Position Sensitive Detection System Patents (Class 250/370.1)
  • Patent number: 7994482
    Abstract: A system and method determine a direction associated with gamma and/or neutron radiation emissions. A first radiation photon count associated with a first detector in a detector set is received from the first detector. The first radiation photon count is associated with at least one radiation source. A second radiation photon count associated with a second detector in the detector set is received from the second detector. The first radiation photon count is compared to the second radiation photon count. One of the first detector and the second detector is identified to have detected a larger number of radiation photons than the other. The at least one radiation source is determined to be substantially in a direction in which the one of the first detector and the second detector that has detected the larger number of radiation photons is facing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Innovative American Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Frank
  • Patent number: 7989774
    Abstract: A radiation detector includes a semiconductor element capable of detecting a radiation, a substrate on which the semiconductor element is mounted, and a flexible substrate including a connection pattern connected to an element electrode on an opposite side to the substrate of the semiconductor element. The semiconductor element is disposed on one surface of the substrate, and the flexible substrate is disposed on the opposite side to the substrate of the semiconductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
    Inventors: Juhyun Yu, Yoshinori Sunaga, Hidetaka Kawauchi, Shinichi Inoue, Isao Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110168903
    Abstract: A particle beam sensor comprising: scattering means providing a surface for intercepting obliquely a path of a particle beam thereby to permit a scattering of particles from the particle beam by the scattering means; sensor means responsive to receipt of one or more said scattered particles to generate a sensor signal; aperture mask means arranged between the scattering means and the sensor means to present to the scattering means a screen opaque to said scattered particles and having at least one aperture through which an unobstructed view of the scattering means is provided to the sensor means, the aperture (s) thereby permitting selection of all of those particles scattered by the scattering means which may be used to form at the sensor means an image representative of at least a part of a foot print cast by the particle beam upon the scattering means. By scattering particles from a sectional area of a particle beam, scattered beam particles can be used more efficiently compared to existing techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Nicholas Roberts Kyele, Roelof Gozewijn Van Silfhout
  • Patent number: 7959517
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing the temperature pattern of the surface of a golf ball or golf club is disclosed. The apparatus includes a thermal device capable of imparting a temperature pattern onto the surface of a golf ball. The thermal device preferably imparts the temperature pattern from a distance, preferably while the golf ball is positioned on a golf tee. After a predetermined amount of time, the golf ball may be stuck by a golf club. A thermal imaging device, which may detect a cooling pattern imparted to the golf ball by prongs of a cooling device, is preferably used to acquire images of the temperature pattern. The acquired images may then be analyzed by a processor to determine the kinematic characteristics of the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Eric J. Lastowka
  • Publication number: 20110095192
    Abstract: A method for increasing the dynamic range of non-linear devices, such as a SiPM. By rendering the incoming flux of photos non-uniform, a significant increase in the useful dynamic range can be achieved. The desired distortion of the incoming flux can be achieved in a variety of ways. These include simple non-focused lenses, prisms, interference films, mirrors, and attenuating films. Virtually any device which distorts the incoming flux will increase the dynamic range of the SiPM and combinations may be used to tailor the response to a desired application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Kurtis F. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110089329
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a detector for measuring characteristics of an energetic particle beam generated by a radiation source, the detector including means to vary the incoming particle beam energy; a plurality of sensors arranged in parallel; and processing means capable of processing signals coming from said sensors in correlation with said energy variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Yves Jongen, Martin Arnold, Yves Claereboudt, Damien Prieels
  • Publication number: 20110079727
    Abstract: A photon-counting Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode intensity imaging array includes an array of pixels (200), each having an avalanche photodiode (250). A pixel senses an avalanche event and stores, in response to the sensed avalanche event, a single bit digital value therein. An array of accumulators (320) are provided such that each accumulator is associated with a pixel. A row decoder circuit (310) addresses a pixel row within the array of pixels. A bit sensing circuit (300) converts a precharged capacitance into a digital value during read operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Gordian Prescher, Thomas Frach
  • Patent number: 7915747
    Abstract: A substrate for forming a semiconductor layer includes a plurality of linear convexes or grooves on a surface of the substrate by crystal growth. The plurality of linear convexes or grooves are formed along a direction of a cleavage plane of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Keiichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7917192
    Abstract: Tomography by emission of positrons (pet) system dedicated to examinations of human body parts such as the breast, axilla, head, neck, liver, heart, lungs, prostate region and other body extremities which is composed of at least two detecting plates (detector heads) with dimensions that are optimized for the breast, axilla region, brain and prostrate region or other extremities; motorized mechanical means to allow the movement of the plates under manual or computer control, making it possible to collect data in several orientations as needed for tomographic image reconstruction; an electronics system composed by a front-end electronics system, located physically on the detector heads, and a trigger and data acquisition system located off-detector in an electronic crate; a data acquisition and control software; and an image reconstruction and analysis software that allows reconstructing, visualizing and analyzing the data produced during the examination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignees: FFCUL/BEB-Fundacao Da Faculdade De Ciencias Da Universidade De Lisboa, Instituto De Biofisica E Engenharia Biomedia, Universidade De Coimbra/Faculdade De Medicina-Instituto Biomedico De Investigaceo Da Luz E Imagem, Inesc Inovacao-Instituto De Novas Tecnologia (INOV), Inegi-Instituto De Engenharla Mecanica E Gestao Industrial, Tagusparque-Sociedade De Promocao E Desenvolvimento Do Parque De Ciencias E Tecnologia Da Area De Lisboa, S.A., Lip-Laboratorio de Instrumentacao e Fisica Experimental de Particulas, Hgo Hospital Garcia De Horta, Servicios De Medicina Nuclear
    Inventor: João Manuel Coelho Dos Santos Varela
  • Patent number: 7902976
    Abstract: An assembly (13) for monitoring ionising radiation comprises a detector substrate (2) for generating electronic charge responsive to incident ionising radiation, the detector substrate (2) having an array of ionising radiation sense volumes (12) formed in it. A circuit substrate (14) supporting an array of read-out circuits (16) corresponding to the array of sense volumes is mechanically and electrically coupled to the detector substrate (14). Each of the read-out circuits (16) is switchable between first and second charge integration modes for receiving charge from a corresponding sense volume. A charge integration circuit (30) is configured in the first charge integration mode to integrate charge corresponding to sensing of a single ionising radiation detection event in a corresponding sense volume and in the second charge integrating mode to integrate charge corresponding to sensing a plurality of ionising radiation detection events in the corresponding sense volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Radiation Watch Limited
    Inventors: Peter Trevor Doughty, Michael John Anderson, David Jeremy Prendergast, Ian Benson
  • Publication number: 20110042575
    Abstract: A disclosed semiconductor detector block includes a plurality of semiconductor plates each configured to have a front surface on which an electrically resistive electrode is formed and a back surface on which an electrically conductive electrode is formed and to detect a two-dimensional detection position of gamma rays on the semiconductor plates using a ratio of electric signals from four corners of the electrically resistive electrode, wherein the plurality of semiconductor plates are piled up and a three-dimensional detection position of the gamma rays is detectable using a ratio of the electric signals from the four corners of the electrically resistive electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keizo Ishii, Youhei Kikuchi, Shigeo Matsuyama, Hiromichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7842926
    Abstract: The invention relates to production and precision patterning of work pieces, including manufacture of photomask for photolithography and direct writing on other substrates, such as semiconductor substrates. In particular, it relates to applying corrections to pattern data, such as corrections for distortions in the field of an SLM exposure stamp. It may be used to produce a device on a substrate. Alternatively, the present invention may be practiced as a device practicing disclosed methods or as an article of manufacture, particularly a memory, either volatile or non-volatile memory, including a program adapted to carry out the disclosed methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Micronic Laser Systems AB
    Inventors: Martin Olsson, Torbjörn Sandström, Mats Rosling
  • Publication number: 20100294945
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for locating a radionuclide emitting positons and having a child core emitting a photon by de-excitation, that includes detecting a radionuclide response line using a positon-emitting tomography camera. According to the disclosure, for each of the arrangements ordered by pairs of first and second interactions of the Compton type detected by a Compton telescope, the method comprises determining the angle between the direction of the incident photon of the first interaction and the geometrical axis connecting the position of the first interaction with the position of the second interaction, determining the half-aperture cones of the angle in which the geometrical surface does not include an intersection with line, selecting at least one cone in which the geometrical surface includes an intersection with line, selecting the radionuclide position from said reconstructed intersection of the response line with the geometrical surface of the selected cone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre CUSSONNEAU
  • Publication number: 20100294944
    Abstract: A radiation detector of this invention includes a pulse width modulation circuit for binarizing an analog electrical pulse outputted from a detector cell with a predetermined threshold, and modulating it into a digital electrical pulse, and a data superposer for outputting an incident position pulse train by superposing incident position pulses and concerning the position of the detector cell on which the radiation has fallen, and the digital electrical pulse detected by the radiation. Thus, position information which has conventionally been added after output of digital electrical pulse can be added into the digital electrical pulse. Therefore, compared with the conventional technique of adding position information after digital electrical pulse and transmitting the position information, the position of the radiation incident on the detector cell can be detected in a short time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuo Furumiya, Junichi Ohi, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kenji Shimazoe
  • Patent number: 7838841
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for detecting charged particles and obtaining tomography of a volume by measuring charged particles including measuring the momentum of a charged particle passing through a charged particle detector. Sets of position sensitive detectors measure scattering of the charged particle. The position sensitive detectors having sufficient mass to cause the charged particle passing through the position sensitive detectors to scatter in the position sensitive detectors. A controller can be adapted and arranged to receive scattering measurements of the charged particle from the charged particle detector, determine at least one trajectory of the charged particle from the measured scattering; and determine at least one momentum measurement of the charged particle from the at least one trajectory. The charged particle can be a cosmic ray-produced charged particle, such as a cosmic ray-produced muon. The position sensitive detectors can be drift cells, such as gas-filled drift tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Morris, Andrew Mcleod Fraser, Larry Joe Schultz, Konstantin N. Borozdin, Alexei Vasilievich Klimenko, Michael James Sossong, Gary Blanpied
  • Publication number: 20100276605
    Abstract: Detector for detection of particle radiation, particularly particle radiation having an energy in the range of 150 eV to 300 keV, comprising at least one detector element, said detector element comprising a semiconductor detector material, at least a set of line-shaped electrodes conductively connected to at least one surface of said semiconductor detector material, each set comprising a plurality of line-shaped electrodes extending in parallel, and signal processor communicating with said line-shaped electrodes, wherein, in each set, said line-shaped electrodes are distributed with a strip pitch of less than 3 ?m, and that the thickness of said semiconductor detector material is of less than two times the strip pitch of said line-shaped electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
    Inventors: Ulrik Lund Olsen, Henning Friis Poulsen, Soren Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20100219350
    Abstract: A beam detector and a beam monitor using the same are provided, the beam detector being capable of precisely and stably detecting, for a long period of time, the position, the intensity distribution, and the change with time of radiation beams, soft x-ray beams, and the like and being manufactured at a low cost as compared to that of a conventional detection device. In a beam detector 2 for detecting the position and intensity of beams, a beam irradiation portion 6 to be irradiated with beams 7 is formed of a polycrystalline diamond (C) film 4 containing at least one element (X) selected from the group consisting of silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), lithium (Li), beryllium (Be), boron (B), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), nickel (Ni), and vanadium (V) at an X/C of 0.1 to 1,000 ppm, and this polycrystalline diamond film 4 has a light emission function of performing light emissions 8 and 8a when it is irradiated with the beams 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Koji Kobashi, Takeshi Tachibana, Yoshihiro Yokota, Kazushi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20100176303
    Abstract: A gamma ray detector is provided that increases a detectable energy range. A position-sensitive gamma ray detecting element for low energy gamma rays 101 that can detect an interaction position and energy of a gamma ray is disposed in front of a pair of position-sensitive gamma ray detecting elements for high energy gamma rays 102 and 103 that can detect an interaction position and energy of a gamma ray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Shinji Motomura, Shuichi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 7755057
    Abstract: A medical imaging system is provided including a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging apparatus and a computed tomography (CT) imaging apparatus. The CT imaging apparatus includes a rotatable gantry. A radioactive source loader is attached to the rotatable gantry to rotate therewith. The radioactive source loader further includes a radioactive source to calibrate the PET imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Chang L. Kim
  • Publication number: 20100116998
    Abstract: A direct conversion radiation detector includes a detector body made from a direct conversion material, a plurality of segmented electrode members operatively coupled to a radiation-receiving side of the detector body and at least one electrode operatively coupled to a second side of the detector body. The radiation detector is configured such that received radiation is incident on the segmented electrode members. The radiation detector provides reduced polarization effects for a variety of high flux radiation detection applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Hadong Kim
  • Patent number: 7714309
    Abstract: A phantom for heavy ion radiation therapy provides characterization of an ion beam that may enter but not exit from the phantom. The phantom may include multiple materials and multiple spatially dispersed ion detectors to obtain signals that may be fit to known beam curves to accurately characterize the location and other parameters of Bragg peak of a given ion beam within a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Mackie, Ryan T. Flynn, Michael William Kissick, Jihad H. Al-Sadah, David C. Westerly, Patrick M. Hill
  • Publication number: 20100102240
    Abstract: The apparatus has an energy calculation section 32 that calculates energy deposit values of interactions based on signals obtained from segmented electrodes 11, 12 provided on two opposite surfaces of a semiconductor crystal, a reference waveform storing section 33 that stores beforehand waveforms that will be obtained from the segmented electrodes when a single interaction occurs for multiple positions in the crystal, a waveform synthesis section 34 that synthesizes reference waveforms corresponding to arbitrary two points in the crystal as candidate points of interaction at a ratio equal to a ratio of their energy deposit values, and a comparison section 35 that compares a measured waveform and the synthesized waveforms. The candidate points from which the synthesized waveform most similar to the measured waveform is obtained is determined to be the positions of interactions. Thus, even in cases where multiple interactions occur, the positions of the interactions can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Tomonori FUKUCHI, Shinji Motomura, Shuichi Enomoto, Yousuke Kanayama
  • Publication number: 20100084565
    Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that has a template holder configured to hold an imprint template, a substrate table, and an optical encoder, the optical encoder having a radiation output, a first diffraction grating, and a detector, the radiation output arranged to illuminate a second diffraction grating and the detector positioned to detect radiation diffracted by the first and second diffraction gratings to provide an alignment signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Helmar VAN SANTEN, Aleksey Yurievich Kolesnychenko, Yvonne Wendela Kruijt-Stegeman
  • Patent number: 7692152
    Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes: a sensor panel that has a substrate, and has a plurality of pixels each of which has a photoelectric conversion element for converting light into an electric signal, arranged on the substrate; and a scintillator layer arranged on a reverse side of the pixels with respect to the substrate, wherein the scintillator layer contains an activator added in a main ingredient, and has a higher concentration of the activator in a peripheral area than in a center area, in a surface direction of the scintillator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Inoue
  • Patent number: 7667205
    Abstract: A method for determining a particle impact on a sensor device comprising M sensing areas, each impact causing a variation of at least one physical magnitude of several sensing portions, said method comprising the steps of: determining an impact center sensing area, where the variation of the at least one physical magnitude is substantially maximal, allocating a result of a sum of the physical magnitude variations of a first set of N sensing areas, said set including the impact center area and other sensing areas neighboring said impact center sensing area, where N is at least 2 and is strict less than M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Organisation Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire
    Inventors: Rafael Ballabriga, Michael Campbell, Christer Frojdh, Henricus M. Heijne, Xavier Llopart, Hans-Erik Nilsson, Lukas Tlustos
  • Patent number: 7645996
    Abstract: A microscale planar device for detecting particles under high pressure with high sensitivity. The device may have an anode and cathode with an insulator situated between them. The insulator may have a number of holes, cavities or channels between the anode and cathode. There may be conductive rings at the perimeters of openings of the channels on the anode side of the insulator. These rings may be a part of the anode. An ion may be attracted into one of the channels where it interacts with a gas to result in an avalanche breakdown. The breakdown may be detected by instrumentation connected to the anode and cathode. The lateral and/or longitudinal dimensions of the channels may be such that the device may operate as a detector with ambient air as a gas under its pressure of about one atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Yang, Ulrich Bonne
  • Patent number: 7645997
    Abstract: Improved position estimation for a square photodetector having terminals at its corners is provided by first estimating an event position in a coordinate system aligned with the diagonals of the square, and then performing a coordinate rotation to provide an estimated position in a coordinate system aligned with the sides of the square. These two steps can also be mathematically combined. It is believed that the improved accuracy of this position determination approach is a result of a greater degree of linearity in charge division between terminals along diagonal axes than along orthogonal axes of a square detector. Flood images provided by this method have been compared to flood images provided by the conventional Anger method, and substantially less image distortion is observed with the present method than with the Anger method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Jin Zhang, Peter D. Olcott, Craig S. Levin
  • Publication number: 20090309032
    Abstract: A portable gamma-ray detector for indicating the intensity of a source of gamma-rays, the nature of the source, and the direction to the source relative to an axis of the detector. The detector comprises a plurality of scintillation bodies arranged around the pointing axis, for example four scintillation bodies in a two-by-two array and separated from each other by aluminium foil. Thus gamma-rays from different directions are shielded from different ones of the scintillation bodies by the other scintillation bodies. The scintillation bodies are coupled to respective photo-detectors and a processing circuit is configured to receive output signals from the photo-detectors and to provide an indication of the direction to a source relative to the pointing axis of the detector based on the relative output signals from the different photo-detectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: David Ramsden, Christopher David Henry Burt
  • Publication number: 20090310738
    Abstract: Imaging apparatus, for analyzing an object, comprising: a radiation source for transmission of radiation through said object in a section plane of said object; a radiation detector for detecting said radiation in said section plane of said object after transmission through said object; and a masking device for masking out a part of said radiation, wherein said masked part of said radiation is movable in said section plane relative to said radiation detector during said analysis of said object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen Deutsches Forschungszentrum fur Gesundheit und Umwelt(GmbH)
    Inventors: Oleg Tischenko, Christoph Hoeschen
  • Patent number: 7622889
    Abstract: In order to simplify the usability of solid state detectors, in particular mobile and wireless solid state detectors, a solid state detector is disclosed for recording X-ray images. The detector includes a structurally integrated photovoltaic power supply device. According to one configuration, the solid state detector includes an accumulator and the accumulator is rechargeable by the photovoltaic power supply device, for example by integrated solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Spahn
  • Publication number: 20090271143
    Abstract: A radiation measuring device capable of identifying the incident direction of a radiation ray and energy (segmentation) The directivity characteristics of a plurality of detectors are different from each other. A plurality of energy segmentations are set respectively for a plurality of spectra corresponding to a plurality of detectors, and actual measurement ratio information (a plurality of actual measurement counting ratios) expressing the mutual ratio between integrated counting values for each energy segmentation is computed. The actual measurement ratio information is checked against a plurality of response functions, and, when the compatibility relation between specific actual measurement ratio information and specific theoretical ratio information is found, the incident direction of a radiation ray and an energy segmentation are identified based on that relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, ALOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shirakawa, Yusuke Kobayashi, Toshiya Yamano
  • Publication number: 20090202125
    Abstract: A medical imaging system (10) includes at least one radiation detection head (16) disposed adjacent a subject receiving aperture (18) to detect radiation from a subject. The detected radiation is reconstructed into at least one initial 2D projection image (?). Resolution in each initial 2D image (?) is restored by using the extended iterative constrained deconvolution algorithm by incorporating different estimates of the system response function which estimates correspond to different distances between the detection head and the origins of the detected radiation. Measured response functions are used to restore a series of images. The optimal image is determined by automatic searching with the figure of merit, by user's observation, or by using blind deconvolution for a concurrent estimating of the system response function and updating the original image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Zuo Zhao, Lingxiong Shao, Jinghan Ye
  • Patent number: 7566879
    Abstract: An imaging system for imaging an object has an x-ray source for emitting x-rays. A detection system has a plurality of position sensitive detector planes, and the object is located between the x-ray source and the detection system. A portion of the x-rays pass through said object and pass into said plurality of detector planes and are detected within the plurality of detector planes. A multi-channel readout system is coupled to the plurality of position sensitive detector planes. A display system is coupled to the multi-channel readout system, and the display system displays an image of said object. A portion of the x-rays passing into the plurality of detector planes undergoes at least one Compton scatter within the plurality of detection planes and is detected. A total or partial energy corresponding to each portion of the emitted x-rays is recorded by a multichannel readout system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Inventor: Tümay O. Tümer
  • Publication number: 20090122958
    Abstract: A system in one embodiment includes an array of radiation detectors; and an array of imagers positioned behind the array of detectors relative to an expected trajectory of incoming radiation. A method in another embodiment includes detecting incoming radiation with an array of radiation detectors; detecting the incoming radiation with an array of imagers positioned behind the array of detectors relative to a trajectory of the incoming radiation; and performing at least one of Compton imaging using at least the imagers and coded aperture imaging using at least the imagers. A method in yet another embodiment includes detecting incoming radiation with an array of imagers positioned behind an array of detectors relative to a trajectory of the incoming radiation; and performing Compton imaging using at least the imagers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Lucian Mihailescu, Kai M. Vetter
  • Patent number: 7531808
    Abstract: A method for the detection of ionizing events utilizing a co-planar grids sensor comprising a semiconductor substrate, cathode electrode, collecting grid and non-collecting grid. The semiconductor substrate is sensitive to ionizing radiation. A voltage less than 0 Volts is applied to the cathode electrode. A voltage greater than the voltage applied to the cathode is applied to the non-collecting grid. A voltage greater than the voltage applied to the non-collecting grid is applied to the collecting grid. The collecting grid and the non-collecting grid are summed and subtracted creating a sum and difference respectively. The difference and sum are divided creating a ratio. A gain coefficient factor for each depth (distance between the ionizing event and the collecting grid) is determined, whereby the difference between the collecting electrode and the non-collecting electrode multiplied by the corresponding gain coefficient is the depth corrected energy of an ionizing event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Gianluigi De Geronimo, Aleksey E. Bolotnikov, Gabriella Carini
  • Patent number: 7525098
    Abstract: Apparatus for detecting radiation, including a semiconductor which is arranged to interact with photons of the radiation, and a plurality of electrodes which are configured to sense respective charge distributions in response to interactions of the photons with a region of the semiconductor. The apparatus includes circuitry having respective detector circuits coupled to the electrodes to detect the interactions. The circuitry is configured to receive the respective charge distributions from two or more of the electrodes so as to generate respective energy distributions of the photons for each of the two or more electrodes, to compensate for variations in detection characteristics of the respective detector circuits so as to align the respective energy distributions with each other to form aligned distributions, to sum the aligned distributions to generate an overall energy distribution of the photons, and to output a signal indicative of the overall energy distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Orbotech Ltd.
    Inventors: Uri El-Hanany, Arie Shahar, Alex Tsigelman
  • Patent number: 7518118
    Abstract: Interaction depth of photons in a CdZnTe pixel detector is measured by configuring an ASIC connected to the detector to measure both positive polarity and negative polarity signal amplitudes and then measuring a core pixel having positive signal amplitude and hallow pixels having negative signal amplitude and surrounding the core pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Fiona A. Harrison, Walter Cook
  • Patent number: 7518117
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved gamma ray detector module and a method of operating such a detector module for more accurately determining the position of a gamma ray interaction within the detector. The detector module includes an induction array arranged at an offset angle relative other arrays utilized in the detector, whereby the relative timing of the detection of ionization electrons by the induction array and a collector or anode indicate at least one coordinate corresponding to the location of the interaction that produced the ionization electron. This secondary locating apparatus and method supplements or replaces conventional locating apparatus and methods for improving the accuracy or reducing the complexity of the detection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Applied Physics Solutions
    Inventor: Douglas Bryman
  • Patent number: 7495201
    Abstract: A charge multiplexed position sensing apparatus and method for measuring an incident radiation with the aid of an array of solid-state photosensitive detectors such as an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs). The solid-state photosensitive detectors multiplex sum terminal(s) and a number of correspondent spatial terminals separately. Sum signal busses are provided to establish separate connections to the sum terminals of each solid-state photosensitive detector. Spatial signal busses interconnect correspondent spatial terminals of all of the solid-state photosensitive detectors such that correspondent spatial terminals are all connected to the same spatial signal bus. The multiplexing circuit triggers on electrical signals corresponding to sum or total voltages generated by the incident radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Peter D. Olcott, Craig S. Levin
  • Patent number: 7488944
    Abstract: A radiation image detector including a charge generation layer, and a detection layer including: many pixels, each having a collection electrode for collecting charges generated in the charge generation layer, a storage capacitor for storing charges collected by the collection electrode, and a TFT switch for reading out charges from the storage capacitor; many scanning lines; and many data lines. Each storage capacitor is formed between a storage capacitor electrode connected to the drain electrode of a TFT switch and the scanning line connected to a TFT switch adjacent to the TFT switch to which the drain electrode belongs, an array of the TFT switches is divided into upper and lower halves, each data line is divided into upper and lower halves, and a dummy wire is provided at the division boundary for forming a storage capacitor of a pixel disposed at the division boundary section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Okada
  • Patent number: 7476864
    Abstract: Gamma ray detector characterised in that its structural elements are a continuous scintillator crystal, a position sensitive photodetector and associated electronics intended to calculate, in addition to the gamma ray energy in the position of its interaction in the crystal, the interaction depth in the crystal from the standard deviation of the scintillation light distribution. Said information may be obtained electronically, in analog form and therefore instantaneous, from the first three moments of the scintillation light distribution. A method for implementing said electronics by way of a network of resistances characterised for analog and simultaneous computation of the first and second distribution moments is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventors: José María Benlloch Baviera, Filomeno Sánchez Martínez, Christiph Lerche, Noriel Pavón Hernández, Marcos Giménez Alvarez, Eva Nerina Giménez Navarro
  • Patent number: 7470906
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for varying the hole length of a parallel hole collimator, provides a variably configurable compound collimator for use in nuclear imaging. The collimator has a plurality of substantially parallel oriented collimator cores configured for transition between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein a gap space between said collimator cores is greater in the expanded configuration than the contracted configuration. The maximum gap space is designed to prevent photons from one hole in the collimator from reaching the detector proximate an adjacent hole of the collimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: A. Hans Vija
  • Patent number: 7446304
    Abstract: A method of detecting collisions between elements in a medical procedure such as between a magnet and another element in the procedure mounting on the medical device a flexible body within which is mounted one or more parallel side by side optical fibers arranged such that the impact causes bending of one or more of the optical fibers and detecting changes in light transmission through the optical fiber to detect the bending and thus the collision. The single fiber or fibers are located in a junction between a lower body of resilient foam and a surface layer of a stiffer flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: IMRIS
    Inventor: Jonathan Li
  • Publication number: 20080179298
    Abstract: Provided is a detection method of detecting presence or absence of an object to be detected in an object hold portion that is used together with an irradiation portion that irradiates the object to be detected with a heat ray, holds the object to be detected, and has an opening, the detection method including: imaging an image signal in a predetermined region having the opening by an imaging device; and making an irradiation optical path of the irradiation portion and an imaging optical path of the imaging device substantially coincide with each other within the opening by an optical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi NAKAYAMA, Naoki Takeshima
  • Patent number: 7397038
    Abstract: An improved method of, and apparatus for, nuclear imaging takes advantage of the ability to determine the depth of gamma ray/electron interaction within a semiconducting gamma ray detector to determine the (most highly probable) location of the first gamma ray/electron interaction within the detector. Lines of interaction constructed between opposing detector arrays, extending between the location of the first gamma ray/electron interaction in each detector associated with the coincident detection of gamma radiation, permits a positron-emitting object of interest to be imaged according to protocols known in the art, but with better spatial resolution than previously believed to have been known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis E. Persyk, John C. Engdahl
  • Publication number: 20080156995
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photo-responsive device having a photo-sensitive layer is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: a) providing a clean substrate inside an evacuated evaporation chamber; b) evaporating lead oxide (PbO) from a first crucible to form a seeding layer on the surface of the substrate; c) affecting upon the seeding layer such that only tetragonal lead oxide forms the seeding layer and/or such that the initially grown orthorhombic lead oxide forming the seeding layer is transformed into tetragonal lead oxide; and d) continuing to evaporate lead oxide until the final thickness of the photo-sensitive layer has been deposited onto the substrate. As a result the method yields a photo-responsive device comprising a photo-sensitive layer of lead oxide, which entirely consists of tetragonal lead oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Simon, Detlef Uwe Wiechert, Claus Feldmann
  • Patent number: 7378663
    Abstract: This method for optimizing the performance of a semiconductor detector intended to detect electromagnetic radiation, especially X-rays or ? rays, equipped with electrodes separately mounted on two opposite surfaces of said detector, namely a cathode and a pixelated anode respectively, involves (i) determining the signal that is representative of the sum of the charges detected by all or some of the anodes; and (ii) using the signal that is representative of said sum of the charges to establish one or more biparametric spectra as a function of this signal so as to determine any charge collection loss if charge sharing occurred on the pixelated anodes and, consequently, performing appropriate processing depending on the type of result desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Commissariat A l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Eric Gros D'Aillon, Loïck Verger
  • Patent number: 7358518
    Abstract: A radiation image detector comprises a first electrode layer, a recording photo-conductor layer, a reading charge-transportable photo-conductor layer, and a second electrode layer. The reading charge-transportable photo-conductor layer generates electric charges when being exposed to reading light. When the reading light is not irradiated, the reading charge-transportable photo-conductor layer acts approximately as an insulator with respect to electric charges having a polarity identical with the polarity of electric charges occurring in the first electrode layer and acts approximately as a conductor with respect to electric charges having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the electric charges occurring in the first electrode layer. Radiation image information is recorded as latent image charges at an interface between the recording photo-conductor layer and the reading charge-transportable photo-conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kaku Irisawa
  • Patent number: 7342231
    Abstract: Pulse shape analysis determines if two radiations are in coincidence. A transducer is provided that, when it absorbs the first radiation produces an output pulse that is characterized by a shorter time constant and whose area is nominally proportional to the energy of the absorbed first radiation and, when it absorbs the second radiation produces an output pulse that is characterized by a longer time constant and whose area is nominally proportional to the energy of the absorbed second radiation. When radiation is absorbed, the output pulse is detected and two integrals are formed, the first over a time period representative of the first time constant and the second over a time period representative of the second time constant. The values of the two integrals are examined to determine whether the first radiation, the second radiation, or both were absorbed in the transducer, the latter condition defining a coincident event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventors: William K. Warburton, Hui Tan, Wolfgang Hennig
  • Patent number: RE42281
    Abstract: A scintillator panel 1 uses a glass substrate 5, having heat resistance, as a base member for forming a scintillator 10. Glass substrate 5 also functions as a radiation entry window. Also, a dielectric multilayer film mirror 6 is disposed as a light-reflecting film between the scintillator 10 and the glass substrate 5. Furthermore, a light-absorbing film 7 is disposed on the radiation entry surface of glass substrate 5 and this absorbs the light that has been emitted from scintillator 10 and has passed through the dielectric multilayer film mirror 6 and the glass substrate 5. Light components that are reflected by the radiation entry surface, etc., and return to the dielectric multilayer film mirror 7 and the scintillator 10 therefore do not occur and the optical output of the scintillator panel 1 is not subject to degrading effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Takuya Homme