Patents Examined by Hugh H Maupin
  • Patent number: 9910171
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a system. The system includes a sensor device having a sensor element having a sensor output and an amplification element having at least one amplification stage, an amplifier input, and an amplifier output. The sensor output can be coupled to the amplifier input. Further, each amplification stage of the amplification stage(s) can have at least four thin film transistors, an input node, and an output node. Meanwhile, the sensor element can detect a physical quantity and/or an event and can provide an electric signal to the amplification element in response to detecting the physical quantity and/or the event, and the amplification element can amplify the electric signal received from the sensor element. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: George Kunnen, David Allee
  • Patent number: 9910170
    Abstract: A device for detecting neutron emission comprises a housing, a moderator structure, a neutron detection element, and a plurality of plate electrodes. The housing provides an enclosure and shielding from radiation other than neutron emission. The moderator structure is positioned within the housing and is formed from energy absorbing material. The moderator structure includes a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart and oriented parallel to one another. The neutron detection element includes a neutron reactive material deposited on a planar substrate. The plate electrodes are formed from electrically conductive material and spaced apart from one another. Each adjacent pair of plate electrodes has a voltage therebetween, wherein one neutron detection element is positioned between adjacent pairs of plate electrodes and the combination of plate electrodes and neutron detection elements is positioned between the first side wall and the second side wall of the moderator structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Billiard, George Bohnert, Christopher Boese
  • Patent number: 9906736
    Abstract: A sight attachable to a weapon and comprising an objective lens, an image display, and a digital reticle. The objective lens focuses infrared light received from a scene onto a thermal imager, which is comprised of a focal plane array that detects infrared radiation in the scene focused by the lens. The image display is in signal communication with the thermal imager and provides an image of the received infrared light from the scene. The image rendered by the display is visible to the user. The digital reticle is rendered on the display and provides an aim point of the weapon upon a target in the scene. The image of the scene and superimposed reticle are directly viewable by a user with the aim point of the weapon upon the target being maintained constant over a range of viewing angles that depart from a viewing angle perpendicular to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rochester Precision Optics, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Patton, Robert Benson
  • Patent number: 9897530
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting, characterizing, and compensating motion-related error of moving micro-entities are described. Motion-related error may occur in streams of moving micro-entities, and may represent a deviation in and expected arrival time or an uncertainty in position of a micro-entity within the stream. Motion-related error of micro-entities is observed in a flow cytometer, e.g., as pulse jitter, and is found to have a functional dependence on a parameter of the system. The pulse jitter can be compensated, according to one embodiment, by adjusting data acquisition observation windows. For the flow cytometer, a reduction of pulse jitter can improve measurement accuracy, resolution of doublets, system throughput, and enable an increase in an interrogation region for probing the micro-entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation of America
    Inventors: Gary Durack, Stephen D. Fleischer, Jeremy Hatcher, David Roberts, Michael Zordan
  • Patent number: 9891158
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of detecting particles which move along a trajectory and which produce or at least influence electromagnetic radiation, an electrical field or a magnetic field, wherein the electromagnetic radiation, the electrical field or the magnetic field is detected, in which a structuring device is used, which either ensures that the particles along the trajectory produce or at least influence electromagnetic radiation, an electrical field or a magnetic field substantially only at non-periodic spatial spacings, or ensures that the electromagnetic radiation, the electrical or the magnetic field is detected substantially only at non-periodic spatial spacings along the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Stephan Quint, Michael Baβler
  • Patent number: 9891156
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of (and system for) characterizing the permeation of a permeant of interest between a first liquid or semi-solid and a second liquid across an interface (eg through a membrane) by using UV imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Paraytec Limited
    Inventors: David Goodall, Edmund Bergström, Alexander Chapman
  • Patent number: 9885791
    Abstract: In a related-art composite scintillator in which pores in a porous scintillator are filled with an absorbing member or the like, as the ratio between the structural period of the composite and the thickness in an optical waveguide direction becomes smaller, almost all light is absorbed, and, in some cases, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient light amount for forming an adequate image. Provided is a scintillator including multiple first phases having directionality in a direction connecting two surfaces thereof which are not located on same surface and a second phase positioned around the first phases, in which each of the multiple first phases is in the shape of a column, and an absorbing portion is provided in part of one of the two kinds of phases, which has a lower refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Yasui, Yoshinori Shibutani, Yoshihiro Ohashi, Toru Den
  • Patent number: 9885234
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes drilling a wellbore in a formation with a drilling tool. The method further includes receiving electromagnetic radiation using an opto-analytical device coupled to the drilling tool. The method also includes detecting a temperature associated with drilling the wellbore based on the received electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael T. Pelletier, Robert P. Freese, Gary E. Weaver, Shilin Chen
  • Patent number: 9885614
    Abstract: A method and a system for measuring an optical asynchronous sample signal. The system for measuring an optical asynchronous sampling signal comprises a pulsed optical source capable of emitting two optical pulse sequences with different repetition frequencies, a signal optical path, a reference optical path, and a detection device. Since the optical asynchronous sampling signal can be measured by merely using one pulsed optical source, the complexity and cost of the system are reduced. A multi-frequency optical comb system using the pulsed optical source and a method for implementing the multi-frequency optical comb are further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: BEIHANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zheng Zheng, Xin Zhao, Lei Liu, Jiansheng Liu
  • Patent number: 9884207
    Abstract: A detector for measuring scanning ion beams in radiation therapy sequentially includes a first high voltage electrode, a first spacing member, and a segmented electrode. The first spacing member is connected to the first high voltage electrode and the segmented electrode to form a first ionization cavity. The first ionization cavity is formed with a plurality of first reading electrodes and a plurality of second reading electrodes therein. A second spacing member and a second high voltage electrode are further sequentially disposed. The second spacing member is connected to the second high voltage electrode and the segmented electrode to form a second ionization cavity. The first reading electrodes and the second reading electrodes are respectively formed in the first ionization cavity and the second ionization cavity. With the first reading electrodes and the second reading electrodes in different directions, highly accurate space resolution, space dosage and scanning speed are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignees: Academia Sinica, National Central University
    Inventors: Chih-Hsun Lin, Ping-Kun Teng, Augustine Ei-Fong Chen
  • Patent number: 9880057
    Abstract: The detector of visible and near-infrared radiation comprises a near-infrared photosensitive element, a readout circuit for reading the near-infrared photosensitive element, four visible photosensitive elements, one of which being placed facing the near-infrared photosensitive element, and four pigmented resin filters to define a pixel quadruplet. A first pixel, including the near-infrared photosensitive element and one of the visible photosensitive elements, is provided with a resin filter opaque to visible radiation. The three other pixels, respectively including the three other visible photosensitive elements, are respectively provided with filters associated with the three primary colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Yvon Cazaux, Benoit Giffard, Xavier Hugon
  • Patent number: 9874520
    Abstract: An optical sensor effective for (i) exciting an analyte-sensitive fluorophore, exposed to an unknown concentration of the analyte for which the fluorophore is sensitive, with radiant energy from an excitation source, (ii) measuring the extent to which luminescence of the excited fluorophore is quenched by presence of the analyte, (iii) ascertaining the concentration of analyte to which the fluorophore is exposed from such measurement, and (iv) reporting the ascertained concentration. The sensor is preferably an epi-fluroescence confocal optical detector, and preferably performs step (ii) by employing a summing amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: MOCON, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel W. Mayer
  • Patent number: 9874654
    Abstract: A motion detector having a bandpass filter is described herein. One device includes a passive infrared (PIR) sensor configured to generate a signal, and a bandpass filter configured to filter the signal, wherein the bandpass filter comprises a plurality of high pass filters, a plurality of low pass filters, and two operational amplifiers, wherein a portion of the plurality of high pass filters include a capacitor and two resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jiri Sapak, Ludek Zavodny, Roman Cervinka, Jan Crha, Robert Juntunen
  • Patent number: 9869780
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an organic-inorganic composite thin film may include: forming a thin film from a paste that includes an inorganic powder and an organic compound binder by using a screen printing process; and/or performing a pressing process and a heating process with respect to the thin film. The heating process may be performed at a glass transition temperature of the organic compound binder or in a temperature range higher than the glass transition temperature of the organic compound binder. An X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays irradiated from an outside of the X-ray detector may include: a photoconductive material layer in which electron-hole pairs are formed due to absorption of the X-rays. The photoconductive material layer may be formed of an organic-inorganic composite thin film that includes an inorganic powder and an organic compound binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Duhyun Lee, Byungkyu Lee, Sunil Kim, Jaechul Park, Dongwook Lee, Changbum Lee
  • Patent number: 9861297
    Abstract: To provide a gas analysis device comprising: a cell; a light source; and a detector, wherein two or more types of gaseous components contained in the gas are measurement targets, a mid-infrared light with a wavelength that is caused to match the absorption spectrum of the measurement target gaseous components is output from the light source, and concentrations of the gaseous components are obtained based on light intensity detected by the detector. The gas analysis device sets a cumulative measurement time for the mid-infrared lights with the wavelengths for respective ones of the measurement target gaseous components; and controls at least one of an output time of the light source and a detection time of the detector in accordance with the cumulative measurement times, thereby efficiently measuring the plurality of types of gaseous components contained in the gas by using the mid-infrared lights with the plurality of wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: RIKEN
    Inventors: Masaki Yumoto, Koji Miyazaki, Satoshi Wada, Takayo Ogawa, Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 9864072
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method involving one or more sparse detectors are provided. A sparse detector may include an array of scintillator crystals generating scintillation in response to radiation and an array of photodetectors generating an electrical signal in response to the scintillation. A portion of the scintillator crystals may be spaced apart by substituents or gaps. The distribution of the substitutes or gaps may be according to a sparsity rule. At least a portion of the array of photodetectors may be coupled to the array of scintillator crystals. An imaging system including an apparatus that may include one or more sparse detectors is provided. The imaging system may include a processor to process the imaging data acquired by the apparatus or system including the one or more sparse detectors. The method may include preprocess the acquired image data and produce images by image reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hongdi Li, Shaohui An, Yun Dong, Yang Lv, Lingzhi Hu, Jun Bao
  • Patent number: 9863805
    Abstract: An infrared detector system is provided for detecting infrared radiation from an infrared radiation source or a scene. The system includes a first area that is semiconductor-based and biased to produce negative luminescence, the first area including at least one semiconductor-based detector. The detector system further includes at least one additional area being semiconductor-based and biased to produce negative luminescence. A low-emissivity specular retro-reflector shield is configured to reflect infrared radiation and covers the first area and the at least one additional area. The shield defines an aperture to allow the at least one semiconductor-based detector to receive incident rays of the infrared radiation from the infrared radiation source or the scene via a low-scatter, low-emission optical system such that the radiation incident from the infrared radiation source or scene substantially fills the solid angle defined by the aperture at any point in the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TELEDYNE SCIENTIFIC & IMAGING, LLC
    Inventors: William E. Tennant, Robert F. Buzerak, David J. Gulbransen
  • Patent number: 9864050
    Abstract: A system for interacting with a thermal detector includes at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and a sensor mounted to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle. The sensor is configured to determine the presence of a component of the thermal detector and to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the component. The system also includes a beam emitter mounted to the at least one unmanned vehicle and in communication with the sensor. The beam emitter includes a beam source configured to direct a beam of thermal radiation to the thermal detector in response to the signal from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Lasermax, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Houde-Walter, Christopher Gagliano
  • Patent number: 9863244
    Abstract: A downhole fluid properties optical analysis probe (1) to analyze at least one property of a multiphase flow mixture (100) flowing in a hydrocarbon well (51) has an elongated cylindrical body shape and comprises an optical tip (5) at one end of the elongated cylindrical body arranged to be in contact with the multiphase flow mixture (100), and an optoelectronics module (11) at another end of the elongated cylindrical body arranged to be separated from the multiphase flow mixture (100) and coupled to the optical tip (5) by an optical fiber bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: OPENFIELD
    Inventors: Eric Donzier, Linda Abbassi, Emmanuel Tavernier
  • Patent number: 9858786
    Abstract: A danger detector configured as a point detector includes an alarm housing with an alarm cover, a non-contact heat radiation sensor that is sensitive to heat radiation in the infrared range, and a treatment unit configured to determine and emit a temperature value derived from the detected heat radiation for the ambient temperature in the surroundings of the danger detector and/or an alarm, in the event that the currently determined temperature value exceeds a predetermined temperature comparison value. The heat radiation sensor is arranged in the alarm housing and is configured to optically detect the ambient temperature on the inner side of the alarm cover. The heat radiation sensor may be a thermopile designed as an SMD component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Martin Fischer, Claudio Foelmli, Christian Liechti