Patents Examined by Mindy Vu
  • Patent number: 9684082
    Abstract: The present invention provides a scintillator panel including: a plate-like substrate; a barrier rib provided on the substrate; and a scintillator layer including a phosphor filled in cells divided by the barrier rib, wherein the barrier rib is formed of a material which is mainly composed of a low-melting-point glass containing 2 to 20% by mass of an alkali metal oxide, a value obtained by dividing a top width Lt of the barrier rib or a 90%-height width L90 of the barrier rib by a half-value width Lh of the barrier rib is 0.45 to 1, and a value obtained by dividing a bottom width Lb of the barrier rib or a 10%-height width L10 of the barrier rib by the half-value width Lh is 1 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaki Okamura, Yuichiro Iguchi, Hideki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 9658342
    Abstract: Stand-offs are attached around the periphery of the fiber optic plate (FOP) to ensure a certain minimum thickness between the FOP and the imaging sensor to reduce shear stress and the risk of delamination due to shear stress in an X or Gamma ray detector. A coupling material fills the gap between the FOP and the imaging sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Teledyne Dalsa, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Petrus Maria van Arendonk, Adalbert Hegedus
  • Patent number: 9625310
    Abstract: A system includes a detector and a main processing unit having an event processing module. The detector includes pixels to detect an event corresponding to photon absorption. The event processing module is configured to read event information for each event detected by each pixel of the detector in order of receipt from the detector and to compare an energy level value in the event information for each event to a predetermined range of energy level values. An event is counted when the energy level value is within the predetermined range of energy level values. For each event having an energy level below the predetermined range, the energy level value for a next consecutive event in the received event information is read and a combined energy level value of the event and the next consecutive event is determined as well as the pixel locations of the event and the next consecutive event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Bouhnik, Yaron Hefetz
  • Patent number: 9625585
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises first pixels arranged in an image sensing region to obtain a radiation image, a second pixel configured to obtain a dose of incident radiation and a control unit configured to control the first pixels and the second pixel. The control unit causes the first pixels to accumulate charge corresponding to a radiation dose, while causing the second pixel to operate in a detection cycle determined based on irradiation information of radiation before irradiation with radiation, obtains a dose of incident radiation for each detection cycle, and corrects the obtained radiation dose in accordance with an amount of noise output from the second pixel operating in the detection cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 9612200
    Abstract: There is provided a particle detector that can increase a detection sensitivity to fluorescence emitted from biogenic particles. A particle detector for detecting biogenic particles includes a substrate having a principal surface and configured to collect the biogenic particles on the principal surface, a light emitting element configured to irradiate particles collected on the principal surface with excitation light, and a light receiving element configured to receive fluorescence emitted from the particles when the particles are irradiated with the excitation light from the light emitting element. An optical axis of the Fresnel lens and a ray direction of the excitation light intersect with each other. The principal surface is a mirror surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Fujita, Haruki Kamiyama, Kazushi Fujioka, Hiroki Okuno
  • Patent number: 9608157
    Abstract: A radiation detector (10) includes a semiconductor element (1) for generating positive holes and electrons, a cathode (2) formed on a first surface of the semiconductor element (1) and a plurality of segmented anodes (3) formed on a second surface of the semiconductor element (1), the second surface being in opposed relation to the first surface. Additionally, a plurality of segmented steering electrodes (5a) are positioned adjacent the plurality of segmented anodes (3). Moreover, a plurality of doping atoms are located above at least a portion of the plurality of segmented anodes (3) for reducing the voltage difference between the plurality of segmented anodes (3) and the plurality of segmented steering electrodes (5a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Klaus Juergen Engel, Christoph Herrmann
  • Patent number: 9599705
    Abstract: A millimeter wave three dimensional holographic scan imaging apparatus and a method for inspecting a human body or an article are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first millimeter wave transceiver module, a second millimeter wave transceiver module, a first guide rail device to which the first millimeter wave transceiver module is connected in slidable form, a second guide rail device to which the second millimeter wave transceiver module is connected in slidable form, a driver configured to drive the first/second millimeter wave transceiver module to move along the first/second guide rail device, and a constrainer configured to constrain kinematic relation between the first and the second millimeter wave transceiver modules such that they only move in directions opposed to each other. They may increase scan speeds, improve scan stability, reduce scan operations and enhance the reliability of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited
    Inventors: Wanlong Wu, Zhiqiang Chen, Yuanjing Li, Ziran Zhao, Zongjun Shen, Li Zhang, Bin Sang, Chenguang Zhu
  • Patent number: 9588269
    Abstract: An optical filter having a passband at least partially overlapping with a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1100 nm is provided. The optical filter includes a filter stack formed of hydrogenated silicon layers and lower-refractive index layers stacked in alternation. The hydrogenated silicon layers each have a refractive index of greater than 3 over the wavelength range of 800 nm to 1100 nm and an extinction coefficient of less than 0.0005 over the wavelength range of 800 nm to 1100 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Viavi Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Karen Denise Hendrix, Richard A. Bradley, Jr., Marius Grigonis, Georg J. Ockenfuss
  • Patent number: 9580327
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for consolidating granular silicon and determining trace elements content of the consolidated silicon are disclosed. Silicon granules are placed in a vessel, and a silicon slug of known purity is embedded at least partially in the granules. The slug is preheated to a temperature sufficient to couple with an induction heater. As the silicon slug melts, silicon granules adjacent the molten silicon also melt. The vessel passes through an induction coil to successively inductively heat and melt regions of the silicon granules from the leading end to the trailing end with each region solidifying as the molten silicon exits the induction coil to provide a multicrystalline silicon ingot. The multicrystalline silicon ingot is sliced into wafers, which are analyzed by low-temperature Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to determine levels of trace elements in the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: REC Silicon Inc
    Inventors: Sefa Yilmaz, Theodore F. Ciszek, Matthew J. Miller, Stein Julsrud
  • Patent number: 9581543
    Abstract: A device images radiation from a scene. A detector is sensitive to the radiation in a first wavelength band. A lens forms an image of the scene on the detector. A filtering arrangement includes two sets of radiation absorbing molecules. A control unit switches the filtering arrangement between two states. In the first state, all of the radiation in the first wavelength band is transmitted to the detector. In the second state, the radiation in a second wavelength band within the first wavelength band is absorbed by the radiation absorbing molecules. The control unit synchronizes the switching of the filtering arrangement with the detector. Each pixel of the image formed on the detector includes two signals. The first signal includes information from the scene radiation in the first wavelength band. The second signal excludes information from the scene radiation absorbed by the filtering arrangement in the second wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: CI SYSTEMS (ISRAEL) Ltd., TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Dario Cabib, Amir Gil, Carmel Rotschild, Karni Wolowelsky
  • Patent number: 9581540
    Abstract: A spectral luminescence standard has bismuth in a light-transmissive inorganic matrix material and emits light in the near infrared region upon irradiation with excitation light. The bismuth acts as a luminescence emitter in the near infrared region. A method includes manufacturing such a spectral luminescence standard and a calibration medium which has the spectral luminescence standard in or on a carrier material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH
    Inventors: Johann Kecht, Kai Uwe Stock
  • Patent number: 9572903
    Abstract: A system capable of detecting and/or sterilizing surface(s) of an object using ultraviolet radiation is provided. The system can include a disinfection chamber and/or handheld ultraviolet unit, which includes ultraviolet sources for inducing fluorescence in a contaminant and/or sterilizing a surface of an object. The object can comprise a protective suit, which is worn by a user and also can include ultraviolet sources for disinfecting air prior to the air entering the protective suit. The system can be implemented as a multi-tiered system for protecting the user and others from exposure to the contaminant and sterilizing the protective suit after exposure to an environment including the contaminant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Dobrinsky, Michael Shur, Remigijus Gaska, Timothy James Bettles
  • Patent number: 9568622
    Abstract: An enhanced neutron sensing device, that couples a gadolinium based scintillator with at least two wide bandgap photodiodes to achieve a high sensitivity, low power, and portable neutron detector with high gamma discrimination. Once coupled with electrical signal processing and read-out electrons, the device will output the incident neutron flux in the environment and can be used in locations with known sources of neutrons or for identifying clandestine nuclear materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Cory D. Cress
  • Patent number: 9557262
    Abstract: A method comprises: generating a first and a second correlated photon beam with wavelengths ?1 and ?2, respectively, wherein preferably ?1??2; separating the first photon beam and the second photon beam; illuminating an object with the first photon beam; generating a third and a fourth correlated photon beam with wavelength ?1 and wavelength ?2, respectively; overlapping the first photon beam with the third photon beam such that photons of wavelength ?1 in either photon beam are indistinguishable; overlapping the second photon beam with the fourth photon beam such that photons of wavelength ?2 in either photon beam are indistinguishable; and using the overlapped photons of wavelength ?2 for imaging and/or spectroscopy of the object such that the photons that illuminate the object are not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: University of Vienna, The Austrian Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Anton Zeilinger, Sven Ramelow, Radek Lapkiewicz, Victoria Borish, Gabriela Barreto Lemos
  • Patent number: 9557284
    Abstract: A scanning illuminating device includes an emission center from which radiation is emitted in an illuminating sector. A cylindrical ring is centered on the source and is rotatably movable about a first axis. The ring includes a plurality of slits regularly distributed about its axis of rotation and having the same angular amplitude ?. A cylinder portion is centered on the source and is rotatably movable about a second axis crossing the first axis at the center and forming a nonzero angle therewith. The cylinder portion includes a slit having an angular amplitude ?. A first device control of the rotation of the ring, defining an elementary angular step as such that an integer N1 other than 1 meets the condition ?=N1·??. A second device controls the rotation of the ring portion defining an angular step ?? such that an integer N2 other than 1 meets the condition ?=N2·??.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventor: Rene Vogler
  • Patent number: 9528924
    Abstract: A photodetection device has an optical module (4) that includes a light source (7), an excitation optical system, and a detection optical system and that two-dimensionally and relatively scans a transparent stage (5) in a first sampling direction and a second sampling direction intersecting the first sampling direction. A scan length in the first sampling direction is longer than a scan length in the second sampling direction. A data sampling unit in the detection optical system performs sampling for a distance of a second sampling interval during scanning in the second sampling direction, and performs sampling for a distance of a first sampling interval shorter than the distance of the second sampling interval during scanning in the first sampling direction. An aperture (10) of the excitation optical system sets a size in the first sampling direction of a spot shape of excitation light from the light source (7) to be smaller than a size in the second sampling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9529097
    Abstract: A pixelated gamma detector includes a scintillator column assembly having scintillator crystals and optical transparent elements alternating along a longitudinal axis, a collimator assembly having longitudinal walls separated by collimator septum, the collimator septum spaced apart to form collimator channels, the scintillator column assembly positioned adjacent to the collimator assembly so that the respective ones of the scintillator crystal are positioned adjacent to respective ones of the collimator channels, the respective ones of the optical transparent element are positioned adjacent to respective ones of the collimator septum, and a first photosensor and a second photosensor, the first and the second photosensor each connected to an opposing end of the scintillator column assembly. A system and a method for inspecting and/or detecting defects in an interior of an object are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sergei Ivanovich Dolinsky, Brian David Yanoff, Renato Guida, Adrian Ivan
  • Patent number: 9513211
    Abstract: To provide a method for estimating a concentration of carboxylic acid gas, which is capable of measuring safely the concentration of carboxylic acid gas such as formic acid gas or the like in a chamber of a soldering apparatus in real time, and a soldering apparatus capable of estimating the concentration of the carboxylic acid gas in the chamber. The method includes the steps of measuring a surface temperature of a same object placed in the chamber at a same point in time by using a thermometer (first thermometer) for measuring a temperature without any influence of infrared absorption by carboxylic acid, and a radiation thermometer (second thermometer) for measuring a temperature by infrared in a wavelength region that the carboxylic acid absorbs, and estimating the concentration of the carboxylic acid gas in the chamber on the basis of a temperature difference (?Tx) between temperatures indicated by the first and second thermometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: ORIGIN ELECTRIC COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hideo Kobayashi, Naoto Ozawa, Jun Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9500529
    Abstract: A thermal-type infrared sensor includes a thermopile; an electrical conduction path of the thermopile, the conduction path including at least one crossed section in which the conduction path is crossed; a first region that is closed or substantially closed and formed by part of the conduction path, the part of the conduction path including an output section of the conduction path and the at least one crossed section; and a second region that is closed or substantially closed and formed by another part of the conduction path having the at least one crossed section as a boundary. The first region and the second region do not overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hidetaka Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9488533
    Abstract: A method of monitoring an electrical device includes receiving an operational condition of an electrical device, receiving a measurement indicative of a thermal parameter of the electrical device corresponding to the operational condition, and storing the measurement in memory in association with the operational condition. A system for monitoring electrical devices includes a processor communicative with a memory and the memory has instructions recorded thereon that, when read by the processor, cause the processor to execute the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Kidde Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ted R. Schnetker