Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Belle De St. Claire

Other

Belle De St. Clair, Inc.

Robert P Berger

Michael W Kelly

Curtis Colonero

Lawrence M Candell

Daniel Allan Mooney

Brian M Tyrrell

James Wey

Kenneth I Schultz

Steven Benson

Robert K Reich

R Allen Murphy

Dennis D Rathman

Bernard Kosicji

Michael Rose

James Chmel

Richard Osgood

A digital focal plane array includes an all-digital readout integrated circuit in combination with a detector array. The readout circuit includes unit cell electronics, orthogonal transfer structures, and data handling structures. The unit cell electronics include an analog to digital converter. Orthogonal transfer structures enable the orthogonal transfer of data among the unit cells. Data handling structures may be configured to operate the digital focal plane array as a data encryptor/decipherer. Data encrypted and deciphered by the digital focal plane array need not be image data.

Focal plane array processing method and apparatus

Autonomously operating analog to digital converters are formed into a two dimensional array. The array may incorporate digital signal processing functionality. Such an array is particularly well-suited for operation as a readout integrated circuit and in combination with a sensor array, forms a digital focal plane array.

Digital readout method and apparatus

Autonomously operating analog to digital converters are formed into a two dimensional array. The array may incorporate digital signal processing functionality. Such an array is particularly well-suited for operation as a readout integrated circuit and, in combination with a sensor array, forms a digital focal plane array.

A large format imager includes an array of pixels for converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals and a trigger to from an optical pulse so as to trigger the pixels to generate an integration period. Each pixel includes a photodiode to convert light intensity of high-frequency radiation into an electrical charge, a reset switch to reset the photodiode, circuitry to enable sampling of the electrical charge produced by the photodiode, a photoswitch to convert an optical trigger pulse, received from the trigger, into an electrical signal, an inverter to produce a control signal corresponding to the electrical signal produced by the photoswitch, and control circuitry to locally generate integration control signals. The integration control signals control a start of an integration period for the photodiode, duration of the integration period for the photodiode, and the sampling of the electrical charge produced by the photodiode. The large format imager may also include a trigger for producing an electrical pulse so as to trigger the pixels to generate an integration period and tree type electrical distribution system for propagating the electrical pulse to all the pixels, wherein each pixel includes a global repeater circuit to propagate a first edge of said electrical pulse along said tree type electrical distribution system and a local repeater circuit to provide a local array of pixels with the first edge of the electrical pulse.

Method and system for distribution of an exposure control signal for focal plane arrays

A mold assembly and sprue configuration for dental investment casting includes a ring shaped casing, a base and a cover all made of resilient plastic material and fictionally engaged with each other. The base includes a raised neck having a top surface with a sighting bead for use in mounting wax forms on the sprue, positioned within the casing. The sprue includes a post for engaging a blind bore in a hub of the base. The cover includes a downwardly extending plug which extends into the body of the casing, and a curved lip with recess for facilitating the pouring of investment solution into the mold. The sprue has three spokes and a ring which are all triangular in cross-section to reduce the amount of metal needed in the precision casting to be made with the invention and also to provide a convenient flat upper surface for mounting wax forms to the sprue.

Triangular spoke sprue

A method of investment casting a dental restoration and a dental restoration made, thereby and a pattern therefor, include, in the preferred embodiment thereof, the forming of a wax pattern that includes at least two wax retainers interconnected by a wax link that includes a separable link made of a preformed wax pair of blades with confronting parallel identically shaped surfaces in prepositioned intimate contact. The link is preferably set into a slot of the same thickness as the link cut into the connector of the pattern as the retainers are mounted on precisely positioned models of tooth abutments, and waxed to the connector faces exposed by the cut. The link is then separated to divide the pattern into two components from which corresponding sections of the restoration are cast by the lost wax investment casting method. The cast sections so formed have weldable faces thereon corresponding to the interface surfaces of the link blade of the pattern components. The faces are laser welded together, being dimensioned to a width that is between one and two times the effective welding depth of the focused laser beam so that the faces can be welded together across their entire areas from two opposite edges of the faces.

Laser welded investment cast dental restoration, method of making same

Round ringless mold and triangular spoke sprue

An apparatus for gripping hot investment molds either of the ring type or of the oval type, has a plastic handle with an elongated square tube extending therefrom. A trigger in the handle is connected to a linkage rod which pulls back on a closer frame. Rearwardly extending crossed tails of a pair of jaws are squeezed together by rearward movement of the closer, for closing outwardly extending palms of the jaws around an investment mold. The jaw assembly is removable so that jaws having shapes adapted specifically to engage either an investment ring or an investment oval can be provided.

Interchangeable jaw tongs

Waxing ring

Growing community of inventors

Encino, CA, United States of America

Robert P Berger