Patents by Inventor Shirley Thorkelson

Shirley Thorkelson 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).

  • Patent number: 6810161
    Abstract: An integrating optical system for measuring optical radiation. The system has a first sphere (forming a “primary” integrating cavity) and a second sphere (forming a “secondary” integrating cavity). An optical fiber interfaces to an input aperture of the first sphere so that light from the fiber enters the first sphere. A detector interfaces with the second sphere such that light from the first sphere couples to the detector by scattering within the first and second spheres and without a direct line of sight between the detector and the input aperture. The secondary integrating cavity has a smaller volume than the primary integrating cavity. The secondary integrating cavity is made smaller so as to decrease losses incurred by light scattering transmission through the first and second spheres. The detector is preferably configured so that it does not receive “specular” radiation (i.e., radiation from a single reflection) from the walls of the primary cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: ILX Lightwave Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Flower, Christopher S. Wood, Shirley Thorkelson
  • Publication number: 20030152311
    Abstract: An integrating optical system for measuring optical radiation. The system has a first sphere (forming a “primary” integrating cavity) and a second sphere (forming a “secondary” integrating cavity). An optical fiber interfaces to an input aperture of the first sphere so that light from the fiber enters the first sphere. A detector interfaces with the second sphere such that light from the first sphere couples to the detector by scattering within the first and second spheres and without a direct line of sight between the detector and the input aperture. The secondary integrating cavity has a smaller volume than the primary integrating cavity. The secondary integrating cavity is made smaller so as to decrease losses incurred by light scattering transmission through the first and second spheres. The detector is preferably configured so that it does not receive “specular” radiation (i.e., radiation from a single reflection) from the walls of the primary cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: John T. Flower, Christopher S. Wood, Shirley Thorkelson