Patents Examined by Jeremy S Valentiner
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Patent number: 9774794Abstract: A radiographic image capturing apparatus and a radiographic image capturing system are shown. According to one aspect, the radiographic image capturing apparatus includes the following. A scanning driving unit applies voltage to scanning lines. A switching element releases electric charge upon application of the ON-state voltage. A readout circuit converts the electric charge into image data and reads the data. A controller reads the image data. The detecting unit detects start and end of irradiation based on a change in a signal. The controller determines whether a standby time from end of readout to start of readout in next capturing is changed with reference to a first period and a second period. The first period ranges from end of readout to detection of start of irradiation. The second period ranges from detection of end of irradiation to start of readout.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Kazuhiro Sakino
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Patent number: 9768725Abstract: One example embodiment includes a PV module comprising a conductive backsheet, a substantially transparent front plate, a plurality of PV cells, a plurality of conductive spacers, and a power conversion device. The PV cells can be disposed between the conductive backsheet and the front plate and can be arranged in a plurality of rows. The PV cells within each row can be connected to each other in parallel and the rows can be connected in series. The PV cells can be interconnected between the conductive spacers. The power conversion device can be redundantly connected to the PV cells via a last conductive spacer connected to a last row. The power conversion device can substantially maintain a maximum peak power of the PV module and can convert a lower voltage collectively generated by the PV cells to a predetermined stepped up voltage greater than or equal to 12 volts.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: TENKSOLAR, INC.Inventor: Dallas W. Meyer
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Patent number: 9753151Abstract: A photon detector having an optical transparent plate and photodiode array interconnected by an optical light guide array. The optical light guide array including elements providing a transmission line between the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array, where the position of one or more optical light guide elements is formed to adjust for a miss-registered photodiode individual element.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Wilson Rose, David Leo McDaniel, Jianjun Guo, Sergei Ivanovich Dolinsky, Adrian Ivan
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Patent number: 9756273Abstract: A multi-tiered approach to combating reverse engineering of electronics is disclosed herein. The encapsulant utilized with the optical sensor may be selected based on being substantially being opaque to X-ray inspection. In this way, visible public inspection to gain competitive intelligence may be reduced and operation of the electronics may remain unaffected. Additionally, a thin filament of wire embedded just below the surface of the encapsulant could be used as an electronic tripwire in response to being severed and/or dissolved by the reverse engineering strong solvents and acids.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: John T. Foster, John Tagle, Dmitry Zhilinsky, Michael A. Liland, Laszlo Kovacs, Leonardo C. Gonzales
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Patent number: 9733188Abstract: Apparatus for enhancing on-chip fluorescence detection. For example, an apparatus comprises a microfluidic channel, an excitation signal enhancing structure formed on a first side of the microfluidic channel and a photodetector structure formed on a second side of the microfluidic channel. For example, the excitation signal enhancing structure enhances an excitation signal and the enhanced excitation signal excites one or more samples in the microfluidic channel to emit signals at a fluorescence wavelength at a higher rate.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Yann Andre Nicolas Astier, Ning Li, Devendra K. Sadana, Chao Wang
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Patent number: 9733193Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for monitoring an extruded product moving in an inline extrusion process so as to effect quality control of the process by continuously measuring dimensional parameters and determining the existence of contaminants in the extrusion. The apparatus makes use of Terahertz radiation which is adapted to provide a curtain of parallel rays of the radiation which is scanned across the product as the product passes therethrough in a linear manner. The composition of the emitted radiation received after the scanning process is subject to an imaging analysis to determine the dimensional parameters of the moving products. The imaging analysis involves applying correction values to the measured transit times of the rays crossing the products which depends on its position within the curtain of rays thereby to remove inaccuracies in the final measurement results.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Proton Products International LimitedInventor: John Kyriakis
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Patent number: 9733087Abstract: A star camera system that includes an optical system configured to focus radiation from a star to be imaged onto a collector. Specifically, the collector is in the form of an electron bombarded active pixel sensor (EBAPS) configured to provide high gain. The EBAPS comprising a photocathode disposed in a vacuum is configured to release electron into a vacuum when exposed to radiation focused thereon by the optical system. In addition, the EBAPS includes an active pixel sensor anode disposed distant from the photocathode in the vacuum. An electric field is generated by a voltage source to direct electrons from the photocathode to the active pixel sensor anode to thereby generate an image of the star.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.Inventors: Juha-Pekka J. Laine, Gregory Blasche, John J. Boyle, Paul Bohn, Robin M. Dawson, Benjamin F. Lane, Erik L. Waldron, Stephen P. Smith
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Patent number: 9728369Abstract: A high voltage vacuum feed through (23) for an electron tube (25) has an anode (28) and an insulating body (1) of ceramic material, the insulating body (1) having a continuous hollow space (10). The anode (28) has a rear part (2) and a front part (3) mounted thereto. The rear part (2) consists of a first metallic material, having a thermal expansion coefficient corresponding to a thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic material. The rear part (2) is arranged in the hollow space (10) of the insulating body (1) and is soldered into the insulating body (1) in a vacuum-tight fashion. The front part (3) has a second metallic material whose heat conductivity is larger than that of the first metallic material. The high voltage vacuum feed through reliably remains vacuum-tight during operation and can be easily provided with different target materials.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: incoatec GmbHInventor: Karl Hans
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Patent number: 9689744Abstract: An imaging spectrometer, covering the visible through infrared wavelengths, which disperses the light by a plane diffraction grating behind a wedged optical element. This design uses an achromatic doublet lens with a reflective coating on its convex back surface to produce the spectra on a flat detector. Spatial keystone distortion and spectral smile are controlled to less than one tenth of a pixel over the full wavelength range, facilitating the use of simple retrieval algorithms.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventor: Michael P. Chrisp
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Patent number: 9684083Abstract: An X-ray detector panel includes a plurality of photodetector wafers are arranged in a photodetector array. Each photodetector wafer comprises a sensing surface, a contact surface disposed opposite the sensing surface, and an electrical contact coupled to the contact surface. A substrate is coupled to the photodetector array such that the photodetector array is substantially surrounded by the substrate and a face surface of the substrate is substantially coplanar with the sensing surface. A scintillator is coupled to the face surface of the substrate and substantially covers the sensing surfaces of the photodetector array. A scintillator cover is substantially sealingly coupled to the face surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: James Zhengshe Liu, Habib Vafi, Paul Richard Granfors
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Patent number: 9683936Abstract: A laser light source for emitting excitation light, a sample case, a photomultiplier tube, a fluorescence collecting optical system and so forth are embedded in a resin material that is transparent to the excitation light and the light including fluorescence emitted from a sample. The resin material is provided in at least part of a light path that guides the fluorescence in the fluorescence collecting optical system, and this resin forms a housing that holds the laser light source, the fluorescence collecting optical system, the photomultiplier and so forth. A pigment having wavelength characteristics for absorbing the excitation light, Raman light generated from the resin, and so forth is contained substantially in a uniform manner in a resin region that surrounds the light path through which the excitation light and the light including the fluorescence pass.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignees: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Yuji Oki, Hiroaki Yoshioka, Kinichi Morita
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Patent number: 9671340Abstract: The invention relates to a method for acquiring data in order to determine organ function, in particular the liver or kidney function, comprising one or more polymethine fluorescent dyes having a fluorescence emission maximum, measured in ethanol, of less than or equal to 820 nm, and to the use of dyes as markers for acquiring data in order to determine the organ function. The invention further relates to a kit for determining an organ function with a marker dye, and to a device for acquiring data in the method.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2010Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: SMARTDYELIVERY GMBHInventors: Michael Bauer, Falk A. Gonnert, Peter Recknagel
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Patent number: 9668707Abstract: A mobile radiation imaging apparatus includes: an irradiation unit that emits radiation; a moving unit that moves with the irradiation unit; an imaging unit that takes an image of an object irradiated with radiation and is able to transmit the image via the wireless communication or the wired communication; an obtaining unit that obtains information indicating in which area the moving unit is located among a wired communication area, a wirelessly communicable area, and a switching area for switching between the wireless communication and the wired communication; and a control unit that switches the communication with the imaging unit depending on the obtained information.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Watanabe, Katsushi Kato, Kensuke Kobayashi
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Patent number: 9645259Abstract: A radiation image pickup apparatus includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and configured to convert a radiant ray into electric signals, signal processors configured to output digital signals obtained in accordance with the electric signals output from the pixel array in parallel, and a controller configured to operate the signal processors after the signal processors enter a second power consumption state in which power consumption is higher than that of a first power consumption state from the first power consumption state after irradiation of a radiant ray to the pixel array is terminated, and to cause the signal processors to output digital signals after the signal processors are operated.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshio Kameshima, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Sho Sato, Atsushi Iwashita, Eriko Sato, Hideyuki Okada, Takuya Ryu, Kosuke Terui
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Method for providing a warning of radiation-dose-relevant space-weather events at cruising altitudes
Patent number: 9645263Abstract: The method for providing a warning of radiation-dose-relevant space-weather events at cruising altitudes comprises the steps of detecting radiation data of the atmospheric radiation, particularly ionizing radiation in the atmosphere, and providing a radiation model for 3D-spatially resolved estimation of a radiation field at cruising altitudes of the earth's atmosphere by use of a radiation dose rate scale based on a continuous range of values. Moreover, the 3D-spatially resolved rates of the effective radiation dose on the basis of the detected radiation data and the radiation model will be estimated. The radiation dose rate scale is divided, based on a continuous range of values, into a discrete, i.e.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2014Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.Inventors: Matthias Meier, Daniel Matthia -
Patent number: 9606244Abstract: An x-ray imager includes a scintillator layer configured to generate light from x-rays, a detector array configured to detect light generated in the scintillator layer, and a lens array situated between the scintillator layer and the detector array. The lens array may be configured to collect light and focus the collected light to the detector array.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Arundhuti Ganguly, Ivan Mollov
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Patent number: 9567688Abstract: Formation of an authentication element by deposition of a metal layer with embedded particles on a metal substrate, wherein the embedded particles are configured to convert energy from one wavelength to another. The embedded particles may be upconverters, downconverters, or phosphorescent phosphors, which can be detected and measured with analytical equipment when deposited in the metal layer. A metal substrate may include coinage.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: The Royal Mint LimitedInventors: Jeffrey L. Conroy, Philip B. Forshee, James A. Shearer
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Patent number: 9551653Abstract: The inventive concept provides apparatuses and methods for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes in real time using polarized light. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a light source configured to generate light, a beam splitter configured to reflect the light toward the wafer being processed, an objective polarizer configured to polarize the light reflected toward the wafer and to allow light reflected by the wafer to pass therethrough, a blaze grating configured to separate light reflected by the wafer according to wavelength, an array detector configured to detect the separated light and an analyzer to analyze the three-dimensional profile of the structure/pattern being formed in the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2016Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Woong-Kyu Son, Kwang-Hoon Kim, Deok-Yong Kim, Sung-Soo Moon, Jung-Hoon Byun, Ji-Hye Lee, Choon-Shik Leem, Soo-Bok Chin
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Patent number: 9523786Abstract: An optical analysis tool includes an integrated computational element (ICE) including an ICE core to process light received by the ICE from a sample, when the tool is operated, such that the processed light is related, over a wavelength range, to a characteristic of the sample. Additionally, the ICE includes a filter monolithically coupled to the ICE core, the filter to block light at wavelengths that are either shorter than the wavelength range or longer than the wavelength range, or both, such that the ICE outputs, when the tool is operated, processed light that is passed by the filter.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2014Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: David L. Perkins, Robert Paul Freese, Christopher Michael Jones, Richard Neal Gardner
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Patent number: 9470605Abstract: An airfoil has an of internal cooling channel, and cooling holes extending from the internal cooling channel to an outer skin. Air is injected into the cooling channel, and then into an inlet of the cooling hole. The exit of the air from an outlet of the cooling hole at the outer skin is monitored to determine whether the outlet is blocked. A location of the inlet of the cooling hole is determined by utilizing the determined location of the outlet, in combination with a known angle through which the cooling hole extends.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: James M. Koonankeil
