Detection Of Diffuse Light Patents (Class 250/559.16)
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Patent number: 11874162Abstract: An electromagnetic wave detection apparatus 10 includes a first propagation unit 16, a second propagation unit 17, a first detector 19, and a second detector 20. The first propagation unit 16 propagates electromagnetic waves incident on a reference surface ss in a particular direction using each pixel px. The second propagation unit 17 includes a first surface s1, a second surface s2, a third surface s3, a fourth surface s4, a fifth surface s5, and a sixth surface s6. The first surface s1 propagates electromagnetic waves incident from a first direction in a second direction and propagates electromagnetic propagated in a third direction in a fourth direction. The second surface s2 separates electromagnetic waves propagated in the second direction d2 and propagate electromagnetic waves in a third direction d3 and a fifth direction d5. The first detector 19 detects electromagnetic waves emitted from the third surface s3. The second detector 20 detects electromagnetic waves emitted from the sixth surface s6.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: KYOCERA CorporationInventor: Eri Takeuchi
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Patent number: 11579081Abstract: A housing includes a first opening and a second opening, and encloses a light-emitting element, a first light receiving unit, and a second light receiving unit. The first opening is provided in a first light guide path arranged between the light-emitting element and a first irradiated region of the target surface, and is arranged so that light output from the light-emitting element travels toward the first irradiated region. The second opening is provided in a second light guide path arranged between the first irradiated region and the first light receiving unit, and is arranged so that diffused reflection light from the toner image passes through when the toner image passes the first irradiated region.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushi Ino, Takuya Mukaibara, Kazutaka Yaguchi, Junya Azami, Hiroshi Kita
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Patent number: 11536845Abstract: Example embodiments relate to LIDAR systems with multi-faceted mirrors. An example embodiment includes a LIDAR system. The system includes a multi-faceted mirror that includes a plurality of reflective facets, which rotates about a first rotational axis. The system also includes a light emitter configured to emit a light signal toward one or more regions of a scene. Further, the system includes a light detector configured to detect a reflected light signal. In addition, the system includes an optical window positioned between the multi-faceted mirror and the one or more regions of the scene such that light reflected from one or more of the reflective facets is transmitted through the optical window. The optical window is positioned such that the optical window is non-perpendicular to the direction toward which the light emitted along the optical axis is directed for all angles of the multi-faceted mirror.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Blaise Gassend, Ralph H. Shepard, Samuel Lenius, Ryan Davis
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Patent number: 11448501Abstract: An image capturing system (10), and a corresponding method, for determining the position of an embossed structure (30) on a sheet element (4) moved though a viewing area (18). It includes a camera (12) adapted for capturing a line image of the surface of the sheet element (4) in the viewing area (18), and an illumination unit (14) with a plurality of light sources (20, 21, . . . ) each adapted for illuminating the viewing area (18). The light sources (20, 21, . . . ) are arranged at different inclinations with respect to the viewing area (18). An image evaluation unit (16) determines an inclination-related parameter for the surface of the sheet element (4) in the viewing area (18) across the viewing area (18).Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Inventors: Matthieu Richard, Francis Pilloud
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Patent number: 11350826Abstract: A device for acquisition of medical images of an ulcer includes a plurality of light sources arranged on the perimeter of a closed regular plane geometry, and adapted to illuminate an ulcer by respective light beams covering the surface of the wound in an overlapped fashion; an image acquisition device placed within the perimeter of the light sources and adapted to acquire medical images of said illuminated ulcer.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Politecnico Di TorinoInventors: Jacopo Secco, Orlando Selenu, Marco Farina
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Patent number: 11221358Abstract: Provided is an electronic device inspection apparatus that suppresses cost increase. A prober is provided with a stage on which a carrier or a wafer is placed. The stage is provided with a stage cover on which the carrier is placed, a cooling unit in contact with the stage cover, and an LED irradiation unit facing the carrier across the stage cover and the cooling unit. Each of the stage cover and the cooling unit is formed of light-transmitting material. A light-transmitting coolant flows in a coolant flow path in the cooling unit. The LED irradiation unit has a plurality of LEDs oriented to the carrier. The carrier is formed of a glass substrate having a substantially disk-like shape. A plurality of electronic devices is arranged on a surface of the carrier at predetermined intervals.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Shigeru Kasai, Yoshinori Fujisawa
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Patent number: 11204413Abstract: A system operating in a vehicle includes a lidar module, a camera, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar module. The lidar module includes: a light source configured to emit pulses of light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses of light in accordance with a scan pattern to illuminate a field of regard of the lidar module, and a receiver configured to detect the emitted pulses of light scattered by one or more remote objects to capture a set of lidar pixels of a scan frame, in a sequence defined by the scan pattern. The camera has a field of view that at least partially overlaps the field of regard of the lidar module. The controller is configured to cause the camera to capture multiple images while the receiver of the lidar module captures the set of lidar pixels of the scan frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: Luminar, LLCInventors: Joseph G. LaChapelle, Jason M. Eichenholz
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Patent number: 11022562Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for vision system assisted inspections. An non-destructive testing (NDT) based setup may be configured for supporting use of visual scanner, which obtain visual scan of articles during NDT inspections. Scanning data corresponding to the visual scan may be processed, based on the processing, inspection indications may be identified, with each inspection indication corresponds to a possible defect in the article.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventor: Sakif Bin Ferdous
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Apparatuses and methods for measuring spatial properties of surface coating containing flake pigment
Patent number: 10928327Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for measurement of spatial properties of a moving surface coating containing flake pigment are provided herein. An exemplary apparatus includes a movable surface adapted to receive the surface coating. A motion device is in mechanical communication with the movable surface. A light source provides a beam of light directed at a preselected interrogation zone through which the movable surface passes during movement thereof. A light detection device detects light reflected from the preselected interrogation zone and produces an output. A computing device is configured to determine one or more spatial properties of the surface coating based upon the output. One or more of the light source, the light detection device, or the computing device are configured to adjust for the movement of the surface coating through the preselected interrogation zone as a variable that affects measurement of reflected light by the light detection device.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS IP CO., LLCInventors: Larry E. Steenhoek, Hardeep Singh Gill, Ken S. Schermacher -
Patent number: 10919323Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic transceiver that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave, and that outputs a reception signal by receiving the ultrasonic wave, and a position detection unit that detects a position of a target facing the ultrasonic transceiver, based on the reception signal. A plurality of the ultrasonic transceivers are arranged along a first direction. The position detection unit detects inclination of the target with respect to the first direction, based on the reception signals output from a plurality of the ultrasonic transceivers.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Ryoki Watanabe, Kanechika Kiyose
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Patent number: 10739441Abstract: In some examples, a system comprises a laser light source and a rotatable mirror assembly comprising a plurality of mirror segments, the rotatable mirror assembly aligned to reflect light transmitted by the laser light source, wherein the plurality of mirror segments comprise a first segment that reflects a first light beam from the laser light source in a first direction, and a second mirror segment that reflects the first light beam from the laser light source in a second direction, different from the first direction. In some examples, the system comprises a light sensor positioned to receive light reflected from the rotatable mirror assembly. In some examples, the system comprises a motor for rotating the mirror assembly about a rotation axis. In some examples, the system comprises a controller for controlling a sampling phase of sampling the light sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.Inventor: Bartholomeus C. Nabbe
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Patent number: 10719038Abstract: An apparatus includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image as an image by using toner, an image bearing member to which the image is transferred, a detecting unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light toward the image bearing member and a light-receiving element that receives light reflected from a detection target, and a control unit that adjusts an image forming condition. The control unit adjusts a light-emission ratio between the light-emitting elements based on a difference between a reflected light amount at a first position on the image bearing member and a reflected light amount at a second position.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masayuki Sakai
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Patent number: 10705190Abstract: A lidar device comprises: a laser emitting unit for including a plurality of VCSEL elements emitting a laser beam; a metasurface for including a plurality of beam steering cells arranged in a form of two-dimensional array by a row direction and a column direction, wherein the plurality of beam steering cells guide the laser beam by using nanopillars; wherein the nanopillars included in the plurality of beam steering cells form a subwavelength pattern, wherein the increase of an attribute related to at least one of the width, height, and number per unit length of the nanopillars is repetitive along the direction from the center of the metasurface to the position of the row corresponding to the plurality of beam steering cells.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2019Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: SOS LAB CO., LTDInventors: Jun Hwan Jang, Hee Sun Yoon
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Patent number: 10677897Abstract: A system includes a lidar, a camera, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera and the lidar. The lidar includes a laser configured to emit pulses of light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted pulses in accordance with a scan pattern, and a receiver configured to detect the emitted pulse of light scattered by one or more remote targets to collect a set of lidar pixels of a scan frame, in a sequence defined by the scan pattern. The camera has a field of regard that at least partially overlaps the field of regard of the lidar. The controller is configured to cause the camera to capture images while the receiver of the lidar module collects the complete set of lidar pixels of the scan frame, and align lidar pixels with corresponding pixels in the captured images.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Joseph G. LaChapelle, Jason M. Eichenholz
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Patent number: 10613224Abstract: A light detection and ranging (lidar) device includes: a lower base; an upper base; a laser emitting unit for emitting a laser in a form of a point light source; a nodding mirror for transforming the laser in the form of the point light source to a line beam pattern which is perpendicular to the lower base, wherein the nodding mirror reflects the laser emitted from the laser emitting unit; a polygonal mirror for transforming the line beam pattern to a plane beam pattern and receiving a laser reflected from an object; and a sensor unit for receiving the laser reflected from the object via the polygonal mirror.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: SOS LAB CO., LTDInventors: Ji Seong Jeong, Jun Hwan Jang, Dong Kyu Kim, Sung Ui Hwang, Gyeong Hwan Shin, Bum Sik Won
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Patent number: 10571567Abstract: A lidar system comprises a light source configured to emit light, a scanner configured to direct the emitted light to scan a field of regard of the lidar system in accordance with a scan pattern, a receiver configured to detect the light scattered by one or more remote targets, and a controller configured to control motion of at least the second mirror to modify the scan pattern. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror having a block having a first wall, a second wall, and reflective surfaces extending between the first and second walls, the reflective surfaces being angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the block. The scanner also includes a polygon mirror axle extending into the block through at least one of the first and second walls, about which the block rotates, and a second mirror pivotable along an axis orthogonal to the polygon mirror axle.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Campbell, Jason M. Eichenholz, Austin K. Russell, John G. Hughes
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Patent number: 10557924Abstract: A lidar device comprises: a laser emitting unit for including a plurality of VCSEL elements emitting a laser beam; a metasurface for including a plurality of beam steering cells arranged in a form of two-dimensional array by a row direction and a column direction, wherein the plurality of beam steering cells guide the laser beam by using nanopillars; wherein the nanopillars included in the plurality of beam steering cells form a subwavelength pattern, wherein the increase of an attribute related to at least one of the width, height, and number per unit length of the nanopillars is repetitive along the direction from the center of the metasurface to the position of the row corresponding to the plurality of beam steering cells.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: SOS LAB CO., LTDInventors: Jun Hwan Jang, Hee Sun Yoon
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Patent number: 10451716Abstract: A lidar system comprises a light source to emit pulses of light, a scanner, a receiver, and a controller. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror with reflective surfaces, the reflective surfaces being angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the block. The scanner further includes a polygon mirror axle extending into the block, about which the block rotates, a rotary encoder having a rotational component with an axis of rotation aligned with the polygon mirror axle, the rotational component having one or more characteristics configured to cause the rotary encoder to return a signal, and a second mirror pivotable along an axis orthogonal to the polygon mirror axle. The controller is configured to determine a rotational parameter of the polygon mirror in response to the signal returned from the rotary encoder.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.Inventors: John Hughes, Nicholas Ventola, Sean P. Hughes
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Patent number: 10371668Abstract: A method for non-invasively probing at least one physics property of a solid material. In one embodiment, the method has the steps of splitting a photon beam into a first photon beam and a second photon beam, exposing the solid material to the first photon beam to generate a coherent acoustic phonon wave in the solid material at time t, and exposing the solid material to the second photon beam at a time t+?t, where t+?t?t, to generate corresponding second harmonic generation signals, where from the corresponding second harmonic generation signals, the at least one physics property of the solid material is determinable.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITYInventors: Joy Garnett, Halina Krzyzanowska, Norman H. Tolk
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Patent number: 10298174Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element evaluation apparatus includes: a probe light source that irradiates a photoelectric conversion element as the object of measurement with probe light; a pump light source that irradiates the photoelectric conversion element being irradiated with the probe light with pulsed pump light; and a light receiving element that detects time dependency of a change in an amount of the probe light obtained from the photoelectric conversion element.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Yokogawa Electric CorporationInventors: Akishige Ito, Masato Ishikawa, Takashi Tsubota, Yoshinori Matsumoto
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Patent number: 10054887Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ID sensor arranged to face an intermediate transfer belt, and a board provided with the ID sensor. The ID sensor is integrally formed with the board and while emitting light toward the intermediate transfer belt, the ID sensor includes a sensor body that individually receives light regularly reflected and light diffused and reflected by the intermediate transfer belt, a lens that is arranged between the sensor body and the intermediate transfer belt to control emitted light from the sensor body and incident light to the sensor body, and a holding member that holds the lens. The holding member is directly welded and fixed to the board.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Akinori Matsuno
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Patent number: 10016872Abstract: A method for producing a mirror substrate blank made from titanium-doped silica glass for EUV lithography, having a thickness of at least 40 millimeters, includes steps of face grinding the surface of the blank and identifying data on defects in a surface layer of the blank. Light penetrates the blank at a predetermined angle of incidence ? of less than 90° at a location on the flat surface of the blank. The light scatters on a defect in the blank, and the scattered light is detected at a distance x from the penetration location on the surface of the blank by a light detection element arranged perpendicularly thereabove. The method further includes steps of determining the position of the defect in the surface layer based on the obtained data, and partial or complete removal of the surface layer in consideration of the position determination and forming the mirror substrate blank.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Klaus Becker
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Patent number: 9982999Abstract: An interferometric method for profiling the topography of a sample surface comprises: (i) a first interferometric profiling step at a first magnification M1 to produce a map comprising pixels with planar (X,Y)-coordinates corresponding to the area of the sample surface, (ii) identifying pixel(s) which meet or exceed a Cut-Off Threshold, and meet or exceed a parameter NNAP; (iii) identifying pixel(s) for which no z-coordinate has been recorded; (iv) generating a Low Magnification Frame File (LMFF) which comprises the (X,Y) coordinates of the pixels derived from steps (ii) and (iii); (v) a second interferometric profiling step at a second magnification M2, wherein M2>M1, wherein only selected regions of the sample surface are analysed, said selected regions comprising the features associated with the (X,Y)-coordinates of the pixels in the Low Magnification Frame File; and further comprising a step selected from: (vi) analysing the output of the second interferometric profiling step to differentiate between aType: GrantFiled: September 19, 2013Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: DuPont Teijin Films U.S. Limited PartnershipInventor: Karl Rakos
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Patent number: 9927210Abstract: A laser designator system using modulated CW laser diodes and a conventional high pixel count image sensor array, such as CCD or CMOS array. These two technologies, diode lasers and imaging sensor arrays are reliable, widely used and inexpensive technologies, as compared with prior art pulsed laser systems. These systems are distinguished from the prior art systems in that they filter the laser signal spatially, by collecting light over a comparatively long period of time from a very few pixels out of the entire field of view of the image sensor array. This is in contrast to the prior art systems where the laser signal is filtered temporarily, over a very short time span, but over a large fraction of the field of view. By spatially filtering the signal outputs of the individual pixels, it becomes possible to subtract the background illumination from the illuminated laser spot.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2017Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: SHILAT OPTICAL SYSTEMS LTD.Inventors: Avishay Guetta, Michael Yagudaev, Doron Korngut
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Patent number: 9805457Abstract: Provided is a defect detection device capable of measuring the volume of surface defects. The defect detection device includes: an imaging device configured to image an image of an inspection object; a binarization processing unit configured to subject the image to first and second binarization processing by use of different first and second binarization thresholds, so as to calculate first and second sizes for an identical defect in the image; a ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a first ratio of the second size to the first size; and a depth determination unit configured to determine a depth of the defect depending on the first ratio.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirohisa Shibayama, Eiji Shiotani, Satoru Sakurai, Kiyokazu Sugiyama, Akira Shimizu, Daisuke Terada, Yoshitsugu Noshi, Yoshito Utsumi
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Patent number: 9772259Abstract: A method for calibrating an X-ray inspection system for a tire. The X-ray inspection system includes an X-ray tube, a linear X-ray detector, and a manipulator for the tire. The method includes moving one of the X-ray tube, the linear X-ray detector, and the manipulator along a travel path from a set starting position to a set end position, capturing, at a preset reading rate during the movement of one of the X-ray tube, the linear X-ray detector, and the manipulator, a continuous capture of X-ray radiography images of a cord within the tire, tracking the cord using successive X-ray radiography images, and deducing an absolute position of the cord using a total shift of the cord in the X-ray radiography images between the starting position and the end position and using known geometric data.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: YXLON INTERNATIONAL GMBHInventors: Juergen Melchert, Klaus Bavendiek
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Patent number: 9716124Abstract: An apparatus includes: a light source; a two-dimensional image sensor that receives reflected light from a subject including specular light of the source and outputs an image of the subject; and an optical member arranged in an optical path of light emitted from the source to the subject. When a specular position of the source in the subject arranged apart from the two-dimensional image sensor by a certain distance is defined as a first specular position, whereas a specular position of the source in the optical member is defined as a second specular position, a relative positional relation of the optical member and the source with respect to the two-dimensional image sensor is determined so that a difference between an incident angle from the source toward the first specular position and an incident angle from the source toward the second specular position is a reference value or more.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Mamoru Yorimoto, Nobuyuki Satoh, Masato Kobayashi, Masayuki Fujii, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Suguru Yokozawa, Kenji Morita
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Patent number: 9709437Abstract: A method for detecting a defect in a structure member includes exciting a structure member by applying an excitation signal to the structure member, applying an optical signal to the excited structure member and capturing a reflected optical signal formed by a reflection of the applied optical signal by the excited structure member, and processing the reflected optical signal to determine one or more defects in the structure member.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2015Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: City University of Hong KongInventors: Denvid Lau, Tin Kei Cheng
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Patent number: 9588054Abstract: A defect inspection method includes an illumination light adjustment step of adjusting light emitted from a light source, an illumination intensity distribution control step of forming light flux obtained in the illumination light adjustment step into desired illumination intensity distribution, a sample scanning step of displacing a sample in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the illumination intensity distribution, a scattered light detection step of counting the number of photons of scattered light emitted from plural small areas in an area irradiated with illumination light to produce plural scattered light detection signals corresponding to the plural small areas, a defect judgment step of processing the plural scattered light detection signals to judge presence of a defect, a defect dimension judgment step of judging dimensions of the defect in each place in which the defect is judged to be present and a display step of displaying a position on sample surface and theType: GrantFiled: October 14, 2011Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yuta Urano, Toshifumi Honda, Takahiro Jingu
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Patent number: 9513216Abstract: In an optical sensor, a light emission system emits an irradiated light of a linear polarization in a first polarization direction toward a surface of a target object having a sheet shape from an incident direction which is inclined with respect to a normal direction of the surface. A first light detection system includes a first light detector arranged on a first light path of a specular reflected light, which is emitted from the light emission system and is specularly reflected from the target object. A second light detection system includes a second light detector arranged on a second light path of a diffuse reflected light which is diffusely reflected from an incident plane on the target object. The second light detector receives second light passed by an optical element which passes a linear polarization component of a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yoshihiro Ohba, Satoru Sugawara, Toshihiro Ishii, Fumikazu Hoshi
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Patent number: 9134402Abstract: A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar system and images from a video system to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory of a target. The system calibrates the lidar subsystem with the video subsystem in two stages. In a first stage, the system calibrates the lidar subsystem so that lidar measurements provide 3D lidar coordinates. In a second stage, the system relates the 3D lidar coordinates with a video image obtained from the video subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Digital Signal CorporationInventors: Richard L. Sebastian, Anatoley T. Zheleznyak
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Patent number: 9116123Abstract: A gloss measuring device that measures a gloss of an image formed on a sheet which is being transported, the gloss measuring device includes a light emission portion that emits light toward the sheet, a light reception portion that receives the light reflected specularly off the image formed on the sheet, and a position adjustment unit that performs adjustment such that the sheet being transported is in a measurement reference position.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: So Yano, Naotoshi Kawai, Yoshiyuki Toso, Noboru Oomoto, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Takao Miyamoto
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Patent number: 9104173Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image formation unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a sensor unit having a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device; a frame to which the sensor unit is attached; at least one projection provided on one of the sensor unit and the frame, the at least one projection being formed to have a contacting part which projects to contact an other of the sensor unit and the frame; and at least one engagement part provided on one of the sensor unit and the frame, the at least one engagement part being formed to engage with at least one catching part provided on an other of the sensor unit and the frame and to press the at least one projection in a direction of increasing a contact surface pressure of the contacting part by causing elastic deformation.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kentaro Murayama
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Patent number: 9018608Abstract: An optical liquid sensor utilizing a light source, fiber optic cables, a light detector and an irregular transparent surface is provided to detect the presence of liquid in mist and continuous form. The sensor may be integrated into a probe designed for insertion into a pressurized fluid process.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: A+ Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Donald P Mayeaux
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Publication number: 20140021378Abstract: A solid-state photodetector with variable spectral response that can produce a narrow or wide response spectrum of incident light. Some embodiments include a solid-state device structure that includes a first photodiode and a second photodiode that share a common anode region. Bias voltages applied to the first photodiode and/or the second photodiode may be used to control the thicknesses of depletion regions of the photodiodes and/or a common anode region to vary the spectral response of the photodetector. Thickness of the depletion regions and/or the common anode region may be controlled based on resistance between multiple contacts of the common anode region and/or capacitance of the depletion regions. Embodiments include control circuits and methods for determining spectral characteristics of incident light using the variable spectral response photodetector.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: Microsemi CorporationInventor: Michael J. McNutt
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Patent number: 8455851Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a light-emitting unit; a light-receiving unit that receives light radiated from the light-emitting unit and reflected from a detection target and that outputs an output value in response to the light received; and a correcting unit that corrects the output value of the light-receiving unit when receiving the light reflected from the detection target based on the output value of the light-receiving unit obtained by irradiating a detection area of the optical sensor with light without any light reflective objects being present in the detection area.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori, Shin Hasegawa, Yoshiaki Miyashita, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Akira Yoshida
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Patent number: 8428686Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a physiological parameter includes a garment that includes a fabric that exhibits both a light transmission property and a light reflection property. The amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, such as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers and at least one detector responsive to such incident radiation. The source and detector are associated with the fabric such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric when the fabric stretches.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: Chia Kuo, George W. Coulston
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Patent number: 8145291Abstract: A garment and system includes a monitoring fabric that exhibits a light reflection property and substantially no light transmission property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers. The amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into an aperture of acceptance defined with respect to an imaginary axis extending from the fabric relative to the amount of light lost to the aperture of acceptance detectably changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector, with the detector disposed in the aperture of acceptance.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2010Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventor: George W. Coulston
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Patent number: 8049895Abstract: Values for one or more particle properties, such as an aerosol asymmetry parameter g, can be measured directly using a detector that measures scattered light. The detector can comprise two or more diffusers coupled to optical sensors responsive to scattered light that is incident on the surfaces of the diffusers. One or more weighing functions can be obtained based on diffuser geometry. In an example, the diffusers correspond to quadrants of a circular toroid.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2009Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the Desert Research InstituteInventors: Hans Moosmüller, W. Patrick Arnott
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Patent number: 7763876Abstract: A system is provided for measuring gloss and spatial dependence of gloss. In a first embodiment, the system comprises: a first illuminator configured to emit a first light beam at a point on a target, thereby producing a generally specular reflectance in a first direction; a second illuminator configured to emit a second light beam at the point on the target, thereby producing generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; a linear array sensor configured to detect the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; and a processor configured to process the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance detected by the linear array sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Martin E. Banton, Dale R. Mashtare, Paul A. Hosier
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Patent number: 7725152Abstract: A garment and system includes a monitoring fabric comprising a first plurality of reflective yarns knitted or woven with a second plurality of stretchable yarns. The fabric exhibits both a light transmission property and a light reflection property. The amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, such as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one source of radiation having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers and at least one detector responsive to such incident radiation. The source and detector are associated with the fabric such that the reception of incident radiation by the detector is directly affected by a change in the amount of light transmitted through the fabric relative to the amount of light reflected by the fabric when the fabric stretches.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventors: Chia Chyuan Kuo, George W. Coulston
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Patent number: 7715897Abstract: A garment and system includes a monitoring fabric that exhibits a light reflection property and substantially no light transmission property when the fabric is illuminated with light having wavelength(s) in the range of 400 to 2200 nanometers. The amount of useful light reflected by the fabric into an aperture of acceptance defined with respect to an axis extending from the fabric relative to the amount of light lost to the aperture of acceptance detectably changes when the fabric stretches in response to motion, as the motion induced by physiological activity (e.g., heart rate). The system includes at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector, with the detector disposed in the aperture of acceptance.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Textronics, Inc.Inventor: George W. Coulston
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Patent number: 7616296Abstract: A validating machine 30 according to the present invention is provided with a validation sensor 2 having a first-side light emitting device 8 and a first-side light receiving device 10 disposed closely to each other and a validation sensor 2? having a second-side light emitting device 8? and a second-side light receiving device 10? disposed closely to each other so that the validation sensor 2 and the validation sensor 2? are disposed opposite to each other on a first side and on a second side of a bill 4. The first-side light emitting device 8 and the second-side light emitting device 8? are controlled so as to emit light at their respective emission timings different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2008Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignees: Aruze Corp., Seta Corp.Inventors: Jun Fujimoto, Kazuei Yoshioka
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Patent number: 7538335Abstract: Embodiments of spectral filters with dye-impregnated nano-spheres are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a spectral filter comprises a host material that includes a plurality of nano-particles embedded within. The particles include a dye having an absorption band of wavelengths and have a size selected to resonate at a range of wavelengths that is within the absorption band. The particles may be selected to resonate in either a plasmon mode or a whispering-gallery mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Francis Lawrence Leard
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Patent number: 7507981Abstract: A system for identifying a characteristic of a printing media includes a light source module that has a light emitting diode (LED) and an aspheric lens and a light detection module that has a photodetector and an aspheric lens. The light source module and light detection module are oriented with respect to a printing media such that the focusing points of the respective aspheric lenses are located at a common position on the printing media. The system differentiates between printing media types by applying light to the surface of the printing media and measuring the light that is reflected from the surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2006Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Kuldeep Kumar Saxena, Wee Sin Tan, Deng Peng Chen
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Patent number: 7468506Abstract: A method for scanning a surface, consisting of focusing an array of beams using optics having an axis, so as to irradiate a region of the surface intercepted by the axis, such that each beam irradiates a portion of a respective sub-region within the region. The method further includes moving at least one of the array and the surface so as to cause a translation of the surface relative to the axis in a first direction. During the translation in the first direction, each of the beams is scanned over the respective sub-region in a second direction, which is different from the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2006Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignee: Applied Materials, Israel, Ltd.Inventors: Steven R. Rogers, Nissim Elmaliach, Emanuel Elyasef, Alon Litman, Ron Naftali
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Patent number: 7349075Abstract: A validating machine 30 according to the present invention is provided with a validation sensor 2 having a first-side light emitting device 8 and a first-side light receiving device 10 disposed closely to each other and a validation sensor 2? having a second-side light emitting device 8? and a second-side light receiving device 10? disposed closely to each other so that the validation sensor 2 and the validation sensor 2? are disposed opposite to each other on a first side and on a second side of a bill 4. The first-side light emitting device 8 and the second-side light emitting device 8? are controlled so as to emit light at their respective emission timings different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2004Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignees: Aruze Corp., Seta Corp.Inventors: Jun Fujimoto, Kazuei Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20070278432Abstract: A system for identifying a characteristic of a printing media includes a light source module that has a light emitting diode (LED) and an aspheric lens and a light detection module that has a photodetector and an aspheric lens. The light source module and light detection module are oriented with respect to a printing media such that the focusing points of the respective aspheric lenses are located at a common position on the printing media. The system differentiates between printing media types by applying light to the surface of the printing media and measuring the light that is reflected from the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2006Publication date: December 6, 2007Inventors: Kuldeep Kumar Saxena, Wee Sin Tan, Deng Peng Chen
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Patent number: 7285771Abstract: An optical sensor assembly includes a housing and a light source within the housing and a plurality of sensors within the housing, the sensors being configured to detect reflections of the light from a piece of media or other object adjacent the housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: Steven H. Walker
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Patent number: 7253904Abstract: To measure the characteristics of the surface coating of a moving metal strip, such as the alliation level of a coating including zinc and iron, the product is exposed to the radiation of a radiative source with a predetermined wavelength directed orthogonally to the surface of the product and the energy reflected by the surface is measured also in a direction orthogonal to the surface so as to overcome reflectivity variations due to the morphological characteristics of the surface and these operations are performed with the help of off-the-shelf optical fibres previously stripped at their free ends of their normal optical focusing accessories so that they can be brought as near to each other as possible and placed parallel to each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2003Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: UsinorInventors: Pierre-Jean Krauth, Marco Bini