Patents Examined by Georgia Y. Epps
  • Patent number: 11201184
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to sensing devices. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a SPAD pixel that includes a first region and a second region. An absorption region is configured within the first region. A first reflector array is configured within the second region and below the absorption region. A second reflector array is configured within the second region and below the first reflector array. The SPAD pixel also includes isolation structures configured within the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Shenzhen Adaps Photonics Technology Co. LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Jui Lu, Ching-Ying Lu, Shuang Li
  • Patent number: 11199405
    Abstract: Provided is a distance measuring device and a method of measuring a distance. The distance measuring device detects light reflected by an object, generates an electrical signal based on the detected light, detects whether the electrical signal is saturated or not by comparing the electrical signal with a reference value, controls a magnitude of the electrical signal based on whether the signal is saturated, and calculates a distance to the object using the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Otsuka, Jungwoo Kim, Heesun Yoon, Inoh Hwang
  • Patent number: 11193821
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to ambient light sensor packages, and methods of making ambient light sensor packages. One embodiment is directed to an ambient light sensor package that includes an ambient light sensor die having opposing first and second surfaces, a light sensor on the first surface of the ambient light sensor die, one or more conductive bumps on the second surface of the ambient light sensor die, and a light shielding layer on at least the first surface and the second surface of the ambient light sensor die. The light shielding layer defines an opening over the light sensor. The ambient light sensor package may further include a transparent cover between the first surface of the ambient light sensor die and the light shielding layer, and an adhesive that secures the transparent cover to the ambient light sensor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Laurent Herard, David Gani
  • Patent number: 11187661
    Abstract: An optical signal source is positioned at a first side of the flow cell or the flow-line bypass. The optical signal source is capable of emitting an optical signal through the first side of the flow cell or the flow-line bypass. A first optical detector is positioned at a second side of the flow cell. The second side is opposite the first side. The first optical detector is capable of detecting a transmitted-light intensity of the optical signal transmitted through the second side of the flow cell or the flow-line bypass. A second optical detector is positioned at a third side of the flow cell. The third side is different than the first side and the second side. The second optical detector is capable of detecting a scattered-light intensity of a scattered optical signal transmitted through the third side of the flow cell or the flow-line bypass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Vincent Cunningham, Ezzat Hegazi, Turki Alomairi
  • Patent number: 11181705
    Abstract: An optical module includes a housing, and a main circuit board, an optical transmitting assembly, an optical receiving assembly, and an electrical connector that are disposed inside the housing. The optical transmitting assembly includes at least two sets of lasers, a transmitting-end optical assembly, and a transmitting-end optical fiber receptacle. The optical receiving assembly includes at least two sets of photoelectric detectors, a receiving-end optical assembly, and a receiving-end optical fiber receptacle. The electrical connector electrically connects the optical transmitting assembly and the optical receiving assembly to the main circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: InnoLight Technology (Suzhou) Ltd.
    Inventors: Long Chen, Yuzhou Sun, Xiongfei Zhai, Donghan Wang, Zhenzhong Wang, Meng Fang, Chao Zhang, Xigui Fang, Xiangzhong Wang
  • Patent number: 11181454
    Abstract: A photonic aerosol particle sensor includes a plurality of photonic waveguide resonators each having a photonic waveguide disposed along a separate waveguide resonator path and each photonic waveguide having a lateral waveguide width different than the waveguide width of other photonic waveguide resonators in the plurality. All waveguides in the plurality of photonic waveguide resonators have a common vertical thickness and are formed of a common photonic waveguide material. An optical input connection couples light into the waveguide resonators. A particle input conveys aerosol particles toward the waveguide resonators and an aerosol particle output conveys aerosol particles away from the waveguide resonators. At least one optical output connection is optically connected to accept light out of the plurality of photonic waveguide resonators to provide a signal indicative of at least one characteristic of the aerosol particles to be analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robin Singh, Anuradha M. Agarwal, Danhao Ma, Peter X. Su, Brian W. Anthony
  • Patent number: 11175403
    Abstract: A flexibly usable optoelectronic sensor device for detecting an object, comprising a receiving device for receiving light backscattered after the scattering of an emitted light beam at the object, wherein the receiving device has an array of at least two receiving elements for detecting radiation and a receiving optical unit for imaging the received radiation on the array; the array is divisible and/or divided into at least two array regions, wherein the at least two array regions correspond in each case to scatterings at objects at different distances from the monitoring region and/or different brightnesses of the received radiation, and the receiving elements respectively arranged in different array regions are settable and/or set to detect with mutually different light sensitivities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignees: ESPROS Photonics AG, Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Simon, Thomas Schuler, Peter Horvath, Beat De Coi
  • Patent number: 11175193
    Abstract: A distributed optical fiber sensor of dynamic stress state comprises: an optical assembly configured to generate a series of optical pulses; an optical fiber of optical length L; an optical system configured to: inject through the first end at least the series of optical pulses; receive at the level of the end at least one series of output optical pulses, arising from the input pulses after propagation and retro-propagation in the fiber; generate at least one continuous reference beam or reference optical pulses on the basis of the optical assembly or of output optical pulses; produce a series of interference zones corresponding to the interference between the reference beam or a reference pulse and a signal optical pulse arising from an output optical pulse; a holographic detector comprising: a liquid-crystal light valve, the valve disposed so that it at least partially covers the interference zones, and producing holograms on the basis of the interference zones; at least one optical detector configured to d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignees: THALES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE NICE SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS
    Inventors: Stéphanie Molin, Martine Doisy, Arnaud Peigne, Stefania Residori, Umberto Bortolozzo, Jean-Pierre Huignard, Renaud Bouffaron, Daniel Dolfi
  • Patent number: 11171255
    Abstract: A device for detecting a chemical species including a Geiger mode avalanche photodiode, which comprises a body of semiconductor material delimited by a front surface. The semiconductor body includes: a cathode region having a first type of conductivity, which forms the front surface; and an anode region having a second type of conductivity, which extends within the cathode region starting from the front surface. The detection device further includes: a dielectric region, which extends on the front surface; and a sensitive region, which is arranged on top of the dielectric region and electrically coupled to the anode region and has a resistance that depends upon the concentration of the chemical species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Massimo Cataldo Mazzillo, Giovanni Condorelli, Lucio Renna
  • Patent number: 11171164
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor, an image processing method, and an electronic device capable of executing image processing with fewer resources. The image sensor is provided with a pixel region in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit which converts light to a charge and an in-pixel memory unit which holds the charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit are arranged in a matrix manner, a driving unit which drives to read out a pixel signal from the pixel, and an image processing unit which performs image processing based on a plurality of images read out by a plurality of times of readout from the pixel region according to driving of the driving unit. The present technology may be applied to, for example, an image sensor including a logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Kuzuya, Hiroshi Sumihiro
  • Patent number: 11169241
    Abstract: The present disclosure disclosures a sensor and a control method of the sensor. The sensor may include a protective housing, an optical component, a control component, an interface component, and a circuit board mounted within the protective housing. The circuit board may include a plurality of detection components, including a photosensitive detection component and a tilt angle detection component. The control method of the sensor may include determining whether the photovoltaic module operates in an angle detection range of the photosensitive detection component, and determining whether an actuation condition of the photosensitive detection component is satisfied. In response to a determination that the actuation condition of the photosensitive detection component is satisfied, the photosensitive detection component may be actuated. In response to a determination that the actuation condition of the photosensitive detection component is not satisfied, the tilt angle detection component may be actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SUZHOU JSOLAR INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Min Zhang, Qiudong Shi, Chao Zhu, Xiaokang Kang
  • Patent number: 11169022
    Abstract: A photo-detection device includes a quench resistor having one terminal connected to a first node, an avalanche photodiode having one terminal connected to a second node, a waveform shaping circuit having an input terminal connected to the other terminal of the quench resistor and the other terminal of the avalanche photodiode, and a switch arranged on a path between the second node and the input terminal of the waveform shaping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuhito Goden
  • Patent number: 11168865
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a package having a recessed portion defined by a bottom surface and lateral walls surrounding the bottom surface, first and second light-emitting elements aligned in the longitudinal direction on the bottom surface, and a wavelength conversion member in the recessed portion, the wavelength conversion member converting light from the first light-emitting element. The first and second light-emitting elements each have a polygonal shape other than a rectangular shape in a front view. The first and second light-emitting elements are disposed away from each other so that a longest side of each light-emitting element will be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface and so that sides facing each other will be substantially parallel to each other. The wavelength conversion member is disposed at least in a region on the bottom surface between the first and second light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Kuramoto, Daisuke Iwakura
  • Patent number: 11162819
    Abstract: A rotary position detector includes a housing having an inner space having a reflective element. A light source emits light rays into the inner space. A base supports a light detector assembly having a first number of toroidal-sector-shaped light sensors arranged circumferentially about a motor shaft axis, is, one “Cosine +” detector element, one “Cosine ?” detector element, one “Sine +” detector element, and one “Sine ?” detector element. A light blocker positioned between the light source and the light sensors rotates with the shaft. The light blocker includes a second number of opaque, equal-surface-area elements arrayed about the axis, the second number equal to one-half the first number. A circuit measures a signal from the detectors relating to an amount of light falling thereon, a difference related to an angular position of the motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventor: William R. Benner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11156801
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation are described. They are particularly well suited for conducting automated analysis in a multi-well plate assay format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MESO SCALE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
    Inventors: Ian Chamberlin, Charles M. Clinton, Eli N. Glezer, Bandele Jeffrey-Coker, Manish Kochar, Sandor Kovacs, D. T. Le, Aaron Leimkuehler, George Sigal, Leo Tabakin, Jon Willoughby
  • Patent number: 11156815
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to an assembly. The assembly includes a compound parabolic concentrator including an exit aperture that has a generally circular perimeter, which defines a circumference of the exit aperture. The assembly further includes a photodiode sensor generally that is aligned with the exit aperture of the compound parabolic concentrator. An optical adhesive layer adheres the exit aperture of the compound parabolic concentrator to the photodiode sensor. A protrusion extends between at least a portion of the perimeter of the compound parabolic concentrator exit aperture and the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Pin Chiu, Anna M. Prakash, Amanuel M Abebaw, Olga Gorbounova, Ching-Ping Janet Shen, Shan Zhong, Mark Saltas
  • Patent number: 11156753
    Abstract: An optical filter may include a monolithic substrate. The optical filter may include a first component filter disposed onto a first region of the monolithic substrate. The first component filter may be a near infrared (NIR) bandpass filter. The optical filter may include a second component filter disposed onto a second region of the monolithic substrate. The second component filter may include a red-green-blue (RGB) bandpass filter. A separation between the first component filter and the second component filter may be less than approximately 50 micrometers (?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Markus Bilger, Richard A. Bradley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11158663
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system comprising: an avalanche photodiode (APD); a bias source configured to supply a reverse bias to the APD; a current meter configured to measure electric current through the APD; a controller configured to reduce the reverse bias to a value below a breakdown voltage of the APD from a value above the breakdown voltage when an intensity of light incident on the APD is above a threshold, and configured to determine the intensity of the light above the threshold based on the electric current through the APD when the reverse bias is below the breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Shenzhen Genorivision Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peiyan Cao, Yurun Liu
  • Patent number: 11150179
    Abstract: Memory efficient methods determine corrected color values from image data acquired by a nucleic acid sequencer during a base calling cycle. Such methods may: (a) obtain an image of a substrate (e.g., a portion of a flow cell) including a plurality of sites where nucleic acid bases are read; (b) measure color values of the plurality of sites from the image of the substrate; (c) store the color values in a processor buffer of the sequencer's one or more processors; (d) retrieve partially phase-corrected color values of the plurality of sites, where the partially phase-corrected color values were stored in the sequencer's memory during an immediately preceding base calling cycle; (e) determine a prephasing correction; and (f) determine the corrected color values. In various implementations, these operations are all performed during a single base calling cycle. In certain embodiments, the methods additionally include using the corrected color values to make base calls for the plurality of sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Langlois, Paul Belitz
  • Patent number: 11143552
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a circuit to mitigate ripple. The circuit includes a controller that generates a PWM (pulse width modulated) clock signal. A DC/DC converter receives the PWM clock signal, and generates an output signal. A light source is coupled to the DC/DC converter, and receives the output signal. The light source transmits light pulses during an integration time. A time integral of the output signal during the integration time is constant during a plurality of quad time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Subhash Chandra Venkata Sadhu, Bharath Patil