Patents Examined by Michelle M Iacoletti
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Patent number: 11971321Abstract: A system (100) and method can monitor a reflectance of a mirror target that includes at least one curved mirror (M). The system (100) can take a first irradiance measurement of the sun (S), the first irradiance measurement representing a direct solar irradiance. The system (100) can take a second irradiance measurement that represents an irradiance from a reflection of the sun (S) from the mirror target plus background irradiance from a reflection of the sky from the mirror target. The system (100) can take a third irradiance measurement that represents the background irradiance from the reflection of the sky from the mirror target. The system (100) can determine a reflectance of the mirror target from the first, second, and third irradiance measurements. The system (100) can compare the reflectance to a specified reflectance threshold, and, upon determining that the reflectance of the mirror target is less than the specified reflectance threshold, can generate an alert signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: Stephen J. Schiller
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Patent number: 11965970Abstract: A light receiving element and a ranging system is provided which achieve improvement of pixel characteristics while allowing variation in a breakdown voltage of an SPAD. The light receiving element includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, and a pixel driving unit configured to control respective pixels of the pixel array to be active pixels or non-active pixels. The pixel includes an SPAD, a transistor connected to the SPAD in series, an inverter configured to output a detection signal indicating incidence of a photon on the SPAD, a first transistor which is switched on or off in accordance with control of the pixels to be the active pixels or the non-active pixels, and a second transistor connected to the first transistor in series.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Tatsuki Nishino
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Patent number: 11959802Abstract: A spectrometer device includes an optical interference filter which is designed to filter specific wavelength ranges of an incident light beam on passage through the optical interference filter. The spectrometer device also includes a detector device which is designed to detect the filtered light beam. Further, the spectrometer device includes a focusing device with a reflective surface. The focusing device is designed to focus the filtered light beam onto the detector device by reflection on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Ralf Noltemeyer, Martin Husnik, Eugen Baumgart, Marc Schmid, Reinhold Roedel, Benedikt Stein, Christoph Schelling, Christoph Daniel Kraemmer
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Patent number: 11953377Abstract: Aspects relate to an integrated and compact attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) spectral sensing device. The spectral sensing device includes a substrate, a spectrometer, and a detector. The substrate includes an ATR element, a microfluidic channel, and a channel interface at a boundary between the ATR element and the microfluidic channel formed therein. The ATR element is configured to receive input light and to direct the input light to the channel interface for total internal reflection of the input light at the channel interface. An evanescent wave produced by a sample contained within the microfluidic channel based on the total internal reflection of the input light attenuates the light output from the ATR element and the resulting output light may be analyzed using the spectrometer and the detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: SI-WARE SYSTEMSInventors: Yasser M. Sabry, Amr O. Ghoname, Momen Anwar, Diaa Khalil
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Patent number: 11953431Abstract: Devices and methods for measuring color of a target coating are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a color measurement device includes a housing configured for placement on a target coating. A source connected to the housing directs a beam of electromagnetic radiation towards the target coating at an entrance angle. A spherical coordinate system is used, where the entrance angle is a polar angle measured from a zenith that is normal to the target coating surface. First and second detectors are connected to the housing at a first and second polar angle, respectively, to measure the electromagnetic radiation reflected by a target population of flakes within the target coating, where all the flakes in the target population of flakes have the same angled flake normal polar angle. The first polar angle is different than the second polar angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS IP CO., LLCInventor: Larry E. Steenhoek
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Patent number: 11946805Abstract: A spectrometer apparatus is disclosed that includes at least one light source for irradiating a sample with light, an optical detection device for detecting light scattered by the sample, at least one optical filter device, which is arranged in front of and/or behind the sample, a contact sensor device for determining a contact between the sample and the spectrometer apparatus and for outputting a corresponding output signal, a control device for controlling the light source and the detection device in response to the output signal. The control device is designed such that the control device modifies at least one operating parameter of the light source and the detection device, when the output signal indicates the contact between the sample and the spectrometer apparatus. A method for operating a spectrometer apparatus is disclosed as well.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2019Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Thomas Buck, Martin Husnik, Christian Huber, Marc Schmid, Benedikt Stein, Christoph Daniel Kraemmer
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Patent number: 11940293Abstract: A system may include one or more finger devices that gather input from a user's fingers. A finger device may include one or more self-mixing interferometric proximity sensors that measure a distance to the user's finger. The proximity sensor may measure changes in distance between the proximity sensor and a flexible membrane that rests against a side portion of the user's finger. The self-mixing interferometric proximity sensor may include a laser and a photodiode. In some arrangements, a single laser driver may drive the lasers of multiple self-mixing proximity sensors using time-multiplexing. The self-mixing proximity sensor may operate according to a duty cycle. Interpolation and stitching may be used to determine the total displacement of the user's finger including both the on periods and off periods of the self-mixing proximity sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Mengshu Huang, Ahmet Fatih Cihan, Adrian Z. Harb, Stephen E. Dey, Yuhao Pan, Mehmet Mutlu
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Patent number: 11940328Abstract: The present invention relates to a color control system for controlling, in real time, the color of an article positioned on a moving carrier. The system comprises: an illuminating device configured to illuminate the moving article in successive illuminating cycles, each illuminating cycle comprising successively generating, at a given rate, a given number of lines of light having distinct spectral bands the lines of light being substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement; a detecting device configured to detect the light back scattered by the article successively illuminated by each of the lines of light, such as to generate for each dot of a given number of dots of an observation strip perpendicular to the direction of movement, a number of signals corresponding to the light back scattered by the dot; and a processing unit configured to determine at least one value representative of the color of the dot.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: VEORIAInventors: Philippe Copin, Dominique Martin
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Patent number: 11940321Abstract: A photodetection device including: first optical fibers; a second optical fiber; an optical combiner having: an end face connected to an end face of each of the first optical fibers; and another end face connected to an end face of the second optical fiber; a first photodetector that detects an intensity of light propagating through at least one of the first optical fibers; a second photodetector that detects Rayleigh scattering of light propagating through the second optical fiber; and a calculator that calculates the intensity of light propagating in a predetermined direction through the first optical fibers or the second optical fiber, from a result of detection by the first photodetector and a result of detection by the second photodetector.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2019Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Sakamoto, Wataru Kiyoyama
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Patent number: 11939861Abstract: A lead-free pinscreen imprint device for retrieving at least one imprint of a topmost surface of a fish located in a wellbore may include a housing with a central aperture that extends along a section of a central axis thereof. The lead-free pinscreen imprint device may include a pinscreen portion disposed in the housing. The pinscreen portion may include various pins that are disposed along a vertical axis that is parallel to the central axis. The pinscreen portion may include an imprint surface that faces in a downward direction and a scanning surface that faces in an upward direction. The lead-free pinscreen imprint device may include a three-dimensional (3D) laser image scanner disposed in the housing at a location that is immediately above the pinscreen portion. The 3D laser image scanner may be configured to scan the scanning surface and identify any depth changes in the scanning surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANYInventor: Saud Askar Al-Hajri
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Patent number: 11940327Abstract: A color measuring system includes a receiving section configured to receive designation of a color group including a plurality of colors, a determining section configured to determine whether a color measured by the color measuring section and a comparison target color in the color group coincide, and a control section configured to, when it is determined that the measured color and the comparison target color coincide, automatically advance a color measuring process to a color measuring process for performing the color measurement for a next color in the color group.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Ayako Kobayashi, Yuka Kobayashi, Yasuo Koyauchi, Marina Mineno
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Patent number: 11933667Abstract: An inspection apparatus for a laser oscillator includes a dimming plate that dims a laser beam immediately after the laser beam is emitted from the laser oscillator; an imaging unit that images, with a plurality of pixels, the laser beam dimmed by the dimming plate; a processing unit that processes an image captured by the imaging unit; and a display unit that displays the image processed by the processing unit. The processing unit has at least two thresholds of an inner ring and an outer ring used for partitioning the intensity of the laser beam.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: DISCO CORPORATIONInventor: Hiroshi Morikazu
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Patent number: 11920979Abstract: An optical measurement device may include a light source; an emission optic configured to direct a first portion of light generated by the light source to a measurement target; a collection optic configured to receive light from the measurement target; an optical conduit configured to direct a second portion of light generated by the light source to a spectral reference; the spectral reference; a sensor; and a filter. A first portion of the filter may be provided between the collection optic and a first portion of the sensor. A second portion of the filter may be provided between the spectral reference and a second portion of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.Inventors: William D. Houck, Valton Smith
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Patent number: 11899113Abstract: The vehicle position estimation apparatus that estimates the position of the host vehicle includes: a laser light irradiation unit configured to illuminate laser light; a light reception element configured to receive reflection light of the laser light and reflection light of ambient light which is light other than the laser light and be able to detect an intensity of each of the received reflection light; and a host position estimation unit configured to estimate the position of the host vehicle, based on a result of light reception of the reflection light of the laser light received by the light reception element and a result of light reception of the reflection light of the ambient light.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Hayashi, Taichi Kawanai, Sadayuki Abe
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Patent number: 11892281Abstract: An optical measurement system includes a light source, a spectroscopic detector, a reference sample, a switching mechanism that switches between a first optical path through which a sample to be measured is irradiated with light from the light source and light produced at the sample is guided to the spectroscopic detector and a second optical path through which the reference sample is irradiated with light from the light source and light produced at the reference sample is guided to the spectroscopic detector, and a processing unit that calculates, by performing correction processing based on change between a first detection result at first time and a second detection result at second time, a measurement value of the sample from a third detection result provided from the spectroscopic detector as a result of irradiation of the sample with light from the light source at third time temporally proximate to the second time.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shiro Kawaguchi, Kazuya Nakajima, Hayato Takizawa, Goro Maeda
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Patent number: 11879834Abstract: A method includes identifying, by pre-set criteria, a first plurality of optical channels and a second plurality of optical channels using optical data generated from a plurality of optical filters of a tester tool. The method also includes determining, from the optical data, a first plurality of fluid types detected by each channel in the first plurality of optical channels using a bootstrap fluid identification technique and determining, from the optical data and the first plurality of fluid types, a second plurality of fluid types detected by each channel in the second plurality of optical channels using a guided fluid identification technique. Further, the method includes generating a spectral signature indicating fluid types for each channel within the tester tool based on the first plurality of fluid types and second plurality of fluid types.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Zhonghuan Chen, Bin Dai, Wei Zhang
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Patent number: 11879776Abstract: A spectroscopic detector comprises a first housing, a second housing, a camera lens housed in the first housing, and an image sensor housed in the second housing. The first housing has a first through hole formed therein. The second housing has a second through hole formed therein. The second housing is attached to the first housing so as to allow for communication between an inside of the second housing and an inside of the first housing via the first through hole and the second through hole. In a state where the second housing is attached to the first housing, a periphery of the second through hole is located inside a periphery of the first through hole.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATIONInventor: Ryuta Shibutani
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Patent number: 11879779Abstract: An optical system (150) is disclosed and includes an optical sensor (154), a plurality of photosensitive pixels (178) disposed on the optical sensor, a wavelength-selective optical filter (158) in optical communication with the photosensitive pixels, the wavelength-selective optical filter being disposed remotely from the optical sensor, and a plurality of spatially-variant areas (220, 224, 228, 232) disposed in the optical filter, at least one area of the plurality of spatially-variant areas including a downconverter (400, 500).Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2020Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: John A. Wheatley, Mark A. Roehrig
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Patent number: 11874177Abstract: An image display device generates a temperature information image indicating, by a numerical value, a temperature of each pixel contained in a predetermined area including a position on a thermal image specified by a user, and causes a display to display the temperature information image while a temperature of a pixel corresponding to the position specified is displayed at a center of the temperature information image. The image display device sets a temperature range that has a predetermined temperature width and a center which is a temperature of a pixel corresponding to a position the temperature information image specified by the user, updates the temperature-color conversion information based on the set temperature range, regenerates the thermal image and the temperature information image based on the temperature-color conversion information updated, and causes the display to display the regenerated thermal image and the regenerated temperature information image.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusaku Nakamura, Ryuichi Okamoto, Masaki Mukai
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Patent number: 11852464Abstract: A chromatic confocal sensor configured for calibrating an orientation of an equipment about the optical axis of the chromatic confocal sensor, wherein the equipment is disposed at a first orientation about the optical axis of the chromatic confocal sensor, the chromatic confocal sensor including a light source, a collimator, a lens and a reticle, wherein the light source, the collimator and the lens are coaxially disposed along the optical axis, the reticle is configured to be interposable between the collimator and the lens along the optical axis, an image is configured to be cast by the light source through the collimator, the reticle and the lens on the equipment, the image is disposed at a second orientation about the optical axis and the equipment is calibratable by aligning the equipment with the image such that the first orientation approaches the second orientation.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: MLOptic Corp.Inventors: Wei Zhou, Jiang He, Siyuan Liang