Patents Examined by Carolyn Igyarto
  • Patent number: 9167179
    Abstract: On-board non-uniformity correction calibration methods for a microbolometer focal plane array in a thermal camera are disclosed. The methods include performing first calculations in the processor unit of the thermal camera to generate and apply a set of coarse correction bias voltages to the detector elements. The method also includes performing calculations in the external computer based on image data collected by the thermal camera with the coarse correction bias voltages applied to the detector elements to generate a set of fine correction bias voltages. The method also includes downloading the fine correction bias voltages to the thermal camera and applying the fine correction voltages to the detector elements to establish a fine calibration of the microbolometer focal plane array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Vectronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Deron L. Linsacum, Nils A. Lavik, Greg Kwan
  • Patent number: 9155909
    Abstract: An organism is irradiated with therapeutic radiation from a radiation irradiation device. A pair of two-dimensional radiation detectors are arranged so as to face one another with the irradiated therapeutic radiation passing therebetween, and detect the two-dimensional positions irradiated by a pair of annihilation ? rays produced when a positron emitted from a positron-emitting radionuclide is annihilated. On the basis of a pair of positions detected by the pair of two-dimensional radiation detectors, a radionuclide position detecting unit detects the position of the positron-emitting radionuclide, and the radiation irradiation device irradiates the position of the positron-emitting radionuclide with therapeutic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Masayori Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9134430
    Abstract: A direct ion storage (DIS) radiation detector or dosimeter has a design that is easy and low cost to manufacture using semiconductor processing techniques. The detectors include internal communications interfaces so they are easy to read. Different interfaces, including wired, e.g. USB ports, and wireless interfaces, may be used, so that the dosimeters may be read over the internet. The detectors can thus be deployed or used in a variety of detection systems and screening methods, including periodic or single time screening of people, objects, or containers at a location by means of affixed dosimeters; screening of objects, containers or people at a series of locations by means of affixed dosimeters, and surveillance of an area by monitoring moving dosimeters affixed to people or vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MIRION TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Jukka Kahilainen, Thomas Logan
  • Patent number: 9117562
    Abstract: The steps of the method to make the scintillator panel are providing a first support having thereon a phosphor layer; dividing the first support the phosphor layer into a plurality of scintillator panel sections each having a first support section and a phosphor layer section thereon; providing an adhesive member between a side of the first support section of each of the plurality of the scintillator panel sections and a side of a second support; adhering the plurality of the scintillator panel sections onto the second support; forming a protective layer on a whole surface of the plurality of the scintillator panel sections except a portion of the scintillator panel sections which is contacted with the adhesive member; and separating the scintillator panel sections with their protective layer thereon from the second support. The separated scintillator panel sections with their protective layer are then adhered to light receiving element to form the flat panel detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA MEDICAL & GRAPHIC, INC.
    Inventors: Keiko Itaya, Tadashi Arimoto
  • Patent number: 9110276
    Abstract: A wide field-of-view infrared optical imaging system with extended spectral coverage into the 1.0 to 2.5 ?m wavelength range. In one example, an optical imaging system includes an imaging detector sensitive to light in a wavelength range of at least 1.0 ?m to 5.0 ?m, and a plurality of lenses optically coupled together and configured to focus incoming light onto the imaging detector, the plurality of lenses each comprised of a material that is transparent to the light in the wavelength range of at least 1.0 ?m to 5.0 ?m, wherein a pupil of the optical imaging system is located external to the plurality of lenses between the plurality of lenses and the imaging detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: Lacy G. Cook
  • Patent number: 9040928
    Abstract: A detector for detecting ionizing radiation comprises a scintillator 10 selected to emit light in response to incidence thereon of radiation to be detected, at least one detector 16 for detecting said emitted light, and at least one optical waveguide 12 for transmitting said emitted light to said detector 16. The optical waveguide typically comprises a flexible solid or hollow fiber that can be incorporated into a flexible mat or into a fiber-reinforced structure, so that the detector is integrated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS plc
    Inventors: Michael Dunleavy, Sajad Haq, Douglas Beverley Stevenson King, Nicholas Robert Giacomo Colosimo, Jonathan Alexander Silvie, Philip Lawrence Webberley
  • Patent number: 9029770
    Abstract: A charge injection circuit is used to control injection of an electronic charge to be added to a photon-induced charge generated by a detector of a direct integration circuit. The electronic charge can be injected directly to the detector or through a parallel path to the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: John L. Vampola, Andrew E. Gin, Roya Mokhtari, Walter C. Trautfield
  • Patent number: 8993972
    Abstract: A fluorescence based sensor system that provides improved signal-to-noise over prior systems is provided. The system includes a fluorescence based sensing medium that is contained a recessed cavity with reflective sides that allow for more uniform excitation of the fluorescence based sensing medium by the excitation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: University of Maryland Baltimore County
    Inventors: Govind Rao, Hung Lam, Yordan Kostov, Leah Tolosa, Xudong Ge
  • Patent number: 8969822
    Abstract: Two and three dimensional position sensing systems and sensors for use in such systems are disclosed. The sensors incorporate linear array sensors and an aperture plate to block light or other radiation from reaching most elements of the sensors. A direction of a radiation source relative is determined based on illuminated sensor elements in each sensor. The sensors are combined in systems to allow the position of a radiation source to be estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Baanto International Ltd.
    Inventors: Avanindra Utukuri, Jonathan Clarke, Stephen McFadyen
  • Patent number: 8859980
    Abstract: A device and method for on line dosimetry monitoring of a hadron beam generated from a source of radiation and delivered to a target, the device comprising a plurality of support plates arranged in parallel in a face-to-face relation, separated from each other by gas filled gaps and perpendicularly to the central axis of said hadron beam, and forming a plurality of ionization chambers, each support plate having on a first side one or more collecting electrodes and on a second side one or more high voltage electrode, arranged in such a way that each support plate has said first side substantially opposed to said second side of another support plate. Each support plate has an opening so as to form an inner cavity for allowing the undisturbed passage of a central portion of the hadron beam delivered to said target and a peripheral region for intercepting and measuring, by means of said plurality of ionization chambers, a peripheral portion of said hadron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ion Beam Applications S.A.
    Inventors: Damien Prieels, Victor Breev
  • Patent number: 8859979
    Abstract: A matrix microelectronic device includes elementary cells laid out according to a matrix. Each cell has a current source formed by a current source transistor. A source electrode of the transistor is connected to a source biasing conductor line of a plurality of source biasing conductor lines. A gate electrode of the transistor is connected to a gate biasing conductor line of a plurality of gate biasing conductor lines. A biasing device biases the gate biasing conductor lines and includes at least one first connection line that is connected to at least several of the gate biasing conductor lines. The biasing device includes a voltage generator or a current generator that causes a variation of potentials along the first connection line, thereby compensating a corresponding variation of potentials along the source biasing conductor lines. The device can include an addressing circuit for addressing horizontal lines or rows of the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Arnaud Peizerat, Marc Arques, Jean-Luc Martin
  • Patent number: 8841622
    Abstract: A direct ion storage (DIS) radiation detector or dosimeter has a design that is easy and low cost to manufacture using semiconductor processing techniques. The detectors include internal communications interfaces so they are easy to read. Different interfaces, including wired, e.g. USB ports, and wireless interfaces, may be used, so that the dosimeters may be read over the internet. The detectors can thus be deployed or used in a variety of detection systems and screening methods, including periodic or single time screening of people, objects, or containers at a location by means of affixed dosimeters; screening of objects, containers or people at a series of locations by means of affixed dosimeters, and surveillance of an area by monitoring moving dosimeters affixed to people or vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mirion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jukka Kahilainen, Thomas Logan
  • Patent number: 8835854
    Abstract: A method of non-destructively determining the condition of a material, said method including providing an elongated probe containing a plurality of optical fibers, said elongated probe coupled to an infrared spectrometer, said tip of said elongated probe positioned near said material, said elongated probe including said tip having a width of less than about 2.0 mm; and, making an infrared spectroscopy measurement of said material by providing infrared light from said infrared spectrometer through at least one of said plurality of optical fibers and collecting at least a portion of said infrared light reflected from a material juxtaposed near said tip through at least another of said plurality of optical fibers to provide said reflected light to said infrared spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Dean, Paul H. Shelley
  • Patent number: 8829443
    Abstract: The present invention is a radially symmetric imaging detector that measures an incident neutron's or gamma-ray's energy and identifies its source on an event-by-event basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: University of New Hampshire
    Inventors: James M. Ryan, John R. Macri, Mark L. McConnell, Ulisse Bravar
  • Patent number: 8822910
    Abstract: A system and tuning method to collaboratively calibrate high voltage DAC values and Photomultiplier Tube DAC values of photomultiplier tubes of a gamma camera so that the detector produces a valid energy spectrum over the entire detector surface. A method for tuning a gamma camera having a plurality of photosensors, exposes the photosensors to scintillation photons corresponding to nuclear radiation of known energy; measures an energy output corresponding to each specific photosensor; calculates an average enemy output of all photosensors in the camera; collaboratively adjusts a DAC value corresponding to a voltage applied to a specific photosensor and a DACHV value corresponding to a high voltage applied to the camera based on the calculated average energy, energy output of each photosensor, and a target energy value corresponding to said known energy; and repeats the calibration until convergence is achieved between the average energy, energy output, and target energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Sharon Xiaorong Wang, James Frank Caruba, John Thomas Pawlak
  • Patent number: 8796623
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radiation imaging device configuring a radiation imaging system. Specifically disclosed is a radiation imaging device wherein external force action mechanisms are capable of applying external force to the peripheral sections of a radiation conversion panel, or applying the external force while being laminated on the radiation conversion panel, or pressing the radiation conversion panel against the inner wall of a panel containing unit, which contains the radiation conversion panel, at least in imaging when radiation is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Haruyasu Nakatsugawa, Naoyuki Nishino, Yasunori Ohta, Naoto Iwakiri
  • Patent number: 8785867
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a radiation detector, an imaging device and an electrode structure thereof, and a method for acquiring an image. The radiation detector comprises: a radiation sensitive film, a top electrode on the radiation sensitive film, and an array of pixel units electrically coupled to the radiation sensitive film. Each pixel unit comprises: a pixel electrode (which is configured to collect a charge signal in a pixel area of the radiation sensitive film), a storage capacitor, a reset transistor, a buffer transistor, a column strobe transistor, and a row strobe transistor. The column strobe transistor and the row strobe transistor are connected in series between the buffer transistor and the signal line, and transfer the voltage signal of the corresponding pixel unit in response to a column strobe signal and a row strobe signal. The radiation detector may be used for, for example, X-ray digital imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited
    Inventors: Lan Zhang, Zhiqiang Chen, Ziran Zhao, Wanlong Wu, Yuanjing Li, Zhi Deng, Xiaocui Zheng
  • Patent number: 8759784
    Abstract: A high-energy radiation detector apparatus, comprising a high-energy radiation detector substrate and a plurality of charge collection electrodes operatively coupled to first and second opposing sides of the detector substrate is disclosed. Charge collection circuitry is associated with the plurality of charge collection electrodes for collecting charge induced on the charge collection electrodes by a high energy radiation photon interaction event caused by high-energy radiation incident on the detector substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Radiation Watch Limited
    Inventors: David Prendergast, Michael Anderson, Russell Morgan
  • Patent number: 8754373
    Abstract: A pyroelectric element includes a pyroelectric substrate; a light-receiving section composed of a front-side electrode, a back-side electrode, and a light-receiving portion; and a light-receiving section composed of a front-side electrode, a back-side electrode, and a light-receiving portion. Since the pyroelectric substrate warps in a cavity-facing region opposite a cavity, the light-receiving area of the light-receiving sections is greater than that in the case where there is no warp. It is thus possible to improve detection sensitivity of the pyroelectric element without making the size of the pyroelectric element larger than that in the case where there is no warp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Tai, Kenji Suzuki, Jungo Kondo
  • Patent number: 8692185
    Abstract: Determining a parameter associated with a formation corrected for neutrons produced. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: disposing a logging tool within a borehole, the borehole penetrates a formation; producing neutrons by a neutron source within the logging tool; detecting neutrons produced by the neutron source, the detecting by a neutron detector; creating an indication of a number of neutrons produced by the neutron source, the indication based only on neutrons detected that have not interacted with other elements before entering the neutron detector; obtaining a count rate of a gamma detector responsive to the production of neutrons by the neutron source; and determining a parameter associated with the formation based on the count rate and on the indication of the number of neutrons produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Weijun Guo, Stephen A. Zannoni, Carlos E. Haramboure, Jerome A. Truax