Temperature Control Of Photocell Patents (Class 250/238)
  • Patent number: 6946651
    Abstract: An apparatus for disinfecting a fluid includes a tube connected with a source of the fluid. The tube allows the fluid to be transported from the source to a discharge. An ultraviolet lamp is positioned adjacent the tube, and is adapted to transmit light waves through the fluid. The tube can be a coiled tube having one or more coils thereby forming a helical tube. Each coil of the helical tube has an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The inner diameters of the coils define a space or opening. The ultraviolet lamp is positioned within the opening. A fluid passing through the coils of the tube are exposed to the ultraviolet light. The method of the invention includes moving water from a source to a discharge, through the tube while the lamp is activated. Water will become disinfected as it is exposed to the ultraviolet light of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: Mark F. Bohne
  • Patent number: 6903329
    Abstract: A new type of mounting mechanism for a light detector that cools the mounting for a light detector such that the maximum efficiency of the light detector's internal cooler can be achieved despite an elevated enclosure temperature, leading to more stable measurements of light from the detector. This same mounting provides thermal isolation from a baseplate, to which other optical path components are attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: SPX Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Gentala
  • Patent number: 6868235
    Abstract: An optical transmitter receiver module and an apparatus incorporating the same module are provided, which realizes the reduction of power consumption and the enlargement of the operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Opnext Japan, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Tokita, Tadashi Hatano, Fumihide Maeda, Yoichi Honzawa, Katsumi Saito
  • Patent number: 6847030
    Abstract: The invention relates to a scanning device for a position measuring system for scanning a scale graduation with a probe, which can be brought into operative connection with the scale graduation and is supplied with electric power over electrical connections; an electronic module, which is coupled over electric connections to the probe; a housing for the electronic module for thermally shielding the electronic module from the surroundings; and means for limiting the supply of current to the probe. Pursuant to the invention, the electrical connections, leading to the probe, within the housing of the electronic module, have at least one fuse, which interrupts the flow of current to the probe when the temperature produced as a result of the current flow exceeds a specifiable value. The housing the electronic module forms the housing of the fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040245446
    Abstract: An optical transmitter of the invention comprises a thermoelectric module, a light emitting device, and a light receiving device. The thermoelectric module comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a thermoelectric transducer. The first plate is made of insulating material. The second plate includes a first region and a second region, and at least the first region is disposed opposite to the first plate. The thermoelectric transducer is interposed between the first plate and the second plate, and is in contact with the first plate and the first region. The light emitting device is supported by the first plate. The light receiving device is mounted on the second region of the second plate, and receives portion of light emitted from the light emitting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Hirotaka Oomori
  • Publication number: 20040245436
    Abstract: The present light-receiving circuit provides a function capable of adjusting the temperature dependence and the output of the bias supply circuit independently. The light-receiving circuit includes a bias supply circuit, a voltage divider and a temperature compensation circuit that adjusts a division ratio of the voltage divider so as to depend linearly on the temperature. The temperature compensation circuit has a differential amplifier operating in the inverting mode, and a temperature-sensing resistor that connects the inverting input to the output of the differential amplifier. Since the temperature-sensing resistor has a linear dependence on the temperature and is connected as a feedback resistor, the output of the differential amplifier also depend linearly on the temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Kengo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6814484
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring a surface temperature of an object body, by calculating a temperature at each picture element of an image of the object body, on the basis of a radiant intensity ratio at each pair of corresponding picture elements of a first and a second image which are obtained with respective radiations having respective first and second wavelengths which are selected from a light emitted from the surface of the body, by a first filter which permits transmission therethrough a radiation having the first wavelength which is selected according to a radiant-intensity curve corresponding to a wavelength of a black body at a lower limit of a temperature measurement range, and which is within a high radiant-intensity range in which the radiant intensity is higher than a radiant intensity at a normal room temperature, and a second filter which permits transmission therethrough a radiation having the second wavelength which is selected within the high radiant-intensity range, such that the second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignees: Noritake Co., Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Yano, Misao Iwata, Miyuki Hashimoto, Kuniyuki Kitagawa, Norio Arai
  • Patent number: 6768096
    Abstract: Passive thermal stabilization of a wavelength monitor includes shielding a wavelength dependent filter of the wavelength monitor from ambient cavity temperatures with portions extending from a submount supporting detectors for the wavelength monitor. The portions and the submount may constitute a single piece, or may be multiple pieces. The shield covers at least one surface of the wavelength dependent filter. The shield may include electrical interconnections for the detectors. A temperature detector may be provided on the submount or the shield portions. The submount or shield portions may be modeled and/or designed to have a section that tracks the thermal response of the wavelength dependent filter and the temperature detector may be mounted on that section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Digital Optics Corp.
    Inventors: John Barnett Hammond, Bingzhi Su
  • Patent number: 6756585
    Abstract: For manufacturing a housing for sensor elements, a pliable material is introduced into the environment of the sensor element (2) by an injection molding process. In a first process step, the sensor element is injection-encapsulated by a soft plastic component (1), and in a second process step a hard plastic component (5) is applied thereon, which forms the outer housing for the sensor element (2). The sensor element (2) is provided with at least two connection leads (11), which are at least partially encapsulated by the soft plastic component (1). A sensor manufactured according to the process, especially a temperature sensor, is provided with a measuring resistor as a sensor element (2) on a substrate with an electrically conducting surface and the resistance layer situated thereon. The measuring resistor is encased by the soft plastic component (1), which in turn is encapsulated in a hard plastic component serving as a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Gerhard Damaschke
  • Publication number: 20040113060
    Abstract: A chromatic dispersion compensating apparatus, including a chromatic dispersion compensating module having a spectral unit receiving an input light and generating an output light having a predetermined wavelength, a light returning unit designed for the predetermined wavelength to return the output light to the spectral unit, and a position changing unit changing a relative position between the spectral unit and the light returning unit; a storing unit storing predetermined position controlling amounts of the position changing unit, the position controlling amounts being used to generate a chromatic dispersion value for a certain wavelength; and a position controlling unit operating the position changing unit based on one of the position controlling amounts in the storing unit corresponding to the predetermined wavelength of the output light and the chromatic dispersion value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yoshio Nabeyama, Isao Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6689999
    Abstract: A light emitting diode lighting apparatus that includes: a power supply for providing a fixed direct current; a light emitting diode head for emitting light; and a controller for adjusting the level of said light output on said head and compensating for efficiency altering effects of said light in said power head, whereby said controller receives signals for optical feedback stabilization, temperature compensation, and detection of short term current changes to adjust said light and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Schott-Fostec, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Paul Haines, Stephen Frazer Belafonte, Charles Henry Hurst Willis, Nicholas Andrew Rixham
  • Patent number: 6686586
    Abstract: The improved diffractive-based laser scanning system of the present invention monitors portions of the laser light beams generated by a laser light source (e.g., VLD) employed therein to generate a mode switching signal indicative of a shift in the characteristic wavelength of the laser light beams emitted from the laser light source. In response thereto, a temperature controller selectively heats (or cool) the laser light source to minimize and avoid such wavelength changes, thereby mitigating any potential problems caused by such wavelength changes (for example, unwanted beam distortion and signal processing errors as described above). Preferably, mode switching (e.g., change in characteristic wavelength of light emitted from the laser light source) is detected by monitoring a zeroth diffractive order beam produced by a diffractive element of the system. Moreover, temperature control of the laser light source is preferably accomplished using active heating elements (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Check
  • Patent number: 6677570
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a power detector including a photodiode and a logarithmic transimpedance amplifier is mounted inside a hermetically sealed package in such a way that the photodiode and the logarithmic transimpedance amplifier are located on the same thermally conductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Yakov Kogan, Donald McDaniel, Reich Watterson
  • Patent number: 6635859
    Abstract: A light to frequency converter includes a temperature coefficient generator, a programmable gain amplifier, and a current controlled oscillator having at least one photodiode configured to receive incident light, the at least one photodiode configured for generating a photodiode control current. The temperature coefficient generator outputs a bandgap reference voltage with temperature coefficient compensation (VBG_TC) in response to a bandgap reference voltage (VBG). The programmable gain amplifier is responsive to the bandgap reference voltage with temperature coefficient compensation (VBG_TC) for outputting an oscillator reference voltage (VREF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Advanced Optoelectric Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Wiles, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6621071
    Abstract: A microelectronic system includes a substrate that is preferably silicon and a microelectronic device supported on the substrate. The microelectronic device may be a light sensor that include a readout integrated circuit formed in the silicon substrate, and a light detector supported on and electrically interconnected with the readout integrated circuit. A cryocooler formed in and integral with the substrate includes a gas inflow channel formed in the substrate, an expansion nozzle formed in the substrate and receiving a gas flow from the gas inflow channel, and a gas outflow channel that receives the gas flow from the outlet of the expansion nozzle. The gas inflow channel and the gas outflow channel may be countercurrent spirals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Raytheon Co.
    Inventors: Larry D. Sobel, Jeff Capara
  • Publication number: 20030098412
    Abstract: A new type of mounting mechanism for a light detector that cools the mounting for a light detector such that the maximum efficiency of the light detector's internal cooler can be achieved despite an elevated enclosure temperature, leading to more stable measurements of light from the detector. This same mounting provides thermal isolation from a baseplate, to which other optical path components are attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: SPX Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Gentala
  • Patent number: 6570149
    Abstract: There is disclosed a photodetector which is capable of attaining an enhanced detection accuracy, and at the same time permits reduction in the size and manufacturing costs thereof. An avalanche photodiode detects an incident light, in a state of a predetermined bias voltage set thereto. A cooler cools the avalanche photodiode to a predetermined cooling temperature. An amount of an incident signal light incident on the avalanche photodiode is detected based on a detection signal from the avalanche photodiode. A control block adjusts at least one of the bias voltage and the predetermined cooling temperature, thereby holding a value of the detection signal from the avalanche photodiode generated in a state of the incident light being blocked from impinging on the avalanche photodiode, within a predetermined tolerance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Hioki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Maruyama, Makoto Kudo, Fumio Narusawa
  • Patent number: 6565815
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reaction vessel and apparatus for performing heat-exchanging reactions. The vessel has a chamber for holding a sample, the chamber being defined by a plurality of walls, at least two of the walls being light transmissive to provide optical windows to the chamber. The apparatus comprises at least one heating surface for contacting at least one of the plurality of walls, a heat source for heating the surface, and optics positioned to optically interrogate the chamber while the heating surface is in contact with at least one of the plurality of walls. The optics include at least one light source for transmitting light to the chamber through a first one of the light transmissive walls and at least one detector for detecting light exiting the chamber through a second one of the light transmissive walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Cepheid
    Inventors: Ronald Chang, Lee A. Christel, Gregory T. A. Kovacs, William A. McMillan, M. Allen Northrup, Kurt E. Petersen, Farzad Pourahmadi, Steven J. Young, Robert Yuan, Douglas B. Dority
  • Patent number: 6552332
    Abstract: In an image-sensing apparatus, shading data obtained when a sensor 1 is irradiated with uniform light is compressed by a COM 6 and is then stored in a memory 3. During image sensing, the data stored in the memory 3 is decompressed back into the shading data by an EXP 7. By a COR 4, this shading data is subtracted from the image data obtained from the sensor 1, and thereby the unevenness in the outputs from the individual pixels of the sensor 1 is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Satoshi Nakamura, So Yano
  • Patent number: 6545257
    Abstract: A noise reducing thermal-electrically cooled photodetector for an Interferrometric Fiber Optic Gyro (IFOG) includes a photodiode that converts an optical power signal received from a coupler of the IFOG to an electrical compensation signal. The photodiode is in mechanical contact with one or more thermoelectric coolers (TEC) to lower an operating temperature of the photodiode. The photodetector also includes an amplifier circuit to amplify the electrical compensation signal. The amplifier circuit includes an operational amplifier having an input and an output, with a feedback resistor interposed between the input and output. The feedback resistor is also in mechanical contact with a TEC to lower an operating temperature of the feedback resistor. By reducing the operating temperature of the feedback resistor and the photodiode the thermal noise of the IFOG is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Michael K. Scruggs, Peter A. Wall, Ming-Hsing Yu, Robert A. Kovacs
  • Publication number: 20020168299
    Abstract: A reaction vessel has a reaction chamber, a loading reservoir connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel, and an aspiration port connected to the chamber via a second channel. To load the sample into the reaction chamber, the sample is dispensed into the loading reservoir and then drawn into the chamber by application of a vacuum to the aspiration port. A system for controlling the temperature of the sample in the reaction vessel includes one or more thermal elements for heating or cooling the sample and optionally optics for detecting one or more analytes in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: Cepheid
    Inventors: Ronald Chang, Douglas B. Dority, Lee A. Christel, Kurt E. Petersen
  • Publication number: 20020134930
    Abstract: A method for driving a self-scanning light-emitting element array, in which a power consumed in a write signal limiting resistor provided outside a chip to suppress a temperature rising of an optical writing head. The difference between High-level and Low-level in a circuitry in the driver circuit for controlling the light-emitting portion in the chip is set so as to be lower than the difference between High-level and Low-level in a circuitry in the driver circuit for controlling the transfer portion in the chip. A power consumed in a write signal limiting resistor provided outside the chip may be decreased to suppress the temperature rising of the optical writing head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: Seiji Ohno
  • Patent number: 6437320
    Abstract: An optical amplification apparatus has a first optical amplification unit and a second optical amplification unit connected in tandem with an optical attenuator between them. A temperature sensor is located in the vicinity of an optical fiber included in the second optical amplification unit. A reference voltage generation circuit controls an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit according to an output signal of the temperature sensor Alight signal detector detects maximum or minimum power from among the powers of the wavelength components output from the second optical amplification unit. The AGC adjusts the pumping power to set maximum/minimum to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yoshida, Chitaka Konishi
  • Patent number: 6403037
    Abstract: The invention provides a reaction vessel and temperature control system for performing heat-exchanging chemical reactions, such as nucleic acid amplification. The vessel has a body defining a reaction chamber, and a loading structure extending from the body for loading a sample into the chamber. The loading structure has a loading reservoir, an aspiration port, and respective fluid channels connecting the loading reservoir and aspiration port to the chamber. To load the sample into the vessel, the sample is first dispensed into the loading reservoir and then drawn into the chamber by application of a vacuum to the aspiration port. The vessel also includes a seal aperture extending over the outer ends of the loading reservoir and aspiration port. A plug is inserted into the aperture after loading the sample into the chamber to simultaneously seal the chamber, loading reservoir, and aspiration port from the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Cepheid
    Inventors: Ronald Chang, Douglas B. Dority, Lee A. Christel, Kurt E. Petersen
  • Patent number: 6326610
    Abstract: A first Peltier device Pe1 and at least one second Peltier device Pe2 having a current consumption smaller than that of the first Peltier device Pe1 are connected to each other in series, while a bypass circuit B for diverting an excess current I3 with respect to the second Peltier device Pe2 is connected to the second Peltier device Pe2 in parallel, so that a driving current I1 from a current control section A drives the first Peltier device Pe1 at its optimum operating point, and the excess current I3 with respect to the second Peltier device Pe2 in the driving current I1 is diverted into the bypass circuit B, so as to allow the second Peltier device Pe2 to be driven at its optimum operating point as well, where by the cooling efficiency can be improved. Also, the first and second Peltier devices Pe1, Pe2 are stacked on each other, while all the Peltier devices Pe1, Pe2 are driven by the single common current control section A, so as to attain a smaller size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Satoru Muramatsu, Hidetaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6307194
    Abstract: A pixel structure is provided that has a substrate and a bolometer disposed upon the substrate that includes a transducer and an absorber that have been spaced apart from each other and from the substrate so as to permit the transducer and the absorber to be separately optimized. For example, the absorption characteristics of the bolometer can be maximized, while concurrently minimizing the thermal loss to the substrate. While the absorber is spaced from the transducer, the absorber is in thermal contact with the transducer such that radiation absorbed by the absorber also heats the transducer. In this regard, the bolometer also includes a thermally conductive post extending from the transducer to the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Eugene T. Fitzgibbons, Chien-Jih Han
  • Publication number: 20010007348
    Abstract: In an image-sensing apparatus, shading data obtained when a sensor 1 is irradiated with uniform light is compressed by a COM 6 and is then stored in a memory 3. During image sensing, the data stored in the memory 3 is decompressed back into the shading data by an EXP 7. By a COR 4, this shading data is subtracted from the image data obtained from the sensor 1, and thereby the unevenness in the outputs from the individual pixels of the sensor 1 is corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Inventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Satoshi Nakamura, So Yano
  • Patent number: 6180939
    Abstract: A temperature compensation system (300) is provided for compensating measurements from a sensor (240). A temperature transducer (310) is placed in close proximity to a manufacturing workstation as a means of measuring the ambient temperature associated with the workstation (200). A reference workpiece (100) is placed within a sensing zone of the sensor (240). The system (300) includes a temperature compensating module (320) that is connected to the sensor (240) and to the temperature transducer (310) for determining a baseline measurement of the reference workpiece at a reference temperature. The temperature compensating module (320) is further adapted for collecting a plurality of measurements of the reference workpiece over a plurality of temperatures for establishing a relationship between these measurements and their corresponding temperature values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Myles Markey, Jr., Dale R. Greer, Stephen James Tenniswood, Jesper Christensen
  • Patent number: 6025587
    Abstract: Device for the detection of optical parameters consisting of a first sensing element that is sectioned into a plurality of equal regions each able to produce an electric signal, proportional to the power of the incident laser beam. Before said first sensing element with respect to the direction of the incident laser beam, at least a second sensing element is provided, lined up with the first sensing element and thermally insulated from it, that has a hole with a shape equal to the shape of the incoming laser beam and with dimensions increasing with the distance from that first element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignees: Cise S.p.A., Laser Point s.r.l.
    Inventors: Emanuele Stucchi, Laura Serri, Vincenzo Fantini, Flavio Ferretti
  • Patent number: 5981933
    Abstract: A CCD structure includes a substrate in which a plurality of buried channels have been formed and a heat conductor disposed transversely to the buried channels and defining a longitudinal direction. A first channel defines a channel direction. The heat conductor includes a first segment and a second segment separated by a gap from the first segment. The heat conductor further includes a tab connected to the first segment. In the structure the tab is characterized by an extent along a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction that is equal to an extent of the gap along the longitudinal direction, an extent along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction that is equal to a width of the heat conductor, and a shape that is a parallelogram, preferrably a rectangle. In the structure the gap is characterized by a gap predetermined shape, size and orientation, and the tab is characterized by a tab predetermined shape, size and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Dalsa, Inc.
    Inventors: Savvas G. Chamberlain, Stacy R. Kamasz, Simon G. Ingram
  • Patent number: 5958349
    Abstract: A reaction vessel for holding a sample for a heat-exchanging chemical process has two opposing major faces and a plurality of contiguous minor faces joining the major faces to each other. The major and minor faces form an enclosed chamber having a triangular-shaped bottom portion. The ratio of the thermal conductance of the major faces to that of the minor faces is at least 2:1, and the minor faces forming the triangular-shaped bottom portion of the chamber are optically transmissive. The vessel also has a port for introducing a sample into the chamber and a cap for sealing the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Cepheid
    Inventors: Kurt E. Petersen, William A. McMillan, Gregory T. A. Kovacs, Steven J. Young
  • Patent number: 5917183
    Abstract: The proposed method of temperature compensation for opto-electronic devices, more specifically opto-electronic semiconductor devices, involves operation of the device under predetermined constant conditions, where a first temperature dependent characteristic value is measured which is then compared with a comparison value determined under identical constant conditions but at a different temperature. A correction function is derived from the relationship between the characteristic value and the comparison value and used to correct the measured value obtained from the semiconductor device so as to compensate for the effect of temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: BYK-Gardner GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Sperling
  • Patent number: 5894341
    Abstract: A reticle and a wafer are relatively scanned in a scanning exposure type of projection exposure apparatus so that a pattern on the reticle is transferred onto the wafer by exposure. Heat exchangers which has the Peltier device are provided on a side surface of an integrator sensor which measures the quantity of exposure to control temperature of a photosensitive surface of the integrator sensor. In a side of heat irradiation surface of the heat exchangers, cooling water is circulated so that the heat exchangers are cooled. Saturation temperature at which temperature of the photosensitive surface is saturated when an illumination beam is irradiated to the photosensitive surface is determined and then the quantity of light irradiated to the photosensitive surface is measured with the temperature of the photosensitive surface being maintained at the saturation temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nishi, Toshihiko Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5747791
    Abstract: Devices for measuring one or more properties of a light signal is disclosed. More particularly the invention relates to devices for wavelength and power demodulation based on the use of quantum well electroabsorption photodiodes. In one aspect the invention provides and power and wavelength demodulation system based on a quantum well electroabsorption (QWEA) filtering detector. The input optical signal passes through an optical beam splitter with part of the signal input into a filtering detector which is a multiple quantum well electroabsorption (MQW EA) photodiode having a tunable bandgap and the other part into a reference detector. The input light signal is impinged on the QW diode perpendicular to the plane of the quantum wells. The output of filtering detector is amplified by an amplifier and the output of the reference detector is input into another amplifier. The output from reference detector amplifier serves as a measurement of the power of the input optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Inventor: Trenton G. Coroy
  • Patent number: 5747937
    Abstract: A security light has a quartz-halogen lamp, a photocell, a passive infrared sensor for detecting motion external to the security light, and a circuit which causes the quartz-halogen lamp to operate at about 50% of full brightness in the absence of detection of motion at night, to operate at 95% of full brightness for a predetermined time interval in response to detection of motion at night, and to be off while the photocell is detecting daylight. A switch allows the user to select a different mode of operation which is similar except that the lamp is kept off in the absence of detection of motion at night. A user-initiated override mode is also provided, which causes the lamp to continuously operate at 95% of full brightness until the photocell detects daylight or until the user disables the override mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Heath Company, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Wiesemann, Daniel E. Schaaf, Wai-Shing P. Ko
  • Patent number: 5643535
    Abstract: A luminometer is described comprising a tray for receiving an array of sample wells, a photodetector assembly, and means for relatively moving the tray and photodetector assembly in one direction to align the sample wells received by the tray in a predetermined sequence with the photodetector assembly. The photodetector assembly of the luminometer includes a stage, a photodetection head having a detection aperture permitting passage of light therethrough, a means for mounting the photodetection head to the stage that permits movement of the head in a direction substantially normal to the direction of relative tray and photodetector assembly movement, and a means for biasing the photodetection head toward a selected sample well so that the detection aperture is substantially isolated from light emitted from adjacent wells. Internal and external photodetector calibration systems and a sample heater are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Chiron Corporation
    Inventors: Rick T. Smethers, Brian D. Warner, Victor P. Burolla
  • Patent number: 5598066
    Abstract: A security light has a quartz-halogen lamp, a photocell, a passive infrared sensor for detecting motion external to the security light, and a circuit which causes the quartz-halogen lamp to operate at about 50% of full brightness in the absence of detection of motion at night, to operate at 95% of full brightness for a predetermined time interval in response to detection of motion at night, and to be off while the photocell is detecting daylight. A switch allows the user to select a different mode of operation which is similar except that the lamp is kept off in the absence of detection of motion at night. A user-initiated override mode is also provided, which causes the lamp to continuously operate at 95% of full brightness until the photocell detects daylight or until the user disables the override mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Heath Company
    Inventors: David L. Wiesemann, Daniel E. Schaaf, Wai-Shing P. Ko
  • Patent number: 5541623
    Abstract: A temperature compensated opto-electronic circuit structure including a emitter connected to one input of a comparator to provide a reference signal. A detector signal is applied to another input terminal of a comparator, and the output of the comparator is determined by a difference between the reference signal and the detector signal. As the temperature of the opto-electronic circuit increases and decreases, the reference signal is automatically adjusted due to the temperature-related forward voltage changes of the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Alps Electric (U.S.A.) Inc.
    Inventor: Keith A. Engstrom
  • Patent number: 5523563
    Abstract: A preferred temperature control strategy was devised to remove heat from the analyzer and control the optical bench temperature continuously at aim. A foil-type RTD temperature detector is fastened to the optical bench to serve as a measurement input device for a PID control strategy, which is truly aim-seeking. The control strategy employs a heat pipe technology to remove heat from the analyzer enclosure. A heat pipe utilizes a fluid (such as an alcohol) to remove heat by evaporation of the fluid at an internal air circulation heat exchanger and then recondensing the fluid at an external air circulation heat exchanger. The PID temperature controller achieves the desired temperature setpoint by manipulation of heat exchanger fan speeds. The heat removal rate can be very precisely controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Richard C. Moessner
  • Patent number: 5521375
    Abstract: A second harmonic generating method and apparatus is disclosed in which temperature of the nonlinear optical device is detected using a temperature sensor and the light output control is performed only when the temperature of the nonlinear optical device falls within a predetermined range through a comparison with a set temperature, so that the best peak can be selected. At no time is a different peak selected when the characteristics or operation conditions of the nonlinear optical device change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon-Yong Jang
  • Patent number: 5466944
    Abstract: An optically-coupled line receiver that handles multiple-state signals on data communications lines by using a differential circuit at the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Krause
  • Patent number: 5408096
    Abstract: An instrument for detecting the presence of a body, comprising a detector (2) and a housing (1) in which the detector (2) is accommodated. The housing (1) is provided with at least one guide passage (6) for transmission to the detector (2) of one or more signals originating from the body. The housing (1 ) is also provided with means for supplying a gas flow (8), for example, compressed air, and a means for discharging at least a part of said flow through the guide passage (6) in such a way that, during operation at least a part of the cleaning gas leaves the housing (1) via the transmission passage (6). At the same time the invention relates to a rolling mill provided with means for determining velocities of the products to be rolled. The means for determining recording velocity comprises at least two of the instruments above and a processing unit which is linked to receive the signals from those instruments for ascertaining the velocity of a product detected by the instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Hoogovens Groep B.V.
    Inventors: Richard W. Lea, Robert De Visser
  • Patent number: 5372333
    Abstract: In a seeker head assembly in a guided missile, particularly a high-speed guided missile, the seeker head (22) is covered by a dome (28) which is rotatably mounted in the structure and is rotated. The dome (28) is circumferentially surrounded by the structure (10) of the guided missile except for a window section (14). A coolant is supplied to an interspace (46) formed between dome (28) and structure (10) of the guided missile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Uwira, Uwe Hingst, Wolf-Dieter Paulus
  • Patent number: 5334829
    Abstract: A CCD image sensor includes a package (2) in which there are packaged a CCD solid state imaging device (1) in which a getter layer is formed on the rear surface of a silicon substrate and a photo-sensing portion and a CCD register are formed on the surface of the silicon substrate and a substrate electrode (3 ) of a plate configuration disposed on the lower surface of the CCD solid state imaging device (1 ). A heating device (5 ) is disposed on the lower surface of the substrate electrode (3 ) through an insulating material (4 ) of a plate configuration. The heating device (5) is formed of a resistance pattern (7) that is formed on the surface of an insulating body (6) of a plate configuration by a well-known thick film forming technique. A lattice defect that is caused by a metal ion or the like entered into the CCD solid state imaging device in accordance with an aging change can be repaired without disassembling the solid state image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Ueno, Hideshi Abe
  • Patent number: 5325865
    Abstract: A catheter assembly for measuring a fluid pressure in a body cavity includes an optical converter responsive to an electrical power source for energizing a light-emitting diode which has drift characteristics which vary in response to temperature. An optical sensor is adapted to receive the light from the light-emitting diode and to provide a measurement signal indicative of the fluid pressure in the cavity. This measurement signal has undesirable characteristics related to the thermal drift characteristics of the diode. A detection circuit detects the measurement signal and provides an output signal indicative of fluid pressure in the cavity. A special filter is included in this detection circuit which has optical characteristics that substantially offset the undesirable characteristics of the measurement signal, so that the output signal is substantially independent of the temperature of the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Baxter International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald B. Beckman, Jesse N. Bequette
  • Patent number: 5327210
    Abstract: A light measurement device includes a photoelectric converter for receiving light from an object to be measured and converting the light to a measuring electrical energy in accordance with the intensity of the light, an offset amount measurement device for measuring the offset amount of the photoelectric converter, temperature measurement device for measuring a first temperature of the photoelectric converter when measuring the offset amount, and a second temperature of the photoelectric converter when measuring the light from the object, a memory device for storing a characteristic of the photoelectric converter with respect to temperature, correction amount calculation device for calculating a correction amount based on the characteristic, the first temperature, and the second temperature, and a light intensity calculation device for calculating a light intensity based on the measuring electrical energy, the offset amount, and the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Okui, Kazuhiko Naruse, Taketoshi Kawamura, Shinji Shimizu, Mikio Uematsu, Hiroshi Furukawa, Izumi Horie
  • Patent number: 5324936
    Abstract: A hybrid optical/electrical circuit module comprising: a radiation fin assembly (3); an electric circuit (4) which includes no or substantially no optical parts, and is secured to said radiation fin assembly (3) by a first securing means superior in heat conductivity, such that heat from said electric circuit (4) may be effectively removed; and an optical/electrical converter and/or electrical/optical converter (5) to be electrically connected with said electric circuit (4), which includes a decoder and/or coder, and is secured to said radiation fin assembly (3) by a second securing means with no or only a small amount of heat generated thereby, so as not to thermally influence each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Ryoichi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 5277870
    Abstract: A portable blood chemistry monitoring meter that employs an analog circuit in conjunction with a manually adjustable potentiometer to locate a null position that balances the measure taken of the blood chemistry-induced changes in the chemistries of disposable test strips. The meter displays in pre-printed, man-readable format blood chemistry concentrations that are individually calibrated to the specific batch-lot chemistries of the disposable test strips used with the meter. In a preferred embodiment, the meter is a blood glucose monitoring meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: United Medical Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Maurice D. Fuller, Richard A. Riedel
  • Patent number: 5247183
    Abstract: A cryogenic signal coupling apparatus includes a laser which launches optical power into an integrated optical waveguide (IOW) within a cryogenic region via an imaging lens. This optical power is then equally split by a passive optical splitter, and fed to one or more 1.times.2 IOW devices. Within the cryogenic region, a plurality of infrared sensing photodiodes provide electrical signal outputs in response to optical stimuli, which signal outputs are amplified and selected by a multiplexing arrangement for application as the modulating signal to one of the 1.times.2 IOW's. Control electronics also within the cryogenic region supply timing and control information to the other electronics therein. The IOW's modulate their input optical power in accordance with their respective modulating electrical input signals, and provide differential optical outputs which are directed across the thermal barrier to individual differential optical receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Christopher S. Tocci
  • Patent number: 5235184
    Abstract: A low temperature solid state light detecting system is disclosed. The same incorporates a source of cooling and an electrical light detector. A heat conducting member extends from the detector chip to the source of cooling. A vacuum chamber contains the light detector. The chamber has a window for permitting light to fall on the electrical light detector. A plurality of electrical feedthrough devices are mounted on the chamber for coupling electricity from inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber. A plurality of bare wires extends from the detector to the feedthrough devices positioned on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Spex Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert M. Paulson