Patents Assigned to SENSOR
  • Publication number: 20180108805
    Abstract: A solution for designing and/or fabricating a structure including a quantum well and an adjacent barrier is provided. A target band discontinuity between the quantum well and the adjacent barrier is selected to coincide with an activation energy of a dopant for the quantum well and/or barrier. For example, a target valence band discontinuity can be selected such that a dopant energy level of a dopant in the adjacent barrier coincides with a valence energy band edge for the quantum well and/or a ground state energy for free carriers in a valence energy band for the quantum well. Additionally, a target doping level for the quantum well and/or adjacent barrier can be selected to facilitate a real space transfer of holes across the barrier. The quantum well and the adjacent barrier can be formed such that the actual band discontinuity and/or actual doping level(s) correspond to the relevant target(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Maxim S. Shatalov, Remigijus Gaska, Jinwei Yang, Michael Shur, Alexander Dobrinsky
  • Publication number: 20180104367
    Abstract: A solution in which an ultraviolet radiation source is mounted on a flexible substrate is provided. The flexible substrate is capable of having a deformation curvature of at least 0.1 inverse meters. The flexible substrate may be incorporated within an existing enclosure or included in the enclosure. The flexible substrate can be utilized as part of a solution for disinfecting one or more items located within the enclosure. In this case, while the items are within the enclosure, ultraviolent radiation is generated and directed at the items. Wiring for the ultraviolet radiation source can be embedded within the flexible substrate and the flexible substrate can have at least one of: a wave-guiding structure, an ultraviolet absorbing surface, or an ultraviolet reflective surface. A control system can be utilized to manage generation of the ultraviolet radiation within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy James Bettles, Alexander Dobrinsky, Michael Shur, Remigijus Gaska
  • Patent number: 9948880
    Abstract: A multimode pixel of a pixel array is provided. The multimode pixel includes a photodetector, an image sensing circuit, a pulse detection circuit, and an image readout path coupled between the image sensing circuit and at least one readout conductor of the pixel array to transmit image signals from the image sensing circuit to the at least one readout conductor. The multimode pixel further includes a pulse readout path different from the image readout path, wherein the pulse readout path is coupled between the pulse detection circuit and the at least one readout conductor to transmit pulse data from the pulse detection circuit to the at least one readout conductor, and wherein the image readout path is controlled independently from the pulse readout path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Lund, Samuel Bagwell, David Estrada, Wilson Law
  • Patent number: 9947203
    Abstract: A room monitoring device designed and intended to detect a bowel movement (BM) of a person occupying the room, such as a baby or infant or an adult with special needs or in a care facility. The device tests the air for particular substances such as, but not limited to, methane and hydrogen sulfide. The test is performed multiple times per minute to reduce the chances of a false-positive detection. Once the device detects a positive BM, it alerts a user via Wi-Fi message, SMS text message, visual alerts (e.g., flashing lights), and/or audio alerts. This device may be paired with existing monitoring devices, such as a baby monitor with a remote camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sensor Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Brad W. Ansley
  • Patent number: 9948062
    Abstract: A solid-state light source (SSLS) with light modulation control is described. A SSLS device can include a main p-n junction region configured for recombination of electron-hole pairs for light emission. A supplementary p-n junction region is proximate the main p-n junction region to supplement the recombination of electron-hole pairs, wherein the supplementary p-n junction region has a smaller electron-hole life time than the electron-hole life time of the main p-n junction region. The main p-n junction region and the supplementary p-n junction region operate cooperatively in a light emission state and a light turn-off-state. In one embodiment, the recombination of electron-hole pairs occurs in the main p-n junction region during a light emission state, and the recombination of electron-hole pairs occurs in the supplementary p-n junction region light during the light turn off-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Grigory Simin, Michael Shur
  • Patent number: 9945725
    Abstract: Thermopile infrared sensor structure with a high filling level in a housing filled with a medium (15), consisting of a carrier substrate (11) which has electrical connections (28, 28?) to the outside and is closed with an optical assembly (13), wherein a sensor chip (14) is applied to the carrier substrate (11) in the housing, which chip has a plurality of thermoelectric sensor element structures (16), the so-called “hot contacts” (10) of which are located on individual diaphragms (3) which are stretched across a respective cavity (9) in a silicon carrying body (24) with good thermal conductivity, wherein the “cold contacts” (25) are located on or in the vicinity of the silicon carrying body (24). The problem addressed by the invention is that of specifying a thermopile infrared array sensor (sensor cell) which, with a small chip size, has a high thermal resolution and a particularly high filling level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Heimann Sensor GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herrmann, Marion Simon, Wilhelm Leneke, Bodo Forg, Karlheinz Storck, Michael Müller, Jörg Schieferdecker
  • Patent number: 9939932
    Abstract: A capacitive position sensing system has a pickup electrode, a shield electrode partially enclosing the pickup electrode, and an essentially grounded relatively movable target near the pickup electrodes; a capacitance-to-digital converter, and switching means for connecting each electrode in turn to the converter input or to ground. A capacitive position sensing method in the system includes measuring a first capacitance C1 of at least one pickup electrode set with the shield electrode set grounded, measuring a second capacitance C2 of at least one shield electrode set with the pickup electrode set grounded, and measuring a third capacitance C3 of the pickup electrode set and the shield electrode set connected together; and calculating a first result indicating a position of a target using the first capacitance C1, the second capacitance C2 and the third capacitance C3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Advanced Sensor Technology Limited
    Inventor: Hans U. Meyer
  • Patent number: 9938752
    Abstract: An electronic device sealing arrangement includes a housing, an access door, a sealing member sized and configured to be sealingly compressed between the access door and the housing, a latch in operable communication with the housing and the access door, the latch being configured to compress the sealing member between the access door and the housing when moved to a position that latches the access door in a closed position, and a resilient member in operable communication with the latch and at least one of the housing and the access door, the resilient member being configured to at least partially compress when the access door is latched in the closed position and the sealing member is compressed between the access door and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Zhilinsky, Leonardo C. Gonzales
  • Patent number: 9939324
    Abstract: A wavefront sensing pixel is provided. The wavefront sensing pixel includes a low-pass filter filtering a charge signal from a photodetector and outputting a control signal when low-frequency signals are detected in the charge signal, and a control device to control flow of the charge signal past the control device based on whether a low-frequency signal is detected in the charge signal. The wavefront sensing pixel further includes a low-frequency signal path that receives a flow of signals that flow past the control device, and a high-frequency signal path independent of the low-pass filter and the control device, the high-frequency signal path receiving high-frequency signals included in the charge signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund, Patrick Kuschak
  • Publication number: 20180094918
    Abstract: A measurement method according to which: an image of a grid projected on a reference plane is taken; the optical system is adjusted so that the phase of the projected grid is gained by dividing 2m? (m is an integer) by Mx×Ny (=M) (Mx and Ny are an integer of 2 or greater) within a rectangle made up of Mx pixels in the x direction and Ny pixels in the y direction of the image gained by taking an image of the grid projected on the above-described reference plane; an image is taken of a grid pattern projected on an object placed on the above-described reference plane; the brightness value is found by dividing 2m? by Mx×Ny in a rectangular region of Mx×Ny pixels made up of Mx pixels in the x direction and Ny pixels in the y direction of the image gained by taking an image of the grid pattern projected on said object; a phase is found using said brightness value; an image is taken of the grid pattern projected on the object placed on the above-described reference plane; the above-described phase is found by shifti
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: 4D SENSOR INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu MORIMOTO, Yoshiyuki KUSUNOKI, Masaki UEKI, Akihiro MASAYA, Akifumi TAKAGI
  • Publication number: 20180093002
    Abstract: A solution for disinfecting an area using ultraviolet radiation is provided. The solution can include an enclosure including at least one ultraviolet transparent window and a set of ultraviolet radiation sources located adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet transparent window. The set of ultraviolet radiation sources can be configured to generate ultraviolet radiation directed through the at least one ultraviolet transparent window. An input unit can be located on the enclosure and configured to generate an electrical signal in response to pressure applied to the enclosure. A control unit can be configured to manage the ultraviolet radiation by monitoring the electrical signal generated by the input unit and controlling, based on the monitoring, the ultraviolet radiation generated by the set of ultraviolet radiation sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Agafonov, Alexander Dobrinsky, Michael Shur, Remigijus Gaska, Saulius Smetona
  • Publication number: 20180097157
    Abstract: A semiconductor heterostructure for an optoelectronic device includes a base semiconductor layer having one or more semiconductor heterostructure mesas located thereon. One or more of the mesas can include a set of active regions having multiple main peaks of radiative recombination at differing wavelengths. For example, a mesa can include two or more active regions, each of which has a different wavelength for the corresponding main peak of radiative recombination. The active regions can be configured to be operated simultaneously or can be capable of independent operation. A system can include one or more optoelectronic devices, each of which can be operated as an emitter or a detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Grigory Simin, Michael Shur, Alexander Dobrinsky
  • Publication number: 20180092308
    Abstract: An approach for controlling ultraviolet intensity over a surface of a light sensitive object is described. Aspects involve using ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength range that includes ultraviolet-A and ultraviolet-B radiation to irradiate the surface. Light sensors measure light intensity at the surface, wherein each sensor measures light intensity in a wavelength range that corresponds to a wavelength range emitted from at least one of the sources. A controller controls the light intensity over the surface by adjusting the power of the sources as a function of the light intensity measurements. The controller uses the light intensity measurements to determine whether each source is illuminating the surface with an intensity that is within an acceptable variation with a predetermined intensity value targeted for the surface. The controller adjusts the power of the sources as a function of the variation to ensure an optimal distribution of light intensity over the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Peter Barber, III, Maxim S. Shatalov, Alexander Dobrinsky, Michael Shur
  • Patent number: 9936106
    Abstract: A method of correcting pixel non-uniformity for varying temperature includes determining an FPA temperature and calculating a non-uniformity correction map on a pixel by pixel basis for the FPA, wherein the non-uniformity correction for each pixel is a function of the FPA temperature and empirically derived coefficients. The method also includes applying the non-uniformity correction map at the FPA temperature to condition output of the FPA to produce temperature dependent non-uniformity corrected image data. An imaging system includes a focal plane array (FPA). A temperature sensor is operatively connected to measure FPA temperature. A module is operatively connected to the FPA and temperature sensor to calculate and apply a non-uniformity correction map as described above. There need be no temperature control device for the FPA. The FPA can include a buffered current mirror pixel architecture, and can include an InGaAs material for infrared imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Nazemi
  • Patent number: 9928726
    Abstract: A programmable interface module includes a linear power regulator to control and provide power to interfaced components on an as needed basis. The interface module is implemented in, for example, a sensor pack and multiplexed to a plurality of sensor modules. In a first mode, the linear voltage regulator provides a relatively small amount of power which allows a sensor module to output a signal responsive to detecting an environmental condition (e.g., gamma or x-ray radiation, extreme temperatures, etc.). The interface module can switch the linear voltage regulator to a second mode in which the linear voltage regulator ramps up the amount of power provided to a detecting sensor module. The sensor module can then provide a level indicative of a concentration or intensity of the environmental condition. If the level surpasses a predetermined threshold, the sensor pack can output an alert signal to security server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FTC Sensors, LLC
    Inventors: Francis S. Zajac, James Peverill, Tony Bachta
  • Patent number: 9928592
    Abstract: A method of image-based quantification for allergen skin reaction includes imaging an area of skin that has been subject to a skin-prick test to produce one or more images of the area. The method includes identifying regions of wheal and/or flare in the one or more images of the area and quantifying weal and/or flare indicators based on the regions identified. The method also includes outputting results of the quantified wheal and/or flare indicators indicative of quantified allergen skin reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Ziyou Xiong, Alan M. Finn
  • Patent number: 9930280
    Abstract: An imaging and pulse detection (IPD) pixel array includes a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. Each imaging pixel includes a respective photodetector that outputs signals in response to incident light and input laser pulses. The signals include imaging signals that correspond to the incident light and pulse signals that correspond to the input laser pulses. The IPD array further includes an isolation circuit associated with each of the respective imaging pixels, each isolation circuit outputting filtered output pulse signals in response to receiving the signals from the associated imaging pixel, the filtered output pulse signals corresponding to the pulse signals. The IPD array further includes a single pulse detection circuit that toggles between a charged and uncharged state corresponding to a pulse being received from at least one of the isolation circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund
  • Patent number: 9927343
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a size of particles in a spray jet includes a substantially square frame. A first emitter unit and a first detection unit, and a second emitter unit and a second detection unit, are respectively provided at opposite corners of the frame. Two light beams that cross each other in a focus are generated by the respective emitter units. Passage of a particle through the focus is detected based on light intensity signals from the first and second detection units. Using another set of light beams that cross each other and that are separated from the above-noted light beams in the direction of flight of the particle, passage of the particle through a second common focus can be detected. Particle velocity and particle size can be obtained based on the time difference between the passage of the particle through the two foci.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SENSOR INSTRUMENTS ENTWICKLUNGS—UND VERTRIEBS GMBH
    Inventor: Walter Braumandl
  • Patent number: 9928461
    Abstract: A neural logic unit network acting as an agent to achieve machine or device consciousness and intent is disclosed. More specifically, an agent of consciousness and intent (The Agent) is disclosed consisting of neuronal logic units upon which are mapped and connected to the individual outputs of the host system's entire sensorium and which neuronal logic units are activated by the simultaneous presentation of the results of the host system's recognition, tracking, analyzes and characterization computations similar to those performed by biological unconscious brains. The embodiment of the assembly of neural logic units is referred to as Hyper Aware Logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Irvine Sensors Corporation
    Inventor: John C. Carson
  • Patent number: 9927356
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting gases, airborne compounds, and other particulates, are provided. The system detects materials of interest, including but not limited to, volatile organic compounds, aerosols, particulates, and biological and other pathogens in a three dimensional volume over an area of interest. The system detects the concentration of analytes of interest in the presence of atmospheric contaminants. Data points form a three-dimensional “point cloud” to which particle swarm optimization and feature extraction algorithms are applied, providing leak detection, mapping of chemical plumes, and short-term and long-term flux measurements, among other functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SMS Sensors Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard J. Skibo