Patents Examined by Faye Boosalis
  • Patent number: 10444070
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein describe a divided-aperture infrared spectral imaging (DAISI) system that is adapted to acquire multiple IR images of a scene with a single-shot (also referred to as a snapshot). The plurality of acquired images having different wavelength compositions that are obtained generally simultaneously. The system includes at least two optical channels that are spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels are configured to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards an optical FPA unit comprising at least two detector arrays disposed in the focal plane of two corresponding focusing lenses. The system further comprises at least one temperature reference source or surface that is used to dynamically calibrate the two detector arrays and compensate for a temperature difference between the two detector arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Rebellion Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Timothy Kester, Nathan Adrian Hagen
  • Patent number: 10444078
    Abstract: A method and a sensing device are provided. The sensing device may include a readout circuit, a bulk, a holding element and a heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein heterojunction bipolar transistor is configured to generate detection signals responsive to a temperature of at least a portion of the heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein the holding element is configured to support the heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor is thermally isolated from the bulk; wherein the readout circuit is electrically coupled to the heterojunction bipolar transistor; and wherein the readout circuit is configured to receive the detection signals and to process the detection signals to provide information about electromagnetic radiation that affected the temperature of the at least portion of the heterojunction bipolar transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LTD.
    Inventor: Yael Nemirovsky
  • Patent number: 10337996
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Lidar surveying instrument, which is capable of detecting and discriminating laser-induced particle fluorescence of any biological or non-biological atmospheric particles. The present astrobiology sensing instrument can remotely sense and discriminate, in real-time, the bio-indicator aerosol material signatures and environmental interferents that exist in an extraterrestrial environment, such as Mars, in order to expand the search for signatures of extraterrestrial life from the planetary soil to the planetary ground level atmosphere, by performing atmospheric volume scans of hundreds of meters in a radial direction around a planetary vehicle or a spacecraft. The Lidar instrument technology of the present invention employs real-time aerosol particle detection and discrimination based on two physical variables: particle fluorescence and particle size in the bio-discrimination space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Branimir Blagojevic, Melissa Trainer, Alexander Pavlov
  • Patent number: 10267728
    Abstract: A measurement system to measure a concentration of neutral gas species above a substrate includes a substrate support located in a chamber to support a substrate. A plasma source generates plasma in the chamber above the substrate. The plasma generates metastable species having higher ionization energy than a neutral gas species. The metastable species excite the neutral gas species located above the substrate. An optical emission spectrometer (OES) sensor measures spectra from a location above the substrate while the plasma is generated by the plasma source. A controller is configured to determine a concentration of the neutral gas species in a region above the substrate based on the measured spectra and to selectively process the substrate based on the concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dengliang Yang, Ilia Kalinovski, Haoquan Fang, David Cheung
  • Patent number: 10265430
    Abstract: A method for a hand-held device comprising illuminating, with a first UV LED associated with the hand-held device, a surface of an object with UV light, acquiring with a visible-light image sensor on the hand-held device, a first image of the surface of the object while the surface of the object is illuminated by the first UV LED, performing with the processor in the hand-held device, a function upon the first image to determine a type of contaminant disposed upon the surface of the object, determining with the processor in the hand-held device, sanitation techniques to perform in response to the type of contaminant that is determined, and displaying with a touch-screen display on the hand-held device, the sanitation techniques to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Rayvio Corporation
    Inventors: Yitao Liao, Robert C. Walker, Doug Collins, Sheung Li
  • Patent number: 10254163
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a plurality of responses to an interaction occurring within a photon detector pixel array, wherein the photon detector pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels; identifying a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with the interaction, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of pixels corresponds to at least one of the plurality of responses; and determining, from the plurality of responses, a characteristic of the interaction, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of: time, position, and energy of the interaction. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Alexander Cherlin, Ian Radley, James William Hugg
  • Patent number: 10254219
    Abstract: A system for measuring a coating thickness on a target surface includes a terahertz spectroscopy device and a reference image projector. The terahertz spectroscopy device includes a radiation head that is operable to project a terahertz radiation beam onto the target surface and receive a reflected beam. The reference image projector includes a visible light device and is operable to project a reference image using the visible light device onto the target surface. A visual characteristic of the reference image indicates at least one of distance, rotational alignment, and angular alignment of the radiation head relative to the target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Scott Adams, Tony Misovski, Mark Edward Nichols, Marina Menendez Baker
  • Patent number: 10254420
    Abstract: A method for assessing the time of flight (TOF) performance of a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner is provided. The method may include obtaining raw data relating to radiation originating from an object from a PET scan by a PET scanner, the raw data including TOF information. The method may also include generating, based on a back projection algorithm, a first back projection image by reconstructing the raw data including the TOF information. The method may further include generating, based on the back projection algorithm, a second back projection image by reconstructing the raw data excluding the TOF information. The method may further include comparing the first back projection image with the second back projection image. The method may also include assessing, based on the comparison, the TOF performance of the PET scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zilin Deng
  • Patent number: 10254221
    Abstract: Method for determining the UV transmittance of water in a UV disinfection plant, through which water flows, wherein the UV disinfection plant has a plurality of radiator arrangements, each with a UV radiation source, a sleeve tube which surrounds the UV radiation source and which has an end face at an open end, and with a UV-C sensor which detects the UV radiation emerging from the sleeve tube without the influence of the water, and with at least one further UV sensor which is arranged at a distance from the sleeve tubes of the radiator arrangements, wherein the method includes the following steps: measuring the UV radiant power emerging from the sleeve tube; measuring an amount of the transmitted radiant power by the further UV sensor; and determining the transmittance of the water by an amount of the emerged radiant power and of the transmitted radiant power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: XYLEM IP MANAGEMENT S.À R.L.
    Inventors: Friedhelm Krüger, Uwe Kanigowski
  • Patent number: 10231679
    Abstract: A proton radiography system includes a source of a proton beam at nonrelativistic energy, directed on a beam path to an object to be imaged; one or more time-of-flight (TOF) detectors arranged on the beam path to detect incidence of beam protons and generate output signals indicative thereof with a time resolution substantially less than a time of flight of the protons; and a data acquisition and analysis subsystem coupled to the TOF detectors to receive the respective output signals and (1) calculate TOF values for respective bunches of one or more protons, (2) convert the TOF values to proton velocity values and proton energy values, and (3) use the proton energy values to calculate a corresponding value for a physical property of the object along the beam path, and incorporate the value into elements of a radiographic image of the object stored or displayed in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Incom, Inc.
    Inventor: William Alan Worstell
  • Patent number: 10222605
    Abstract: In one aspect an imaging system includes: an illumination system including an array of light sources; an optical system including one or more lens arrays, each of the lens arrays including an array of lenses, each of the lenses in each of the one or more lens arrays in alignment with a corresponding set of light sources of the array of light sources; an imaging system including an array of image sensors, each of the image sensors in alignment with a corresponding lens or set of lenses of the one or more lens arrays, each of the image sensors configured to acquire image data based on the light received from the corresponding lens or set of lenses; a plate receiver system capable of receiving a multi-well plate including an array of wells, the plate receiver system configured to align each of the wells with a corresponding one of the image sensors; and a controller configured to control the illumination of the light sources and the acquisition of image data by the image sensors, the controller further configure
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jinho Kim, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 10222330
    Abstract: A device for detecting whether a sample well (352) contains a sample is presented. The sample well contains one or more fluorescent substances needed for an optical analysis of the sample. The device includes a controller (312) configured to compute, on the basis of a luminescence, e.g. fluorescence, emission signal measured from the sample well, an indicator value indicative of a decay time of the measured fluorescence emission signal. The controller is configured to compare the indicator value to a reference value and to set, in accordance with the comparison, a detection result to express that the sample well contains the sample or that the sample well does not contain the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: WALLAC OY
    Inventor: Ville Petteri Laitala
  • Patent number: 10222485
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle gate monitor including a gate on which a detector group is mounted, the detector group including: a first detector, which is arranged in a manner that allows vertical and horizontal movement, and is configured to measure radiation levels of both side surfaces of the vehicle; a second detector, which is arranged in a manner that allows vertical, rotational, and horizontal movement, and is configured to measure radiation levels of a front surface, a rear surface, an upper surface, and a cargo bed surface of the vehicle; and a third detector, which is arranged in a manner that allows vertical and horizontal movement, and is configured to measure a radiation level of an inner-side side surface of the cargo bed, the gate including a control unit configured to identify, while moving the gate with respect to a stationary vehicle, presence/absence of a contaminated place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC PLANT ENGINEERING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Kakiuchi, Keiichi Matsuo, Yohei Sakanashi, Taizo Harada
  • Patent number: 10222321
    Abstract: A measurement method for a laminate substrate is provided. The laminate substrate has: a base substrate; an absorption layer; and a measurement-target layer in this order. The measurement-target layer has a single measurement-target monolayer or a plurality of measurement-target monolayers. The method includes: emitting incident light including light with a wavelength shorter than a threshold wavelength from a side on which the measurement-target layer is positioned, and measuring reflected light and acquiring mutually independent 2n (n is a layer count of the measurement-target monolayers included in the measurement-target layer and is an integer equal to one or larger) or more reflected light-related values for wavelengths equal to the threshold wavelength or shorter; and calculating values related to the measurement-target monolayers for each measurement-target monolayer included in the measurement-target layer using the 2n or more reflected light-related values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Taiki Yamamoto, Taketsugu Yamamoto, Kenji Kasahara
  • Patent number: 10219761
    Abstract: A multilayer staggered coupling collimator includes multiple collimating layers, multiple collimating orifices being provided on each collimating layer. At least two collimating layers are in a staggered coupling relationship. Compared with a single-layer collimator, the multilayer staggered coupling collimator can improve the performance, achieve multi-performance selection functions, and have a better machining feasibility. Since the thickness of each collimating layer is less after the collimator is divided into several collimating layers, the machining precision is easy to ensure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: WUHAN ACEHIVISION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yanzhao Li, Qingguo Xie
  • Patent number: 10215691
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a transmitter that may transmit a first radar signal, associated with a resonance peak corresponding to a first gas, through a space including the first gas and a second gas. The first gas may absorb a portion of the first radar signal to create a second radar signal. The transmitter may transmit a first infrared (IR) signal, associated with a second resonance peak corresponding to the second gas, through the space. The first gas or the second gas may absorb a portion of the first IR signal to create a second IR signal. The gas sensor may include a controller to determine a concentration of the second gas based on the second radar signal and the second IR signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Robert Hermann
  • Patent number: 10215690
    Abstract: A method for estimating a value of a kerogen property in a subsurface formation where the value of the kerogen property is unknown. The method includes: measuring spectral intensity values over an infrared (IR) spectral range for a selected sample from the subsurface formation; determining a range of values representing the measured spectral intensity values corresponding to a vibrational mode attributable to kerogen in the selected sample, the range of values including values representing uncertainty in the measured spectral intensity over the portion of the spectral range; and inputting values from the range of values into a stochastic or simple regression model to determine an estimated value of the kerogen property in the selected sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Ryan Craddock, Michael David Prange, Andrew Emil Pomerantz
  • Patent number: 10214797
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing and identifying a Weyl semimetal. Identification is enabled via a combination of the vacuum ultraviolet (low-photon energy) and soft X-ray (SX) angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Production generally requires providing high purity raw materials, creating a mixture, heating the mixture in a container at a temperature sufficient for thermal decomposition of an impurity while preventing the possible reaction between the side walls of the container and the raw materials, depositing the resulting compound and a transfer agent onto the bottom surface of the ampule, differentially heating the ampule, and allowing a chemical vapor transport reaction to complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Suyang Xu, Ilya Belopolski, Nasser Alidoust, Madhab Neupane, Shuang Jia, M. Zahid Hasan
  • Patent number: 10197686
    Abstract: Systems and methods for high voltage conversion and multiplication for ionizing radiation detection are disclosed. According to an aspect, an electronic device comprises at least one detector configured for detecting ionizing radiation. Further, the electronic device comprises a translator assembly coupled to the at least one detector and configured to convert a voltage from a first voltage level to a second voltage level, wherein the at least one detector operates at the first voltage level. Further, the translator assembly is configured to voltage isolate the at least one detector operating at the first voltage level from a coupled electronic circuit operating at the second voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: IRI
    Inventor: Robert Ernest Troxler
  • Patent number: 10190984
    Abstract: A system for measuring optical signal detector performance includes an optical signal detector comprising a first detection channel having a first light source and a first sensor. The first detection channel is configured to emit and focus light generated by the first light source at a first detection zone, and to receive and focus light on the first sensor. The system also includes a controller operatively coupled to the optical signal detector and configured to determine an operational performance status of the optical signal detector based on at least one of (i) a first measured characteristic of light focused on the sensor while a first non-fluorescent surface portion is in the first detection zone and (ii) a second measured characteristic of light focused on the sensor while a void is in the first detection zone. The optical signal detector can be a fluorometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Opalsky, Srajan Raghuwanshi, James Bui