Patents by Inventor Mary Bliss
Mary Bliss 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: 6707047Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material is based on the principle of moderating neutron spectroscopy. This technique is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. The method involves exposing a neutron moderator to a beam of radiation comprising neutrons and measuring thermal neutron intensities at a plurality of locations in the moderator. These measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the beam of radiation incident upon the moderator. Thus, by measuring these intensities with the material present, and comparing these intensities to a model, to those of a composition standard(s), or combinations thereof, the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material is quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2003Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Richard A. Craig, Mary Bliss
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Patent number: 6628072Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the quantum efficiency of a photomultiplier tube by providing a photocathode with an increased surface-to-volume ratio. The photocathode includes a transparent substrate, upon one major side of which is formed one or more large aspect-ratio structures, such as needles, cones, fibers, prisms, or pyramids. The large aspect-ratio structures are at least partially composed of a photoelectron emitting material, i.e., a material that emits a photoelectron upon absorption of an optical photon. The large aspect-ratio structures may be substantially composed of the photoelectron emitting material (i.e., formed as such upon the surface of a relatively flat substrate) or be only partially composed of a photoelectron emitting material (i.e., the photoelectron emitting material is coated over large aspect-ratio structures formed from the substrate material itself.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Richard A. Craig, Mary Bliss
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Publication number: 20030178573Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material is disclosed. The method is based on the principle of moderating neutron spectroscopy which is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. The method comprises the steps of exposing a neutron moderator to a beam of radiation comprising neutrons and measuring thermal neutron intensities at a plurality of locations in the moderator. These measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the beam of radiation incident upon the moderator. Thus, by measuring these intensities with the material present, and comparing these intensities to a model, to those of a composition standard(s), or combinations thereof, the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material is quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2003Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Richard A. Craig, Mary Bliss
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Patent number: 6580079Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material. Moderating neutron spectroscopy is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. A neutron moderator is exposed to a beam of neutron radiation and the thermal neutron intensities at a number of locations in the moderator are then measured. The measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the radiation beam incident upon the moderator. By measuring intensities with the material present and comparing the intensities to a model, or to those of a composition standard(s), the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. The hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material may be further quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2000Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Richard A. Craig, Mary Bliss
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Patent number: 6551231Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for detecting ionizing radiation, having: a waveguide having a first end and a second end, the waveguide formed of a scintillator material wherein the therapeutic ionizing radiation isotropically generates scintillation light signals within the waveguide. This apparatus provides a measure of radiation dose. The apparatus may be modified to permit making a measure of location of radiation dose. Specifically, the scintillation material is segmented into a plurality of segments; and a connecting cable for each of the plurality of segments is used for conducting scintillation signals to a scintillation detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Mary Bliss, Richard A. Craig, Paul L. Reeder
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Publication number: 20020167254Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the quantum efficiency of a photomultiplier tube by providing a photocathode with an increased surface-to-volume ratio. The photocathode includes a transparent substrate, upon one major side of which is formed one or more large aspect-ratio structures, such as needles, cones, fibers, prisms, or pyramids. The large aspect-ratio structures are at least partially composed of a photoelectron emitting material, i.e., a material that emits a photoelectron upon absorption of an optical photon. The large aspect-ratio structures may be substantially composed of the photoelectron emitting material (i.e., formed as such upon the surface of a relatively flat substrate) or be only partially composed of a photoelectron emitting material (i.e., the photoelectron emitting material is coated over large aspect-ratio structures formed from the substrate material itself.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2001Publication date: November 14, 2002Inventors: Richard A. Craig, Mary Bliss
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Publication number: 20010021024Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for Fourier transform spectrometry using a fixed or non-scanning interferometer wherein a pair of separated phase related electromagnetic or radiant sources produce an interference pattern that is detected and converted into its respective spectral content by a stationary converter. One application for this apparatus includes analyzing signal from a Bragg fiber-grating sensor. When coupled to a Bragg fiber-grating sensor this apparatus forms the basis of a wavelength demodulator. This demodulator converts optical frequencies down to electrical frequencies that can be readily measured with an electronic converter. This fixed interferometer has no moving parts, which greatly reduces its complexity and cost compared to a scanning interferometer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2001Publication date: September 13, 2001Inventors: Mary Bliss, Richard A. Graig, Norman C. Anheier
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Patent number: 6151769Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for detecting ionizing radiation, having: a waveguide having a first end and a second end, the waveguide formed of a scintillator material wherein the therapeutic ionizing radiation isotropically generates scintillation light signals within the waveguide. This apparatus provides a measure of radiation dose. The apparatus may be modified to permit making a measure of location of radiation dose. Specifically, the scintillation material is segmented into a plurality of segments; and a connecting cable for each of the plurality of segments is used for conducting scintillation signals to a scintillation detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1997Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Mary Bliss, Richard A. Craig, Paul L. Reeder
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Patent number: 5704890Abstract: The invention is a real time sensor for therapeutic radiation. A probe is placed in or near the patient that senses in real time the dose at the location of the probe. The strength of the dose is determined by either an insertion or an exit probe. The location is determined by a series of vertical and horizontal sensing elements that gives the operator a real time read out dose location relative to placement of the patient. The increased accuracy prevents serious tissue damage to the patient by preventing overdose or delivery of a dose to a wrong location within the body.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 1995Date of Patent: January 6, 1998Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Mary Bliss, Richard A. Craig, Paul L. Reeder