With Photocell Detection Patents (Class 356/338)
  • Patent number: 9933362
    Abstract: A device for determining an assay result may include a test strip, a light source system, a light detection system, and a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Alere Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Stephen P. Sharrock, Andrew P. Phelan
  • Patent number: 9921085
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing a fiber optic sensor by properly clocking or rotationally orienting a window with a fiber optic focuser. This method may include shining light through the focuser into the window and receiving with a reflectometer a first reflection from a first surface of the window and a second reflection from a second surface of the window. Next, the method may include calculating a delta of intensities between the first and second reflections, and then rotating an orientation of the window to a next rotational orientation. The steps of rotating the orientation of the window, receiving reflections, and calculating their delta may be repeated any plurality of times to solve for a plurality of deltas. Then, the method may include the steps of determining which one of the deltas is the largest and fixing the window to the focuser at a rotational orientation associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryand Jeremy Ferguson Tucker
  • Patent number: 9902911
    Abstract: On-line detection of mesophase particles employs a laser diode light source to illuminate a target area with a pulsed laser linearly or circularly polarized probe beam. Analysis of images determines extent of presence the birefringent mesophase particles, which are precursors to coking in catalytic hydrocracking processes. The inherently polarized low-coherence, unfocused but sufficiently collimated, pulsed laser beam yield sharp imaging with high depth of field of very small mesophase particles that are present in a moving, dark reactor liquid environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell Limited
    Inventor: Markku Kellomaki
  • Patent number: 9883824
    Abstract: A detecting device includes at least one detecting module. In the detecting module, a light source unit is configured to emit a first beam and a second beam. The wavelength of the first beam is different from that of the second beam. A packaging unit is disposed on the light source unit and a light detecting unit and on transmission paths of the first beam and the second beam from the light source unit. An optical microstructure unit is disposed on the transmission paths of the first beam and the second beam. The first beam and the second beam emitted from the light source unit pass through the packaging unit to pass the optical microstructure unit to be transmitted to a biological tissue, and then pass through the optical microstructure unit to pass the packaging unit to be transmitted to the light detecting unit in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Biophotonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kuo-Tung Tiao, Jyh-Chern Chen, Yu-Tang Li, Chang-Sheng Chu, Shuang-Chao Chung, Chih-Hsun Fan, Ming-Chia Li
  • Patent number: 9857301
    Abstract: Air quality sensor comprises an optical particle sensor and a programmable processor circuit. The optical particle sensor detects particles having a size of 10 microns or less in diameter in ambient air of the optical particle sensor. The programmable processor circuit continuously computes updated air quality measures for the ambient air using an estimation algorithm based on pulses in an output signal from the particle sensor over time, such as a cumulative particle density value and/or a cumulative particle weight value. The optical particle sensor may comprise a LED and accordingly detect particles based on reflection of light energy from the LED by particles in a chamber of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Illah Nourbakhsh, Joshua Schapiro, Chris Bartley, Michael Taylor
  • Patent number: 9857285
    Abstract: A gaseous-fluid environmental sensor having a gaseous-fluid flow system that defines a flow path coupling an intake port to an exhaust port. The gaseous-fluid flow system includes a blower and a flow sensor. The blower includes a motor and the flow sensor senses a flow-related parameter. The gaseous-fluid environmental sensor further includes a battery, an electrical sensor sensing an electrical power-related parameter, and a controller electrically coupled to the electrical sensor, the flow sensor, and the motor. The controller is configured to generate a composite drive waveform having a first component based on the sensed flow-related parameter and a second component based on the sensed electrical power-related parameter. The controller is further configured to drive the motor using the composite drive waveform. Also disclosed is a method of controlling the gaseous-fluid environmental sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Venturedyne, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Neander, David L. Chandler
  • Patent number: 9845247
    Abstract: Deposition on a sightglass in a reactor for CVD deposition of silicon is reduced by conducting a first purge gas stream substantially parallel to the reactor end surface of the sightglass, and conducting a second purge gas stream within the sightglass tube at an angle from the sightglass surface toward the interior of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventors: Goeran Klose, Heinz Kraus, Franz Salzeder
  • Patent number: 9835545
    Abstract: A flow cell includes a transparent planar member having a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface. The planar member has a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape and that penetrates through the first principal surface and the second principal surface. The flow cell further includes a first lens element having a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape. The first lens element is disposed on the first principal surface of the planar member such that the through-hole in the planar member communicates with the through-hole in the first lens element. The flow cell further includes a second lens element having a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape. The second lens element is disposed on the second principal surface of the planar member such that the through-hole in the planar member communicates with the through-hole in the second lens element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: AZBIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Furuya, Daisuke Obara
  • Patent number: 9823118
    Abstract: An optical circuit includes solid state photonics. The optical circuit includes a phased array of solid state waveguides that perform beamsteering on an optical signal. The optical circuit includes a modulator to modulate a bit sequence onto the carrier frequency of the optical signal, and the beamsteered signal includes the modulated bit sequence. The optical circuit includes a photodetector to detect a reflection of the beamsteered optical signal. The optical circuit autocorrelates the reflection signal with the bit sequence to generate a processed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan K Doylend, David N Hutchison, John Heck, Haisheng Rong, Daniel Grodensky, David Arbel, Israel Petronius
  • Patent number: 9797823
    Abstract: A purified water manufacturing device monitoring system includes: a detecting device that illuminates, with an inspection beam, water either that is in a process of being manufactured or that has been manufactured by a purified water manufacturing device, detects light in a region illuminated by the inspection beam, and detects a microorganism or a non-microorganism particle included in the water; a measured value specifying portion that specifies a measured value for a number of microorganisms detected and specifies a measured value for a number of non-microorganism particles detected; and a state evaluating portion that evaluates that a problem has occurred in the purified water manufacturing device when either or both the measured value for the number of microorganisms and the measured value for the number of non-microorganism particles are greater than a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: AZBIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinsuke Yamasaki, Daisuke Obara, Masashi Furuya
  • Patent number: 9784620
    Abstract: A spectroscopy system includes an array of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) that emits an array of non-coincident laser beams. A lens array coupled to the QCL array substantially collimates the laser beams, which propagate along parallel optical axes towards a sample. The beams remain substantially collimated over the lens array's working distance, but may diverge when propagating over longer distances. The collimated, parallel beams may be directed to/through the sample, which may be within a sample cell, flow cell, multipass spectroscopic absorption cell, or other suitable holder. Alternatively, the beams may be focused to a point on, near, or within the target using a telescope or other suitable optical element(s). When focused, however, the beams remain non-coincident; they simply intersect at the focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Pendar Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark F. Witinski, Laurent Diehl, Christian Pfluegl
  • Patent number: 9778161
    Abstract: A set of 10 or more standards containing a defined number of particles from 1000 to 1,000,000 wherein the defined number of particles is within a degree of error of 10% or less between each standard of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: BFT PTY LTD
    Inventors: Graham Vesey, Nick Herman, Charlotte Morgan
  • Patent number: 9773937
    Abstract: An biological body information acquisition apparatus includes an imager including light emitting devices that are arranged in a plane and emit light toward a human body and light receiving devices that are arranged in a plane and receive light from the human body and a light guide plate that is layered on the imager on the side thereof facing the human body and has light transmissivity in the direction of a normal to the light receiving devices and the light emitting devices. The light guide has a first portion (holes) and a second portion (substrate) that are arranged in a plane and have refractive indices different from each other. The first portion (holes) is so disposed as to coincide with the light receiving devices in a plan view, and the second portion (substrate) is so disposed as to coincide with the light emitting devices in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Eguchi, Hideto Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 9772274
    Abstract: An improved optical flow cell adapted for use in a flow cytometer for differentiating formed bodies (e.g., blood cells) in liquid suspensions. Preferably manufactured by assembling, aligning, and optically joining at least two elements made from transparent material, the improved flow cell has a seamless internal flow channel of preferably non-circular cross-section in a cylindrical first element through which prepared samples can be metered and an independent second element having an external envelope suited to acquisition of optical parameters from formed bodies in such suspensions, the second element being conforming and alignable to the first element so that non-axisymmetric refractive effects on optical characterizing parameters of formed bodies passing through the flow channel in the first element may be minimized before the two elements are optically joined and fixed in working spatial relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Donnie Graham, William Gerry Graham, James P. Clarkin, Mark A. Wells, Jose M. Cano, Carlos Alberto Arboleda, Armando J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9726593
    Abstract: The present set of embodiments relate to a system, method, and apparatus for an optical configuration in a flow cytometer that allows for independent adjustment of focusing for each light source. Such systems, methods, and apparatuses require a final focusing element to be moved near the beginning of the optical train and for each optical element coming after the final focusing element to be configured to accommodate converging light beams while minimizing the introduction of aberrations into those beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Kaduchak, Wesley Smith, Michael Ward
  • Patent number: 9728088
    Abstract: A method to operate a system in support of air traffic control of an airport provides, automatically, to operators, in the same screen, status information for the systems required during low visibility operation, meteorological information and runway category of operation, making easier the operation of the controller and increasing airport security. The method comprises monitoring the status of all low visibility operation systems, calculation of a category more convenient for the operation of the airport runway, and degradation automatic (down grade) when it degrades a key system and upgrade or downgrade manually the category by operator decision. The method includes an architecture oriented for high availability with three blocks (Management, Input/Output and Visualization) and uses an application “alive” that performs automatic switching between servers, in case of failure or malfunction of one of them, increasing the availability of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: 3SP—SELF SUFICIENT SYSTEMS PROJECTS—INVESTIGAçÃO E DESENVOL VIMENTO DE TECHNOLOGIAS, LIMITADA
    Inventor: Pedro Rafael Bonifácio Vítor
  • Patent number: 9715098
    Abstract: Methods and a computer program product for applying deconvolution to spatial light interference microscopy for resolution enhancement with respect to the diffraction limit in two and three dimensions. By exploiting the sparsity properties of the phase images, which is prominent in many biological imaging applications, and modeling of the image formation via complex fields, the very fine structures can be recovered which were blurred by the optics. The resolution improvement leads to higher accuracy in monitoring dynamic activity over time. Experiments with primary brain cells, i.e. neurons and glial cells, reveal new subdiffraction structures and motions. This new information can be used for studying vesicle transport in neurons, which may shed light on dynamic cell functioning. Finally, the method may flexibly incorporate a wide range of image models for different applications and can be utilized for all imaging modalities acquiring complex field images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: S. Derin Babacan, Mustafa A. H. Mir, Gabriel Popescu, Zhuo Wang
  • Patent number: 9702826
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a surface of an object includes providing a laser beam irradiated in a first direction substantially parallel to the surface of the object, adjusting a diameter of the annular laser beam, reflecting the annular laser beam toward the surface of the object in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, in a primary reflection, and reflecting the primarily reflected laser toward an inspection region of the object, in a secondary reflection. An incident angle of the annular laser beam with respect to the surface of the object may be determined by the diameter of the annular laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Hashimoto, Wook-Rae Kim, Byeong-Hwan Jeon, Chang-Hoon Choi
  • Patent number: 9690008
    Abstract: A method for detecting atmospheric icing potential comprises emitting, by a Doppler lidar (light detection and ranging) entity, electromagnetic radiation to the atmosphere and receiving radiation backscattered from the aerosol, such as a cloud, present in the atmosphere. From the received backscattered radiation, an indication of the icing potential at a number of distances, on the basis of the comparison and an indication of the temperature at the one or more distances, is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy
    Inventors: Petteri Antikainen, Andrea Vignaroli, Esa Peltola
  • Patent number: 9677983
    Abstract: A particle characterization apparatus having first and second body parts, a light source, a sample cell and a detector. The light source illuminates dispersed particles within the sample cell with a light beam along an axis to produce scattered light. The sample cell has first and second walls. The walls have internal surfaces arranged to be in contact with the sample and an opposite external surface. The light beam passes through the external surface of the first wall, through the internal surface of the first wall, through the sample, through the internal surface of the second wall, and through the external surface of the second wall. The light source is fixed to the first body part, which engages with the first wall. The detector is fixed to the second body part, which engages with the second wall. The first and second body parts are separable to enable access to the internal surfaces of the walls for cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Malvern Instruments Ltd.
    Inventor: David Spriggs
  • Patent number: 9671325
    Abstract: A particle measuring device includes: an optical resonator that reflects laser light back and forth between two facing reflective mirrors in order to amplify an energy of that laser light and form resonant laser light; a particle transport unit that transports particles in an aerosol to be measured across a beam path of the resonant laser light; a scattered light receiving unit that receives scattered light produced when the particles in the aerosol are irradiated by the resonant laser light; and a processor that receives light reception signals from the scattered light receiving unit, wherein the processor outputs light reception pulses according to the light reception signals and calculates time intervals between the light reception pulses that are temporally adjacent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Takeda, Kazuhiro Koizumi, Takamasa Asano, Yoshiki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9658156
    Abstract: This invention enables high throughput detection of small molecule effectors of particle association, as well as quantification of association constants, stoichiometry, and conformation. Given a set of particle solutions having different concentrations, dynamic light scattering measurements are used to determine the average hydrodynamic radius, as a function of concentration. The series of average hydrodynamic radii as a function of concentration are fitted with stoichiometric association models containing the parameters of molar mass, modeled concentrations, and modeled hydrodynamic radii of the associated complexes. In addition to the average hydrodynamic radii value analysis, the experimental data may be fit/analyzed in alternate ways. This method may be applied to a single species that is self-associating or to multiple species that are hetero-associating. This method may also be used to characterize and quantify the association between a modulator and the associating species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: WYATT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael I. Larkin
  • Patent number: 9618442
    Abstract: A microfluidic multiple channel particle analysis system which allows particles from a plurality of particle sources to be independently simultaneously entrained in a corresponding plurality of fluid streams for analysis and sorting into particle subpopulations based upon one or more particle characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: CYTONOME/ST, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Charles Sharpe, Emanuel Tito Mendes Machado, Blair D. Morad, Rudolf Hulspas, Donald Francis Perrault, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9610531
    Abstract: A system and method for particle enlargement with continuously wetted wicks includes a container into which a flow of particle-laden air is introduced in a laminar manner through an inlet and to an outlet. The container has a first section, a second section and a third section though which the particle-laden air flows between the inlet and the outlet. The temperature of the second section is warmer than that of the first section at the inlet and the third section at the outlet. In one embodiment, a continuous wick spanning an interior wall of the first second, second section and third section, said wick being capable of internally transporting liquid water along its length is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: AEROSOL DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Susanne Vera Hering, Steven Russel Spielman, Gregory Stephen Lewis, Nathan Michael Kreisberg
  • Patent number: 9606071
    Abstract: A defect inspection device inspecting a sample includes a movable table on which the sample as an inspection object and a pattern chip are mounted, an illumination light irradiation unit which irradiates a surface of the sample or a surface of the pattern chip with linearly-formed illumination light, a detection optical system section where a plurality of detection optical systems are disposed at a plurality of positions above the table and which detect images of scattered light generated from the sample, and a signal processing unit which processes detected signals to detect a defect of the sample surface, and a plurality of repeating patterns for generating the scattered light according to positions of the objective lenses of the plurality of detection optical systems of the detection optical system section when the linearly-formed illumination light is irradiated by the illumination light irradiation unit are periodically formed in the pattern chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shibata, Hideki Fukushima, Yuta Urano, Toshifumi Honda
  • Patent number: 9594011
    Abstract: Physical property determination of a particle or classification of the particle as a function of the physical property by evaluating scattered light profile from a single particle is disclosed. The particle may include chemical structures that vibrate as a function of a physical property of the particle. The physical property may include an absorptive property of the particle or a chemical composition. From a detected scattered light spectrum, at least two anomalous dispersive regions may be identified. The physical property of the particle may be determined as a function of the at least two regions. A system employing the physical property determination can achieve sensitivities useful for low particle density applications such as detection for biological and chemical agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: William D. Herzog
  • Patent number: 9575082
    Abstract: The automatic analysis device includes an analysis unit that corrects, based on a measured value at the time of a first light amount measurement with water dispensed in the reaction cell before the sample is dispensed therein; a measured value at the time of a second light amount measurement after the sample and a preprocessing reagent are dispensed into the reaction cell; a liquid amount in the reaction cell at the time of the second light amount measurement; and a liquid amount in the reaction cell at the time of a third light amount measurement after the reaction reagent has been dispensed into the reaction cell and before the reaction reagent and the substance to be measured react with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sakuichiro Adachi, Hajime Yamazaki, Masahiko Iijima, Shigeki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 9567621
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and automated unloading means for unloading a container from an apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention may include a means for automated loading, a means for automated transfer and/or a means for automated unloading of a container (e.g., a specimen container). In one embodiment, the apparatus can be an automated detection apparatus for rapid non-invasive detection of a microbial agent in a test sample. The detection system also including a heated enclosure, a holding means or rack, and/or a detection unit for monitoring and/or interrogating the specimen container to detect whether the container is positive for the presence of a microbial agent. In other embodiment, the automated instrument may include one or more, bar code readers, scanners, cameras, and/or weighing stations to aid in scanning, reading, imaging and weighing of specimen containers within the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: bioMérieux, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronnie J. Robinson, Mark Joseph Fanning, Anthony Valentino, Mike Ammerman, Stanley Michael Philipak
  • Patent number: 9556416
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an analyte in a sample includes an illumination source for generating electromagnetic energy to illuminate the sample at an interrogation region, a concave collector element having an optical axis, and a focal point, the interrogation region being coincident with the focal point of the concave collector element, a closed flow cell having a flow path defined between a sample inlet and a sample outlet, the flow path passing through the interrogation region and a sorting region disposed downstream of the interrogation region. The portion of the flow path passing through the interrogation region is coaxially aligned with the optical axis of the concave collector element. The apparatus further includes the sample comprising or suspected of comprising the analyte and flowing in the flow path, wherein the analyte generates a detectable signal in response to illumination. The apparatus also includes a detector for detecting the detectable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: MICROBIX BIOSYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Mark Luscher, Randall Marks
  • Patent number: 9551617
    Abstract: Raman spectroscopic analyzer including: a beam-casting unit 3 for receiving a light beam generated by a light source and for converging the light beam on a predetermined position in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction of a measurement chamber through which a liquid sample is passed; and a light-receiving unit placed at a distance in the longitudinal direction from the predetermined position, for receiving scattered light emitted from the fluid sample. Among the scattered light which enters the light-receiving unit, the portion which enters this unit after being reflected by the inner wall surface opposite to this unit is eliminated, so that the amount of noise in the Raman spectroscopic measurement is considerably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahide Hatahori, Naoji Moriya
  • Patent number: 9546900
    Abstract: An optical sensor device for the detection of ambient light is adapted to be coupled to a pane (10), in particular to a windshield of a vehicle. The optical sensor device has a sensor unit which includes at least one light receiver (22) for ambient light and a lens plate (12) for directionally coupling an ambient light beam (26) out of the pane (10) onto the light receiver (22). The lens plate (12) has a surface (18) facing the light receiver (22) and oriented substantially parallel to the pane (10) in the coupled condition of the optical sensor device. The surface (18) includes a prism structure (20) having a plurality of single prisms (24) which are designed to direct the rays of a specific ambient light beam (26) defined by a principal direction (A) and an aperture angle onto the light receiver (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Backes
  • Patent number: 9546944
    Abstract: A nephelometric process turbidimeter for measuring a turbidity of a liquid sample includes a transparent sample vial which comprises a sample vial lateral inner surface. A vial head comprises a vial head lateral inner surface. The vial head and the sample vial together define a sample volume of a liquid sample having a shape of a cylinder. A sample inlet opening is arranged at the vial head and comprises an inlet opening axis. A sample outlet opening is arranged at the cylindrical vial head lateral inner surface to be axially closer to the sample vial than to the sample outlet opening. The inlet opening axis is inclined with respect to an inlet cross plane with an inclination angle of 10° to 80°, and is angled with respect to a radius line from a middle of the cylinder to the sample inlet opening with a tangency angle of more than 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: HACH LANGE GMBH
    Inventors: Bas De Heij, Perry Palumbo
  • Patent number: 9514623
    Abstract: Various arrangements for using multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to detect smoke by a smoke detector are present. Multiple modes of the smoke detector may be used in which a first wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is emitted into a smoke chamber while a second electromagnetic radiation emitter is disabled, a period of time is waited, and a second wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is emitted into the smoke chamber while the first emitter is disabled. Depending on the mode of the smoke detector, the period of wait time may be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Urrutia, Adam Mittleman, Andrew Goldenson, Nicholas Webb, Mathias Schmidt, Anurag Gupta
  • Patent number: 9493370
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for treating a wastewater stream to produce an effluent having an acceptable level of turbidity. The invention comprises a controller operatively coupled to at least one turbidity meter for monitoring turbidity of the effluent stream. A plurality of chemical treatment additive pumps are provided for providing a plurality of additives to the wastewater stream. Furthermore, a method of sequentially testing the amount of each additive required to produce an effluent stream having an acceptable turbidity is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: RELIANCE AUTOMATION, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore K. Mitzlaff, Jesse C. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 9494564
    Abstract: A tunnel monitoring sensor for monitoring environmental conditions in a tunnel comprises a first sensor module which outputs an obscuration signal, a second sensor module which outputs a first gas concentration signal, a common housing for the first and second sensor modules and an electronic logic unit which is preferably accommodated in the housing, which receives the obscuration signal and the gas concentration signal and which outputs a combined environmental condition signal on the basis of a link of the obscuration signal and of the gas concentration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Andreas Bonisch, Jurgen Convent
  • Patent number: 9415662
    Abstract: A sensor module includes a housing. A heat source is located within the housing of the sensor module and a plurality of temperature sensors are mounted in housing of said sensor module. At least one temperature sensors is located adjacent to the heat source and at least one other temperature sensor is spaced from the heat source. A humidity sensor is located within the housing of the sensor module. A controller is connected to the plurality of temperature sensors and to the humidity sensor for determining at least one of relative humidity and temperature at the windscreen using a regression analysis and for providing a control signal indicative thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. Blake, III, Robert James Newton, Songwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 9415167
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic sensor for detecting skin, the sensor comprising processor, an EM source, a baffle, a first EM detector and a second EM detector, the sensor arranged such that the EM source is located on a first side of the baffle and the first and second EM detectors are arranged on a second opposite side of the baffle at first and second distances from the EM source respectively, the first distance being less than the second distance, the processor configured to cause the source to emit EM radiation and to receive first and second signals from the first and second EM detectors respectively, the signals being indicative of the intensity of EM radiation detected by the sensor, the processor being further configured to process the first and second signals and thereby generate a skin signal which is indicative of whether the sensor has detected skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Matthew Hayes, Paul David Ryder, Alain Schmidlin, Nicholas Troop
  • Patent number: 9391448
    Abstract: A protection circuit includes a first resistive element configured for coupling to a protected circuit. The first resistive element has a particular resistance value. The protection circuit also includes a voltage regulator coupled to the first resistive element. The particular resistance value is selected to enable a magnitude of a bias current provided to the protected circuit to remain within a first operating current range associated with the protected circuit and to remain below a latchup holding current value associated with the protected circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kay Chesnut, Robert M. Martinelli, Anthony C. Le, MaryAnne Dooley
  • Patent number: 9388686
    Abstract: A method of flowing fluid from a formation, the method comprising: sensing presence of a reservoir impairing substance in the fluid flowed from the formation; and automatically controlling operation of at least one flow control device in response to the sensing of the presence of the substance. A well system, comprising: at least one sensor which senses whether a reservoir impairing substance is present; and at least one flow control device which regulates flow of a fluid from a formation in response to indications provided by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Konopczynski, Eric Davis, John L. Maida, Jr., Etienne M. Samson, Michel J. Leblanc, Christopher M. Jones, Michael T. Pelletier, Michael L. Fripp
  • Patent number: 9335172
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for measuring a location of an underwater vehicle, including a hull information generating unit dividing a hull surface into a plurality of areas, and generating normal vector information for each area and level information which is information for a depth that each area is submerged into water, a vehicle information receiving unit receiving attitude and depth information for a vehicle attached to the hull surface, and a location determining unit comparing the attitude information for the vehicle with the normal vector information for the area, and comparing the depth information for the vehicle and the level information for the area to determine a location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG HEAVY IND. CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jaeyong Lee, Sanghoon Baek, Yunkyu Choi, Youngjun Park, Jongho Eun
  • Patent number: 9323035
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an annular optical device, comprising: an annular meso-optic having a substantially triangular cross section and including an annulus centered about an axis of revolution; and a secondary optical structure substantially coaxial within the annulus of the annular meso-optic, wherein the secondary optical structure and the annular meso-optic are separated by a media comprising a media refractive index that is lower than a secondary optical structure refractive index, with the secondary optical structure being configured to hold a specimen to be radiated by impinging electromagnetic radiation directed into the secondary optical structure substantially along the axis of revolution, wherein re-directed radiation from the specimen is allowed into the annular meso-optic by the secondary optical structure if an angle of incidence of the re-directed radiation exceeds the angle of Total Internal Reflectance. Other embodiments are descried and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hach Company
    Inventor: Perry A. Palumbo
  • Patent number: 9304117
    Abstract: A gas processing device such as an aerosol exposure monitor is configured for acquiring chronic data, acute data, or both simultaneously, and may include a pump and a noise dampening device. The noise dampening device may include an elastomeric membrane between an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. In another aspect, an aerosol exposure monitor may include an impactor, a collection filter, and a nephelometer that includes a sample chamber integrated with an aerosol flow path associated with the impactor and collection filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Charles E. Rodes, J. Randall Newsome
  • Patent number: 9292916
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for collecting fingerprint and genetic information from an individual during a single collection session. A skin site is illuminated by direct imaging of the skin site using light reflected from the illuminated skin site. A cell of the individual, such as a skin cell, is retrieved from the collection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HID Global Corporation
    Inventor: Robert K. Rowe
  • Patent number: 9267885
    Abstract: The optical scattering-based smoke detector comprises a scattering zone accessible to the smoke, a printed circuit forming a supporting member and a first and second light reflectors mounted on a common supporting member. An electronic smoke detection unit, a light emitter and a light receiver are mounted on the printed circuit. The receiver is sensitive to at least some of the wavelengths of the light rays emitted by the emitter. The first light reflector facing the emitter to direct the emitted light into a detection zone in the scattering zone. The second light reflector facing the receiver to direct, in the presence of smoke in the scattering zone, the scattered light from the detection zone onto the receiver. A single mechanical part comprises the first and second light reflectors and a link resistant to the passage of the light from the first light reflector to the second light reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: FINSECUR
    Inventors: Laurent Pichard, Stephane Di Marco
  • Patent number: 9234850
    Abstract: A drip chamber for an infusion tube, including: a first end arranged to receive a drip tube; a second end including an exit port; at least one wall connecting the first and second ends; a space enclosed by the first and second ends and the at least one wall; and at least one lens integral to the at least one wall or directly fixed to the at least one wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Peter Hammond, James F. Munro, Luke Postema, Tuan Bui
  • Patent number: 9223926
    Abstract: A method of lithography by radiation having critical dimensions of the order of some ten nanometers makes it possible to carry out the correction of the proximity effects by joint optimization of the dose modulation and geometric corrections. Accordingly, a deconvolution of the pattern to be etched is carried out by an iterative procedure modeling the interactions of the radiation with the resined support by a joint probability distribution. Advantageously, when the support exposure tool is of formed-beam type, the pattern to be etched is split into contrasted levels and then the deconvolved image is vectorized and fractured before carrying out the exposure step. In an advantageous embodiment, the method is applied to at least two character cells which are exposed in a multi-pass cells projection method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: Aselta Nanographics, Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Sébastien Soulan
  • Patent number: 9215427
    Abstract: An attached matter detector includes a light source; an imager receiving transmitted light from a predetermined imaging region on a light-receiving region for an imaging region and imaging an image of the imaging region, and receiving reflected light on a light-receiving region for attached matter detection when light from the light source is reflected by attached matter and imaging an image of the attached matter; a parameter calculator of an image for an attached matter image region calculating a parameter of an image for an attached matter image region as information of an image region of the attached matter; a parameter calculator of an image for an imaging region calculating a parameter of an image for an imaging region as information of the imaging region; and an output device of an attached matter state signal outputting a signal showing a state of the attached matter based on the calculated parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Hirai, Izumi Itoh, Masanori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9201016
    Abstract: A device for the contactless and nondestructive testing of a surface by measuring the infrared radiation thereof has one or more incoherent electromagnetic radiation sources (1) and a detector (14) arranged on a detection axis (9), wherein the radiation sources (1) are arranged at a radial distance from the detection axis (9), at a distance from a testing area (7). In this arrangement, a pulsed or intensity-modulated excitation radiation (2) can be generated by these radiation sources (1) and applied to the surface (6) to be tested in the testing area (7) at an inclination to the detection axis (9) in the testing area (7). The detection radiation emitted by a measuring area (8) of the surface (6) to be tested can be fed to the detector (14), wherein the detector (14) is arranged on the detection axis (9) further away spatially from the testing area (7) than the radiation sources (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: WINTERTHUR INSTRUMENTS AG
    Inventors: Nils Reinke, Andor Bariska
  • Patent number: 9197148
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second resistor groups, first and second switch groups, a register, and an amplifier. The first resistor group includes plural first resistors connected in series between a first terminal and an output of the amplifier. The first switch group includes plural first switches. Each of the first switches is connected between a corresponding one of the connection point between the first resistors and the inverting input terminal of the amplifier. The second resistor group includes plural second resistors connected in series between a second terminal of the amplifier and a reference voltage source. The second switch group includes plural second switches. Each of the second switches is connected between a corresponding one of the connection point between the second resistors and a positive input terminal of the amplifier. The register selects each of first and second switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Furuchi
  • Patent number: 9164035
    Abstract: A distributive transmissometer, comprising a series of light sources that illuminate and map out a volume of space to be sampled to a one-dimensional space, a light detector, the one-dimensional space being mapped to the light detector such that spatial dust density distribution of the volume to be sampled can be determined; and, a lens for focusing light emitted by the light sources toward the light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Chandraika Sugrim, Rollie DeWayne Berry, Gerald Ferguson