Patents Examined by Gisselle Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 9535169
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation detector that prevents a decline in detection efficiency as well as having excellent temporal characteristics. The radiation detector 1, which detects a radiation, includes a scintillator array 10 having a plurality of scintillator cells 11, a photodetector array 20 having a plurality of photodetectors 21, and a photodetector array 30 having a plurality of photodetectors 31. The plurality of photodetectors 21 and the plurality of photodetectors 31 are solid-state photodetectors that can transmit a gamma ray G1, G2. The scintillator cell 11 is separated into a plurality of light emitting regions 11a, 11b by a reflecting region 12, and the reflecting region 12 extends between the incident surface 10a side and the back surface 10b side along a surface SP that is inclined with respect to the incident surface 10a and the back surface 10b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 9528876
    Abstract: A light source for near-infrared transmission and reflection spectroscopy can be constructed from a combination of a high power blue or blue-green light emitting diode (LED) and a phosphor element based on an inorganic material. The phosphor element absorbs the LED light and, in response to the LED excitation, emits luminescence that continuously covers the 700-1050 nm range. One possible material that can be used for such a near-infrared emitting phosphor element is a single crystal rod of Ti+3 doped Sapphire. An alternative near-infrared emitting phosphor material is a disk or rectangular shaped composite of Ti+3 doped Sapphire powder embedded in a clear optical epoxy or silicone encapsulant. Such a combination of a blue LED for excitation of a phosphor element that emits in a broad wavelength band has been widely used in white LEDs where the emission is in the 400-700 nm range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Innovative Science Tools, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald H Micheels
  • Patent number: 9523612
    Abstract: Passive detector structures for imaging systems are provided which implement unpowered, passive front-end detector structures with direct-to-digital measurement data output for detecting incident photonic radiation in various portions (e.g., thermal (IR), near IR, UV and visible light) of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Public Service Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter N. Kaufman, Howard E. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 9523640
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and device for fluorescent measurement of a volume of liquid sample in a sample carrier. The method includes impinging an incident beam having an excitation wavelength and a focus diameter on the sample in a two dimensional scan, such as an R-theta scan or a spiral scan, with a laser spot that identifies a volume of interest where higher levels of fluorescence exist. The laser spot is displaced relative to the sample volume in three dimensional space. The laser spot is translated in the depth direction of the volume of interest to detect one or more emitted fluorescence signals. A depth profile and a thickness of the sample carrier obtained from the one or more emitted fluorescence signals, are used for measuring normalized bulk fluorescence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Reametrix, Inc.
    Inventor: Bala S. Manian
  • Patent number: 9518918
    Abstract: Incoherent millimeter wave, sub-millimeter wave and terahertz test signals are used to probe metal substrates that are covered by a protective coating or outer layer, such as paint or thermal insulation, obscuring direct assessment of the substrate. The incoherent test signals, which may be from a naturally occurring passive source (such as the sky) and/or from an active noise source, provide signal dispersion and angular variation of the test signals with respect to angular incidence to the substrate. Illumination of the substrate permits differentiation between un-corroded and corroded sections of the sample because reflectivity (and emissivity) from a metal-based substrate is heavily dependent on the surface resistivity which in turn is dependent on the corroded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Subterrandt Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Mark Mann, Joseph Peter Dunne
  • Patent number: 9515276
    Abstract: An organic x-ray detector is presented. The organic x-ray detector includes a layered structure. The layered structure includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) array disposed on a substrate, an organic photodiode disposed on the TFT array, and a scintillator layer disposed on the organic photodiode. The organic x-ray detector further includes an encapsulation cover at least partially encapsulating the layered structure; and an oxygen getter layer disposed between the organic photodiode and the encapsulation cover, wherein the oxygen getter layer includes an ether-containing material. X-ray system including the organic x-ray detector is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kwang Hyup An, Gautam Parthasarathy, Jie Jerry Liu, James Edward Pickett
  • Patent number: 9507035
    Abstract: A system of the present invention is capable of detecting, imaging and measuring both neutrons and gamma rays. In some cases, the system has a plurality of parallel plates each containing a plurality of detectors. The plates comprise non-PSD organic scintillation detectors, scintillation detectors having pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) properties, and inorganic scintillation detectors. In some other cases, the system has a plurality of scintillation rods radially distributed about a central axis, and the scintillation rods comprise non-PSD organic scintillation detectors, scintillation detectors having pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) properties, and inorganic scintillation detectors. A first plate or rod and a second plate or rod are used in connection to detect, image and measure neutrons and/or gamma rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: University of New Hampshire
    Inventors: James M. Ryan, Jason Scott Legere, Peter F. Bloser
  • Patent number: 9496512
    Abstract: An organic intermediate layer is used in a photosensitive component for increasing the limit frequency of the component, preferably in the range of low radiation intensities. The photosensitive component is in particular a diode having a photoactive organic semiconductor layer, a first and a second electrode. An organic intermediate layer is arranged between the photoactive semiconductor layer and at least one of the electrodes. The organic intermediate layer is in particular a charge-blocking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jon Ajuria Arregui, Francesco Arca, Oliver Hayden, Maria Sramek, Sandro Francesco Tedde, Guido Zoli
  • Patent number: 9488602
    Abstract: A radioactive substance detection device that detects a radioactive substance being present in a specified direction. A radiation detection element having a thickness that stops and detects a characteristic X-ray arriving from a radioactive substance being present in the specified direction that radiates both gamma rays and the characteristic X-rays, and allows the gamma ray arriving from the radioactive substance to pass through. A screening body having a thickness that screens out characteristic X-rays of radiation which arrives from directions other than the specified direction and allows gamma rays of radiation which arrives from directions other than the specified direction to pass through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology
    Inventors: Shingo Kobayashi, Yukio Uchihori, Yoshiyuki Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 9478933
    Abstract: The wavelength detector includes a diffusion element that diffuses the laser beam; a light collection optical system provided downstream from the diffusion element; a member, including an aperture, provided downstream from the light collection optical system; a discharge tube that is provided downstream from the member and that includes a cylindrical anode and a cylindrical cathode that each have a through-hole formed therein, and that is configured so that an electrical property between the anode and the cathode changes due to an opto-galvanic effect when a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength passes through the through-hole of the cathode in a state in which a DC voltage is applied to the anode; and a high-voltage DC power source. The discharge tube is disposed so that the laser beam that passes through the aperture passes through the through-hole of the cathode of the discharge tube without directly irradiating the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Toru Suzuki, Shinichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9442018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, said sensor controlling if an electrical device is on or off, wherein said PIR sensor has at least two sensor elements, each having a lens focusing IR onto them, control electronics comprising of at least one processing unit and one memory, wherein the at least two sensors cover adjacent cover areas, wherein information of detected presence from said at least two sensor elements are used to decrease false triggers by using the time period between subsequent presence detections, and identification of each of said at least two PIR sensor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Biju Kumar Sreedharan Nair, Roger Peter Anna Delnoij
  • Patent number: 9418499
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking value documents by which the similarity of the intensity spectrum of a value document to be checked to a reference spectrum can be tested. To check the similarity of the intensity spectrum recorded from the value document to be checked to the reference spectrum, not the recorded intensity spectrum itself is compared with the reference spectrum, but rather a corrected intensity spectrum adapted to the reference spectrum, which arises from the recorded intensity spectrum by a linear correction. The correction parameters of the linear correction function are ascertained by adapting the linearly corrected intensity spectrum to the reference spectrum. Through the adapting it is achieved that fluctuations of the recorded intensity spectrum that are due to measuring technology are compensated at least partly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rauscher, Jorg Frankenberger
  • Patent number: 9395348
    Abstract: A system and methodology enables improved quantification of an organic material, e.g. oil, in a sample. The technique comprises adding a substance to a two-phase sample containing the organic material and water. The substance is mixed through the sample until the constituents of the sample are solubilized to create an optically clear mixture. An optical technique is employed with respect to the optically clear mixture to quantitatively analyze the organic material in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Geza Horvath Szabo, Huang Zeng, Ahmad Billal Sultani
  • Patent number: 9395464
    Abstract: A scintillator detector package includes a housing, with a scintillator in the housing. There is a radioactive reflective material between at least a portion of the scintillator and the housing. The radioactive reflective material may be a naturally occurring material, such as Lu2O3, and may be in powdered form. A photodetector may be optically coupled to the scintillator package, and gain stabilization circuitry may perform gain stabilization based upon detecting scintillations of the scintillator caused by radiation emitted by the radioactive reflective material striking the scintillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Stephenson, Wolfgang Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9375170
    Abstract: A noninvasive analyzer apparatus and method of use thereof is described using a plurality of sample illumination zones optically coupled to at least two optically stacked two-dimensional optical filter arrays. Sectioned pixels and/or zones of a detector array are optionally filtered for different light throughput and/or are passed through various pathlengths using the stacked two-dimensional optical filter arrays. Resulting pathlength resolved/wavelength controlled groups of spectra are subsequently analyzed to determine an analyte property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy Ruchti, Alan Abul-Haj, Kevin Hazen
  • Patent number: 9351671
    Abstract: A noninvasive analyzer apparatus and method of use thereof is described using one or a plurality of sample illumination zones coupled to at least one two-dimensional detector array monitoring a plurality of detection zones. Control of illumination times and/or patterns along with selected detection zones yields pathlength resolved groups of spectra. Sectioned pixels and/or zones of the detector are optionally filtered for different light throughput as a function of wavelength. The pathlength resolved groups of spectra are subsequently analyzed to determine an analyte property. Optionally, in the mapping and/or collection phase, incident light is controllably varied in time in terms of any of: sample probe position, incident light solid angle, incident light angle, depth of focus, energy, intensity, and/or detection angle. Optionally, one or more physiological property and/or model property related to a physiological property is used in the analyte property determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy Ruchti, Alan Abul-Haj, Kevin Hazen
  • Patent number: 9351672
    Abstract: A noninvasive analyzer apparatus and method of use thereof is described using a plurality of sample illumination zones optically coupled to at least two optically stacked two-dimensional optical filter arrays. Sectioned pixels and/or zones of a detector array are optionally filtered for different light throughput and/or are passed through various pathlengths using the stacked two-dimensional optical filter arrays. Resulting pathlength resolved/wavelength controlled groups of spectra are subsequently analyzed to determine an analyte property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy Ruchti, Alan Abul-Haj, Kevin Hazen
  • Patent number: 9311707
    Abstract: A method for attenuation correction of a phantom image in a PET imaging system includes obtaining raw scan data of a scanned phantom, a non attenuation corrected template image of a stock phantom of like type to the scanned phantom, and an attenuation map of the stock phantom. The method further includes generating a non-attenuation corrected raw image of the scanned phantom based on the raw scan data, registering the template image and attenuation map to the raw image through a rigid image transform, and applying the registered attenuation map to the raw scan data to enable reconstruction of an attenuation corrected final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Wayne Deller, Michael Lee Spohn, Sonal Ambwani
  • Patent number: 9277896
    Abstract: A radiation detection apparatus includes conversion elements including a first electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a second electrode that are divided for each pixel; switching elements electrically connected to the first electrodes; and a first insulating layer that separates the conversion elements of adjacent pixels. The semiconductor layer is located between the first and second electrodes. A periphery of the semiconductor layer is located outside peripheries of the first and second electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes a first impurity semiconductor layer, a second impurity semiconductor layer, and an intrinsic semiconductor layer located between the first and second impurity semiconductor layers. Parameters of the apparatus are defined to set a residual charge 10 ?s after the switching element is turned on to be not higher than 2%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Ofuji, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Patent number: 9271694
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a first silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) comprising an array of microcells. Each microcell is an avalanche photodiode (APD) operated in a Geiger mode, a first area of the first SiPM, comprising at least one of the microcells, is electrically isolated from all other microcells, and a signal from the first area, resulting from at least one photon pulse, is used to determine a gain of the first SiPM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chang L. Kim, David L. McDaniel, Vi-Hoa Tran