Patents Assigned to Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
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Patent number: 9843749Abstract: A leakage mitigation circuit is provided. The leakage mitigation circuit includes an inverter coupled to a storage node, wherein the storage node receives a signal output by an imaging pixel having a first voltage level to be stored. The inverter inverts the signal to a second voltage level. A single transistor coupled to the inverter and the storage node inverts the signal output by the inverter to the first level to hold the signal at the storage node to its original level. A self-biased device coupled to the inverter lowers current disturbance related to the storage node and increase threshold voltage at which fluctuation of the level of the signal at the storage node causes the signal to be inverted by the inverter.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund, John Liobe
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Patent number: 9842868Abstract: A sensor includes an InGaAs photodetector configured to convert received infrared radiation into electrical signals. A notch filter is operatively connected to the InGaAs photodetector to block detection of wavelengths within at least one predetermined band. An imaging camera system includes an InGaAs photodetector configured to convert received infrared radiation into electrical signals, the InGaAs photodetector including an array of photodetector pixels each configured to convert infrared radiation into electrical signals for imaging. At least one optical element is optically coupled to the InGaAs photodetector to focus an image on the array. A notch filter is operatively connected to the InGaAs photodetector to block detection of wavelengths within at least one predetermined band. A ROIC is operatively connected to the array to condition electrical signals from the array for imaging.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: Robert Rozploch
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Patent number: 9841576Abstract: A system for parallax correction includes a rotatable focus adjuster having a longitudinal axis. A lens retainer is engaged with the focus adjuster. A first lens is housed within the lens retainer aligned with the longitudinal axis. A second lens is positioned parallel to the first lens within the lens retainer. The second lens is configured to move laterally with respect to the first lens to correct for parallax between the first and second lenses.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Dmitry Zhilinsky, Laszlo Kovacs
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Patent number: 9831281Abstract: A focal plane array assembly includes a readout integrated circuit with a contact array surface, a photodiode array with a contact array surface facing the readout integrated circuit contact array surface, and an anisotropic conductive film disposed between contact array surfaces. The anisotropic conductive film includes conductive bodies that interconnect the photodiode array with the readout integrated circuit and an adhesive that couples the photodiode array to the readout integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dixon, Robert Rozploch
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Patent number: 9825189Abstract: A photosensitive pixel with gain stage is disclosed. The photosensitive pixel with gain stage may receive an input light stimulus and output a corresponding output voltage in response to the input light stimulus. The output voltage may correspond linearly to the magnitude of the input light stimulus over a linear operating region and logarithmically to the magnitude of the input light stimulus over a logarithmic operating region. In this manner, the photosensitive pixel with gain stage may be both sensitive to input light stimuli over the linear operating region and may exhibit dynamic range enabling non-saturated response to input light stimuli over the logarithmic operating region.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: Joshua Lund
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Publication number: 20170319107Abstract: A method for diagnosing a condition of a subject includes imaging an abdominal area of the subject to obtain one or more images of the abdominal area. Separation between rectus abdominis muscles in the abdominal area is located from the one or more images. Distance of the separation between the rectus abdominis muscles is quantified. The results of the quantified distance and one or more images are outputted on one or more display units.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2016Publication date: November 9, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: Thuc-Uyen Nguyen
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Patent number: 9784942Abstract: A system for parallax correction includes a housing of a camera having a channel perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera. A lens enclosure is within the housing and includes a tab slideable along the channel. A first lens is positioned within the lens enclosure having a first focal plane array. A second lens is positioned within the lens enclosure having a second focal plane array. The second focal plane array is coupled to a pin disposed within the tab of the housing. The tab is configured to direct the pin to slide perpendicular to the optical axis along the channel to move the second focal plane array laterally with respect to the first focal plane array to correct for parallax between the first and second lenses.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: Laszlo Kovacs
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Patent number: 9769400Abstract: An imaging pixel is provided. The imaging pixel includes a photodetector that outputs charge signals in response to incident light and laser pulses and a high-frequency path. A detector biasing circuit is further provided that biases high-frequency signals of the charge signals that are associated with the laser pulses to follow the high frequency path. The detector biasing circuit effectively filters low-frequency signal components of the charge signals from following the high-frequency path.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund
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Patent number: 9756273Abstract: A multi-tiered approach to combating reverse engineering of electronics is disclosed herein. The encapsulant utilized with the optical sensor may be selected based on being substantially being opaque to X-ray inspection. In this way, visible public inspection to gain competitive intelligence may be reduced and operation of the electronics may remain unaffected. Additionally, a thin filament of wire embedded just below the surface of the encapsulant could be used as an electronic tripwire in response to being severed and/or dissolved by the reverse engineering strong solvents and acids.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: John T. Foster, John Tagle, Dmitry Zhilinsky, Michael A. Liland, Laszlo Kovacs, Leonardo C. Gonzales
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Patent number: 9746379Abstract: An imaging assembly includes a base member defining an expansion chamber therein, the base member defining a gas inlet for receiving a compressed gas and a gas outlet for expelling expanded gas, and a focal plane array assembly mounted to the base member including a sensor and a lens.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2016Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: John T. Foster
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Patent number: 9722549Abstract: A pixel master-slave photodiode bias control amplifier system is disclosed. The pixel master-slave photodiode bias control amplifier system may include a master pixel and one or more slave pixels. The slave pixel(s) may be connected to a portion of the master pixel. In this manner, components may be shared between/among the master pixel and the slave pixel(s); thus, for example, optimizing the component count of the pixel master-slave photodiode bias control amplifier system and the size occupied by the pixel master-slave photodiode bias control amplifier system.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Lund, Minlong Lin
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Patent number: 9716123Abstract: A photodiode includes a cap layer defining an inboard side and an outboard side. A plurality of pixels are formed in the cap layer extending from the inboard side to the outboard side. At least a portion of the cap layer is defined in between the pixels. A metal barrier is in between the pixels and is operatively connected to the inboard side of the cap layer in between the pixels to reflect light rays into the cap layer reducing the leakage of photons between the pixels.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Prabhu Mushini, Wei Huang
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Publication number: 20170207262Abstract: An imaging pixel including a control device to control flow of a charge signal from a photodetector. The control device has a variable impedance that varies in response to frequency of an input signal, the control device being biased to permit signals to flow through the control device dependent on the frequency of signals being output by the photodetector. The imaging pixel further includes a low-frequency signal path that receives a flow of signals that flow through 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: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund
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Publication number: 20170208265Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund, Patrick Kuschak
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Publication number: 20170199280Abstract: A method of identifying at least one target includes receiving a series of images over time of pulsed energy reflected from the at least one target, each image including a plurality of pulses related to different first and second pulse codes, detecting the pulses in an image of the received images, and outputting pulse detection information including XY coordinates and arrival time information associated with the respective detected pulses. The method further includes associating the pulse detection information with the first and second pulse codes based on the arrival time information, and generating output position information for the at least one target in space that indicates output positions for the at least one target based on the XY coordinates and being associated with the corresponding first and second pulse codes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2015Publication date: July 13, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Nazemi, Andrew Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20170195592Abstract: A leakage mitigation circuit is provided. The leakage mitigation circuit includes an inverter coupled to a storage node, wherein the storage node receives a signal output by an imaging pixel having a first voltage level to be stored. The inverter inverts the signal to a second voltage level. A single transistor coupled to the inverter and the storage node inverts the signal output by the inverter to the first level to hold the signal at the storage node to its original level. A self-biased device coupled to the inverter lowers current disturbance related to the storage node and increase threshold voltage at which fluctuation of the level of the signal at the storage node causes the signal to be inverted by the inverter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: July 6, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund, John Liobe
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Publication number: 20170195600Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2016Publication date: July 6, 2017Applicant: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Minlong Lin, Joshua Lund
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Patent number: 9686490Abstract: A pixel cell includes a first integration capacitor, a second integration capacitor, a photo detector and a transistor. The first integration capacitor includes a first lead operatively coupled to the photo detector. The second integration capacitor includes a first lead. The transistor is operatively coupled between the leads of the first and second integration capacitors for enabling current flow between the photo detector and the second integration capacitor only once a threshold voltage is met on the first integration capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Lund, Patrick Kuschak, Minlong Lin, Robert Brubaker
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Patent number: 9680276Abstract: An illuminator includes a short wave infrared (SWIR) laser, a lens collimator, a first beam shaping diffuser, a second beam shaping diffuser, and a bandpass filter. The lens collimator is optically coupled to the laser for diverging a beam emitted by the laser. The first beam shaping diffuser is optically coupled to the lens collimator to diffuse a diverged beam produced by the lens collimator. The second beam shaping diffuser is optically coupled to the first beam shaping diffuser to further diffuse a diffused beam produced by the first beam shaping diffuser. The bandpass filter is optically connected to the second beam shaping diffuser configured to filter the emissions of a further diffused beam produced by the second beam shaping diffuser.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventor: Marc Hansen
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Patent number: 9671281Abstract: An imaging system includes an imager housing having a primary aperture defining an optical axis. A primary lens is disposed over the primary aperture. A first focal plane array (FPA) is within the imager housing. A second FPA is within the imager housing. A digital micro-mirror device (DMD) is angled with respect to the optical axis and optically coupled to the primary lens to selectively reflect light entering the primary aperture to at least one of the first FPA or the second FPA.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: John A. Wieners, Henry W. Neal