Patents Examined by Faye Boosalis
  • Patent number: 9874519
    Abstract: A distributed Brillouin sensor system comprising a pump laser, a Brillouin sensor fiber, and a detector system is described. The pump laser is arranged so as to send a pump signal into a first end of the Brillouin sensor fiber, and the detector system is arranged to detect Brillouin backscattering from the Brillouin sensor fiber. The Brillouin sensor fiber is characterized by having a negative dispersion, and further by an effective area of the sensor fiber being less than or equal to 50 ?m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLC
    Inventors: Lars Gruner-Nielsen, Poul Kristensen, Tommy Geisler
  • Patent number: 9867895
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to fluorescent marking compositions and their use to determine whether a surface has been cleaned. More particularly, the marking compositions comprise fluorescent polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Wegner, Erin Brown, Jeffery Atkins, Paul Zinn, Robert Walicki, Lanhua Hu
  • Patent number: 9869773
    Abstract: A detector for high-energy radiation, e.g., for x-radiation and/or UV radiation, may include (a) a substrate having a first electrical contact, (b) optionally a first intermediate layer, (c) a layer including an organic matrix of a photoactive material and insoluble scintillator particles distributed substantially homogeneously in the organic matrix, (d) optionally a second intermediate layer, and (e) a second electrical contact, wherein the mixture ratio between the scintillator particles and the organic matrix in layer (c) is selected in such a way that the intermediate space filled with the organic matrix has a distance between two scintillator particles that corresponds to at most five times the depth of penetration of the emitted radiation of the scintillator particles. A method for producing a corresponding detector is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: David Hartmann, Patric Buechele, Sandro Francesco Tedde, Oliver Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9867546
    Abstract: Wearable devices for taking symmetric thermal measurements. One device includes first and second thermal cameras physically coupled to a frame worn on a user's head. The first thermal camera takes thermal measurements of a first region of interest that covers at least a portion of the right side of the user's forehead. The second thermal camera takes thermal measurements of a second ROI that covers at least a portion of the left side of the user's forehead. Wherein the first and second thermal cameras are not in physical contact with their corresponding ROIs, and as a result of being coupled to the frame, the thermal cameras remain pointed at their corresponding ROIs when the user's head makes angular movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Facense Ltd.
    Inventors: Arie Tzvieli, Ari M Frank, Gil Thieberger
  • Patent number: 9863888
    Abstract: A multispectral imaging system and method and a system for composite layup are provided in order to detect foreign object debris during the fabrication of a composite structure. In the context of a method, a surface of a composite material is illuminated with near infrared light. The method also detects the near infrared light following interaction of the near infrared light with the composite material. Following detection, the method analyzes a spectrum of the near infrared light to detect foreign object debris upon the composite material. The method analyzes the spectrum of near infrared light by distinguishing between different types of foreign object debris as a result of comparing the spectrum of near infrared light to predefined spectral signatures of a plurality of different types of foreign object debris. The method may also determine the size and location of the foreign object debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Paul H. Shelley, Jr., Paul G. Vahey, Gregory J. Werner, Robert Arthur Kisch
  • Patent number: 9851458
    Abstract: A wearable neutron detector is disclosed that includes a body attachment portion that is configured to be secured to a portion of a human body. The wearable detector includes a scintillator having a plurality of wavelength optical shifting fibers. One or more light converters are connected with the wavelength optical shifting fibers. A detection circuit is connected with the light converters configured to detect a neutron event. A control unit is connected with the detection circuit. An annunciator is connected with the control unit for generating an enunciation of the neutron event. The electronic components are housed within the body attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: PartTec LTD
    Inventor: Herschel E Workman
  • Patent number: 9851302
    Abstract: Photoluminescence from a sample detector is detected using an array of photo-sensitive detectors. At least one first photo-sensitive detector of the array is provided with a first type of linear polarization filter and at least one second photo-sensitive detector is provided with a second type of linear polarization filter. The first type of linear polarization filter has a plane of polarization which is at angled with respect to a plane of polarization of said second type of polarization filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Francescopaolo Mattioli Della Rocca, John Kevin Moore
  • Patent number: 9851250
    Abstract: A gas concentration sensor is includes an integrated die-form electromagnetic radiation source and an integrated die-form infrared detector. In one or more implementations, the gas concentration sensor includes a package substrate defining at least one aperture, a gas permeable mesh coupled to the package substrate and covering at least a portion of the at least one aperture, a die-form electromagnetic radiation source positioned in an interior region of the package substrate, a die-form detector positioned in the interior region of the package substrate, and control circuitry operably coupled to the die-form detector and configured to detect and calibrate one or more signal outputs from the die-form detector to determine a gas concentration within the interior region of the package substrate. The gas concentration sensor can be configured for specific detection of various gases through control of the spectral wavelengths emitted by the electromagnetic radiation source(s) and/or detected by the detector(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Arvin Emadi, Arkadii V. Samoilov, Nicole D. Kerness
  • Patent number: 9851294
    Abstract: System Stage, and Optical Hall Effect (OHE) system method for evaluating such as free charge carrier effective mass, concentration, mobility and free charge carrier type in a sample utilizing a permanent magnet at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: J.A. WOOLLAM CO., INC., UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS
    Inventors: Tino Hofmann, Mathias M. Schubert, Stefan Schoeche, Sean Knight, Craig M. Herzinger, John A. Woollam, Greg K. Pribil, Thomas E. Tiwald
  • Patent number: 9848138
    Abstract: An electronic read circuit for a radiation detector comprises: an element sensitive to the radiation, an injection circuit, able to inject a charge at one terminal of the sensitive element, the injection circuit extending between at least one input terminal and one output terminal, the output terminal being able to be connected to the sensitive element, the injection circuit being able to produce a charge under the effect of a trigger pulse. The injection circuit is able to inject a first charge when an input terminal is connected to a first input potential and a second charge when an input terminal is connected to a second input potential. The circuit comprises means for storing a difference between an output potential of the injection circuit, called equilibrium potential, and a reference potential, such that the second charge depends on the second input potential and on the equilibrium potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, TRIXELL
    Inventors: Amr Habib, Marc Arques
  • Patent number: 9835759
    Abstract: A method and system for analyzing constituent elements in bulk media wherein neutrons are emitted into the bulk media to produce inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media, and a gamma-ray spectrum resulting from the inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media is detected. A set of standard spectra are used as part of spectral analysis that processes the standard spectra and the derived gamma-ray spectrum to determine a number of yield coefficients for the constituent elements as part of the bulk media. The standard spectra or the spectral analysis is configured to account for at least one environmental condition that affects detected gamma-rays that result from the inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: James A. Grau
  • Patent number: 9835758
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a formation includes entering into a computer a number of detected gamma rays resulting from imparting neutrons into the formation. The detected gamma rays are characterized by energy levels thereof. A number of detected gamma rays in each energy level comprises a measured spectrum. In the computer, a non-Gaussian filter is applied to a reference spectrum to match the measured spectrum in shape. The filtered reference spectrum and measured spectrum are used to determine a fractional volume of at least one component of the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tong Zhou, James A. Grau
  • Patent number: 9835742
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a neutron imaging detector and a method for detecting neutrons. In one example, a method includes providing a neutron imaging detector including plurality of memory cells and a conversion layer on the memory cells, setting one or more of the memory cells to a first charge state, positioning the neutron imaging detector in a neutron environment for a predetermined time period, and reading a state change at one of the memory cells, and measuring a charge state change at one of the plurality of memory cells from the first charge state to a second charge state less than the first charge state, where the charge state change indicates detection of neutrons at said one of the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: RADIATION MONITORING DEVICES, INC
    Inventors: Vivek V. Nagarkar, Mitali J. More
  • Patent number: 9837238
    Abstract: A photocathode designs that leverage the grazing incidence geometry yield improvements through the introduction of recessed structures, such as cones, pyramids, pillars or cavities to the photocathode substrate surface. Improvements in yield of up to 20 times have been shown to occur in grazing incidence geometry disclosed herein due to a larger path length of the X-ray photons which better matches the secondary electron escape depth within the photocathode material. A photocathode includes a substrate having a first side and a second side, the first side configured to receive x-ray energy and the second side opposing the first side. A structured surface is associated with the second side of the substrate such that the structured surface includes a plurality of recesses from the second side of the substrate into the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: National Security Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yekaterina Opachich, Andrew MacPhee
  • Patent number: 9835553
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and device for sensing pesticide residues, using terahertz electromagnetic waves. By the method, even a trace amount of pesticide residues on objects such as fruits can be accurately discriminated and sensed, with high sensitivity and selectivity, using a sensing chip that works in a terahertz electromagnetic wave band. Using the method, pesticide residues even at low concentrations can be accurately analyzed with high sensitivity and selectivity in which terahertz electromagnetic waves are irradiated onto pesticide residues through a sensing chip having a meta unit in which a pattern is formed to amplify a frequency corresponding to an absorption frequency of a pesticide residue of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Min-Ah Seo, Dong-Kyu Lee, Chul-Ki Kim, Taik-Jin Lee, Jae-Hun Kim, Young-Min Jhon
  • Patent number: 9829584
    Abstract: A scintillator for imaging using X-rays or gamma rays or charged particles, includes a network of glass capillaries with an inner diameter no greater than 500 micrometers. The capillaries are filled with a polymer material made up of at least (i) a monomer selected from the group comprising vinyltoluene, styrene and vinylxylene and the isomers thereof, (ii) a cross-linking agent made up of a divinylbenzene or a dimethacrylate having a central chain which includes 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and (iii) triphenylbismuth. The cross-linking agent is provided to make up 10 wt % to 60% wt of the mixture thereof with the monomer, and the triphenylbismuth makes up at least 5 wt %. The cross-linking agent is provided in a ratio of 0.75 to 2.25 times the weight content of the triphenylbismuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Stéphane Darbon, Matthieu Hamel, Adrien Rousseau, Tony Caillaud
  • Patent number: 9828846
    Abstract: Downhole slickline cable including a polymer matrix having reinforcing fibers embedded therein. A plurality of integrity-sensing optical fibers are embedded within the polymer composite and extend along an axial length of the downhole slickline cable that enables slickline cable structural and mechanical integrity self-diagnosis. The cable may include energy transmission lines that include one or more integrity-sensing optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Hua Xia, Sean Thomas, David L. Perkins, John L. Maida
  • Patent number: 9829695
    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: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jinho Kim, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 9829585
    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: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Robert Ernest Troxler
  • Patent number: 9823222
    Abstract: A multiple capillary florescent detection system employing optical fiber bundles that each fiber bundle has more than one fiber illuminating each sample vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Advanced Analytical Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ho-ming Pang, Wei Wei