Patents Examined by David S. Baker
  • Patent number: 7615762
    Abstract: A novel apparatus and method is described for detection of very small quantities (a few hundred molecules) of bioparticles in nanoliter/picoliter quantities of a sample. The apparatus involves a very small and low cost apparatus that contains a fluorometer. The detection process uses the fluorescence of nanoparticles. Dielectrophoresis is used to concentrate, mix and position the target particles with regard to the light sensor such that maximum detection efficiency is achieved. This allows low cost implementation of low cost point of care tests for disease (animal and plant), infection, food-borne bacteria detection, nucleotide sequencing and pathogen detection (bioterrorism) in real world applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Nano Science Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinagesh Satyanarayana, Sulatha Dwarakanath
  • Patent number: 7608841
    Abstract: A system and method for fluorescence excitation and detection having distinct optical paths is disclosed. A system for detecting fluorescence comprises a light source that emits an excitation light into an illumination tube; a plurality of collection optics located around an aperture in the illumination tube for collecting fluorescence; and a detector for determining the amount of fluorescence. A method for detecting fluorescence comprises emitting an excitation light from a light source into an illumination tube; directing the excitation light to an excitation filter; illuminating a sample with the excitation light to generate an emission light; and detecting the optical characteristics of the emission light using a plurality of collection optics located around the illumination tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Stratagene California
    Inventors: Taylor A. Reid, Roger H. Taylor, Kenneth J. Zajac
  • Patent number: 7608827
    Abstract: A T-ray imaging system employing an optical resonator that is adapted to be (i) positioned in the near-field proximity to a surface of a sample and (ii) pumped with pump light such that the pump light traverses a relatively thin layer of an electro-optically responsive material (EORM) located in the resonator's cavity. The imaging system has an optical detector that is adapted to detect at least a portion of the pump light reflected from the resonator, while the sample is illuminated with terahertz (THz) radiation such that the EORM is exposed to that radiation resulting in a detectable phase shift in the reflected pump light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Mitrofanov
  • Patent number: 7608829
    Abstract: A scintillation detector comprising nano-scale particles of a scintillation compound embedded in a plastic matrix is provided. The nano-scale particles may be made from metal oxides, metal oxyhalides, metal oxysulfides, or metal halides. Methods are provided for preparing the nano-scale particles. The particles may be coated with organic compounds or polymers prior to incorporation in the plastic matrix. A technique for matching the refractive index of the plastic matrix with the nano-scale particles by incorporating nano-scale particles of titanium dioxide is also provided. The scintillator may be coupled with one or more photodetectors to form a scintillation detection system. The scintillation detection system may be adapted for use in X-ray and radiation imaging devices, such as digital X-ray imaging, mammography, CT, PET, or SPECT, or may be used in radiation security detectors or subterranean radiation detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sergio Paulo Martins Loureiro, James Scott Vartuli, Brent Allen Clothier, Steven Jude Duclos, Mohan Manoharan, Patrick Roland Lucien Malenfant, Venkat Subramaniam Venkataramani, Clifford Bueno
  • Patent number: 7595493
    Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes a sensor panel 100, a phosphor layer 111 formed on the sensor panel 100 to convert a radiation into light, and a phosphor protecting member 110 covering the phosphor layer 111 to adhere closely to the phosphor protecting member 110. The phosphor protecting member 110 includes a phosphor protecting layer 116 made of vapor deposition polymerization polyimide formed by vapor deposition polymerization, a reflecting layer 113 reflecting the light converted by the phosphor layer 111, and a protecting layer 117 made of vapor deposition polymerization polyurea formed by the vapor deposition polymerization. By such a configuration, a polymerization reaction of the phosphor protecting layer 116 is performed on the substrate. Thereby, the generation of by-products is suppressed to make it easy to acquire the uniformity of film quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Okada, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Masato Inoue, Kazumi Nagano, Shinichi Takeda, Tomoyuki Tamura
  • Patent number: 7592595
    Abstract: A method and apparatus in which a first absorption measurement is made over a first frequency interval or set of frequency intervals including one or more absorptions from a spectral band of interest. The first absorption measurement is ideally selected to be near the frequency of a peak in the absorption spectrum, providing high sensitivity at low gas concentrations. A second absorption measurement is made over a second frequency interval. The second absorption measurement is made to include a contribution from the broadening of the absorption spectrum at higher concentrations. The second absorption measurement provides sensitivity at higher concentrations. The two absorption measurements are then combined to deduce the target sample concentration as the absorption line spectrum changes shape with concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Operations Technology Development, NFP
    Inventors: Harold S. Lessure, Satoru Simizu, Kirankumar M. Kothari
  • Patent number: 7592592
    Abstract: A night vision arrangement for a vehicle incorporating a camera. The camera comprises a window which is substantially transparent to infra-red light, a lens separate from the window, and an infra-red sensor to capture an image received through the window. A beam deflector is provided in alignment with the window to deflect a beam received through the window and directs the deflected beam through the lens on to the sensor. A display unit is provided to display the captured image to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Dick Eriksson
  • Patent number: 7589331
    Abstract: The invention is a UV sensitive composition that undergoes a color change upon exposure to a predetermined dosage of UV-C radiation. The UV-C sensitive composition comprises a halogenated polymer, such as polyvinylidene chloride, that produces an acid upon exposure to UV radiation, and a pH sensitive dye. Upon exposure to UV-C radiation, the halogenated polymer undergoes degradation and produces HCl. The pH sensitive dye changes color as a result in an increase in HCl in the system. The composition may also include an acid scavenging composition and/or a diluent to control the amount of HCl produced in the system. The amount of HCl liberated from UV-C exposure may be selectively controlled so that a color change may be produced at a desired UV-C dosage. In some embodiments, the composition may be used to indicate a UV-C dosage from about 100 to 1600 mJ/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin Russell Havens, Drew Ve Speer, David Ray Kyle
  • Patent number: 7582880
    Abstract: A neutron detector composed of a matrix of scintillating particles imbedded in a lithiated glass is disclosed. The neutron detector detects the neutrons by absorbing the neutron in the lithium-6 isotope which has been enriched from the natural isotopic ratio to a commercial ninety five percent. The utility of the detector is optimized by suitably selecting scintillating particle sizes in the range of the alpha and the triton. Nominal particle sizes are in the range of five to twenty five microns depending upon the specific scintillating particle selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Neutron Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Wallace, Andrew C. Stephan, Sheng Dai, Hee-Jung Im
  • Patent number: 7582873
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting the type of anesthetic gas. The method comprises the steps of: generating a light with a plurality of wavelengths, the light being able to be separated to a plurality of light beams whose central frequencies correspond to the plurality of wavelengths; passing said light through a gas chamber, wherein, the gas chamber being filled with said anesthetic gas, said anesthetic gas having absorption characteristic with respect to said plurality of light beams; detecting the light intensity of the attenuated light beams transmitted from the gas chamber respectively, to obtain the relative absorption characteristic of said attenuated light beams, which attenuated light beams having been absorbed by said anesthetic gas; and determining the type of said anesthetic gas based on the relative absorption characteristic between said attenuated light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xinsheng Li, Huiling Zhou, Wei Zhang, Jilun Ye
  • Patent number: 7579596
    Abstract: The terahertz camera has a fixed objective lens (2) and a plurality of detectors (3) positioned at the focal plane of the objective lens (2). Each of the detectors (3) is mounted on a movable support (10) so that the antenna is capable of movement across the focal plane of the objective lens (2) and is provided with a flexible waveguide (4) for connecting the output of the detector (3) with signal processing means. Each detector (3) is also provided with a retroreflector (6) which is reflective at frequencies other than terahertz frequencies. During use of the camera, the retroreflector (6) of each detector (3) is illuminated at non-terahertz frequencies so that the spatial position of each detector (3) and hence the spatial source of signals generated by the detector can be accurately identified. The terahertz camera is particularly suited for use in security installations and in chemical and food processing industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: The Science and Technology Facilities Council
    Inventors: Jonathan James, Christopher Mann
  • Patent number: 7573035
    Abstract: A radiation detector (24) for an imaging system includes a two-dimensional array (50) of nondeliquescent ceramic scintillating fibers or sheets (52). The scintillating fibers (52) are manufactured from a GOS ceramic material. Each scintillating fiber (52) has a width (d2) between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, a length (h2) between 0.1 mm and 2 mm and a height (h8) between 1 mm and 2 mm. Such scintillating fiber (52) has a height (h8) to cross-sectional dimension (d2, h2) ratio of approximately 10 to 1. The scintillating fibers (52) are held together by layers (86, 96) of a low index coating material. A two-dimensional array (32) of photodiodes (34) is positioned adjacent and in optical communication with the scintillating fibers (52) to convert the visible light into electrical signals. A grid (28) is disposed by the scintillating array (50). The grid (28) has the apertures (30) which correspond to a cross-section of the photodiodes (34) and determine a spatial resolution of the imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Simha Levene, Rodney A. Mattson, Ami Altman
  • Patent number: 7573026
    Abstract: A correction for pileup of measurements made by a nuclear detector is applied by selecting the energy of the first signal in a pileup, ignoring the remaining signals in the pileup, and correcting the count rate by a factor related to the total pulse widths within a unit time interval. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Philip L. Kurkoski, Tuan V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7569824
    Abstract: A laser beam steering module includes an optics assembly that directs a first portion of a laser beam through an output aperture and a second portion of through a sensing path. The optics assembly adjusts a position of the laser beam through the output aperture and sensing path responsive to position control signals. A sensor array in the sensing path receives the second portion of the laser beam and in response thereto generates electrical beam position signals indicating a position of laser beam through the output aperture. The electrical beam position signals have values that are a function of a temperature of the sensor array and are used in generating the position control signals to adjust the position of the laser beam as a function of the values of the electrical beam position signals. A thermal stabilization circuit stabilizes the temperature of the sensor array responsive to thermal control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Gidseg, Armando Corella, Roderick W. Keaton
  • Patent number: 7566880
    Abstract: A photo-conductor layer for constituting a radiation imaging panel, which photo-conductor layer is capable of recording radiation image information as an electrostatic latent image, contains a polycrystal constituted of BixMOy, in which M represents at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Ge, Si, and Ti, x represents a number satisfying the condition 12.05?x?13.1, and y represents a stoichiometric oxygen atom number determined by M and x. The photo-conductor layer has a high sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Motoyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7560710
    Abstract: Ultra Violet (UV) light produced by a light source is converted to visible light and utilized in a visible light output of the light source. The light source is, for example, a light source in an illuminator of a projection device. UV light that is typically filtered out of the illuminator is converted by a UV absorbing visible light radiating phosphor. The UV light is directed to the phosphor by, for example, reflecting the UV light out of a light path, concentrating the UV light via a concave reflector, and directing the UV light to the phosphor. The re-radiated visible light is then injected back into the light path of the light source. In one embodiment, the re-radiated visible light is injected into a “shadow” of the light path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: LightMaster Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Berman, Ying-Moh Liu
  • Patent number: 7550737
    Abstract: A non-invasive multi-step process that includes tomography is applied to determine features of a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Erin L. Ballard, Craig Buckland, Yang Cao, Javit A. Drake, Thomas Dufresne, Richard E. Durkot, Paul Graham, Joseph H. Nurre, Philip Trainer, Darren Trokhan, Jonathan Tse
  • Patent number: 7550730
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting alpha particles in SOI technology and a circuit thereof. The structure is a silicon-on-insulator radiation detector which includes: a charge collection node; a precharge transistor that has a source from the charge collection node, a drain at Vdd, and a gate controlled by a precharge signal; an access transistor that has a source from the charge collection node, a drain connecting to a readout node, and a gate controlled by a read-out signal; and a detector pulldown transistor having a drain from the charge collection node, a source to ground, and a grounded gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ethan H. Cannon, Michael J. Hauser, Timothy D. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7550745
    Abstract: A luminescence sensing device, comprising a plurality of optical sensor subunits, each said subunit comprising UV-illumination means for illuminating a sample; digital camera means, comprising a camera head; mirror means for directing light emitted from said sample onto said camera head; and a digital signal processor unit (DSP), processing signals generated by said camera head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: KBA-GIORI S.A.
    Inventor: Stephen Charles Brown
  • Patent number: 7550727
    Abstract: An infrared (IR) receiving device (1) with IR detector elements (3) for receiving IR signals from a communication zone (5), as well as with a processing circuit for deriving electric signals corresponding to the IR signals received, wherein the IR detector elements (3) are provided in at least one matrix-type arrangement (2) which corresponds to a matrix-type segmentation of the communication zone (5), and the processing circuit comprises a maximum detector circuit (9) connected to the IR detector elements (3), which maximum detector circuit (9) selects one respective maximum output signal from among the output signals of the IR detector elements (3) for deriving the electric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Efkon AG
    Inventors: Helmut Rieder, Raimund Pammer, Wolfgang Boh, Andreas Schalk