Patents Assigned to FotoNation, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20250065337
    Abstract: A microfluidic chip includes: a substrate; a channel that is formed on the substrate and that is for a sample to move; a first air coupling port that is provided at an end of the channel; a thermal cycle region that is provided in a part of the channel and that is for applying a thermal cycle to the sample in the channel; and a first chamber that is provided between the thermal cycle region and the first air coupling port in the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki YABU, Toshinori MOTONO, Osamu KAWAGUCHi
  • Patent number: 12222289
    Abstract: A reaction processor includes: a reaction processing vessel; a first optical head including a first objective lens OB1 for irradiating a sample with first excitation light and collecting first fluorescence generated from the sample; a second optical head including a second objective lens for irradiating a sample with second excitation light and collecting second fluorescence generated from the sample; and a holding member holding the first optical head and the second optical head. The wavelength range of the first fluorescence and the wavelength range of the second excitation light at least partially overlap with each other. A distance between the optical axis of the first objective lens and the optical axis of the second objective lens satisfies 2·P0+2·P1+4·P2+4·P3<P, P0=L·NA/?(1?NA2), P1=t1·NA/?(n12?NA2), P2=t2·NA/?(1?NA2), and P3=t3·NA/?(n32?NA2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuya Ogi, Takashi Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 12186756
    Abstract: A reaction processor includes: a vessel installation unit for installing a reaction processing vessel provided with a channel formed in a substrate; a high temperature heater and a medium temperature heater for adjusting the temperature of the channel of the reaction processing vessel; a vessel alignment mechanism for adjusting the position of the reaction processing vessel 10; and a housing that has a housing main unit and a cover portion capable of being opened and closed with respect to the housing main unit and that houses the vessel installation unit, the high temperature heater, the medium temperature heater, and the vessel alignment mechanism. In conjunction with the state of the cover portion being changed from an open state to a closed state, the vessel alignment mechanism aligns the reaction processing vessel such that the reaction processing vessel can be heated by the high temperature heater and the medium temperature heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Fukuzawa
  • Publication number: 20240264082
    Abstract: A reaction processor includes: a reaction processing vessel; a first optical head including a first objective lens OB1 for irradiating a sample with first excitation light and collecting first fluorescence generated from the sample; a second optical head including a second objective lens for irradiating a sample with second excitation light and collecting second fluorescence generated from the sample; and a holding member holding the first optical head and the second optical head. The wavelength range of the first fluorescence and the wavelength range of the second excitation light at least partially overlap with each other. A distance between the optical axis of the first objective lens and the optical axis of the second objective lens satisfies 2·P0+2·P1+4·P2+4·P3<P, P0=L·NA/?(1?NA2), P1=t1·NA/?(n12?NA2), P2=t2·NA/?(1?NA2), and P3=t3·NA/?(na32?NA2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Applicant: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuya OGI, Takashi Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 12030049
    Abstract: A reaction processing apparatus includes: a reaction processing vessel; a temperature control system; and a liquid feeding system. The liquid feeding system includes: a pump having a discharge port; a first air channel; a second air channel; a first three-way valve capable of being switched between a state in which a first air communication port communicates with the discharge port and a state in which the first air communication port is opened to the atmospheric pressure; a second three-way valve capable of being switched between a state in which a second air communication port communicates with the discharge port and a state in which the second air communication port is opened to the atmospheric pressure; and a CPU that controls these components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuzawa, Osamu Kawaguchi, Hidemitsu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11827924
    Abstract: A PCR reaction vessel includes: a substrate; a channel formed on the substrate; a pair of filters, a first filter and a second filter, provided at respective ends of the channel; a pair of air communication ports, a first air communication port and a second air communication port, that communicate with the channel through the first filter and the second filter; a thermal cycle region formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branch point formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branched channel whose one end is connected to the branch point; and a sample introduction port formed at the other end of the branched channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuzawa, Hidenori Nagai, Naofumi Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 11541394
    Abstract: A reaction processor is provided with a reaction processing vessel in which a channel is formed, a liquid feeding system, a temperature control system for providing a high temperature region and a low temperature region to the channel, and a fluorescence detector for detecting the sample passing through a fluorescence detection region of the channel, and a CPU for controlling the liquid feeding system based on a signal that is detected. A target stop position X[L]0(n+1) of the sample in the low temperature region in an (n+1)th cycle is corrected from a target stop position X[L]0(n) of the sample in the low temperature region in the nth cycle based on the result of stopping control on the sample in the nth cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited, Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuzawa, Naofumi Nishizawa, Hisao Nagata
  • Publication number: 20210207205
    Abstract: A PCR reaction vessel includes: a substrate; a channel formed on the substrate; a pair of filters, a first filter and a second filter, provided at respective ends of the channel; a pair of air communication ports, a first air communication port and a second air communication port, that communicate with the channel through the first filter and the second filter; a thermal cycle region formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branch point formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branched channel whose one end is connected to the branch point; and a sample introduction port formed at the other end of the branched channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicants: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi FUKUZAWA, Hidenori NAGAI, Naofumi NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10988800
    Abstract: A PCR reaction vessel includes: a substrate; a channel formed on the substrate; a pair of filters, a first filter and a second filter, provided at respective ends of the channel; a pair of air communication ports, a first air communication port and a second air communication port, that communicate with the channel through the first filter and the second filter; a thermal cycle region formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branch point formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branched channel whose one end is connected to the branch point; and a sample introduction port formed at the other end of the branched channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuzawa, Hidenori Nagai, Naofumi Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20200086313
    Abstract: A reaction processor is provided with a reaction processing vessel in which a channel is formed, a liquid feeding system, a temperature control system for providing a high temperature region and a low temperature region to the channel, and a fluorescence detector for detecting the sample passing through a fluorescence detection region of the channel, and a CPU for controlling the liquid feeding system based on a signal that is detected. A target stop position X[L]0(n+1) of the sample in the low temperature region in an (n+1)th cycle is corrected from a target stop position X[L]0(n) of the sample in the low temperature region in the nth cycle based on the result of stopping control on the sample in the nth cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicants: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited, Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi FUKUZAWA, Naofumi NISHIZAWA, Hisao NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180274019
    Abstract: A PCR reaction vessel includes: a substrate; a channel formed on the substrate; a pair of filters, a first filter and a second filter, provided at respective ends of the channel; a pair of air communication ports, a first air communication port and a second air communication port, that communicate with the channel through the first filter and the second filter; a thermal cycle region formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branch point formed between the first filter and the second filter in the channel; a branched channel whose one end is connected to the branch point; and a sample introduction port formed at the other end of the branched channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicants: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Go!Foton, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi FUKUZAWA, Hidenori NAGAI, Naofumi NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 6510520
    Abstract: A secure storage device with the external dimensions of a PCMCIA card, for securing digital camera data at the acquisition stage. Original digital camera data is saved in the memory of the secure storage device which has the capability of performing one or more security functions, including encryption, creation of an authentication file, adding data to the image data such as fingerprinting, and adding secure annotations such as separate data included in an image header. The device prepares original authentication data from original digital camera data, and encrypts and stores both the original authentication data and the original image data. The use of the device includes downloading the original image data to a first computer, and encrypted original authentication data to a second computer. The second computer can be programmed with software whereby the encrypted original authentication data can be decrypted by a user having a key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Fotonation, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Steinberg
  • Patent number: 6433818
    Abstract: A programmable digital camera requiring a programming password to be entered to access the camera's programmability. The camera further includes programming so as to allow the camera to be operated only for a specified time interval, after which the camera becomes inoperable until the programming password is again entered and the camera is programmed to operate for another interval of time. An alternate embodiment of the invention includes a programmable digital camera as above described wherein the camera is programmed to only capture a set number of images, at which point the programming password must again be entered and the camera reset for another quantity of images. A further alternate embodiment includes a camera system with a separate transmitter for radiating a signal designed to cover a designated area, the signal being modulated with a camera operational code. The camera is equipped with a corresponding receiver and demodulator to receive the operational code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: FotoNation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Yuri Prilutsky
  • Patent number: 6151073
    Abstract: An intelligent flash system for a digital camera having components including an image optical pickup, an interface circuit, a flash unit and a processor. Upon activation of the camera, ambient lighting conditions are evaluated and if flash energy is required, a first low energy pre-flash is radiated, the reflected light received by the optical pickup having a multiplicity of pixels, and the output of the pixels converted to image intensity data by the interface circuit. The processor samples the image intensity data, weighing the center image area more heavily, and creates a histogram plot of quantity of pixels v.s. intensity, and separates the plot into a bar graph from which a determination of exposure is obtained. The histogram is then used to calculate a multiplicative scaling factor used to multiply the first flash energy to an estimate of a flash energy for correct exposure. Conditions of extreme over and under exposure result in the activation of a second flash at an adjusted energy level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: FotoNation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Hari Vasudev, Sumat Mehra
  • Patent number: 6006039
    Abstract: A camera having a built in microprocessor for accepting configuration data from an external device. The camera has a serial port, and a slot for receiving standard type II and III PCMCIA cards for data input and output. These features provide the camera with the capability of being programmed by an external device, including downloading configuration data including a particular operating system, custom modules, graphics and textual data, and data base information and operational parameters. The configuration data can also be downloaded from one camera to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: FotoNation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Hari Vasudev
  • Patent number: 5862218
    Abstract: A camera with a built in microprocessor system programmed to receive an input password and indicium from a host computer. The camera is configured to use the indicium in combination with a conversion formula to mark an original acquired image in a non-destructive manner to form modified image data and add the indicium to an image header. The camera also creates image authentication data for comparison with corresponding data of a questionable second image to determine if the second image is the same as or different from the original image. This process of marking and creating authentication data all occur during acquisition and prior to any image data storage in a medium from which a person could subsequently access data. The camera takes the authentication data and stores it along with the marked image data in memory for subsequent transmission to the host computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: FotoNation, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Steinberg
  • Patent number: 5862217
    Abstract: A digital camera method and apparatus providing encryption of an image during the acquisition process, and therefore avoiding any stage wherein unencrypted image data exists. An encrypted password is generated. This is done either by a user and downloaded to the camera, or it is generated in the camera and displayed to the user. Inside the camera, an encryption generator is initialized upon reception and successful decryption of the password, whereupon light is admitted from an object to be photographed and converted to digital image data. The camera then performs a first encrypting operation on the digital image data to create temporarily encrypted image data. This encrypted data is saved temporarily, whereupon it is decrypted in increments and each increment processed to form processed image data. Each increment then undergoes a second and final encryption operation to create final encrypted image data which is stored in the camera for transmission to a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: FotoNation, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Vasily Yeremenko