Patents Examined by Darren M. Jiron
  • Patent number: 5914490
    Abstract: A procedure for measuring the components of the coating of paper via infrared measurement, the paper components being determined via a reflection measurement in the middle infrared range, e.g. by measuring the reflection peak using a wavelength of 2-12 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Valmet Automatic, Inc.
    Inventors: Juha Antero Sumen, Jouni Sakari Tornberg
  • Patent number: 5914488
    Abstract: An infrared transmission window 4 is placed on the front of a light reception part 2 formed on a substrate 1 with a cavity 3 between and is bonded to the substrate 1 in airtight relation on a bond face in the range surrounding the light reception part 2, whereby the transmission window 4 is fixed and the cavity 3 is evacuated of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sone
  • Patent number: 5914489
    Abstract: Apparatus for the optical detection of flames or explosions, having an optical structure to perform continuous optical path monitoring of the optical window receiving the optical radiation, to ensure against the buildup of radiation absorbing or scattering materials. A light source internal to the housing illuminates a straight optically transmissive quartz or sapphire rod that protrudes through the housing beyond the optical window. The protruding tip of the light rod is beveled and metallized on the bevel to provide internal reflection of the light from the source, the angle of the bevel being such that the reflected light on exiting the light rod illuminates the optical window and the optical detector behind it, thereby providing a test for the cleanliness of the optical window. This optical technique for checking the cleanliness of the optical viewing element can be utilized by other optical instruments including imaging arrays, surveillance cameras and weapons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: General Monitors, Incorporated
    Inventors: Shankar Baliga, Brett Bleacher
  • Patent number: 5912466
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for rapid detection of explosives residue from the deflagration signature thereof. A property inherent to most explosives is their stickiness, resulting in a strong tendency of explosive particulate to contaminate the environment of a bulk explosive. An apparatus for collection of residue particulate, burning the collected particulate, and measurement of the ultraviolet emission produced thereby, is described. The present invention can be utilized for real-time screening of personnel, cars, packages, suspected devices, etc., and provides an inexpensive, portable, and noninvasive means for detecting explosives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Herbert O. Funsten, David J. McComas
  • Patent number: 5905263
    Abstract: In a depth dose measuring device, a light is outputted from an end surface of a block-type detector (202) formed by tying a plurality of scintillation fibers in a bundle, a spectroscope (204) is used to disperse the light so as to measure an amount of light having a wavelength corresponding to an emission spectrum of the scintillation fibers, a picture measuring device (205) and a picture processing device (206) calculate an emission distribution of only a scintillation light depending upon an emission distribution in which the scintillation light and a Cerenkov light are mixed, and a result is displayed on a display device (207).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishizawa, Kazunori Ikegami, Kunio Madono, Eisaku Teratani, Satoshi Senoo
  • Patent number: 5903007
    Abstract: A multiple detector array is positioned in a satellite orbiting the earth for determining the attitude of the satellite with respect to the earth by detecting the earth's horizon. The multiple array of spaced detectors are mounted on a horizon sensor with a space detector viewing space, a horizon detector, with a field of view straddling the horizon and outer space space, a detector viewing the earth, and a gradient detector viewing the earth. Individual signals from these detectors are amplified and processed such that any gradients between the two earth viewing detectors are used to provide radiance compensation to correct for radiance errors in sensing the true position of the horizon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: EDO Corporation, Barnes Engineering Division
    Inventor: Robert C. Savoca
  • Patent number: 5903006
    Abstract: A liquid concentration detecting apparatus which permits a real-time and high-accuracy detection of concentration of a liquid (particularly an etching or cleaning solution) used in a semiconductor plant, with a simple configuration at a low cost. The liquid concentration detecting apparatus 1 has a cell 2 to which a liquid is supplied, and a projecting section 4 and a receiving section 5 arranged opposite to each other in a direction at right angles to the axial line of the cell. A light of a prescribed wavelength is projected from this projecting section 4 through the liquid in the cell 2 to the receiving section 5, and the concentration of the liquid is determined by detecting the amount of light received by the receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Norihiro Kiuchi
    Inventors: Norihiro Kiuchi, Kunimitsu Tamura, Seiki Tsurudo
  • Patent number: 5903008
    Abstract: An emission tomographic system for imaging an object of interest is described. The system, in one form, includes a gantry and a patient table. A detector including a collimator is secured to the gantry, and a computer is coupled to the gantry and to the detector to detect and control the position of the detector relative to the table. The system is configured to determine a transmission measurement and generate a scatter fraction utilizing the transmission measurement. A dual energy window data acquisition algorithm then determines non-scatter photons in a primary energy window utilizing the scatter fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jianying Li
  • Patent number: 5898184
    Abstract: An arrangement for detecting an image on a phosphorescent foil has two light conductors which lead to a common photomultiplier. The light conductors are spaced from one another by a small gap which allows a laser beam to pass between the conductors and excite the foil. The light conductors have flat end faces for the admission of light into the conductors, and the end faces are directed towards the foil as well as the gap. The end faces make an angle of 10 to 30 degrees with the foil. The light conductors are designed so that the greater part of impinging radiation is admitted into and travels the length of a conductor only when the path of the radiation and a normal to the respective end face define an angle which is equal to or less than the acceptance angle of the conductor. Each end face has an edge remote from the gap, and a location at which the laser beam impinges the foil defines a plane with a location on either edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Werner Stahl, Peter Schwelle, Detlef Brautmeier
  • Patent number: 5895920
    Abstract: A device for detecting fluorescence generated in a sample medium in a cuvette tube irradiated with light for analysis purposes. The device includes a main element comprising a light source, an optical element mounted on the cuvette tube in optical contact therewith, and a photodetector. The light source is placed on the outside of the cuvette tube so as to send light into the tube in a direction essentially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tube. The refractive index of the optical element is essentially the same as the refractive index of the wall of the cuvette tube. The photodetector functions to detect fluorescence light which falls on the detector after having passed in the cuvette tube via the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Inventor: Leon Carlsson
  • Patent number: 5895921
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for detecting the presence of fecal or ingesta matter contaminants on a poultry or meat item. The poultry or meat is conveyed in front of a UV light transmitter/receiver where UV light is directed onto the poultry or meat item and subsequently light is gathered from the poultry or meat. The gathered light is then compared to a threshold, above which indicates contaminants. If contaminants are present, the controller can generate a signal and/or send the contaminated items to a wash station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Amy Waldroup, John Kirby
  • Patent number: 5894125
    Abstract: A THz imaging system with the emitter region of the THz generator designed so that the sample to be analyzed is placed in the near field of the generator allows radiation to impact the sample without intervening optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Igal M. Brener, Martin C. Nuss
  • Patent number: 5892230
    Abstract: A scintillating fiducial pattern, and methods of fabricating and using same, on a substrate or a resist/substrate composite, where the scintillating fiducial pattern is used in a spatial referencing scheme. The invention includes the use of a scintillating fiducial pattern as alignment or reference marks on a resist/substrate composite, into which a pattern or feature is to be defined. The invention includes the use of a scintillating fiducial in a mask alignment scheme. The invention includes the use of a scintillating fiducial grid or grating in conjunction with an energy beam locating method, or spatial-phase-locked electron-beam lithography. Spatial referencing to the scintillating fiducial grid, or grating, may be implemented with a delay-locked loop, which locks the phase of a signal from the scintillating grid, or grating, to the phase of a known signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: James G. Goodberlet, Henry I. Smith
  • Patent number: 5886359
    Abstract: An x-ray detector, detection assembly, and method of using the detector and detection assembly. The detector is used with an x-ray source and has a converter including a mass of prompt emitting radiographic phosphor particles and a photoconductive binder. The mass of particles is dispersed and embedded in the binder. The phosphor absorbs x-rays emitted by the source and emits longer wavelength actinic radiation responsive to the x-rays. The photoconductive binder absorbs the actinic radiation and produces electron-hole pairs responsive to the actinic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joseph F. Bringley, David Paul Trauernicht, David Steven Weiss
  • Patent number: 5886354
    Abstract: A single sheet photostimulable phosphor screen, wherein the screen contains in consecutive order (1) a support, (2) a continuous phosphor-containing layer, and permanently and contiguously united therewith (3) a grid structured phosphor-containing layer containing a phosphor different from the phosphor contained in the continuous phosphor-containing layer (2), the grid structured layer.(3) containing parallel rows of phosphor-containing stripes, and the different phosphors have a different X-ray absorption capacity with respect to different energy levels of X-ray radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: AFGA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventor: Paul Leblans
  • Patent number: 5886348
    Abstract: An infrared gas analyzer for measuring low concentrations of a target gas, on the order of parts per million, in a sample gas is comprised of a gas sampling chamber, an infrared light source, and a power source for energizing the light source. A plurality of filters is provided to transmit infrared radiation at certain wavelengths. The wavelengths are chosen such that the effects of unwanted gases (such as water and carbon dioxide) can be removed from the final output signal. A plurality of infrared detectors are responsive to the filters for producing a plurality of electrical signals. A circuit is provided for combining the plurality of electrical signals to produce an output signal representative of the concentration of the target gas independently of other gases in the sample gas. A method of measuring low concentrations of a target gas is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: American Intell-Sensors Corporation
    Inventors: Harold S. Lessure, Satoru Simizu, Louis J. Denes, Alberto M. Guzman
  • Patent number: 5880473
    Abstract: Techniques for acquiring and analyzing M-FISH images in a manner that allows for proper image registration; and techniques for combining a plurality of registered images to provide labeled images. Epi-illumination embodiments use multiple filter cubes for different subsets of the entire set of desired dyes. The registration problem is addressed by configuring the different multiband cubes so that pairs of cubes have a common dye for which they are configured. Accordingly, a first set of images generated with a first cube includes an image that corresponds to (contains the same features as) one of the images in a second set of images generated with a second cube. This allows the first set of images to be precisely and accurately aligned with the second set of images. A method for generating a labeled image typically includes a normalization of the pixel intensities within each image, followed by a transformation to ratio images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacques Ginestet
  • Patent number: 5877499
    Abstract: A composite Fresnel lens useful in an infrared passive detection system includes an array of Fresnel lens segments having a given vertical centerline and a curvature of a given radius. The Fresnel lens segments fall in first and second groups. Each Fresnel lens segment in the first group has a long detection range and a width less than one-third of the diameter of an original whole Fresnel lens from which the segment was taken. Also, each lens segment of the first group has a geometrical center located horizontally from the vertical centerline of the array along the curvature of the array through a circumferential distance less than one-fourth of the radius of curvature of the array. Each Fresnel lens segment in the second group has a short detection range less than the long detection range by a predetermined amount and a width less than one-third of the diameter of an original whole Fresnel lens from which the segment was taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporation
    Inventor: John R. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 5874742
    Abstract: A counterfeit detection viewer apparatus for detecting security markings in paper currency, which includes a housing having a detection opening on the bottom thereof for receiving the paper currency to be inspected and a viewing opening on the top thereof for inspecting the paper currency. A UV light fixture is mounted in the housing and has a UV fluorescent lamp for projecting UV light rays toward the detection opening and the paper currency to be inspected. The UV light fixture includes a reflector to reflect the UV light rays toward the detection opening and the paper currency, and a switch for activating the UV fluorescent lamp prior to inspecting the paper currency through the viewing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Inventor: Camille Romano
  • Patent number: 5874744
    Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for receiving and reproducing radiographic information from an anisotropic storage phosphor screen including an auto-collimating photostimulable phosphor layer of a material selected from the group consisting of europium activated barium fluorobromide, europium activated potassium chloride, indium activated potassium bromide or indium activated rubidium iodide, which absorbs impinging ionizing radiation emanating from or passing through an object to be imaged, a collimated or focused interrogating beam of photons directed parallel to the columnar structure of the screen to stimulate the trapped electrons within the storage phosphor to release the energy stored therein as luminescent photons, an opto-electro-mechanical assembly to achieve a raster scan of the interrogating beam over the area of the phosphor screen, a detector for converting the luminescent photons into electrical signals, and a computer to record and/or display the intensity versus positional informat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Air Techniques, Inc.
    Inventors: Claude A. Goodman, Daniel N. Wildermuth