Planimeters Patents (Class 33/122)
  • Patent number: 7408838
    Abstract: A planimeter includes a movable housing in which are mounted orthogonally aimed x- and y-position sensors. Each position sensor comprises a piezoelectric ultrasound transmitter and receiver for sending ultrasound to a reflector disposed on a drawing and sensing resultant echoes. Circuitry in the housing computes from the sensor outputs the housing's position for each of a sequence of locations on a drawing at which a user positions the housing, and from those it computes scaled distances between those positions as well as quantities that can be derived from those distances. The transmitter's and receiver's respective positions with respect to positioning crosshairs are such as to suppress the results of orientation errors. The planimeter's handle is angled at 45° to the directions in which the sensors are aimed so that it lends itself to both right- and left-handed operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Scale Master Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joel S. Novak
  • Patent number: 6644814
    Abstract: A DMD projector of small size, lightweight and long life, which employs LED arrays as a light source for brighter screen. According to the projector, projection light from sets of a LED array, a first fly-eye lens appressed thereto, and a second fly-eye lens disposed at a distance therefrom, which are prepared for red, green and blue, enters into three entrance planes of a XDP, and a synthesized light of red, green and blue is projected from the exit plane of the XDP to illuminate a DMD panel. At this point, rays reflected from on-pixels of the DMD panel makes images on a screen via a projection lens using an optical system in which extended images of the same number as the elements of the LED arrays, the images being obtained through exit pupils of respective element lenses of the first fly-eye lenses, the corresponding element lenses of the second fly-eye lenses, and the subsequent illumination lenses, are focused and superposed on the DMD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Ogawa, Atsushi Katou
  • Patent number: 6513257
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining scale in captured images is disclosed. The apparatus includes a rectangular and generally flat frame device for determining scale in captured image. The frame has measurement indicia located along the inside edges and alignment markers located along the outside edges. The preferred embodiment has one measurement scale on two sides of the frame with an origin located at the corner between them and a different scale on the remaining two sides with an origin located at the opposite interior angle of the frame. A method of using the frame in conjunction with a digital camera and a computer is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Reza Nejad-Sattari
  • Patent number: 5990809
    Abstract: The hydrography of a land area beneath a shallow body of water is determined by driving a submersible, remotely controlled, powered vehicle along a route over the land area. The vehicle includes a chassis, a drive mechanism, a drive control module to control the drive mechanism, and a mast extending upwardly from the chassis, with the top end of the mast projecting above the body of water. A position indicator, such as a global positioning system, mounted adjacent the mast top end, determines the position of the position indicator, and transmits position data to a receiving unit at a remote location. A transmitter at the remote location transmits instructions to the drive control module to control the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: David M. Howard
  • Patent number: 4754103
    Abstract: An X-Y position indicator control for manual movement over any surface to move a cursor over a display on a cathode ray tube, the indicator control generating signals indicating its position to cause a cursor to be displayed on the tube at the corresponding position. The indicator control mechanism contains X-Y position wheels mounted with their axes in perpendicular planes, which rotate according to the X and Y movements of the mechanism. Each position wheel is mounted on a flexible shaft. Each position wheel is resiliently urged into contact with the surface by the flexible shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: James De Bisschop, Raymond J. Drennen
  • Patent number: 4617740
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring characteristics of a drawing in which a carriage is supported by a pair of wheels for reciprocal motion on a line. A carriage pulse generator produces pulses proportional to the angle of rotation of the wheels rotatably supported at one end. A tracing lever extending from the carriage has a tracing implement on the other end. A tracing lever pulse generator generates pulses proportional to the rotational motion of the tracing lever. A phase signal generator receives signals from the tracing lever pulse generator and generates a phase angle signal received by a calculator in the carriage. The phase angle signals and pulses from the tracing lever pulse generator we used by the calculator to determine one or more characteristics of the drawing being measured by the tracing implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Inventor: Kobayashi Mikio
  • Patent number: 4616419
    Abstract: A measuring device to measure a figure in which a measuring lever is pivotally attached to a carriage supported on a pair of wheels for reciprocal movement. A locking device pivotally mounted on the carriage prevents movement of the measuring lever. Release of the locking device resets data processing counters in the carriage to zero in preparation for a measurement. Measurements are performed by tracing a figure with a tracing device on an outboard end of said measuring lever which sends signals through a computer processor to a counter. A switch on the outboard end of the measuring lever allows measurements to be held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Inventor: Akio Kubo