Patents Examined by Edwin Gunberg
  • Patent number: 9638577
    Abstract: A spectrometer including: a spectral dispersion mechanism of an initial light beam; and a photodetector. The spectral dispersion mechanism includes at least three reflective diffraction gratings parallel to consecutive sides of a convex polygon, arranged such that a portion of the initial light beam is diffracted once by each diffraction grating in turn and is diffracted at least a second time by at least one of the diffraction gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventor: Jacques Luce
  • Patent number: 9638637
    Abstract: A method and system for using spatially modulated excitation/emission and relative movement between a particle (cell, molecule, aerosol, . . . ) and an excitation/emission pattern are provided. In at least one form, an interference pattern of the excitation light with submicron periodicity perpendicular to the particle flow is used. As the particle moves along the pattern, emission is modulated according to the speed of the particle and the periodicity of the stripe pattern. A single detector, which records the emission over a couple of stripes, can be used. The signal is recorded with a fast detector read-out in order to capture the “blinking” of the particles while they are moving through the excitation pattern. This concept enables light detection with high signal-to-noise ratio and high spatial resolution without the need of expensive and bulky optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael Bassler, Peter Kiesel, Oliver Schmidt, Noble M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9638807
    Abstract: A host lattice modified GOS scintillating material and a method for using a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material is provided. The host lattice modified GOS scintillating material has a shorter afterglow than conventional GOS scintillating material. In addition, a radiation detector and an imaging device incorporating a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material are provided. A spectral filter may be used in conjunction with the GOS scintillating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Ronda, Herbert Schreinemacher, Guenter Zeitler, Norbert Conrads, Simha Levene
  • Patent number: 9641772
    Abstract: A calibration system for a passive millimeter-wave (PMMW) camera. The calibration system includes a thermal calibrator having a first thermally conducting body, a second thermally conducting body, a first black body target mounted to a front surface of the first conducting body, a second black body target mounted to a front surface of the second conducting body, and a thermo-electric (TE) cooling device having a hot side and a cold side. The hot side of the TE cooling device is thermally attached to the first conducting body and the cold side of the TE cooling device is thermally attached to the second conducting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Larry Yujiri
  • Patent number: 9638811
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for detecting gamma radiation, such as a gamma camera, including a source of gamma rays, at least one plate P1 of a fast scintillator, the time thereof for rising to the light peak being less than 1 ns, said plate comprising a diffusing entry surface and a polished exit surface, having a thickness of no less than 10 mm, being provided with photodetectors and microelectronics for dedicated reading, characterized in that the microelectronics are of the ASIC type, in that the detector is segmented, and in that on said plate P1, each segment of said detector is capable of measuring a first trigger T1 such that a time resolution is lower than 100 ps; the detector can measure a space and time distribution of the first adjacent photons emitted by an event on the detectors for a time of more than 100 ps and no longer than the time for rising to the light peak of the scintillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Alain Iltis
  • Patent number: 9638813
    Abstract: A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, including: a detection medium including a lithium chalcopyrite crystal operable for detecting thermal neutrons in a semiconductor mode and gamma-rays in a scintillator mode; and a photodetector coupled to the detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays. Optionally, the detection medium includes a 6LiInSe2 crystal. Optionally, the detection medium comprises a compound formed by the process of: melting a Group III element; adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating; wherein the Group I element includes lithium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, Fisk University, University of Tennessee Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ashley Stowe, Arnold Burger, Eric Lukosi
  • Patent number: 9568371
    Abstract: Provided is an infrared sensor which is capable of measuring a temperature of an object to be measured with high accuracy even when lead wires are connected to one side thereof. The infrared sensor includes an insulating film; a first and a second heat sensitive element which are provided on one face of the insulating film; a first and a second wiring film that are respectively connected to the first and the second heat sensitive element; an infrared reflecting film; a plurality of terminal electrodes; and a thermal resistance adjusting film which is provided on the other face of the insulating film, is in opposition to at least a portion of the longer one of the first or the second wiring film in wiring distance from the terminal electrodes, and is formed of a material with greater heat dissipation than the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Tari, Mototaka Ishikawa, Keiji Shirata, Kenzo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9568458
    Abstract: A sensor for measuring a concentration of a particular ion, molecule or atom in a fluid includes a sample handling portion for providing at least some of the fluid, a first photo-detection device, and a first light source. The first photo-detection device is configured to measure a power of light incident thereon, and the first light source includes a solid-state light emitting device. The first light source is configured to emit light having a wavelength less than 240 nanometers incident on the fluid provided by the sample handling portion, and the first photo-detection device is configured to receive light having passed through the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tim Michael Smeeton, Edward Andrew Boardman, Jun Mori
  • Patent number: 9541653
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels which detects radiation are arrayed to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, a detection circuit which detects information having correlation to a radiation dose to the pixel array and output a detection signal corresponding to the information, and a control unit which detects radiation irradiation to the pixel array based on a plurality of integrated values obtained by integrating one of the detection signal and a result of processing applied to the detection signal in a plurality of integral intervals and control the pixel array in accordance with the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Hideyuki Okada, Sho Sato, Eriko Sato, Takuya Ryu
  • Patent number: 9541656
    Abstract: In accordance with the present approach, a dark current is measured for one or more detector elements and used to determine a gain or gain compensation for the respective detector elements. In certain embodiments, the dark current is used to determine a temperature for the respective detector element and the temperature is used to determine the gain or gain compensation. In other embodiments, the dark current is used to calculate the gain or gain compensation for the respective detector element without calculating an intermediate temperature value, such as via the use of a transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sergei Ivanovich Dolinsky, David Leo McDaniel
  • Patent number: 9500751
    Abstract: An apparatus, a corresponding system, and a method for reading out X-ray information stored in a storage phosphor panel includes an input device, into which a cassette with a storage phosphor panel therein can be input, and a read-out device, in which the storage phosphor panel can be irradiated with stimulation light and the emission light excited in the storage phosphor panel is detected. In order to enable the cassette that has been input to be locked and/or opened as reliably as possible in conjunction with a simplified construction, at least one mechanical element which can be mechanically driven by a movement of the cassette upon the cassette being input into the input device locks and/or opens the cassette in the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: AGFA HEALTHCARE NV
    Inventors: Patrick Sandmann, Günther Schindlbeck, Heribert Hammer
  • Patent number: 9494777
    Abstract: A multi-foci laser scanning microscope generates a set of time-multiplexed beams that are simultaneously scanned over multiple scan areas of the sample to be observed. A photodetector array associated with the beams detect fluorescence signals from the sample. A processor processes output signals from the photodetector array based on the time-multiplexing of the beams to provide a much wider field of view and reduced crosstalk between neighboring scan areas for more accurate imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junio
    Inventors: Oleg Rumyantsev, Mark Schnitzer, Jerome Anthony-Jean Lecoq, Tong Zhang, Hyun Kim, Joan Savall
  • Patent number: 9480441
    Abstract: A medical imaging system is provided. The imaging system provides patient region-of-interest scanning using a step-staggered detector unit arrangement. A region-of-interest may be a brain. This system can be a Nuclear Medicine (NM) imaging system to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) image information. The imaging system may comprise CZT detector modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Sachs, Yaron Hefetz
  • Patent number: 9476992
    Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation detector used for imaging comprises a plurality of pixels, each of which converts the electromagnetic radiation to which it is subjected into an electrical signal. Each pixel comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements each converting the radiation received by the photosensitive element into an elementary electrical signal and selection means that select from the elementary electrical signals generated by the photosensitive elements so as to form the electrical output signal of the pixel depending on a gain range chosen for the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: Trixell, Commisariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Pierre Rohr, Jean-Luc Moro
  • Patent number: 9464523
    Abstract: A method for determining local permeability variations in a well core sample includes flowing a test fluid from an inflow surface of a core sample toward an exit surface of the core sample for a period of time, splitting the core sample along a splitting plane revealing an invasion depth of the test fluid and determining local permeability variations in the core sample using the invasion depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brenden Grove, Jeremy Harvey
  • Patent number: 9440502
    Abstract: A wheel sensor (4) comprises sensing means for sensing one or more conditions within a pneumatic tire (2) of a wheel (1) and an attachment means configured to secure said sensing means to the wheel rim (3); wherein said sensor (4) further comprises an optical sensor (6) pointing towards the inside surface (12) of said tire (2) for receiving radiation radiated from said inside surface (12); whereby temperature values may be derived representative of said tire surface temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BF1SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: John Bailey, Gavin Skipper, James Shingleton, Kevin Ireland, Martin Oates
  • Patent number: 9442199
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to a scintillation detector for registering the position of gamma photon interactions, an comprises an array of two or more elongated first and second scintillation crystal elements connected together along their respective long sides, and an array of discrete photosensitive areas disposed on a common substrate of a solid-state semiconductor photo-detector. The array of first and second scintillation crystal elements have proximal output windows optically coupled to the array of discrete photosensitive areas in a one-to-one relationship. The invention may be characterized in that the first and second scintillation crystal elements include a rooftop portion at their distal ends, wherein the rooftop portion optically couples one of the first and second scintillation crystal elements to the other and is configured to reflect and transmit light resulting from a gamma photon interaction from one of the first and second scintillation crystal elements to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventors: Alexei Oleinik, Alexander Zagumennyi, Serge Khorev, Abdelmounaime Faouzi Zerrouk
  • Patent number: 9426395
    Abstract: Methods of performing two point calibration of a linear-logarithmic image sensor pixel include measuring voltages of a floating diffusion region of the pixel after establishing a plurality of unequal sub-threshold currents through a transfer transistor of the pixel. These sub-threshold currents operate to sequentially increase a voltage of the floating diffusion region to respective voltage levels that enable knee-point (KNPT) voltage and logarithmic sensitivity (LOGS) determination. The methods also include depleting a photodiode within the pixel by driving a cathode of the photodiode with a pull-up current in advance of establishing the sub-threshold currents. The method is photocurrent-independent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Claudio G. Jakobson, Shemi Prazot, Uzi Hizi
  • Patent number: 9411056
    Abstract: A radiation monitor includes an ionization chamber for detecting radiation that passes into the ionization chamber. The ionization chamber generates a current flow in response to the detected radiation. An electrometer is electrically connected to the ionization chamber for measuring the current flow generated by the ionization chamber. The electrometer is operable in a plurality of modes based on a magnitude of the current flow generated by the ionization chamber. A method of measuring current flow through an electrometer of a radiation monitor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Fred Yu-Feng Chou
  • Patent number: 9410849
    Abstract: A testing device for testing infrared OFDs is provided. The testing device may comprise a body, an infrared source, a controller and a user input. The infrared source may be housed with the body. The controller may be operatively coupled to the infrared source. The controller may also be integral to the infrared source. The user input may be operatively coupled to at least one of the controller and the infrared source. The testing device may be configured to produce infrared emissions to simulate flaming fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: KIDDE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ken Bell, Robert Thebert