Patents Examined by David J Makiya
  • Patent number: 9470800
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array having pixels including conversion elements and switching elements, a bias line for supplying a bias potential to the conversion elements; driving lines for supplying a signal to control the switching elements, a driving unit for performing an initialization operation of supplying a driving signal to each driving line group, switching each driving signal from an OFF voltage to an ON voltage, and then returning the driving signal to the OFF voltage; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of times in each driving cycle a signal value representing a current flowing through the bias line; a calculation unit configured to calculate radiation information based on the signal values; and a determination unit configured to determine whether irradiation of the pixel array with radiation is present based on the radiation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Hideyuki Okada, Sho Sato, Eriko Sato, Takuya Ryu
  • Patent number: 9472597
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for converting light having a first wavelength to a light having a second wavelength is provided. The apparatus includes an interband light detector configured to detect light with the first wavelength, a light emitting device configured to emit light with the second wavelength, and a connector connecting the light detector to the light emitting device. In another aspect, an apparatus includes an absorber layer configured to absorb light having a first wavelength, a barrier and trap layer adjacent the absorber layer, an injector layer adjacent the barrier and trap layer, and an emitting device configured to emit light having a second wavelength. In a further aspect, a method is provided and includes absorbing an input light having a first wavelength, converting the first wavelength to a second wavelength different in size than the first wavelength, and emitting an output light having the second wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventor: Hooman Mohseni
  • Patent number: 9462990
    Abstract: Upon input of a synchronization signal, which indicates a start of an X-ray emission, from a source control unit for controlling an X-ray source, an electronic cassette makes an FPD start an accumulation operation and measurement of an X-ray dose. The electronic cassette and a console command their communicators to stop communication of any signal other than a stop signal, which stops the X-ray emission from the X-ray source, during the accumulation operation of the FPD. As soon as the X-ray dose has reached a predetermined threshold value, the electronic cassette transmits the stop signal to the source control unit through the console. A delay in transmission of the stop signal due to communication congestion or signal collision does not occur, because the electronic cassette and the console stop the communication of the signal other than the stop signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kuwabara, Takeshi Kamiya, Yusuke Kitagawa, Takashi Tajima
  • Patent number: 9459218
    Abstract: A method of identifying the material content of an object comprises: providing a radiation source and a radiation detector; irradiating a test object with radiation from the source; collecting at the detector system intensity data for radiation emergent from the test object; resolving the intensity data spectroscopically between a plural set of energy bands; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data via the following steps: considering a material attenuation coefficient as a plural set of energy dependent polynomial equations in atomic number with a set of energy dependent coefficients across the said plural set of energy bands; determining a measured attenuation coefficient at each said energy band; calculating therefrom one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or density and for example a Compound Proton Number Set comprising plural order powers and preferably plural higher order powers of weighted compound atomic number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Kromek Limited
    Inventors: Ian Radley, Ben Cantwell, David Edward Joyce, Paul Scott
  • Patent number: 9459154
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and thin-film structure for producing a blackbody spectrum is disclosed. A first layer of the apparatus is configured to generate heat in response to an applied voltage. A second layer is configured to emit the blackbody radiation spectrum in response to the heat from the first layer. A thermal spreading layer is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The thermal spreading layer includes a graphene sheet for reducing a spatial variation of the heat in a plane of the thermal spreading layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: James R. Chow, Kurt S. Ketola, David M. La Komski, Carl W. Townsend, William E. Elias, Stuart J. Marble
  • Patent number: 9460823
    Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) apparatus including: an X-ray source configured to direct X-rays toward a detector assembly; a dynamic beam collimator fixed in space and configured to dynamically limit an X-ray beam directed toward an object of interest, the dynamic beam collimator including a plurality of leaflets to block a cone beam of X-rays impinging upon the dynamic beam collimator, wherein a subset of the plurality of leaflets opens and closes to block or allow a portion of the cone beam of X-rays to reduce or increase a solid angle of the cone beam, wherein the cone beam of X-rays with the reduced solid angle is directed toward a predetermined portion of the object of interest; and the detector assembly configured to detect the directed cone beam of X-rays on a side opposite to the X-ray source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: TELESECURITY SCIENCES, INC.
    Inventors: Samuel M. Song, Junghyun Kwon, Jongkyu Lee, Douglas P. Boyd
  • Patent number: 9449781
    Abstract: This disclosure presents systems for x-ray illumination that have an x-ray brightness several orders of magnitude greater than existing x-ray technologies. These may therefore useful for applications such as trace element detection or for micro-focus fluorescence analysis. The higher brightness is achieved in part by using designs for x-ray targets that comprise a number of microstructures of one or more selected x-ray generating materials fabricated in close thermal contact with a substrate having high thermal conductivity. This allows for bombardment of the targets with higher electron density or higher energy electrons, which leads to greater x-ray flux. The high brightness/high flux x-ray source may then be coupled to an x-ray optical system, which can collect and focus the high flux x-rays to spots that can be as small as one micron, leading to high flux density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Sigray, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenbing Yun, Sylvia Jia Yun Lewis, Janos Kirz
  • Patent number: 9449783
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards the prevention of high voltage instabilities within X-ray tubes. For example, in one embodiment, an X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube generally includes a stationary member, and a rotary member configured to rotate with respect to the stationary member during operation of the X-ray tube. The X-ray tube also includes a liquid metal bearing material disposed in a space between the shaft and the sleeve, a seal disposed adjacent to the space to seal the liquid metal bearing material in the space, and an enhanced surface area material disposed on a side of the seal axially opposite the space and configured to trap within the enhanced surface area material liquid metal bearing material that escapes the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ian Strider Hunt, Donald Robert Allen, Kenwood Dayton, Andrew Triscari
  • Patent number: 9449779
    Abstract: An aperture cooling structure (a cooling structure used for the open X-ray source) 10 comprises an aperture unit 31 formed with an aperture 33, a holder 34 for holding the aperture unit 31, and a heat dissipator 36 connected to the holder 34. The aperture 33 restricts an electron beam E from passing therethrough on an electron path 4 of an X-ray generator (open X-ray source). The heat dissipator 36 has a heat dissipation member 37 including a coolant flow path constituent part 41 and a heat dissipation member 38 including a coolant flow path constituent part 42. The coolant flow path constituent part 41 and the coolant flow path constituent part 42 are combined with each other, so as to construct a coolant flow path 43.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Naonobu Suzuki, Kinji Takase
  • Patent number: 9448190
    Abstract: This disclosure presents systems for x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements that have x-ray flux and flux density several orders of magnitude greater than existing compact systems. These are useful for laboratory or field applications of x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) or extended x-ray fine absorption structure (EXFAS) spectroscopy. The higher brightness is achieved by using designs for x-ray targets that comprise a number of aligned microstructures of x-ray generating materials fabricated in close thermal contact with a substrate having high thermal conductivity. This allows for bombardment with higher electron density and/or higher energy electrons, leading to greater x-ray brightness and high flux. The high brightness x-ray source is then coupled to an x-ray reflecting optical system to collimate the x-rays, and a monochromator, which selects the exposure energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Sigray, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenbing Yun, Sylvia Jia Yun Lewis, Janos Kirz
  • Patent number: 9448326
    Abstract: A method processing an image dataset of radiation emergent from a test object after its irradiation by a suitable radiation source is described which comprises the steps of: generating an image dataset comprising a spatially resolved map of items of intensity data from the radiation emergent from the test object; further, resolving the intensity data items spectroscopically between at least two energy bands across the spectrum of the source; numerically processing the spectroscopically resolved intensity data items to determine a further spatially resolved dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density; generating a segmented image dataset using the said dataset of data items representative of one or more orders of Compound Proton Number and/or effective mass thickness and/or a density. The method applied as part of a method for the radiological examination of an object and an apparatus for the same are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Kromek Limited
    Inventors: Ian Radley, Ben Cantwell, David Edward Joyce, Paul Scott
  • Patent number: 9440844
    Abstract: Imaging systems may include an image sensor and a microelectromechanical systems array. The microelectromechanical systems array may be mounted over the image sensor. The system may include an infrared lens that focuses infrared light onto a first surface of the microelectromechanical systems array and a visible light source that illuminates an opposing second surface of the microelectromechanical systems array. The image sensor may capture images of the opposing second surface of the microelectromechanical systems array. The system may include processing circuitry that generates infrared images of a scene using the captured images of the microelectromechanical systems array. Microelectromechanical systems elements in the microelectromechanical systems array may change position or shape in response to infrared light that is absorbed by the microelectromechanical systems elements. Each microelectromechanical systems element may include infrared absorbing material on a metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Edward Salsman
  • Patent number: 9442066
    Abstract: TeraHertz signal generation system based on traveling-wave oscillators providing extraction of orders of magnitude higher oscillation frequencies resulting in frequency multipliers and THz transceivers that can generate, transmit and sense THz frequency signals for sensing/imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: WAVE WORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmet Tekin, Ahmed Emira, Suat Utku Ay
  • Patent number: 9442069
    Abstract: A detection system is provided for the measurement of in-vitro dental samples. The detection system includes an optical detection module that is configured for the detection of optical signals that are emitted in response to the absorption of an incident optical beam, and a control and processing unit that is configured for processing the detected optical signals and generating an image. The system also includes a sample holder may be removed and subsequently replaced without requiring recalibration of the system. In some embodiments, the optical detection module is configured for combined measurement of photothermal radiation and luminescence in response to the absorption of the incident optical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: QUANTUM DENTAL TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Jinseok Jeon, Koneswaran Sivagurunathan, Stephen Abrams, Andreas Mandelis, Joshua D. Silvertown, Bonny Wong, Adam Hellen
  • Patent number: 9439605
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a C-arm X-ray imaging system. In order to provide C-arm systems with an extended three-dimensional field of view, a C-arm X-ray imaging system (10), provided to acquire extended three-dimensional images of an object, is provided, comprising a C-arm structure (12) with an X-ray source (14) and an X-ray detector (16) mounted across from the X-ray source, a motorized drive (22) for a rotational movement of the C-arm structure, and a control unit (26). The C-arm structure is provided to perform a rotational scan around an axis of rotation and around an ISO-center acquiring a number of X-ray projections in order to generate image data for a reconstructed three-dimensional field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Schäfer, Michael Grass
  • Patent number: 9435755
    Abstract: A method for detecting particles is presented. The method comprises generating a reaction to a plurality of particles using a converter material, wherein the converter material is operable to interact with the plurality of particles, and wherein a subset of the plurality of particles comprises neutrons. Further, the method comprises converting a response to the reaction to a readable electrical signal using a sensor, wherein the sensor comprises an array of pixels. Also, the method comprises processing the readable electrical signal from the sensor to generate information for each pixel on the array of pixels and transmitting the information to a processing unit. Also, the method comprises executing a discrimination procedure using the information for distinguishing between instances of impingement of neutrons and non-neutron particles on the array of pixels. Further, the method comprises determining the radionuclide or non-radionuclide source of origin of the neutron and non-neutron particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: RHOMBUS HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Anshuman Roy
  • Patent number: 9437770
    Abstract: A radiation detector is disclosed, including a plurality of detector elements arranged adjacent to one another in a planar manner. In an embodiment, for the purpose of radiation detection, a semiconductor layer with an upper side and a lower side is present, the semiconductor layer on one of the sides including an electrode embodied so as to extend across a number of detector elements and electrodes subdivided into individual electrodes being arranged on the other side of the semiconductor layer so that by applying voltage between the electrodes of the two sides, an electrical field is generatable and each individual electrode is assigned an effective volume so as to collect charge in the semiconductor layer. In an embodiment, the individual electrodes are alternately connected to at least two different voltage potentials. Furthermore, a medical diagnostic system is disclosed, including at least one such radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Björn Kreisler, Christian Schröter
  • Patent number: 9435897
    Abstract: A method for detecting particles is presented. The method comprises generating a reaction to a plurality of particles using a converter material, wherein the converter material is operable to interact with the plurality of particles. Further, the method comprises converting a response to the reaction to a readable electrical signal using a sensor, wherein the sensor comprises an array of discrete pixels. Also, the method comprises processing the readable electrical signal from the sensor to generate information for each pixel on the array of discrete pixels and transmitting the information to a processing unit. Furthermore, the method comprises analyzing the information using the processing unit to determine instances of impingement of the plurality of particles on said array of discrete pixels. Finally, the method comprises an aggregate of sensors that function in parallel to result in a highly sensitive particle detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: RHOMBUS HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Anshuman Roy
  • Patent number: 9435919
    Abstract: A prism used in analysis utilizing surface plasmons is prism of a dielectric medium with a predetermined reflective index. Trapezoidal prism comprises an incident surface on which excitation light is incident from outside, a reflective surface at which the excitation light incident on the incident surface is reflected, an emission surface from which the excitation light reflected by the reflective surface is emitted; and an opposite surface which opposes the reflective surface. The opposite surface is a recessed sink-mark surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Umetsu, Yoshihiro Okumura, Takehiko Goshima
  • Patent number: 9431140
    Abstract: A multi-pinhole collimator is formed by calculating a projection size (D) for different pinhole numbers (n) for a predetermined field-of-view (FOV) (d) by arranging a plurality of projections into a pattern. A pattern is selected which utilizes a whole detector with maximized packing density, minimum truncation to provide a projection overlap below a predetermined limit. The number of pinholes is modified to calculate a collimator length, a corresponding acceptance angle and aperture size. Sensitivities for individual pinholes are added to obtain a total sensitivity for a given pinhole number, and an optimized multi-pinhole configuration is obtained by maximizing the total sensitivity for a predetermined target resolution (Rt) and field-of-view (FOV) (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MACAU
    Inventor: Seng Peng Mok