Patents Examined by Marcus Taningco
  • Patent number: 9778384
    Abstract: A method of verifying the operational status of a neutron detecting device includes at least partially enclosing a neutron detecting device including a neutron detector in a container having outer walls comprising a thermal neutron absorber material, and determining an attenuated neutron count rate of the neutron detecting device. The method then includes removing the neutron detecting device from the container, exposing the neutron detecting device to neutron radiation originating from cosmic ray background, determining an operational neutron count rate of the neutron detecting device, determining a ratio between the operational neutron count rate and the attenuated neutron count rate, and verifying the operational status of the neutron detecting device if the operational neutron count rate is higher than the attenuated neutron count rate by at least a predetermined amount and the ratio is in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Iwatschenko-Borho, Reinhard Loew
  • Patent number: 9779769
    Abstract: A diamond probe is suitable to be attached to an Atomic Force Microscope and is created with a tip that incorporates a one or more Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) centers located near the end of the tip. The probe arm acts as an optical waveguide to propagate the emission from the NV center with high efficiency and a beveled end directs excitation light to the NV center and directs photoluminescence light emanating from the NV center into the probe arm. The light source (or a portion of the light source), a detector, as well as an RF antenna, if used, may be mounted to the probe arm. The probe with integrated components enable excitation of photoluminescence in the NV center as well as optically detected Electron Spin Resonance (ODMR) and temperature measurements, and may further serve as a light probe utilizing the physical effect of Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Infinitum Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Juergen Heidmann
  • Patent number: 9778103
    Abstract: Instruments and methods are disclosed which measure absolute energy and irradiance of UV light sources. The response curves of exemplary optical stacks of the radiometry instruments are substantially rectangular with steep transitions at the cutoff frequencies. Angle of incidence (AOI) control in combination with one or more interference filters in the optical stack enable the full optical stack to produce repeatable and accurate measurements. Inverse response filters are disclosed for leveling optical stack response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: EIT, LLC
    Inventors: Joe T. May, Mark Lawrence
  • Patent number: 9778383
    Abstract: A nuclear imaging system includes a detector configured to detect at least one photon event. A timing signal path is electrically coupled to the detector. The timing signal path is configured to generate a timing signal indicative of a timing of the at least one photon event. An energy signal path is also electrically coupled to the detector. The energy signal path is configured to generate an energy signal indicative of an energy of the at least one photon event. A time-domain multiplexer is configured combine the timing signal and the energy signal into a compound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias J. Schmand, Ralph Oppelt, Klaus Huber, Nan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9778329
    Abstract: A diamond probe is suitable to be attached to an Atomic Force Microscope and is created with a tip that incorporates a one or more Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) centers located near the end of the tip. The probe arm acts as an optical waveguide to propagate the emission from the NV center with high efficiency and a beveled end directs excitation light to the NV center and directs photoluminescence light emanating from the NV center into the probe arm. The probe tip is scanned over an area of a sample with an electric charge, such as a field effect transistor or flash memory. Optically Detected Spin Resonance (ODMR) is measured as the probe tip is scanned over the area of the sample, from which a characteristic of the area of the sample with the electric charge may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Infinitum Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Juergen Heidmann
  • Patent number: 9778378
    Abstract: A detector configuration that combines a plurality of elongated semiconductor photo-multiplier sensor strips coupled to a scintillator crystal block with a differential readout that will enhance the time resolution. This is permitted due to a reduction of electronic noise due to reduced cross talk and noise in the ground. In addition, the dead area is minimized and thus the efficiency of the photodetector is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: CERN EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH, ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI FISICA NUCLEARE
    Inventor: Crispin Williams
  • Patent number: 9778381
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a readout circuit of an X-ray detector which includes a data line capacitor to store an electrical signal output from a pixel, an amplifier to amplify the electrical signal from the pixel, and a variable current load connected to an output terminal of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: VIEWORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bo Ram Lee
  • Patent number: 9772407
    Abstract: An X-ray detector array includes a scintillator that converts input X-ray radiation to secondary optical radiation output from the scintillator, a first telecentric micro lens array that array receives the secondary optical radiation, a phase coded aperture, where the first telecentric micro lens array directs the secondary optical radiation on the phase coded aperture, a second telecentric micro lens array, where the secondary optical radiation output from the phase coded array is directed to the second telecentric micro lens array, a patterned grating mask, where the second telecentric micro lens array directs the optical beam on the patterned mask, and a photodetector array, where the patterned mask outputs the optical beam in a pattern according to the patterned mask to the photodetector array, where the photodetector array outputs a signal, where a photon fringe pattern is imaged and sampled in the wavelength domain of the radiation from the scintillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, University of Arizona
    Inventors: Yao-Te Cheng, Lambertus Hesselink, Young-Sik Kim, Yuzuru Takashima, Max Yuen
  • Patent number: 9772276
    Abstract: A detection device having: a terahertz wave generation element; a terahertz wave detection element; a first transmission path arranged upon the terahertz wave generation element; a second transmission path arranged upon the terahertz wave detection element; and a sealed section arranged between the terahertz wave generation element and the terahertz wave detection element and separated from the first transmission path and the second transmission path, so as to surround the first transmission path and the second transmission path. A space between an emission surface in the first transmission path and an incident surface in the second transmission path is connected to a space between the first transmission path and the sealed section and to a space between the second transmission path and the sealed section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Akihiro Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9766366
    Abstract: A radiation logging tool is provided that includes a scintillator detector for use on a wellbore tool string to characterize earth formations. The scintillator detector has a shutter to allow for the collection of data differentiating between incident radiation, such as backscatter signal, and system noise, such as dark current, vibration noise, electronics thermal noise, and electrostatic noise. The radiation logging tool provides for a method of calibrating and measuring incident radiation by the removal of system noise. The shutter is positioned between the photosensor and scintillation member of the scintillator detector, and is able to switch between open and closed states while the scintillation detector is deployed. Measurements of signal noise can be used to calibrate the sampling signal of incident radiation on the scintillator detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Imran Sharif Vehra
  • Patent number: 9764161
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for positioning a radiation source with respect to one or more regions of interest in a coordinate system. Such systems and methods may be used in emission guided radiation therapy (EGRT) for the localized delivery of radiation to one or more patient tumor regions. These systems comprise a gantry movable about a patient area, where a plurality of positron emission detectors, a radiation source are arranged movably on the gantry, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify a coincident positron annihilation emission path and to position the radiation source to apply a radiation beam along the identified emission path. The systems and methods described herein can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or brachytherapy for the treatment of tumors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: RefleXion Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Mazin, Akshay Nanduri
  • Patent number: 9761782
    Abstract: A detector for detecting single photons of infrared radiation or longer wavelength electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment a waveguide configured to transmit infrared radiation is arranged to be adjacent a graphene sheet and configured so that evanescent waves from the waveguide overlap the graphene sheet. In other embodiments a transmission line or antenna is coupled to the graphene sheet and guides longer-wavelength photons to the graphene sheet. A photon absorbed by the graphene sheet heats the graphene sheet. Part of the graphene sheet is part of the Josephson junction as the weak link, and a constant bias current is driven through the Josephson junction; an increase in the temperature of the graphene sheet results in a decrease in the critical current of the Josephson junction and a voltage pulse in the voltage across the Josephson junction. The voltage pulse is detected by the pulse detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: RAYTHEON BBN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Kin Chung Fong, Thomas A. Ohki
  • Patent number: 9759611
    Abstract: A device images radiation from a scene in two wavelength bands. An uncooled detector of the radiation includes two separate detector regions. A first filter associated with the first detector region allows radiation in a first wavelength band to be imaged on the first detector region. A second filter associated with the second detector region allows radiation in a second wavelength band to be imaged on the second detector region. An image forming optical component forms an image of the scene on the detector. Two wedge-shaped components are positioned at a fixed distance from the image forming optical component. Each wedge-shaped component directs radiation from the scene through the image forming optical component onto the detector. The radiation is imaged separately onto the two detector regions through an f-number of less than approximately 1.5. Imaged radiation on each detector region includes radiation in one respective wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CI SYSTEMS (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventor: Moshe Lavi
  • Patent number: 9759823
    Abstract: Directional radiation detectors and systems, methods, and computer-readable media for using directional radiation detectors to locate a radiation source are provided herein. A directional radiation detector includes a radiation sensor. A radiation attenuator partially surrounds the radiation sensor and defines an aperture through which incident radiation is received by the radiation sensor. The aperture is positioned such that when incident radiation is received directly through the aperture and by the radiation sensor, a source of the incident radiation is located within a solid angle defined by the aperture. The radiation sensor senses at least one of alpha particles, beta particles, gamma particles, or neutrons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventor: L. Jonathan Dowell
  • Patent number: 9753154
    Abstract: An X-ray detector is disclosed, in particular for a computed tomography system. In an embodiment, the X-ray detector includes a regular arrangement of measuring pixels for covering a measuring surface. A plurality of the measuring pixels of the regular arrangement are constructed as direct converting measuring pixels, and remaining ones of the measuring pixels are constructed as indirect converting measuring pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Peter Hackenschmied, Christian Schröter, Matthias Strassburg
  • Patent number: 9753148
    Abstract: A radiation sensor can include a body configured to capture targeted radiation. In an embodiment, the body can include a topological insulator material. In another embodiment, the radiation sensor can further include a controllable magnetic source configured to generate a magnetic field that is received by the body. The radiation sensor can be used to detect the targeted radiation. In an embodiment, detecting the targeted radiation can be done in not greater than 100 ns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Peter R. Menge
  • Patent number: 9752993
    Abstract: A system for nondestructive evaluation of railroad rails, includes a carriage including a plurality of wheels movably supporting the carriage on the rails, a source of vibration mounted on the carriage and connected to transmit vibrations of a preselected frequency to test regions on the rails through the wheels to cause an increase in temperature of the rails at locations of flaws in the test regions, an infrared detector for recording thermal images of the test regions to detect the increase in temperature of the location of the flaws, a controller connected to actuate the infrared detector to record the thermal images of the vibrations impacting the test regions, and store the thermal images recorded by the infrared detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Thompson, John R. Hull, Morteza Safai, Barry A. Fetzer, Gary E. Georgeson, Steven K. Brady
  • Patent number: 9748214
    Abstract: A first substrate having an array of emitters or detectors may be joined by bump bonding with a second substrate having read-in (RIIC) or read-out (ROIC) circuitry. After the two substrates are joined, the resulting assembly may be singulated to form sub-arrays such as tiles sub-arrays having pixel elements which may be arranged on a routing layer or carrier to form a larger array. Edge features of the tiles may provide for physical alignment, mechanical attachment and chip-to-chip communication. The pixel elements may be thermal emitter elements for IR image projectors, thermal detector elements for microbolometers, LED-based emitters, or quantum photon detectors such as those found in visible, infrared and ultraviolet FPAs (focal plane arrays), and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Santa Barbara Infrared, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Donald LaVeigne
  • Patent number: 9746687
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus is disclosed, which includes a light source configured to generate light for an illumination area to be illuminated, and a diffraction grating element provided between the illumination area and the light source, and including a plurality of diffraction gratings arranged in a two dimensional array. A distribution of grating intervals of the diffraction gratings in the diffraction grating element has a characteristic such that a center region, along a predetermined line in a plane of the two dimensional array, has a greater grating interval than an end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Maeda, Yukihiro Abiko, Soichi Hama
  • Patent number: 9746181
    Abstract: A flame detecting system capable of easily performing a deterioration diagnosis of a flame sensor without being provided with a shutter mechanism. The flame detecting system comprising a flame sensor to detect light, a calculating device, and a reference light source, in which the calculating device, by operations of a central processing unit CPU, is configured to execute a first mode at which the discharge probability in the flame sensor is measured when the reference light source is turned off and a second mode at which the discharge probability in the flame sensor is measured when the reference light source is turned on, and calculate a current discharge probability of the flame sensor from data obtained at the first mode and the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventor: Raita Mori