Patents by Inventor Ling Jian Meng

Ling Jian Meng 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: 11269084
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device comprising: a first micro-camera-element comprising a first sensor area and a first aperture element, the first aperture element having a first structural configuration, the first aperture element and the first sensor area being disposed relative to each other in order to cooperate in obtaining first imaging data having first characteristics, and the first characteristics comprising first imaging resolution and first angular coverage; a second micro-camera-element comprising a second sensor area and a second aperture element, the second aperture element having a second structural configuration, the second aperture element and the second sensor area being disposed relative to each other in order to cooperate in obtaining second imaging data having second characteristics, the second characteristics comprising second imaging resolution and second angular coverage, and the first imaging resolution differing from the second imaging resolution, th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ling-Jian Meng, Xiaochun Lai, Elena Maria Zannoni
  • Publication number: 20200096652
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device comprising: a first micro-camera-element comprising a first sensor area and a first aperture element, the first aperture element having a first structural configuration, the first aperture element and the first sensor area being disposed relative to each other in order to cooperate in obtaining first imaging data having first characteristics, and the first characteristics comprising first imaging resolution and first angular coverage; a second micro-camera-element comprising a second sensor area and a second aperture element, the second aperture element having a second structural configuration, the second aperture element and the second sensor area being disposed relative to each other in order to cooperate in obtaining second imaging data having second characteristics, the second characteristics comprising second imaging resolution and second angular coverage, and the first imaging resolution differing from the second imaging resolution, th
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ling-Jian Meng, Xiaochun Lai, Elena Maria Zannoni
  • Patent number: 8866097
    Abstract: A gamma ray detector apparatus comprises a solid state detector that includes a plurality of anode pixels and at least one cathode. The solid state detector is configured for receiving gamma rays during an interaction and inducing a signal in an anode pixel and in a cathode. An anode pixel readout circuit is coupled to the plurality of anode pixels and is configured to read out and process the induced signal in the anode pixel and provide triggering and addressing information. A waveform sampling circuit is coupled to the at least one cathode and configured to read out and process the induced signal in the cathode and determine energy of the interaction, timing of the interaction, and depth of interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Ling-Jian Meng
  • Publication number: 20140226784
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving, from each panel of a plurality of panels positioned at differing viewing angles of a target object, a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) projections from fractional views of a volume of interest of the target object, wherein the plurality of 2D projections of fractional views provided by each panel are generated from a plurality of apertures and corresponding plurality of sensors used by each panel to sense gamma rays generated by the target object, and generating, from the plurality of 2D projections of the fractional views, a three-dimensional (3D) image of a 3D section of the target object. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventor: Ling Jian Meng
  • Publication number: 20130284938
    Abstract: A gamma ray detector apparatus comprises a solid state detector that includes a plurality of anode pixels and at least one cathode. The solid state detector is configured for receiving gamma rays during an interaction and inducing a signal in an anode pixel and in a cathode. An anode pixel readout circuit is coupled to the plurality of anode pixels and is configured to read out and process the induced signal in the anode pixel and provide triggering and addressing information. A waveform sampling circuit is coupled to the at least one cathode and configured to read out and process the induced signal in the cathode and determine energy of the interaction, timing of the interaction, and depth of interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: Ling-Jian Meng
  • Patent number: 8565376
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a collimator having at least one aperture and a fluorescence detector. The collimator can be positioned next to a compound. The compound can emit fluorescence X-rays when impacted by an X-ray beam generated by an X-ray source. The collimator can absorb at least a first portion of the fluorescence X-rays emitted by the compound and release at least a second portion of the fluorescence X-rays at the at least one aperture. The second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture have known directional information based on a position of the collimator. The fluorescence detector can detect the second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture. A three-dimensional (3-D) rendering of an elemental distribution of the compound can be determined from the fluorescence X-rays detected and the directional information. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Ling Jian Meng
  • Patent number: 8017917
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an ionizing radiation sensor having a first scintillator for generating photons from incoming ionizing radiation, an imaging intensifier for amplifying the photons, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) coupled to the imaging intensifier for sensing the amplified photons generated by the imaging intensifier. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Ling-Jian Meng
  • Publication number: 20110188629
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a collimator having at least one aperture and a fluorescence detector. The collimator can be positioned next to a compound. The compound can emit fluorescence X-rays when impacted by an X-ray beam generated by an X-ray source. The collimator can absorb at least a first portion of the fluorescence X-rays emitted by the compound and release at least a second portion of the fluorescence X-rays at the at least one aperture. The second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture have known directional information based on a position of the collimator. The fluorescence detector can detect the second portion of the fluorescence X-rays released by the at least one aperture. A three-dimensional (3-D) rendering of an elemental distribution of the compound can be determined from the fluorescence X-rays detected and the directional information. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventor: LING JIAN MENG
  • Publication number: 20090140157
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an ionizing radiation sensor having a first scintillator for generating photons from incoming ionizing radiation, an imaging intensifier for amplifying the photons, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) coupled to the imaging intensifier for sensing the amplified photons generated by the imaging intensifier. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventor: Ling-Jian MENG
  • Patent number: 7202478
    Abstract: A scintillation spectrometer provides improved resolution by ensuring that photons generated by scintillation events occurring in different locations within the scintillation material generate similar light profiles on the photo-detector, thereby making the output signal less sensitive to the initial interaction site and enabling more effective de-convolution of raw data. This is achieved in different ways, such as by: limiting the exit window of the scintillation crystal, introducing a spacer between the scintillation crystal and the detector window, or providing a crystal that is longer than necessary to stop gamma rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Symetrica Limited
    Inventors: David Ramsden, Ling-Jian Meng, Oleg Ivanov, Sergei Ignatov
  • Publication number: 20060027754
    Abstract: A scintillation spectrometer provides improved resolution by ensuring that photons generated by scintillation events occurring in different locations within the scintillation material generate similar light profiles on the photo-detector, thereby making the output signal less sensitive to the initial interaction site and enabling more effective de-convolution of raw data. This is achieved in different ways, such as by: limiting the exit window of the scintillation crystal, introducing a spacer between the scintillation crystal and the detector window, or providing a crystal that is longer than necessary to stop gamma rays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: David Ramsden, Ling-Jian Meng, Oleg Ivanov, Sergei Ignatov
  • Patent number: 6940071
    Abstract: Different geometries of scintillation spectrometers are disclosed which provide improved resolution over prior art scintillation spectrometers. By ensuring that photons generated by scintillation events occurring in different locations within the scintillation material generate similar light profiles on the photo-detector, the output signal is made less sensitive to the initial interaction site. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as: by limiting the exit window of the scintillation crystal to a smaller detector, by introducing an optical spacer (94) between the scintillation crystal and detector (99), and/or by making the crystal longer than necessary to stop the gamma rays. A principal advantage of these new geometries is that deconvolution of the raw-data is more effective, thus improving resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: University of Southampton
    Inventors: David Ramsden, Ling-Jian Meng, Oleg Ivanov, Sergei Ignatov
  • Patent number: 6881959
    Abstract: Method and system for generating an image of the radiation density of a source of photons located in an object wherein Compton scattering and non-Compton scattering events are detected and contained within data used for image reconstruction. The system includes a multiple pinhole collimator, a position sensitive scintillation detector as used in standard Gamma cameras, and a silicon pad detector array inserted between the collimator and the scintillation detector. The problem of multiplexing, normally associated with multiple pinhole systems, is reduced by using the extra information from the detected Compton scattering events. For properly selected pinhole spacing, this leads to a significantly improved image quality. A valuable enhancement can be achieved when adding only a small fraction of gamma rays with reduced angular ambiguity. The system does not require a highly optimized Compton camera behind the collimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Ling Jian Meng, Neal H. Clinthorne, W. Leslie Rogers, David K. Wehe
  • Publication number: 20040084624
    Abstract: Method and system for generating an image of the radiation density of a source of photons located in an object wherein Compton scattering and non-Compton scattering events are detected and contained within data used for image reconstruction. The system includes a multiple pinhole collimator, a position sensitive scintillation detector as used in standard Gamma cameras, and a silicon pad detector array inserted between the collimator and the scintillation detector. The problem of multiplexing, normally associated with multiple pinhole systems, is reduced by using the extra information from the detected Compton scattering events. For properly selected pinhole spacing, this leads to a significantly improved image quality. A valuable enhancement can be achieved when adding only a small fraction of gamma rays with reduced angular ambiguity. The system does not require a highly optimized Compton camera behind the collimator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Ling Jian Meng, Neal H. Clinthorne, W. Leslie Rogers, David K. Wehe
  • Publication number: 20040000645
    Abstract: Different geometries of scintillation spectrometer are disclosed which provide improved resolution over prior art scintillation spectrometers. By ensuring that photons generated by scintillation events occurring in different locations within the scintillation material generate similar light profiles on the photo-detector, the output signal is made less sensitive to the initial interaction site. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as: by limiting the exit window of the scintillation crystal to a smaller detector, by introducing an optical spacer (94) between the scintillation crystal and detector (99), and/or by making the crystal longer than necessary to stop the gamma rays. A principal advantage of these new geometries is that deconvolution of the raw-data is more effective, thus improving resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: David Ramsden, Ling-Jian Meng, Oleg Ivanov, Sergei Ignatov