Patents by Inventor Frank L. Augustine
Frank L. Augustine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6541763Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2002Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Dory, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Publication number: 20020148957Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Applicant: Digirad Corporation, a Delaware corporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Dory, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Publication number: 20010025928Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2001Publication date: October 4, 2001Applicant: Digirad Corporation, a Delaware corporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6194715Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector including a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module includes a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1999Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6172362Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector including a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module includes a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 6091070Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1997Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 5847396Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1997Date of Patent: December 8, 1998Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 5786597Abstract: A high-energy photon imaging system including an imaging head, a signal processor, a data acquisition system and an image processing computer. The imaging head includes a detector comprising a plurality of closely-packed detection modules. Each detection module comprises a plurality of detection elements mounted to a circuit carrier. The detection elements produce electrical pulses having amplitudes indicative of the magnitude of radiation absorbed by the detection elements. The circuit carrier includes channels for conditioning and processing the signals generated by corresponding detection elements and for preparing the processed signals for further processing by a signal processor. Each conditioning and processing channel stores the amplitudes of the detection element electrical pulses exceeding a predetermined threshold. The detection modules employ a fall-through circuit which automatically finds only those detection elements that have a stored pulse amplitude exceeding the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Digirad CorporationInventors: Clinton L. Lingren, Stanley J. Friesenhahn, Jack F. Butler, F. Patrick Doty, William L. Ashburn, Frank L. Augustine, Boris Apotovsky
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Patent number: 5696458Abstract: A multi-channel readout chip is provided in which each channel has an analog section and a digital section. Each channel of the readout chip employs low noise charge amplifiers with self trigger and calibration capabilities to provide timing information with better than 20 nanosecond precision. The trigger threshold can be adjusted to provide energy discrimination. The chip has a sparse readout function in which only the channels which have received signals greater than a preselected threshold value are readout, thus providing fast data acquisition capabilities.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1995Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: Nova R&D, Inc.Inventors: Tumay O. Tumer, Bo Pi, Frank L. Augustine
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Patent number: 5015858Abstract: A focal plane array having an interconnect bump that has high thermal resistivity, and which may be used to interconnect the detector and readout of the array. The detector and readout each have separate heat sinks with separate temperature controls. The readout may thus be operated at a higher temperature than the detector. A high thermal resistance interconnect bump is employed to limit heat leakage from the readout to the detector to an acceptable level, and to enable a thermal gradient to be maintained simultaneously with a net savings in refrigerator power. The heat sink for the detector is made in such a way as to not obscure the active area of the detector, that is, it is annular in shape so as to surround the active area of the detector. The interconnect bump comprises a thermally insulating pedestal comprising a material such as polyimide, for example, with an over-the-edge metallization employed as an electrical contact.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1990Date of Patent: May 14, 1991Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Frank L. Augustine, Scott B. Evans
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Patent number: 4803363Abstract: An infrared detector assembly is disclosed which includes a photosensitive layer (111) and a first planar contact structure (113) conductively coupled to the photosensitive layer for collecting charge carriers generated by radiation incident on the photosensitive layer. The detector assembly further includes a second planar contact structure (119) substantially coextensive with and separated from the first planar contact structure. A dielectric layer (115) separates the first and second planar contact structures. The first and second planar contact structures and the dielectric structure form a feedback capacitor which is integral with the detector assembly and which provides feedback capacitance for an externally provided amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 1987Date of Patent: February 7, 1989Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Steve D. Gaalema, Frank L. Augustine
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Patent number: 4755676Abstract: An infrared detector has its sensor chip assembly (10,12,14) cooled to a relatively low temperature required for its operation, whereas a preamplifier (56) required to be positioned close to the sensor chip assembly and which generates considerably more heat than does the sensor chip assembly, is thermally isolated from the sensor chip assembly and its support (16) and is cooled to a higher temperature to thereby significantly reduce the power dissipated to the coldest refrigerator stage (90).Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1986Date of Patent: July 5, 1988Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Stephen D. Gaalema, Frank L. Augustine