to the present invention comprise a light source providing at least three wavelengths (passbands) of illumination that are each loss modulated, phase delayed and simultaneously directed to illuminate the target. Phase delayed light backscattered from the target is spectrally filtered, demodulated and imaged by a planar detector array. Images of the intensity distributions for the selected wavelengths are obtained under modulated and unmodulated (dc) illumination of the target, and the information contained in the images combined to produce a 3D image of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: John V. Sandusky, Todd Alan Pitts
  • Patent number: 7420656
    Abstract: Scannerless loss modulated flash color range imaging methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing three dimensional (3D) images of a target within a scene. Apparatus and methods according to the present invention comprise a light source providing at least three wavelengths (passbands) of illumination that are each loss modulated, phase delayed and simultaneously directed to illuminate the target. Phase delayed light backscattered from the target is spectrally filtered, demodulated and imaged by a planar detector array. Images of the intensity distributions for the selected wavelengths are obtained under modulated and unmodulated (dc) illumination of the target, and the information contained in the images combined to produce a 3D image of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: John V. Sandusky, Todd Alan Pitts
  • Patent number: 7053991
    Abstract: Methods for differential numerical aperture analysis of samples, utilizing angle-of-incidence measurements resulting from variable illumination or observation numerical apertures, or both. Metrology applications are provided, and more particularly including scatterometer, ellipsometer and similar analysis methods, including bi-directional reflectance or transmission distribution function measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Accent Optical Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John V. Sandusky
  • Publication number: 20040246481
    Abstract: Methods for differential numerical aperture analysis of samples, utilizing angle-of-incidence measurements resulting from variable illumination or observation numerical apertures, or both. Metrology applications are provided, and more particularly including scatterometer, ellipsometer and similar analysis methods, including bi-directional reflectance or transmission distribution function measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Accent Optical Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John V. Sandusky
  • Patent number: 6750968
    Abstract: Devices and methods for differential numerical aperture analysis of samples, utilizing angle-of-incidence measurements resulting from variable illumination or observation numerical apertures, or both. Metrology applications are provided, and more particularly including scatterometer, ellipsometer and similar analysis methods, including bi-directional reflectance or transmission distribution function measurement. The provided devices and methods enable analysis of critical dimensions of samples utilizing a minimum of moving parts, with the range of striking or scattering angles varied by a variable numerical aperture or apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Accent Optical Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John V. Sandusky
  • Publication number: 20020039184
    Abstract: Devices and methods for differential numerical aperture analysis of samples, utilizing angle-of-incidence measurements resulting from variable illumination or observation numerical apertures, or both. Metrology applications are provided, and more particularly including scatterometer, ellipsometer and similar analysis methods, including bi-directional reflectance or transmission distribution function measurement. The provided devices and methods enable analysis of critical dimensions of samples utilizing a minimum of moving parts, with the range of striking or scattering angles varied by means of a variable numerical aperture or apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventor: John V. Sandusky