Patents Examined by Melissa L. Koltak
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Patent number: 4951314Abstract: A method and apparatus that compensates for line tilt in a video line scrambled by a line spin scrambling technique. Line spin scrambling provides relatively secure transmission of video signals, with a modest amount of complexity and cost. However, line spin scrambling suffers from certain distortions that corrupt the unscrambled video signal. One of these distortions is caused by line tilt, and results in a chaotic hashing of luminance striations in a received picture. The method of the invention includes the steps of measuring the amplitude of the line tilt introduced into a video signal, generating a complementary ramp based on the measured amplitude, and summing the complementary ramp with the spun video line.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1985Date of Patent: August 21, 1990Assignee: TRW Inc.Inventor: Gregory A. Shreve
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Patent number: 4822163Abstract: An arrangement in which three-dimensional surface measurements are obtained by projecting a non-planar light beam on a surface and interpreting the image by triangulation. The non-planar beam makes it possible to determine its angle of incidence with the surface in an unambiguous manner, and allows surrounding a manufacturing process to provide continuous data when guiding the process around corners. A non-planar reflecting surface or other arrangement is used to generate the non-planar light beam from a planar light source. A flying spot of light may also be used. After the non-planar beam has been generated, it is projected upon the surface to be measured and forms there an intersection of the beam with the surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1986Date of Patent: April 18, 1989Assignee: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.Inventor: Richard Schmidt
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Patent number: 4801202Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the orientation of the optical axis of radiometer instruments mounted on a satellite involves a star sensing technique. The technique makes use of a servo system to orient the scan mirror of the radiometer into the path of a sufficiently bright star such that motion of the satellite will cause the star's light to impinge on the scan mirror and then the visible light detectors of the radiometer. The light impinging on the detectors is converted to an electronic signal whereby, knowing the position of the star relative to appropriate earth coordinates and the time of transition of the star image through the detector array, the orientation of the optical axis of the instrument relative to earth coordinates can be accurately determined.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1985Date of Patent: January 31, 1989Assignee: ITT Aerospace OpticalInventor: Jack E. Wilcox
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Patent number: 4751690Abstract: A fiber optic interferometric hydrophone is based on the change in optic path length of optic fibers bonded to both sides of a bending beam which acts as an acoustically sensitive diaphragm.The bending beam is segmented into an even number of segments, acoustic windows are arranged such that opposite sides of the beam see the acoustic field in adjacent segments, and the optic fibers cross from one side of the beam to the other to maintain the phase of strain signal for the two fibers, one on each side, along the full length of the bending beam. The fringe sensitivity of the interferometer is multiplied by two since both interferometer legs are strained by the acoustic field, and of opposite sign, and further multiplied by the number of segments compared to a single simple beam bender of the dimensions of one segment.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 1986Date of Patent: June 14, 1988Assignee: Gould Inc.Inventor: Helmut H. A. Krueger
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Patent number: 4749273Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the material flow rate of bulk material, transported by belt conveyers or the like, by continuously determining the contour of the free surface of the bulk material, at right angles to the direction of transport, via continuous non-contact distant measurement using transmitter-receiver mechanisms coupled with a computer, and by computing the cross section of the bulk material. A precise and reliable measurement of the height of bulk material on the conveyer belt is achieved by using, as the transmitter-receiver mechanisms, respective laser distance-measuring devices which emit and receive a reflecting laser beam. These devices preferably operate pursuant to the pulse transit time measuring principle. The laser distance-measuring devices are accommodated in a housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1985Date of Patent: June 7, 1988Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit beschrankter HaftungInventor: Bodo Reinhold
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Patent number: 4747138Abstract: Method of scrambling television pictures for which the video signals of each scanning line are of the M.A.C. type, that is to say time-division multiplexing of the analog chrominance and luminance components, characterized in that on transmission the components are each divided, in each line, one after the other, into two consecutive signals C and D, on the one hand, and F and G, on the other hand, the first signal C and F of which are then delayed for the duration of the second signal, and the second signals D and G are advanced for the duration of the first signals, the reference periods B and E which precede these respective components being excluded from this processing operation, the positions of the dividing points being derived from pseudo-random digital sequences, and the processing operation being intended to be applied on reception in the opposite sense for the simultaneous recovery of the luminance signal Y and the color difference signals U and V.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1983Date of Patent: May 24, 1988Assignee: La RadiotechniqueInventors: Gerard J. M. Marie, Jean-Pierre Arragon
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Patent number: 4738531Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a comprehensive state of vector displacement between a group of at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced side-looking radar arrays mounted upon a flexible host vehicle. This apparatus will operate to measure in three linear translation motions and three rotational motions, the relative positions of the radar array antennas upon the host vehicle during maneuvers of the host vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 1986Date of Patent: April 19, 1988Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.Inventors: Wayne B. Lloyd, John J. Chino
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Patent number: 4739510Abstract: Audio and control signals are digitized and inserted in the horizontal blanking intervals of the distributed composite television signal. The control signals are in the form of a data stream which includes a header containing group address, sync, and program-related information applicable to all receiving units, and a plurality of portions which are addressable to and contain information applicable to the control of particular individual receiving units in the addressed group. The information in the addressable portions can be altered on a real time basis such that the system operator has direct control over certain functions of individual receiving units from the transmission end.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 1987Date of Patent: April 19, 1988Assignee: General Instrument Corp.Inventors: John M. Jeffers, Donald R. Horne, S. Wayne Mundy, Joseph B. Glaab
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Patent number: 4736422Abstract: A conditional access system for transmitting and receiving scrambled television signals over-air includes means for addressing each of the receiving apparatus with an over-air signal whereby to permit reception and descrambling of the signal. The transmitter is provided with means for assembling a cipher block of information including a first key for use in descrambling the television signal and information relating to a plurality of users, and means for encyphering the cipher block with a second key which is common to the plurality of users. On reception a receiver applies the second, common keys to the received cipher block, recovers the first key for use in descrambling the signal and the information relating to the respective user and descrambles the television signal. Further, it is proposed to transmit a further key in encrypted form and to use the first key to decrypt the further key which is then used to descramble the television signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1985Date of Patent: April 5, 1988Assignee: Independent Broadcasting AuthorityInventor: Arthur G. Mason
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Patent number: 4732472Abstract: A system serves to establish the spatial position of an object automatically. The system uses a computer-controlled lasar beam scanning technique to locate the three-dimensional positions of mirror devices in successive measuring stations spaced from the object.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 1985Date of Patent: March 22, 1988Assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte WestfaliaInventors: Johannes Konig, Wilhelm Kurfurst, Hans-Gunther Willers, Martin Reuter
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Patent number: 4729121Abstract: An underwater detection system display underwater conditions on an indicator comprised of a monochrome cathode ray tube with two groups of different degrees of brightness. One group of different degrees of brightness is related to the amplitude of echo signals in such a way that degrees of brightness are in direct proportion to the amplitude of an echo signal. The other group of different degrees of brightness has another relationship with the amplitude of an echo signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1986Date of Patent: March 1, 1988Assignee: Furuno Electric Company Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Yoshioka, Nobuo Fujita, Hiroyuki Hamato
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Patent number: 4721384Abstract: There is provided by the present invention an optical-electronic rangefin having a housing adapted to be integrated in the gripping arm or mechanism of a robot and housing a light transmitter transmitting a well focussed high intensity light beam, a light receiver having a position detector, a pulse-electronic circuit for controlling the light transmitter and an amplifier circuit for transforming the currents received from the position detector into proportional voltages. The light transmitter and light receiver are so disposed with respect to each other that the central axis of the light transmitter and the optical axis of the light receiver define a predetermined acute angle between each other.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1986Date of Patent: January 26, 1988Assignee: Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fur Luft- und Raumfahrt E.V.Inventors: Johannes Dietrich, Bernd Hartmann
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Patent number: 4718086Abstract: A television receiver receives a scrambled television signal of the suppressed sync pulse type. The sync pulse is restored by a decoder which provides a sync restored video signal to video signal processing circuits of the receiver, and to automatic gain control circuits of the receiver via an interface network. The interface network develops a gain control signal with a magnitude related to the magnitude of the restored sync pulse. The gain control signal is coupled to both sound and video gain control circuits for augmenting normal automatic gain control action with respect to sound and video signals.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1986Date of Patent: January 5, 1988Assignee: RCA CorporationInventors: Mark F. Rumreich, Gary A. Whitledge, William A. Lagoni
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Patent number: 4712915Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for holding an instrument aligned onto a movable reflector, which may have the form of a cube corner prism. The instrument has a transmitter which transmits a slightly divergent beam of electromagnetic radiation onto the reflector, and a receiver which receives the radiation reflected by the reflector. An optical periphery modulator is placed downstream of the transmitter in the proximity of a lens or in a collimated beam path. The modulator modulates differently various peripheral parts of the transmitted beam of radiation, and if the instrument is not correctly aligned with the prism, the modulator introduces a modulation of low frequency of the radiation received by the receiver in a manner such that the phase position of the modulation is dependent on the direction in which the transmitted beam of radiation deviates from optimal alignment with the prism, and such that the amplitude of the modulation signal is dependent on the extent of this deviation.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1985Date of Patent: December 15, 1987Assignee: Geotronics ABInventors: Alex S. Kosakowski, Mats A. Lundqvist
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Patent number: 4712201Abstract: A self-guidance system for submarine vehicles containing a parametric sonar including preformed channel, transmission device and, in each channel, two beams at the primary frequencies formed simultaneously. Reception takes place with preformed beams at the primary and the secondary frequencies followed by a filter giving frequential channels. An echo comparator receives the signals at the primary and secondary frequencies and enables interference echoes from decoys in particular to be eliminated and the rudders to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1979Date of Patent: December 8, 1987Assignee: Thomson CSFInventor: Michel Lagier
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Patent number: 4707128Abstract: A coaxial, spacially gated, range gated, pulsed-beam, scanning system for use in turbid media, such as seawater, fog, snow, rain, blowing dust or sand. A laser emits a pulsed beam of light which travels to a beam splitter where part of the beam is transmitted and part is deflected. The transmitted beam is then deflected by an x-y scanning element such that a target is sequentially illuminated in a point-by-point manner. Light refected from the target travels back along the same path as the transmitted beam and is deflected by the beam splitter to a light sensor, such as photomultiplier tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1984Date of Patent: November 17, 1987Assignee: Subsea Engineering Associates, Inc.Inventor: Bryan W. Coles
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Patent number: 4706284Abstract: A television signal data transmission system comprises means for transmitting a television signal in which the phase of the RF carrier is modified during a periodically recurring interval by a SAW filter having a varying phase response between the video and audio carrier frequencies of the signal. The periodically recurring interval is modulated between a first width and a second smaller width respectively representing complementary logic states of a data bit. The first width of the width modulated interval preferably extends between two points respectively located within the non-viewable, overscan portions of the video signal immediately adjacent and on either side of a horizontal blanking interval of the television signal. The transmitted signal is received by a decoder which includes a phase modulation detector for detecting the width modulated intervals and a pulse width discriminator responsive thereto for deriving the data bits.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1985Date of Patent: November 10, 1987Assignee: Zenith Electronics CorporationInventors: Richard W. Citta, Dennis M. Mutzabaugh, Gary J. Sgrignoli
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Patent number: 4706283Abstract: A television signal transmission system comprises a headend including a pair of SAW filters having equal delays, one filter having amplitude and normalized phase versus frequency response characteristics continuously varying between about -6 db and 180 degrees at the picture carrier frequency and zero db and zero degrees at the sound carrier frequency of the television signal, the second filter having substantially flat amplitude and normalized phase responses between the picture and sound carrier frequencies. An RF video signal is applied to both filters, the output of the first filter being selected for transmission during at least a portion of the horizontal blanking intervals of the television signal with the output of the second filter otherwise being selected for transmission. The transmitted signal is received by a decoder including a bi-phase stable phase modulation detector and third and fourth SAW filters having response characteristics complementary to the headend filters.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1985Date of Patent: November 10, 1987Assignee: Zenith Electronics CorporationInventors: Richard W. Citta, Dennis M. Mutzabaugh, Gary J. Sgrignoli
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Patent number: 4701050Abstract: A semiconductor focusing exposure apparatus in which an opposite face of a mask to a face to be illuminated by exposure light is illuminated with alignment light so that the light reflected from said opposite face may be used for alignment and which is equipped with a second moving arrangement which is separate from a moving arrangement for an x-y moving table supporting a wafer, for aligning the mask and the wafer in an orthogonal direction with respect to the optical axis of a focusing lens.Moreover, the center of the flux of alignment pattern light for illuminating the wafer is made incident upon a line of intersection on which a plane containing the optical axis of an alignment optical system and the optical axis of said focusing lens and the incident plane of said focusing lens intersect with each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 1985Date of Patent: October 20, 1987Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitada Oshida, Masataka Shiba, Naoto Nakashima, Toshihiko Nakata, Sachio Uto
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Patent number: 4700388Abstract: An apparatus for scrambling or encoding a television signal by inverting the latter signal in accordance with a control signal having a predetermined code pattern comprises a detector circuit for detecting a change in a picture scene of the television signal and generating an identification signal in response to detection of the scene change and code generator for generating a key code signal of specific pattern which indicates a particular program of the television signal. According to this invention, the control signal is formed in response to both the identification signal and the key code signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1986Date of Patent: October 13, 1987Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Okada, Takao Mogi