Patents Examined by Seung C. Sohn
  • Patent number: 11600654
    Abstract: A method includes forming a plurality of identical arrays on a semiconductor wafer, each array having a plurality of detectors, screening each of the plurality of arrays to determine an operational status of each of the plurality of arrays, and selecting one of the plurality of arrays for use based on the determination of the operational status of the plurality of arrays. Also described is a focal plane array including a circuit having a plurality of electrical contacts and a die including a plurality of identical arrays, each including a plurality of detectors. The plurality of identical arrays includes at least one selected array that is fully functional and at least one non-selected array that is not fully functional and the selected array is positioned with respect to the circuit so that the detectors of the selected array contact the plurality of electrical contacts of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Logan G. Stewart, Andrew S. Huntington, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 11598851
    Abstract: An optical detecting assembly includes: a photosensitive element configured to receive an optical signal and convert it into an electrical signal; and a light guide member comprising a first portion for receiving a first light beam from a rotating light source at a first time point and guiding the first light beam to the photosensitive element and a second portion for receiving a second light beam from the rotating light source at a second time point and guiding the second light beam to the photosensitive element. A distance between the optical detecting assembly and the rotating light source is calculated based on a distance between the first portion and the second portion, a time difference between the first time point and the second time point, and a rotating speed of the rotating light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: NORTHWEST INSTRUMENT INC.
    Inventors: Xin Shi, David Xing
  • Patent number: 11595010
    Abstract: An optical receiver disclosed includes a bias terminal, an input terminal, a photodiode, an amplifier circuit, a first resistor, a bypass circuit, a filter circuit, and a control circuit. The photodiode receives a bias from the filter circuit through the bias terminal, and outputs a current signal to the amplifier circuit through the input terminal. The amplifier circuit converts an input current to an output voltage. The bypass circuit electrically connected to the input terminal decreases a first input impedance viewed from the input terminal, when activated, and increases the first input impedance, when deactivated. The filter circuit increases a second input impedance viewed from the bias terminal, when a dumping function thereof is activated, and decreases the second input impedance, when the dumping function is deactivated. The control circuit activates the dumping function and the bypass circuit, when the output voltage is larger than a certain voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Itabashi, Keiji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11583172
    Abstract: An imaging system is provided comprising an imaging probe and at least one delivery device. The imaging probe comprises an elongate shaft, a rotatable optical core and an optical assembly. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end, a distal portion, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal portion. The rotatable optical core is positioned within the lumen of the elongate shaft and comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The rotatable optical core is configured to optically and mechanically connect with an interface unit. The optical assembly is positioned in the elongate shaft distal portion and proximate the rotatable optical core distal end. The optical assembly is configured to direct light to tissue and collect reflected light from the tissue. The imaging probe is constructed and arranged to collect image data from a patient site. The at least one delivery device is constructed and arranged to slidingly engage the imaging probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Gentuity, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Petroff, Christopher Petersen, David W. Kolstad
  • Patent number: 11585931
    Abstract: Intensity of a light from a light array comprising a plurality of light sources configured to illuminate in sequence may be detected at two optically isolated points of a motion tracker device. The optically isolated points may be disposed at a distance from one another such that a variation in intensity of light due to shadowing effects from the plurality of light sources is different at the optically isolated points. The optically isolated points may be separated by a T-shaped wall. The motion tracker device may generate a current signal representing a photodiode differential between the two optically isolated points and proportional to the intensity of the light. The current signal may be used for sensor fusion with an inertial measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Jebb Remelius
  • Patent number: 11585795
    Abstract: An optical detection type chemical sensor includes a light source, a detection element and a photodetector. The detection element is constituted of a laminate in which a multilayer film including a chemical detection layer, an optical interference layer, and a half mirror layer is formed on a transparent substrate. At least one of the layers includes a magnetic material. Light from the light source is applied to the detection element under the condition that the light enters inside of the detection element from the rear surface of the transparent substrate on which the laminate is not formed and multiple reflection occurring in the laminate intensifies the magneto-optical effect. A subject is detected by using the photodetector to detect a magneto-optical signal indicating a change in reflected light from the laminate resulting from a change in an optical property resulting from a reaction in the chemical detection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TIANMA JAPAN, LTD.
    Inventors: Haruki Yamane, Kiyoshi Yamakawa, Shingo Takahashi, Koki Takahashi, Satoshi Miura, Koji Shigemura, Nobuya Seko, Ken Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 11582373
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus and method, a storage medium, and an electronic equipment are provided. The image capturing apparatus includes: a nonopaque cover plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the nonopaque cover plate, wherein the first surface of the nonopaque cover plate is opposite to an object to be captured; a light source module having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the light source module, wherein the first surface of the light source module is opposite to the second surface of the nonopaque cover plate; and a sensor module disposed on the second surface of the light source module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shanghai Harvest Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiandong Huang
  • Patent number: 11579270
    Abstract: It is intended to promote enhancement of performance of acquiring a depth image. A depth image acquiring apparatus includes a light emitting diode, a TOF sensor, and a filter. The light emitting diode irradiates modulated light toward a detection area becoming an area in which a depth image is to be acquired to detect a distance. The TOF sensor receives incident light into which the light irradiated from the light emitting diode is reflected by an object lying in the detection area to become, thereby outputting a signal used to produce the depth image. The filter passes more light having a wavelength in a predetermined pass bandwidth than light having a wavelength in a pass bandwidth other than the predetermined pass bandwidth of the light made incident toward the TOF sensor. In this case, at least one of the light emitting diode, the TOF sensor, or arrangement of the filter is controlled in accordance with a temperature of the light emitting diode or the TOF sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhide Namba
  • Patent number: 11573165
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses for analyzing an optical signal decay. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes: a source of a beam of pulsed optical energy; a sample holder configured to expose a sample to the beam; a detector comprising a number of spectral detection channels configured to convert the optical signals into respective electrical signals; and a signal processing module configured to perform a method. In some embodiments, the method includes: receiving the electrical signals from the detector; mathematically combining individual decay curves in the electrical signals into a decay supercurve, the supercurve comprising a number of components, each component having a time constant and a relative contribution to the supercurve; and numerically fitting a model to the supercurve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KINETIC RIVER CORP.
    Inventors: Giacomo Vacca, Ralph Jimenez
  • Patent number: 11573125
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus for and methods of detecting light utilizing the spin Seebeck effect (SSE). In an embodiment, a method for detecting broadband light is provided. The method includes generating a SSE in a device by illuminating the device with light, the device comprising a bilayer structure disposed over a substrate, the bilayer structure comprising a non-magnetic metal layer and a magnetic insulator layer. The method further includes measuring the SSE based on a field modulation method, determining, based on the measuring, an optically-created thermal gradient of the device, and detecting a wavelength range of the light. Apparatus for detecting broadband light are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
    Inventors: William D. Rice, Subash Kattel, Joseph R. Murphy
  • Patent number: 11573293
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
  • Patent number: 11561303
    Abstract: A ranging processing device includes: a four-phase ranging operation unit that performs an operation to calculate depth indicating a distance to an object by using all eight detection signals two of which are detected for each of irradiated light of first to fourth phases; a two-phase ranging operation unit that performs the operation to calculate the depth indicating the distance to the object by alternately using four detection signals based on the irradiated light of the first phase and the irradiated light of the second phase and four detection signals based on the irradiated light of the third phase and the irradiated light of the fourth phase among the eight detection signals; and a condition determination unit that makes condition determination based on the detection signals and switch between the four-phase ranging operation unit and the two-phase ranging operation unit to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Shuntaro Aotake, Tomonori Masuno, Takuro Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11561290
    Abstract: A distance image generating device includes a light emitter that emits light pulses; a light receiver that includes light receiving elements and receives reflected light; a distance calculator that generates a distance image based on an amount of the reflected light; and a light amount adjuster that determines an emission count in accordance with which the light emitter is to emit the light pulses and an exposure count in accordance with which the light receiver is to receive the reflected light based on the distance image and causes the light emitter to emit the light pulses in accordance with the determined emission count and the light receiver to receive the reflected light in accordance with the determined exposure count. The distance calculator calculates the distance based on an amount of the reflected light received at the exposure count by the light receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Taichi Nagata, Keiichi Mori
  • Patent number: 11549367
    Abstract: A tool including a dispersive spectrometer deployable within a wellbore is provided. The dispersive spectrometer includes a waveguide layer to detect electromagnetic radiation according to wavelength. The dispersive spectrometer also includes a plurality of detector elements disposed along the waveguide layer to detect electromagnetic radiation associated with a portion of the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation. A method for using the tool in a subterranean application is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Perkins, Christopher M. Jones, Nagaraja Pai, Michael T. Pelletier
  • Patent number: 11550053
    Abstract: A object detection apparatus may include: an object detection sensor having a cover for protecting the object detection sensor from foreign matter, and configured to sense a target object by transmitting a scan signal to the target object and receiving a sensing signal reflected from the target object; a protection film part including a protection film disposed on an outer surface of the cover to prevent contamination of the cover by foreign matter; and a control unit configured to replace the protection film disposed on the outer surface of the cover through a winding operation for the protection film part when a protection film replacement condition is satisfied due to contamination of the protection film, in order to prevent a reduction in sensing performance of the object detection sensor due to contamination by foreign matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Rin Kim, Sung Eun Jo, Won Gyum Kim, Young Shin Kim, Min Jae Cho
  • Patent number: 11549891
    Abstract: An automatic optical inspection (AOI) device and method are disclosed. The device is adapted to inspect an object under inspection (OUI) (102) carried on a workpiece stage (101) and includes: a plurality of detectors (111, 112) for capturing images of the OUI (102); a plurality of light sources (121, 122) for illuminating the OUI (102) in different illumination modes; and a synchronization controller (140) signal-coupled to both the plurality of detectors (111, 112) and the plurality of light sources (121, 122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI MICRO ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hailiang Lu, Junwei Jia, Pengli Zhang, Hongji Zhou, Wen Xu, Fan Wang
  • Patent number: 11543503
    Abstract: A multi-line Lidar is provided. The multi-line Lidar includes: a multi-line ranging laser emission module comprising one or more lasers; a multi-line ranging laser reception module comprising one or more photodetectors and adapted to detect a laser echo generated when a measurement laser emitted by the laser emission module is incident to an obstacle and is diffusedly reflected; a ranging information resolution module in electrical signal connection with the multi-line ranging laser emission module and the multi-line ranging laser reception module, and designed to calculate the distance, in each direction, to the obstacle by means of calculating the time difference between the emission of the measurement laser and the receiving of the laser echo; and a control circuit and an optical system correspondingly configured for the multi-line ranging laser emission module and the multi-line ranging laser reception module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Hesai Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rui Wang, Na Li, Shaoqing Xiang, Yifan Li
  • Patent number: 11543642
    Abstract: A variable focal length lens device includes: a variable focal length lens whose focal length cyclically changes in accordance with an inputted drive signal; an image detector configured to detect an image of a measurement target through the variable focal length lens; a pulsed light illuminator configured to emit a pulsed light to illuminate the measurement target; and an illumination controller configured to control the pulsed light illuminator so that the pulsed light is emitted twice in one cycle of the drive signal based on two detection phases corresponding to a designated focal distance of the variable focal length lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 11543339
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses for analyzing an optical signal decay. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes: a source of a beam of pulsed optical energy; a sample holder configured to expose a sample to the beam; a detector comprising a number of spectral detection channels configured to convert the optical signals into respective electrical signals; and a signal processing module configured to perform a method. In some embodiments, the method includes: receiving the electrical signals from the detector; mathematically combining individual decay curves in the electrical signals into a decay supercurve, the supercurve comprising a number of components, each component having a time constant and a relative contribution to the supercurve; and numerically fitting a model to the supercurve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KINETIC RIVER CORP.
    Inventors: Giacomo Vacca, Ralph Jimenez
  • Patent number: 11536641
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses for analyzing an optical signal decay. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes: a source of a beam of pulsed optical energy; a sample holder configured to expose a sample to the beam; a detector comprising a number of spectral detection channels configured to convert the optical signals into respective electrical signals; and a signal processing module configured to perform a method. In some embodiments, the method includes: receiving the electrical signals from the detector; mathematically combining individual decay curves in the electrical signals into a decay supercurve, the supercurve comprising a number of components, each component having a time constant and a relative contribution to the supercurve; and numerically fitting a model to the supercurve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KINETIC RIVER CORP.
    Inventors: Giacomo Vacca, Ralph Jimenez