Patents Examined by Edwin Gunberg
  • Patent number: 9958558
    Abstract: A digital x-ray detector has a non-metallic housing. A two dimensional array of photosensors enclosed by the housing is in electrical communication with an electrical circuit formed on an interior surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott T. MacLaughlin
  • Patent number: 9958380
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to spectroscopic systems and spectrometers configured for hydrocarbon gas composition monitoring which provides compound speciation capability and function. In certain embodiments, the system identifies two or more bands of spectral data—e.g., including a band in each of (i) the near infrared and (ii) mid infrared wavelength regions, though bands covering subsets from about 800 nm to about 12 ?m can be used—from the signal corresponding to the hydrocarbon fluid in the gas flow cell, where the two or more bands are not contiguous (e.g., there is at least a 50 nm separation between the nearest ends of two bands). A combined spectrum is then formed from the two or more non-contiguous bands of spectral data and processed to identify and/or quantify the constituents of the hydrocarbon fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignees: MKS Instruments, Inc., Pason Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Vidi Saptari
  • Patent number: 9958557
    Abstract: Provided are photon counting apparatuses and methods, and radiographic imaging apparatuses configured to receive charge signals corresponding to incident radiation photons, and to count the incident radiation photons by using a plurality of counting bits, such that the counting changes only one counting bit from among the plurality of counting bits when the count value is increased by one. By using the photon counting methods, a data-change frequency of photon counting data corresponding to radiation photons is minimized while counting the radiation photons based on charge signals corresponding to input radiation photons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-myoung Kim, Kang-ho Lee, Chae-hun Lee, Jae-chul Park
  • Patent number: 9947116
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for correcting positional errors in an image arising from gaps in a detector assembly. In one embodiment, a method comprises generating a sinogram based on a plurality of photon coincidence events, selectively inserting one or more pseudo-slices into the sinogram, and generating an image based on the sinogram including the one or more pseudo-slices. In this way, positional errors may be reduced without modifying an image reconstruction algorithm to include a full detector geometry or modifying the detector geometry itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christopher Gerald Matthews
  • Patent number: 9945788
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to a method and system for determining Regions of Interest (ROI) for one or more biological samples in a laboratory instrument. The method can include an optical system capable of imaging florescence emission from a plurality of sample wells. An initial ROI, its center location and size can be estimated from the fluorescence detected from each well. From this information the average size of the ROIs can be determined and global gridding models can be derived to better locate each of the ROIs. The global gridding models can then be applied to the ROIs to improve the precision of the ROI center locations. Sample wells not originally providing fluorescence ROIs can be recovered through the use of mapping functions. The radius of each ROI can then be adjusted to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Yong Chu
  • Patent number: 9939535
    Abstract: A Compton camera includes a scattering detection unit, an absorption detection unit, a signal processing unit, a first shield unit, and a second shield unit. The scattering detection unit detects Compton scattering of incident radiation emitted from a radiation source. The absorption detection unit detects absorption of incident radiation that has undergone Compton scattering at the scattering detection unit. The signal processing unit obtains an image of the radiation source based on coincident detection events of Compton scattering of radiation at the scattering detection unit and absorption of radiation at the absorption detection unit. The first and second shield units are provided between the scattering detection unit and the absorption detection unit. The first shield unit selectively allows forward-scattered radiation to pass and selectively blocks back-scattered radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Jun Kataoka, Toru Nishiyama, Shinji Ohsuka, Michito Hirayanagi, Shunsuke Adachi, Tetsuya Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9933309
    Abstract: A device for detecting electromagnetic radiation is provided, including a substrate; a matrix of thermal detectors disposed on the substrate; and a structure encapsulating the matrix of thermal detectors, including an encapsulating layer extending continuously around and above the matrix of thermal detectors so as to define with the substrate a cavity in which the matrix of thermal detectors is disposed, the encapsulating layer including at least one internal bearing section, which bears directly against the substrate between two adjacent thermal detectors of said matrix, said at least one internal bearing section including a sidewall and a peripheral wall, the sidewall being separate from the peripheral wall in a plane parallel to a plane of the substrate, and the peripheral wall encircling the matrix of thermal detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Yon, Geoffroy Dumont, Laurent Carle, Pierre Imperinetti, Stephane Pocas
  • Patent number: 9924114
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a detector that measures radiation. The apparatus also includes a window that is relationally coupled to the detector and a shield, so that the window is in between the detector and the shield. The apparatus further includes the shield that emits substantially constant radiation, and substantially blocks radiation from a camera housing at least partially surrounding the shield, so that the detector measures radiation passing through an optical system and the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DRS Network & Imaging Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Henry W. Neal, George D. Skidmore, Jeff R. Emmett, Richard L. Southerland, Samuel E. Ivey
  • Patent number: 9923114
    Abstract: An infrared detector is provided. The infrared detector includes an absorption layer sensitive to radiation in only a short wavelength infrared spectral band, and a barrier layer coupled to the absorption layer. The barrier layer is fabricated from an alloy including aluminum and antimony, and at least one of gallium or arsenic, and the composition of the alloy is selected such that valence bands of the absorption layer and the barrier layer substantially align.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Terence J. de Lyon, Sevag Terterian, Hasan Sharifi
  • Patent number: 9915740
    Abstract: An ionizing radiation detector or scintillator system includes a scintillating material comprising an organic crystalline compound selected to generate photons in response to the passage of ionizing radiation. The organic compound has a crystalline symmetry of higher order than monoclinic, for example an orthorhombic, trigonal, tetragonal, hexagonal, or cubic symmetry. A photodetector is optically coupled to the scintillating material, and configured to generate electronic signals having pulse shapes based on the photons generated in the scintillating material. A discriminator is coupled to the photon detector, and configured to discriminate between neutrons and gamma rays in the ionizing radiation based on the pulse shapes of the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick L. Feng
  • Patent number: 9911771
    Abstract: Embodiments of radiographic imaging systems; radiography detectors and methods for using the same; and/or fabrication methods therefore can include radiographic imaging array that can include a plurality of pixels that each include a photoelectric conversion element coupled to a thin-film switching element. In certain exemplary embodiments, thin-film switching element is a metal oxide (e.g., a-IGZO) TFT manufactured using a reduce photolithography mask counts. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thin-film switching element is a metal oxide (e.g., a-IGZO) TFT that includes reduced lower alignment tolerances between TFT electrodes. In certain exemplary embodiments, the thin-film switching element is a metal oxide (e.g., a-IGZO) TFT including a reduced thickness active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Hsin Chang, Ravi K. Mruthyunjaya, Timothy J. Tredwell
  • Patent number: 9909924
    Abstract: An infrared thermal sensor for sensing infrared radiation is disclosed. The infrared thermal sensor comprises a substrate and a cap structure together forming a sealed cavity, a membrane arranged in said cavity for receiving infrared radiation (IR) through a window or aperture and a plurality of beams for suspending the membrane. At least one beam has a thermocouple arranged therein or thereon for measuring a temperature difference (?T) between the membrane and the substrate, the plurality of beams. Furthermore at least one beam is mechanically supporting the membrane without a thermocouple being present therein or thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES NV
    Inventors: Ben Maes, Carl Van Buggenhout, Appolonius Jacobus Van Der Wiel
  • Patent number: 9897545
    Abstract: A fluorescence and phosphorescence detection device includes a fluorescence and phosphorescence sensor, a data acquiring unit, and an emission detection unit. The fluorescence and phosphorescence sensor includes a light source that emits an excitation light of a predetermined wavelength, and a photodetection unit that detects fluorescence emission and phosphorescence emission excited from the paper sheet by the excitation light. The data acquiring unit acquires a time-series waveform of a signal outputted from the fluorescence and phosphorescence sensor in response to the detection of the emission in the photodetection unit. The emission detection unit detects the fluorescence emission from the time-series waveform of a period in which the excitation light is emitted from the light source and detects the phosphorescence emission from an attenuation curve appearing on the time-series waveform of a period in which emission of the excitation light from the light source is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 9898636
    Abstract: A wrapper for a terahertz wave according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a terahertz wave transmission layer that is made of a material that transmits a terahertz wave; and an electric field enhancement structure that enhances an electric field by reacting with a predetermined frequency band of terahertz waves passing through the terahertz wave transmission layer. An optical identification device for a terahertz wave according to an embodiment of the present invention includes m identification units composed of: a terahertz wave transmission layer that is made of a material that transmits a terahertz wave; and a waveguide grating that resonates at a natural resonant frequency when receiving the transmitted terahertz wave, in which the natural resonant frequency is any one of a first natural resonant frequency to an n-th natural resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: KOREA FOOD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Sung Wook Choi, Hyun Jung Kim, Na Ri Lee, Hyun Joo Chang, Gyeong Sik Ok
  • Patent number: 9885792
    Abstract: An ionizing radiation detector or scintillator system includes a scintillating material comprising an organic crystalline compound selected to generate photons in response to the passage of ionizing radiation. The organic compound has a crystalline symmetry of higher order than monoclinic, for example an orthorhombic, trigonal, tetragonal, hexagonal, or cubic symmetry. A photodetector is optically coupled to the scintillating material, and configured to generate electronic signals having pulse shapes based on the photons generated in the scintillating material. A discriminator is coupled to the photon detector, and configured to discriminate between neutrons and gamma rays in the ionizing radiation based on the pulse shapes of the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick L. Feng
  • Patent number: 9885790
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus that includes a plurality of sensors and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs a first control of monitoring, after a radiation irradiation is started, a signal of a first sensor and accumulating the monitored signal of the first sensor, a second control of outputting, in response to a calculated value obtained by the accumulation and reaching a target value, a control signal to end the radiation irradiation, and a third control of reading out, after the radiation irradiation is ended, the signals of the respective plurality of sensors, and the control unit changes a monitoring cycle of the first control based on the target value and an elapsed time since the radiation irradiation has been started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Okada, Toshio Kameshima, Eriko Sato
  • Patent number: 9880294
    Abstract: A single-crystal scintillator material can include at least 50 wt % of rare-earth halide and comprising a polished first face. This material is integrated into an ionizing-radiation detector comprising a photoreceiver, the photoreceiver being optically coupled to the material via a face other than the polished first face. The material provides a good energy resolution and a high light intensity. The polishing may be carried out whatever the crystal orientation of the crystal. Loss of material due to this orientation is therefore prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CRISTAUX ET DETECTEURS
    Inventors: Guillaume Gautier, Dominique Richaud, Patrick Champeaux
  • Patent number: 9869779
    Abstract: A method is described for setting the detection of a macropixel signal of an x-ray detector with a plurality of pixels, each combined to form at least one macropixel. The geometrical efficiency and the signal drift factor of the individual pixels are first established. A target drift value is established. A parameter, which sets a compromise between an allowed drift of the macropixel signals and the achievable dose efficiency, is also defined. Based on the established parameters, the weighting of the individual pixel signals, taking into account a function taking account of the signal drift and the dose utilization of the resulting macropixel signal depending on the weightings of the pixel signals, is established. A weighted addition of the individual pixel signals to form macropixel signals is defined on the basis of the weightings. A signal detection device, an x-ray detector and a computed tomography system are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Steffen Kappler
  • Patent number: 9869774
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising a plurality of sensors and a driving unit, each sensor including a detection element, a sampling unit and a reset unit, wherein the driving unit performs an operation of causing the reset unit to initialize the detection element, an operation of causing the sampling unit to sample a signal from the detection element in accordance with radiation irradiation started after the operation of initializing, and an operation of outputting a signal sampled by the operation of sampling, and wherein the driving unit changes, in accordance with a frame rate, a timing of the operation of outputting while maintaining constant a time from the operation of initializing to the operation of sampling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kanako Dowaki, Kazumasa Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9869433
    Abstract: A method and device for emitting electromagnetic radiation at high power using a gallium containing substrates such as GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Goutain