Patents Examined by Meenakshi S Sahu
  • Patent number: 11313729
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a phononic-isolated Kinetic Inductance Detector (KID) and a method of fabrication thereof. The KID is a highly sensitive superconducting cryogenic detector which can be scaled to very large format arrays. The fabrication process of the KID of the present invention integrates a phononic crystal into a KID architecture. The phononic structures are designed to reduce the loss of recombination and athermal phonons, resulting in lower noise and higher sensitivity detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Karwan Rostem, Edward Wollack, Peter deVisser
  • Patent number: 11307128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the optical measurement of at least the stability and the aggregation of particles in a liquid sample which is located in a sample container, wherein the method comprises the following steps: irradiating the sample with light of at least one first wavelength in order to fluorescently excite the particles, irradiating the sample with light of at least one second wavelength in order to examine the scattering of the particles, measuring the fluorescence light which is emitted by the sample; and measuring the extinction light at the second wavelength, wherein the irradiated light of the second wavelength runs through the sample container, is reflected back, runs again through the sample container in the opposite direction and exits as extinction light, wherein the stability is determined based on the measured fluorescence light and the aggregation is measured based on the measured extinction light. The invention further relates to a corresponding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NanoTemper Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Baaske, Stefan Duhr, Dennis Breitsprecher, Jonathan Derix
  • Patent number: 11300692
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are variations of megavoltage (MV) detectors that may be used for acquiring high resolution dynamic images and dose measurements in patients. One variation of a MV detector comprises a scintillating optical fiber plate, a photodiode array configured to receive light data from the optical fibers, and readout electronics. In some variations, the scintillating optical fiber plate comprises one or more fibers that are focused to the radiation source. The diameters of the fibers may be smaller than the pixels of the photodiode array. In some variations, the fiber diameter is on the order of about 2 to about 100 times smaller than the width of a photodiode array pixel, e.g., about 20 times smaller. Also disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing a focused scintillating fiber optic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: RefleXion Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Manat Maolinbay
  • Patent number: 11290662
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including an optical focal plane array (FPA) unit. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. Said optical system and said processing unit can be contained together in a data acquisition and processing module configured to be worn or carried by a person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: REBELLION PHOTONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Timothy Kester, Nathan Adrian Hagen
  • Patent number: 11287325
    Abstract: A motion sensing device adapts a field of view around a primary sensing axis of the motion sensing device by electrically controlling a detection sensitivity of a passive infrared sensor of the motion sensing device. Responsive to adapting the field of view, the motion sensing device monitors for motion within the field of view using the passive infrared sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
    Inventors: Amruteshwar Hiremath, Jin Hong Lim, Kory A. Liszt
  • Patent number: 11287372
    Abstract: A gas sensor module (100) includes an infrared light emitting diode (10) configured to emit infrared light in accordance with a drive current, a quantum infrared sensor (20) configured to detect infrared light that passes through a detection target gas, a drive circuit (30) configured to output the drive current to the infrared light emitting diode (10), a charging circuit (50) to be connected to a power source and configured to output a charge current having a smaller current amount than the drive current, and a capacitor (40) configured to charge by the charge current being supplied from the charging circuit (50) and discharge by supplying the drive current to the drive circuit (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Koizumi, Yuji Goda, Maksym Bryzgalov
  • Patent number: 11280718
    Abstract: An imaging flow cytometry apparatus and method which allows registering multiple locations across a cell, and/or across multiple flow channels, in parallel using radio-frequency-tagged emission (FIRE) coupled with a parallel optical detection scheme toward increasing analysis throughput. An optical source is modulated by multiple RF frequencies to produce an optical interrogation beam having a spatially distributed beat frequency. This beam is directed to one or more focused streams of cells whose responsive fluorescence, in different frequencies, is registered in parallel by an optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Bahram Jalali, Eric D. Diebold, Brandon Buckley
  • Patent number: 11280672
    Abstract: A flame detection system includes: an optical sensor that detects light emitted from a light source; an applied voltage generating circuit that applies a drive pulse voltage to the optical sensor; a discharge determining portion that detects a discharge from the optical sensor; a discharge probability calculating portion calculates discharge probabilities in a first state and a second state in which the optical sensor is shielded from light and a pulse width of the drive pulse voltage is different; a storing portion storing a reference pulse width as a sensitivity parameter; and a discharge probability calculating portion that calculates a discharge probability of an irregular discharge occurring without depending on the received light quantity by the optical sensor based on the sensitivity parameter, the discharge probabilities calculated in the first and second states and the pulse widths of the drive pulse voltage in the first and second states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: AZBIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shun Onuma, Raita Mori
  • Patent number: 11268940
    Abstract: A hazardous gas detector that includes a housing defining an interior region is provided. Also included is a laser emitting component oriented to emit a laser light away from the housing. Further included is a lens disposed within an aperture defined by the housing, the lens allowing returning infrared light of the laser light to enter the interior region. Yet further included is a mirror disposed within the interior region and oriented to split the returning laser light into a short wave infrared light and a long wave infrared light. Also included is a one-dimensional (1D) camera pixel array disposed within the interior region, the 1D camera imaging a planar region that includes an illuminated portion comprising the short wave infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jennifer M. Alexander, Michael J. Birnkrant, Jose-Rodrigo Castillo-Garza
  • Patent number: 11255731
    Abstract: An infrared detector is provided, and the infrared detector includes: a thermoelectric element; an infrared light absorber, located on and in contact with the thermoelectric element, and configured to absorb infrared light and convert infrared light into heat; an electrical signal detector, electrically connected to the thermoelectric element and configured to detect a change in electrical performance of the thermoelectric element; wherein the infrared light absorber includes a carbon nanotube array, the carbon nanotube array includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes, a height of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially the same, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes are perpendicular to the thermoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ying-Cheng Wang, Zhong-Zheng Huang, Yuan-Hao Jin, Qun-Qing Li, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 11249198
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for scanning a region of interest (ROI) by a gamma detector. An exemplary method includes determining, for each of multiple detector configurations, a respective weight based on an absorption profile, associating each of a plurality of portions of the ROI with a respective gamma attenuation value; and detecting gamma radiation from multiple detector configurations for time periods allocated among the detector configurations based on the weights determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventors: Tal Kenig, Zvi Devir
  • Patent number: 11243166
    Abstract: An intraoperative near-infrared-I and near-infrared-II multi-spectral fluorescent navigation system and method of using same includes a light source module for emitting white light and excitation light for illuminating tissue to be tested to generate an emission light. An optical information collection module includes a white light camera for collecting the white light image, and near infrared-I and near infrared-II fluorescence cameras for collecting the near infrared-I and near infrared-II fluorescence images. A central control module is coupled to the light source and the optical information collection modules. An image processing unit pre-processes the white light image, and the near infrared-I and near infrared-II fluorescence images, for de-noising and enhancement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF AUTOMATION, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Jie Tian, Zhenhua Hu, Caiguang Cao, Zeyu Zhang, Meishan Cai
  • Patent number: 11243161
    Abstract: A gas measurement device is provided and includes a gas channel module and a sensor component disposed within the gas channel module. The sensor component includes a substrate, a porous membrane, and a metal layer disposed between the substrate and the porous membrane. A gas measurement method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chin Lien, Cho-Fan Hsieh, Chia-Jen Lin, Yu-Tai Li, Wei-You Lin
  • Patent number: 11237057
    Abstract: A temperature processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a storage device, and a processor. The processor includes an alignment module, an acquisition module, a processing module, a determination module, and a display processing module. The determination module configured to determine whether the temperature data fits in a first state. The display processing module is configured to display a temperature-distribution image of the temperature data fitting the first state on a display module by mapping the temperature-distribution image of the temperature data fitting the first state on at least either the real-space image or an image of the three-dimensional model, when the determination module determines that the temperature data fits the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nemoto, Shota Tsuda, Masanori Murakami
  • Patent number: 11237108
    Abstract: A biological analysis system can include an excitation module and an emission module. The excitation module can include a collimator element for receiving excitation light from the excitation light source and transmitting collimated excitation light in a first direction, and a plurality of excitation mirrors arrayed along the excitation light path, each excitation mirror disposed at an acute angle relative to the first direction and configured to reflect collimated excitation light along a second direction. The emission module can be positioned to receive excitation light transmitted along the second direction and can include a sample block comprising a plurality of sample receptacles positioned to receive a beam of collimated excitation light, and a plurality of photodetectors configured to receive emission light transmitted from a respective sample receptacle in a direction transverse to the second direction of the excitation light path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming Song Chen, Chee Woei Chong, Wuh Ken Loh, Wern Yuh Foo, Kuan Moon Boo, Norbert Leclerc, Kristina Uhlendorf, Reiner Koellner, Torsten Fuchs, Stefan Breitfelder
  • Patent number: 11233966
    Abstract: An image sensor includes an avalanche diode, an avalanche detector circuit, a sample and hold circuit, and a sample collection circuit. The avalanche diode has an output voltage that changes in response to an avalanche event in the avalanche diode. The avalanche detector circuit is configured to generate a sample capture signal in response to detecting the avalanche event. The sample and hold circuit is configured to store a sample of the output voltage in response to receiving the sample capture signal. The sample collection circuit is configured to collect the sample of the output voltage from the sample and hold circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Cristiano L. Niclass, Dipayan Das
  • Patent number: 11199638
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of estimating an input count rate of a radiation pulse detector from a detector signal where some individual signal pulses making up the detector signal are closely spaced in time less than a minimum reliable detection gap. In one aspect, the individual signal pulses are detected using a detection algorithm and a plurality of interval start times are defined each interposed with at least one of the detected individual signal pulse arrival times, each interval start time being later by at least the minimum reliable detection gap than a corresponding most recent detected individual signal pulse arrival time. A corresponding plurality of individual signal pulse arrival intervals are calculated between each of the interval start times and a corresponding next detected individual signal pulse arrival time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Southern Innovation International Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Michael Pauley, Paul Andrew Basil Scoullar, Christopher Charles McLean, Andi Chow, Nir Drabkin
  • Patent number: 11193889
    Abstract: A compact and miniaturized Fourier transform photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer is provided comprising five functional modules, which are all mounted on a same baseplate: (i) a sample placement module for positioning and spatially adjusting the sample to be tested, which includes a 3-axis stage (10) and a position mark (11) for the expected front surface of the sample being tested. The stage is employed for positioning the sample directly or a low-temperature optical cryostat that contains the sample (said sample and cryostat being not parts of the spectrometer), the position mark indicates the pre-aligned position for the projection of the sample's front surface in the horizontal plane; (ii) a built-in pump light source module for generating PL signal, which includes two lasers (20) and (21) with different laser wavelengths, the lasers' output can be selected on request in the wavelength range from ultraviolet to near-infrared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: INSA OPTICS TECHNOLOGY (SHANGHAI) LTD.
    Inventors: Jihua Li, Jun Shao
  • Patent number: 11193833
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a microbolometer (10) comprising a sensitive material (15) based on vanadium oxide (VOx) comprising an additional chemical element chosen from among boron (B), carbon (C), with the exception of nitrogen (N), comprising the following steps: i. determining a non-zero effective amount of the additional chemical element (B, C) starting from which the sensitive material (15), having undergone exposure to a temperature Tr for a duration ?tr, has an electrical resistivity ?a|r at ambient temperature greater than or equal to 50% of the native value ?a of said sensitive material (15); ii. producing the sensitive material (15) in a thin layer having an amount of the additional chemical element (B, C) greater than or equal to the effective amount determined beforehand, the sensitive material being amorphous and having an electrical resistivity of between 1 and 30 ?·cm; iii.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Denis Pelenc, Xavier Zucchi, Claire Vialle, Valerie Goudon, Abdelkader Aliane
  • Patent number: 11193831
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover includes a film setting step. The film setting step includes setting a heater film on a first molding die and setting a hard coating film on a second molding die. The method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover further includes a base molding step for molding a base including clamping a mold, injecting molten plastic into a gap between the heater film and the hard coating film, and curing the molten plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Koji Fukagawa, Hiroyuki Konishi, Tatsuo Ito