Patents by Inventor Robert Dewar

Robert Dewar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070033037
    Abstract: Upon selection of a displayed word, a list of alternatives for the selected word is displayed. Each alternative in the list has an associated symbol. A speech signal is then decoded to identify a list of possible words and the list of possible words is displayed with each possible word having an associated symbol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Mowatt, Robert Dewar, Robert Chambers, Felix Torquil Ifor Andrew
  • Publication number: 20070033054
    Abstract: A voice-activated user interface for an application is described. The voice activated user interface invokes a speech recognition component to recognize audio input from a user. If the audio input is a command, then a validation component is invoked to determine whether to validate the command prior to execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alex Snitkovskiy, David Mowatt, Felix Andrew, Robert Dewar
  • Patent number: 4899218
    Abstract: Noncontact sensors project fanned or structured light onto the tire, while the wheel is rotated, to illuminate at least two contour lines on the surface of the tire. the contour lines are read by video cameras, positioned offset from the optical plane of the structured light, to allow triangulation in determining the spatial position of the contour lines. Radially equivalent points are selected from each contour line by an algorithm which ignores the effects of any raised lettering on the tire sidewalls. Control of the video cameras and processing of the video data is performed by parallel processor-based computer system coordinated by sequencer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Waldecker, Robert Dewar, David R. Wybo, Richard Woroniec
  • Patent number: 4862598
    Abstract: A quick release mounting arrangement for a portable gauging sensor utilizes three locating surfaces to establish a positive, repeatable mounting for the releasable sensor at any desired number of locations on a gauging fixture. A landing pad at each mounting location provides a depressed cavity in a first face for receipt of a first locating surface carried by the sensor housing, and the landing pad further provides a grooved surface in a second face for receipt of the second and third locating surfaces carried by the sensor body. At least one of the three locating surfaces is movable under spring tension to provide a quick connect/disconnect feature to the sensor mounting arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil E. Barlow, Robert Dewar, James K. West, Richard Woroniec
  • Patent number: 4841460
    Abstract: One or more non-contacting gauging sensors are calibrated to a common external coordinate system by providing each sensor to be calibrated with a target which can be simultaneously viewed by the sensor and an external measuring system for determining coordinates of the target in terms of the external coordinate system and in terms of the sensor coordinate system. With the resulting spatial coordinates of the target expressed in both frames of reference, transform matrix coefficients can be calculated, for example with a programmable computer, to calibrate each sensor to the preselected common external coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dewar, Dale R. Greer
  • Patent number: 4745469
    Abstract: Noncontact sensors project fanned or structured light onto the tire, while the wheel is rotated, to illuminate at least two contour lines on the surface of the tire. The contour lines are read by video cameras, positioned offset from the optical plane of the structured light, to allow triangulation in determining the spatial position of the contour lines. Radially equivalent points are selected from each contour line by an algorithm which ignores the effects of any raised lettering on the tire sidewalls. Control of the video cameras and processing of the video data is performed by parallel processor-based computer system coordinated by sequencer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Waldecker, Robert Dewar, David R. Wybo, Richard Woroniec
  • Patent number: 4645348
    Abstract: A three-dimensional triangulation-type sensor-illumination system adapted for connection to a machine vision computer. The illumination source in the preferred system comprises a unique cross hair light pattern which provides sufficient image data to the computer to enable the computer to make three-dimensional measurements of a wide variety of features, including edges, corners, holes, studs, designated portions of a surface and intersections of surfaces. The illumination source and sensor are both mounted within a single housing in a specific position and orientation relative to one another, thereby permitting the system to be internally calibrated. In addition, the sensor-illuminator unit is preferably mounted in a test fixture so that the light source is substantially normal to the surface of the part to be examined and the sensor is thereby positioned at a perspective angle relative thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dewar, Jeremy Salinger, Thomas J. Waldecker, Neil E. Barlow
  • Patent number: 4541721
    Abstract: Apparatus for optically checking both the gap between two adjacent parts such as the hood-to-fender fit of a vehicle and the surface flushness of the parts employs a hand-held fixture which is adapted to engage edges of the part in order to orient the fixture in a preselected position relative to the gap. A laser and related optical system mounted on the fixture directs a line of collimated light onto the parts and across the gap. The optical system and a television camera on the fixture pick up light reflected from the parts surfaces and generate an image using the triangulation technique which contains measurement information relating to the size of the gap and the degree of surface flushness. A computerized controller converts the image to measurement data that is displayed on a CRT. The control system is used in a part fitting method to select and display the identity of any of a plurality of shims which on an assembly person may employ to create proper fit between the parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Dewar
  • Patent number: 4399554
    Abstract: A computer vision system for inspecting engine heads during assembly for missing valve spring assembly keys comprises a solid-state camera for taking pictures of the valve spring assemblies and providing picture data upon command to a computer. The computer responds to a position encoder which relates the position of the engine head to the camera. Once the data is stored in the computer, it is analyzed to determine the center of the digitized image of the valve spring assembly and an intensity profile at the expected location of the keys relative to the center of the assembly is utilized to determine whether a key is missing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Walton A. Perkins, III, Lothar Rossol, Robert Dewar, James K. West
  • Patent number: 4254433
    Abstract: The movement of an article such as a product carried by a conveyor is monitored by providing a patterned target, preferably striped with contrasting lines, to move with the object. A solid state line scan camera views the pattern of the target as it moves relative to the camera and the electronic output of the camera representing the light and dark areas of the target is analyzed by an electronic circuit to determined the movement of the target and therefore of the object being monitored. The resulting electronic signal representing the motion of the object is useful for coordinating the movement of a robot which is operating upon the object during its movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Dewar, Jr., Rene M. Iadipaolo
  • Patent number: 4105925
    Abstract: In order to determine the position and orientation of an object on a conveyor, two planes of light intersect at a single transverse line on the conveyor surface, the planes of light each being at an acute angle to the conveyor. A linear diode array aligned with the single line of light on the conveyor detects light from that line. An object on the conveyor moving through the line of light intercepts the light above the conveyor at positions spaced laterally from the line of light. The linear array senses only the line segments on the conveyor beyond the object boundaries. By electronic sampling of the illumination of the linear array, the object boundaries are determined and the object shape and orientation are thus detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1978
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar Rossol, Joseph T. Olsztyn, Robert Dewar, Steven W. Holland