Patents Examined by Carolyn Igyarto
  • Patent number: 8680468
    Abstract: An IR camera includes a first optical subsystem for generating an IR image of an object and a second optical subsystem for generating a visual light image of the object. The IR camera further includes a focusing device for focusing the first optical subsystem. The IR camera also has a processor for determining a focus distance for focusing the first optical subsystem on the object. The processor determines the focus distance based on a displacement of a feature in the visual light image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: FLIR Systems AB
    Inventors: Katrin Strandemar, Björn Roth, Magnus Boman
  • Patent number: 8624187
    Abstract: The present invention relates to thermal detectors and the application of such to devices and methods of detecting the infrared images using thermal detectors. For example, by using optical measuring systems in combination with at least one light source to measure changes position of a movable anchored surface coupled to an absorption surface such that the movable anchored surface changes position due to absorption of infrared radiation by the absorption surface. In another example, by combining a detector pixel (infrared radiation sensitive) with an optical measuring device such as an interferometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Inventors: Hakan Urey, Hamdi Torun
  • Patent number: 8618471
    Abstract: The invention is directed at an apparatus (10), an imaging device and a method for detecting X-ray photons, in particular photons (32,34) in a computer tomograph. Photons (32,34) are converted into an electrical pulse and compared against a threshold using a discriminator (20). The electrical network (12) performing these functions comprises a switching element (28), that can modify the electrical path (22) along which the process signals travel. The trigger signal (VT) for actuating the switching element (28) is derived from an electrical state of the electrical path (22). If a pulse associated to a photon (32,34) is detected, the switching element (28) is actuated in order to avoid that the processing of the charge pulse stemming from a first photon (32) is affected by a subsequent second photon (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Roger Steadman, Guenter Zeitler, Christoph Herrmann, Christian Baeumer
  • Patent number: 8569705
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for system identification operate by computing phase and amplitude using linear filters. By digitally processing the linearly filtered signals or data, the phase and amplitude based on measurements of the input and output of a system, are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: TauTheta Instruments LLC
    Inventors: Nathan T. Baltz, J. D. Sheldon Danielson
  • Patent number: 8552394
    Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in optical processing of an article by VUV radiation. The method comprises: localizing incident VUV radiation propagation from an optical head assembly towards a processing site on the article outside the optical head assembly and localizing reflected VUV radiation propagation from said processing site towards the optical head assembly by localizing a medium, non-absorbing with respect to VUV radiation, in within the light propagation path in the vicinity of said site outside the optical head assembly. The level of the medium is controlled by measuring the reflected VUV radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.
    Inventor: Moshe Finarov
  • Patent number: 8546759
    Abstract: A measuring device, in particular a handheld measuring device, for the localization of objects enclosed in a medium, including at least one photometric sensor that obtains by way of the at least one photometric sensor a first measurement signal of the object to be examined, so that by evaluation of that measurement signal, information about an object enclosed in the medium is obtained, and at least one further sensor, for generating at least one further second measurement signal for obtaining information about the object enclosed in the medium. A method for the localization, by way of a photometric sensor, of objects enclosed in a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Skultety-Betz, Bjoern Haase, Michael Mahler, Ulli Hoffmann, Reiner Krapf, Christoph Wieland
  • Patent number: 8525132
    Abstract: Provided is a flat panel detector which prevents aging deterioration of characteristics of a phosphor layer, protects the phosphor layer from chemical alteration or physical impact, and maintains a stable contact state between a scintillator panel and a flat light receiving element. Disclosed is a flat panel detector comprising a scintillator panel comprising a scintillator provided with a phosphor layer on a substrate and a protective layer covering the phosphor surface of the scintillator, and the scintillator panel being placed on the surface of a flat light receiving element comprising plural picture elements which are two-dimensionally arranged, wherein a releasable adhesive layer is provided on the protective layer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehiko Shoji, Mika Sakai
  • Patent number: 8445840
    Abstract: An imaging target, suited for use in multi-modal imaging systems, includes test patterns for testing quality of focus and co-registration for multiple magnifications and multiple modalities of operation of a multimodal imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin Corporation
    Inventor: Gilbert Feke
  • Patent number: 8426821
    Abstract: An analyzer system (20) including an on-belt analyzer having a housing (2) adapted to be positioned across a path of a conveyor belt (3) which carries material to be analyzed, wherein the housing defines a tunnel (9) dimensioned to allow the belt to travel therethrough in suspended relation in order to allow analysis of the material without the belt contacting the analyzer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Scantech International Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Roland Harris, Michael Francis Edwards, Kenneth Graham Smith, Gavin Leith Christie, Nick John Deans
  • Patent number: 8421014
    Abstract: A portable x-ray detector is disclosed that includes an x-ray detecting member and a user removable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding member. The user removable EMI shielding member is positioned to at least partially magnetically shield the x-ray detecting member of the portable x-ray detector by redirecting an impinging magnetic field around the x-ray detecting member. The user removable EMI shielding member includes a first magnetic shielding layer, a second magnetic shielding layer, and an intervening material, other than the x-ray detecting member, between the first magnetic shielding layer and the second magnetic shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Kenneth Scott Kump, Habib Vafi
  • Patent number: 8362436
    Abstract: Systems and methods determine the level, density, and/or temperature of a fluid based on the fluorescence of a material within an optical waveguide slab at least partially immersed in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Mentzer, Nicholas P. Petrillo, Wayne A. Webb
  • Patent number: 8354646
    Abstract: The scintillator plate has a reflective layer, a resinous anti-corrosion layer and a scintillator layer provided sequentially in that order on a heat resistant resin substrate. The scintillator plate is employed as a component for a flat panel radiation detector. The scintillator plate has a protective film between the scintillator layer and the flat light receiving element which makes up the flat panel radiation detector. There is point contact between the surface of the scintillator layer and the protective film and there is point contact between the flat light receiving element and the protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinji Kudo, Yasushi Nagata
  • Patent number: 8350215
    Abstract: A thermopile sensor for detection of infrared radiation in a measurement wavelength range having a sensor substrate in which a cavity is formed, a diaphragm formed on the sensor substrate above the cavity, at least one thermopile structure formed in, on, or below the diaphragm, having at least one thermopile pair of mutually contacted thermopile legs, where the two thermopile legs are made of doped semiconductor materials having different Seebeck coefficients, and at least one insulating intermediate layer formed between the thermopile legs. A layer system having at least the two thermopile legs and at least the insulating intermediate layer is formed above the lower cavity and has multibeam interference for IR radiation in the measurement wavelength range, absorbing a portion of the IR radiation and at least partially reducing the reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Nicolaus Ulbrich
  • Patent number: 8338783
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dosimetry device for verification of quality of a radiation beam in standard and conformal radiation therapy, and for IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) applications. The device includes an active area comprising individual radiation detectors. The active area comprises a limited number of lines of radiation detectors, and a number of extra radiation detectors dedicated to the energy measurement of electrons or photons. It also comprises a build-up plate with energy degraders. The energy degraders are located upstream from the extra radiation detectors in the path of the radiation beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: Ion Beam Applications S.A., Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Departimento di Fisica Sperimentale, Università Degli Studi
    Inventors: Caterina Brusasco, Flavio Marchetto
  • Patent number: 8330106
    Abstract: The invention comprises a radiation and contamination monitor for the monitoring of radiation and contamination. The instrument is intrinsically safe and comprises a radiation detector, a power source, a signal processor and a display, said power source, signal processor and display being housed within a sealed instrument housing formed from a non-metallic material which is resistant to static discharge. The detector may be housed in a detachable housing for contamination monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey PLC
    Inventors: Darrell Green, Colin Cunningham
  • Patent number: 8319184
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Patent number: 8274051
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures for optoelectronic sensors with an infrared (IR) blocking filter and methods for using such sensors with post-detection compensation for IR content that passes through the IR blocking filter are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Cecil Aswell, Eugene G. Dierschke
  • Patent number: 8227754
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical imaging detector for fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging of an imaged object that can be used for tomographic imaging. The optical imaging detector comprises at least one micro-lens array with a plurality of micro-lenses. A photo detector can be located either in the focal plane of the micro-lens array or can be connected to the micro-lens array by a network of optical fibers and be located externally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Deutsches Krebforschungszentrum Stiftung Des Oeffentlichen Rechts
    Inventors: Jörg Peter, Ralf Schulz, Daniel Unholtz
  • Patent number: 8227757
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a detector, having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, for performing first and second radiography operations, a bias light source, and a control unit that controls the operation of the detector and the bias light source. In the first radiography operation, image data corresponding to radiation in a first radiation field corresponding to some of the pixels is output. In the second radiography operation, image data corresponding to radiation in a second radiation field larger than the first radiation field is output. In accordance with a change from the first radiation field to the second radiation field, the operation of the bias light source is controlled so that the irradiation with the bias light is performed during a period between the first and second radiography operations at a bias-light integral dose determined based on radiation integral dose information in the first radiography operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Tadao Endo, Toshio Kameshima, Masayoshi Akiyama, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Sho Sato
  • Patent number: 8224216
    Abstract: A developing apparatus is described. The developing apparatus includes a transport member including a plurality of electrodes forming a traveling wave electric field by successively applied voltages and a casing storing a toner transported by the transport member, wherein the activity of the toner based on the following measuring method shown in (1) to (3) is not more than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Ikami, Masateru Kawamura