Position Detection Patents (Class 348/94)
  • Patent number: 8994811
    Abstract: Disclosed is a diffraction microscopy capable of reducing influence of an increase in the incident angle range of a beam. Specifically disclosed is a diffraction microscopy in which a beam is incident on a sample, in which the intensity of a diffraction pattern from the sample is measured, and in which an image of an object is rebuilt using Fourier interactive phase retrieval on the basis of the measured intensity of the diffraction pattern. In this method, Fourier interactive phase retrieval is performed using deconvolution on the diffraction pattern subjected to convolution by the increase in the incident angle range of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: National University Corporation Hokkaido University
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Gohara, Kota Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8976231
    Abstract: A device for measuring three dimensional shape includes a first irradiation unit, a first grating control unit, a second irradiation unit, a second grating control unit, an imaging unit, and an image processing unit. After performance of a first imaging operation as imaging processing of a single operation among a multiplicity of imaging operations performed by irradiation of said first light pattern of multiply varied phases, a second imaging operation is performed as imaging processing of a single operation among a multiplicity of imaging operations performed by irradiation of said second light pattern of multiply varied phases. After completion of the first imaging operation and the second imaging operation, shifting or switching operation of the first grating and the second grating is performed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 8964015
    Abstract: Provided are a system and method for checking a state of a rotator. The system includes: a position recognition sensor that senses a position of a rotator and generates a position synchronization signal corresponding to the position of the rotator; a control unit that detects a position of a detection specimen existing in the rotator based on the position synchronization signal and generates an image photographing control signal corresponding to the detected position of the detection specimen; and a camera system that photographs an image of the detection specimen existing in the rotator based on the image photographing control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su-bong Bae, Chung-ung Kim, Ki-ju Lee, Jong-jin Park, Dong-hwi Cho, Jong-cheol Kim
  • Patent number: 8957968
    Abstract: To construct a system composed as described hereafter, capable of easily calling out monitoring data from a monitoring system, where task information along with index information is a key, and for which tracking by a task system is desired, by linking the index information of the monitoring data managed by the index information of the task information and monitoring system, with the storage location, and which is composed of a first and second type work area where tasks are performed, a monitoring system server, a monitoring data storage device, monitoring objects, a task system server, and a task data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Yoshiro Mizuno
    Inventors: Yoshiro Mizuno, Hiroshi Kurita
  • Publication number: 20150042784
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an image photographing method makes it possible to photograph a moving object at a desired photographing position without increasing the size of an image to be processed. The image photographing method includes a first photographing step in which a camera controller carries out continuous photographing in a first image quality, an estimation calculation step for estimating a timing at which the object to be photographed passes through a predetermined desired position range on the basis of a plurality of positions of the object to be photographed, the plurality of positions being obtained from the images photographed by the camera controller in the first photographing step, and a second photographing step in which the camera controller carries out photographing at the passing timing in a second image quality finer than the first image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Kenkichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8937654
    Abstract: A machine vision inspection system comprises an optical portion providing an image of a field of view of a workpiece which may be a magnified image. A first camera and a second camera provide first and second images of a shared or common field of view of the workpiece and are arranged such that the orientation of the common field of view imaged in the first camera is rotated relative to the orientation of the common field of view imaged in the second camera. Signal processing provides an edge measurement of an edge feature within the common field of view and determines which of the first and second images is used as a basis for the edge measurement based on whether their respective edge orientation (with respect to the pixel array of each camera) differs from the pixel array orientation of their associated camera by an orientation difference threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Lawrence Delaney
  • Patent number: 8913123
    Abstract: A system for mounting a needle shield to a syringe. The system includes a syringe nest and a gripper having a gripping position and a release position. The gripper is movable between an aligned position and a spaced position. A shaker has a shaker axis that is generally coaxial with the syringe axis. The shaker is movable along the shaker axis. An inspection camera is positioned proximate the syringe axis and defines a line of sight. The syringe nest, gripper, shaker and cap plunger are generally aligned along the syringe axis in a placing configuration wherein the gripper is in the gripping position holding the needle shield. The gripper is in the spaced position and the distal end of the cap plunger is in engagement with the needle shield in a final cap mounting configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Justin Miller
  • Patent number: 8908043
    Abstract: A location-based operating method for a head mounted display apparatus is provided. The method can be performed by one or more components of a mobile computing system and remote computing systems. The method obtains location data corresponding to the head mounted display apparatus, and processes the location data to determine a geographic position of the head mounted display apparatus. The method continues by controlling display characteristics of the head mounted display apparatus in response to the geographic position of the head mounted display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Tricoukes, Patrick Riechel, Tom Roslak
  • Publication number: 20140347468
    Abstract: A substrate working device includes: a base; a first substrate working table and a second substrate working table movably supported on the base; an indicator provided to one of a base side member, which is formed on the base or a member fixed to the base, and the first and second substrate working tables; an imaging unit provided on the other one, which is different from the one, of the base side member and the first and second substrate working tables in order to image the indicator; and a control unit that, by causing the imaging unit to image the indicator and based on image data thereof, acquires position information related to each of the substrate working tables and that moreover determines whether or not the respective substrate working tables interfere with each other at the time of movement of each substrate working table based on the position information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20140340508
    Abstract: This method is characterized in that a ring-shaped jig is disposed on a workpiece on a machine tool, and the optical axis of a camera is aligned parallel to a single axis of the coordinate system of the machine tool. The jig is photographed using the camera in which the horizontal direction or the vertical direction of the camera is aligned with an axial direction other than the signal direction of the machine tool, and the circumferential shape of the jig in the image photographed by the camera is extracted as a contour. The center position of the jig in the image is calculated from the contour while all the distortion correction coefficients in tangential direction and all the distortion correction coefficients in the radial direction are ignored and set to zero. The displacements of the main point of the camera are all set to zero so as to be included in the translation distance of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hideaki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20140340507
    Abstract: Deep narrow gaps (20) between side walls (32 and 36) of a workpiece (26) can be measure by modules (42) that include an imager (70) and provide focused directional lighting from light sources (76) into the gaps (20). The imager (70) may employ a camera having an array of pixels along rows and columns. Gray scale captured by pixels along rows or columns parallel to a major axis (46) of the gap (20) may be analyzed to facilitate determination of spacing between the edges (34 and 38) of the gaps (20). Relative movement between the workpiece (26) and the imager (76) along the major axis (46) can also facilitate determination of spacing between the edges (34 and 38) of the gaps (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Kyung Young KIM
  • Patent number: 8885108
    Abstract: A TV control device, for an external TV device includes a storage unit storing a user identification code and user setting data corresponding to the user identification code, and a wireless communication unit transmitting a control signal to the external TV device according to the user identification code and the user setting data, wherein the external TV device determines a TV setting of the external TV device according to the user identification code and the user setting data when the external TV device receives the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hannstar Display Corp.
    Inventors: Yi-Ming Pai, Chin-Sheng Lee, Yu-Tsung Hsu
  • Patent number: 8866913
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating a 360 degree camera system include imaging reference strips, analyzing the imaged data to correct for pitch, roll, and yaw of cameras of the 360 degree camera system, and analyzing the image data to correct for zoom and shifting of the cameras. Each of the reference strips may include a bullseye component and a dots component to aid in the analyzing and correcting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Hsieh, Hasan Gadjali, Tawei Ho
  • Patent number: 8830304
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, which provides images for stereoscopic viewing by synthesizing images obtained by capturing an image of real space by a main image sensing device and sub image sensing device to a virtual image, measures the position and orientation of the main image sensing device, calculates the position and orientation of the sub image sensing device based on inter-image capturing device position and orientation held in a holding unit and the measured position and orientation of the main image sensing device. Then the information processing apparatus calculates an error using the measured position and orientation of the main image sensing device, the calculated position and orientation of the sub image sensing device, and held intrinsic parameters of the main image sensing device and sub image sensing device. The information processing apparatus calibrates the held information based on the calculated error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sonoko Miyatani, Kenji Morita, Masakazu Fujiki
  • Patent number: 8812887
    Abstract: An electronic display device detects whether a user is in front of a display via a camera according to a first frequency in a working mode of the electronic display device. If the electronic display device detects that the user is not in front of the display for a first predefined time period, the electronic display device enters a power saving mode by turning off the display. The electronic display device detects whether the user is in front of the display again via the camera according to a second frequency in the power saving mode. The electronic display device reduces the second frequency after the user is not in front of the display for a second predefined time period. The electronic display device enters the working mode by turning on the display when detecting that the user is in front of the display again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: Ambit Microsystems (Shanghai) Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xu Liu, Chi-Ming Lu
  • Patent number: 8774459
    Abstract: An indoor user positioning method including storing user information on a user terminal and user feature information detected from a feature detection device in a central server, detecting the position of the user terminal periodically and storing the detected position in a database, detecting by a motion recognition device attribute information on a user at the front thereof and transmitting the detected attribute information to the central server, extracting user terminals corresponding to the position of the user that the motion recognition device recognizes from the user terminals stored in the database in order to select target users, and comparing the user feature information on the target users stored in the database with the user attribute information that the motion recognition device transmits in order to specify a user at the front of the motion recognition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Mogencelab Corporation
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Jung, Lee-Kwon Choi, Seung-Kwon Lee, Nam-Jin Kim, Sung-Jun Na, Jong-Hwan Bae, Min-Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8773526
    Abstract: A machine vision inspection system (MVIS) and a related light stripe edge feature location method are disclosed. The MVIS comprises a control system, a light stripe projection system, an imaging system, and a user interface. In a region of interest including the edge feature, the light stripe projection system focuses a light stripe transverse to the edge direction and across the edge feature, such that the light stripe has a changing stripe intensity profile along the light stripe. The imaging system acquires an image of the light stripe and the control system analyzes the image to determine the location of the edge feature based on a changing light intensity profile along the stripe. The method may be implemented in an edge detection video tool. The method may be advantageous for inspecting highly textured, beveled, chamfered, rounded or damaged edges, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Robert K. Bryll
  • Patent number: 8767053
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for enabling the viewing of positionally and orientationally modified stereoscopic video material using one or more participants with near-to-eye displays with video content appearance altered to accommodate changes in orientation and position of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Neal
  • Publication number: 20140152805
    Abstract: An orthogonal state measuring device includes a measurement table and a CCD camera displacing in X, Y, and Z directions relative to the measurement table and measuring a work piece placed on the measurement table. The orthogonal state measuring device further includes a wide angle surveillance camera, a computer main body, and a display. The wide angle surveillance camera captures in one pass an image that is capable of configuring a bird's-eye image of the work piece, the bird's-eye image encompassing an entire field over which the CCD camera is capable of relative displacement. The computer main body generates the bird's-eye image based on the image and defines a position of the CCD camera on the bird's-eye image, then configures navigation maps in which the position of the CCD camera is composited on the bird's-eye image. The display displays the navigation maps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi SAEKI, Hiroshi SAKAI
  • Patent number: 8740522
    Abstract: A shaping machine system including a shaping device and a computer is provided. The shaping device includes at least one jig mount body configured for mounting a jig; a shaping tool support body configured for supporting a shaping tool; a first drive device configured for rotating the shaping tool; and a second drive device configured for driving the shaping tool support body or the at least one jig mount body or changing a posture of the shaping tool relative to the workpiece. The computer is configured for controlling the first and second drive devices according to predetermined shaping data. The computer includes a jig position measuring unit configured for measuring a position of the jig; a position error detecting unit configured for detecting a position error of the jig, and a shaping data correcting unit configured for correcting the predetermined shaping data according to a jig position error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Suyama, Ryo Sato, Yoshimitsu Asahina, Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8723947
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for aligning containers, in particular bottles, in a labeler, the apparatus having rotatable holders for containers to be aligned, and a camera unit for imaging the containers as well as a proximity switch for triggering an imaging function of the camera unit. This allows a precise alignment in combination with a reduced expenditure of time and reduced space requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Anton Niedermeier, Karl Aichinger
  • Patent number: 8718403
    Abstract: The position of a feature within an image is determined by determining an initial estimate of the feature position to within a fraction of a pixel, translating the feature by an amount equal to that fraction of a pixel, determining a further estimate of the translated feature position to within a fraction of a pixel and summing the pixel fraction of the previous estimate with the further estimate of the position to arrive at a refined estimate of the feature position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Imetrum Limited
    Inventors: Kevin David Potter, Christopher Setchell
  • Patent number: 8687848
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for a gesture device to detect a series of gestures performed by a user and execute corresponding electronic commands associated with the gestures. The gesture device detects a gesture constituting movements from a user in three-dimensional space and generates a confidence score value for the gesture. The gesture device selects an electronic command associated with the gesture and compares the electronic command with a prior electronic command associated with a prior gesture previously detected by the gesture device in order to determine a compatibility metric between the electronic command and the prior electronic command. The gesture device then adjusts the confidence score value based on the compatibility metric to obtain a modified confidence score value. The electronic command is executed by the gesture device when the modified confidence score value is greater than a predetermined threshold confidence score value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cary Bran, Ethan Hugg, Alan D. Gatzke
  • Publication number: 20140063230
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention determine the surface profile of certain classes of work surface. More specifically, embodiments of the invention measure the three-dimensional locus of points that define the “virtual” continuous surface fitted to the ends of the walls of a cellular core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Twin Coast Metrology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Remillard
  • Publication number: 20140043464
    Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine has a workpiece support for holding a measurement object, and a measuring head displaceable relative to the workpiece support. An evaluation and control unit determines geometric properties on the measurement object depending on the position of the measuring head relative to the workpiece support and on sensor data from an optical sensor carried on the measuring head. The optical sensor includes a camera and a lens assembly having a lens body, which forms a light-entry opening and a light-exit opening with an interface for connecting the camera. The lens assembly comprises a number of lens elements arranged in the lens body. A separate cover glass is arranged in the region of the light-entry opening, and sits in front of the lens elements as a first transparent component. Preferably, the lens elements are corrected depending on optical characteristics of the cover glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas ENGEL, Johannes WINTEROT
  • Patent number: 8605953
    Abstract: A verifier apparatus including a linear imaging unit for an iterative capturing and collecting of data sample sets of linear image data, along with a position value that is associated with each collected data sample set. A preferred method calls for a post processing of collected data sample sets and position values to yield imaging data representing a plurality of evenly spaced and parallel imaging lines, which may then be processed to determine one or more print quality attributes. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring abstracts, and is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope and meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Webscan, Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn S. Spitz
  • Patent number: 8581974
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presence detection using an image system. The image system may be a camera that is integrated into an electronic device. In some embodiments, the image system can accommodate multiple operating modes of the electronic device. For example, when the electronic device is operating in a normal power mode, control circuitry of the image system can detect when a user has left and is no longer using the electronic device. When the electronic device is operating in a power saving mode, the control circuitry can detect user presence (e.g., when a user has come back to the electronic device). In some embodiments, the control circuitry can adjust for both gradual and sudden light changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Sheng Lin, David Pope
  • Patent number: 8577170
    Abstract: A digital image is divided into patches of pixels, or “superpixels”, where each of the pixels in the patch has approximately the same color value and each of the patches is of approximately the same size. Subsequently, eigenvalues are generated for each patch based on the color values of the individual pixels in the patch, as expressed in a multidimensional color-space. A ratio between the first largest eigenvalue and the second largest eigenvalue for each patch is determined and is then, subsequently, normalized, either based on the intensity of the corresponding patch or normalized to a range between zero and one. The resulting values are compared to a threshold to identify those regions of the digital image that are deemed to be in shadow, thereby generating a shadow mask for the digital image, or are weighted to generate a shadow probability mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ido Omer, Eyal Ofek
  • Publication number: 20130286187
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes a laser projection apparatus and a fastener installation apparatus. The laser projection apparatus is configured to project an identifier of an instruction set including one or more instructions for installing a fastener or fastener collar on a structure, with the laser projection apparatus being configured to project the identifier onto the structure about a location at which the respective fastener or fastener collar is to be installed. The fastener installation apparatus is configured to capture an image of the projected identifier from the structure, determine the identifier from the captured image, and retrieve the instruction set based on the determined identifier. The fastener installation apparatus includes a tool for installing the respective fastener or fastener collar, and the fastener installation apparatus is configured to program the tool according to the retrieved instruction set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Raymond J. Slesinski
  • Publication number: 20130278751
    Abstract: A device for detecting the position of an object in a machine tool includes a camera configured to provide an image of the object and an object carrier to which the object is connected and whose position within the machine tool is known. A first processing unit is configured to identify a position of the object relative to the camera based on geometric features of the object which are obtained from the image. A second processing unit is configured to identify a position of the object carrier relative to the camera based on geometric features of the object carrier which are obtained from the image. A third processing unit is configured to determine a position of the object relative to the object carrier from the identified positions of the object and the object carrier relative to the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Walter Kranitzky, Martin Schilcher, Gerhard Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 8564724
    Abstract: A method of noise filtering of a digital video sequence to reduce ghosting artifacts, the method including computing motion values for pixels in a frame of the digital video sequence based on a reference frame, computing blending factors for the pixels based on the motion values, generating filtered output pixel values by applying the blending factors to corresponding pixel values in the reference frame and the frame, wherein selected filtered output pixel values are converged toward corresponding pixel values in the frame to reduce ghosting artifacts, and outputting the filtered frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Wei Hong, Harmeet Singh
  • Patent number: 8553980
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for extracting feature points using hierarchical image segmentation and an image based localization method using the extracted feature points. An image is segmented using an affinity degree obtained using information observed during position estimation, new feature points are extracted from segmented areas in which registered feature points are not included, and position estimation is performed based on the new feature points. Accordingly, stable and reliable localization may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Hwan Ahn, Kyung Shik Roh, Suk June Yoon, Seung Yong Hyung
  • Publication number: 20130250094
    Abstract: A laser projection system for projecting an image on a workpiece includes a photogrammetry assembly and a laser projector, each communicating with a computer. The photogrammetry assembly includes a first camera for scanning the workpiece, and the laser projector projects a laser image to arbitrary locations. Light is conveyed from the direction of the workpiece to the photogrammetry assembly. The photogrammetry assembly signals the coordinates light conveyed toward the photogrammetry assembly to the computer with the computer being programmable for determining a geometric location of the laser image. The computer establishes a geometric correlation between the photogrammetry assembly, the laser projector, and the workpiece for realigning the laser image to a corrected geometric location relative to the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: VIRTEK VISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Kurt D. Rueb
  • Publication number: 20130250095
    Abstract: A mask has an inspection region virtually divided by a plurality of stripes. A position error-correcting unit is disposed on a stage in a region different from the mask, formed with patterns divided virtually by the plurality of stripes. A first deviation amount acquiring circuit acquires a first deviation amount from the optical image and the reference image of the position error correction unit. A second deviation amount acquiring circuit acquires a second deviation amount. A position correcting circuit corrects a positional relationship between the mask and the position error correction unit based on the first deviation amount, and obtains a fluctuation value of position coordinates of each pattern in the inspection region of the mask based on the second deviation amount and corrects the position coordinates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Takafumi INOUE, Nobutaka KIKUIRI, Ikunao ISOMURA
  • Publication number: 20130242082
    Abstract: A system for mounting a needle shield to a syringe. The system includes a syringe nest and a gripper having a gripping position and a release position. The gripper is movable between an aligned position and a spaced position. A shaker has a shaker axis that is generally coaxial with the syringe axis. The shaker is movable along the shaker axis. An inspection camera is positioned proximate the syringe axis and defines a line of sight. The syringe nest, gripper, shaker and cap plunger are generally aligned along the syringe axis in a placing configuration wherein the gripper is in the gripping position holding the needle shield. The gripper is in the spaced position and the distal end of the cap plunger is in engagement with the needle shield in a final cap mounting configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Justin MILLER
  • Publication number: 20130244143
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optimum imaging position detecting method includes acquiring an image of a predetermined area of a substrate surface, calculating, on the basis of the image of the predetermined area, peak intensity corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting average signal intensity of an area outside an intensity acquisition part from signal intensity of the intensity acquisition part, calculating variation of the peak intensity, executing acquiring the image of the predetermined area, calculating the peak intensity, and calculating the variation of the peak intensity at each of a plurality of imaging positions, and determining that a position of the maximum variation of the peak intensity is an optimum imaging position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaihsa Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi YAMANE, Tsuneo Terasawa
  • Patent number: 8538132
    Abstract: System and methods for determining a concentricity of a component mounted within an aperture of an electronic device housing. In particular, a method for determining concentricity of a camera includes obtaining an image of a camera mounted within the aperture of the housing and identifying a plurality of circular shapes within the image using a processor. One of the circular shapes represents the aperture in the housing and the other circular shape represents the camera. An offset between two of the plurality of circular shapes is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Kessler, Bartley K. Andre
  • Patent number: 8514268
    Abstract: A method and device for high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) imaging which obtains camera pose using defocusing is disclosed. The device comprises a lens obstructed by a mask having two sets of apertures. The first set of apertures produces a plurality of defocused images of the object, which are used to obtain camera pose. The second set of optical filters produces a plurality of defocused images of a projected pattern of markers on the object. The images produced by the second set of apertures are differentiable from the images used to determine pose, and are used to construct a detailed 3-D image of the object. Using the known change in camera pose between captured images, the 3-D images produced can be overlaid to produce a high-resolution 3-D image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Morteza Gharib, Jian Lu, Scott Hsieh, Francisco Pereira, Alexei Harvard
  • Patent number: 8502871
    Abstract: A gauge line position measuring device measures a position of a gauge line provided on a test piece by a non-contact video method. The measuring device includes a gauge line mark adapted to be provided on the test piece and has the gauge line and a first continuous harmonious color density arranged line-symmetrically with respect to the gauge line, and a video camera for taking an image of the gauge line mark on the test piece and outputting gauge line mark image data. A calculation device calculates a gauge line position based on the gauge line mark image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8487990
    Abstract: In a method for positioning a first body (B1) and a part fixed to a second body (B2), a camera image of a master part (MP) is received. The master part (MP) has a reference marker (RM) and is fixed to the second body (B2). A first position of a pointer on the master part (MP) is determined dependent on the camera image. The pointer is representative for a current position of the first body (B1). A positioning unit (POS) is controlled to move the pointer from the first position to a predetermined second position with respect to the reference marker (RM) dependent on the camera image. The positioning unit (POS) is coupled with the first body (B1) for moving the first body (B1) and the pointer or is coupled with the second body (B2) for moving the second body (B2) and the master part (MP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Alessandro Baldini
  • Patent number: 8471680
    Abstract: The invention provides an automatically rotatable turntable for a display unit and includes: a mounting section mounted with the display unit; an electric rotating mechanism that rotates the mounting section; a reception section in the display unit which receives a wireless signal from a remote control unit; and a control section that controls the electric rotating mechanism based upon the received wireless signal. Upon receipt of the wireless signal, the control section detects a reception strength of the reception section while cyclically rotating the mounting section around a predetermined rotational position, to initially detect a rotational position at which the reception strength is maximum. Thereafter, as a main operation, the control section detects the reception strength while rotating the mounting section in a direction extending from the predetermined rotational position to the initially-detected rotational position, to detect a rotational position at which the reception strength is maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Nagasawa, Katsutoshi Okada, Yoshiki Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 8471901
    Abstract: An image input module adjusting device includes a board moving mechanism configured to movably hold a board in directions crossing each other; a board moving restriction mechanism configured to restrict movement of the board; an engaging member moving mechanism configured to move an engaging member engaged with a position adjusting component provided on the board; a control part configured to drive the engaging member moving mechanism while allowing the board moving restriction mechanism to move the board, to move and thereby the engaging member is engaged with the position adjusting component and the board is moved to an adjusting original position; a lens position adjusting mechanism configured to perform the position adjusting of the lens; and a focus adjusting mechanism configured to perform the focus adjusting of the lens relative to the image input sensor while the movement of the board is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toru Nishino, Koichi Shimamura
  • Patent number: 8462028
    Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure provide parallel to serial conversion apparatuses that includes a bit-swapping circuit that generates bit-swapped parallel data by swapping bits of input parallel data, and a parallel to serial conversion circuit that acquires M1 and M2 bits of the bit-swapped parallel data in a first and a second mode, respectively. The parallel to serial conversion circuit generates serial data by arranging the acquired bits of the bit-swapped parallel data in a first specified order in the first mode and in a second specified order in the second mode The bit-swapping circuit swaps the bits of the input parallel data such that the parallel to serial conversion circuit acquires 1st to M1-th and 1st to M2-th bits of the input parallel data in the first and second modes, respectively, and arranges the acquired bits of the input parallel data in the same order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kawasaki Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichiro Kashiwakura
  • Publication number: 20130123985
    Abstract: A disclosed transparent body detection system includes an image acquisition unit acquiring a vertical polarization image and a horizontal polarization image by acquiring an image of a first region, the image including a transparent body having characteristics in which a polarization direction of transmission light changes; a placing table on which the transparent body is to be placed; a polarization filter disposed opposite to the image acquisition unit across the placing table and at a position including a second region, an image of the second region including at least the transparent body in the first region and being acquired; and an image processing apparatus detecting the transparent body based on distribution of vertical/lateral polarization degree of a vertical/lateral polarization degree image based on the vertical polarization image and the horizontal polarization image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventors: Hideaki Hirai, Shin Aoki, Masanori Kobayashi, Xue Li
  • Patent number: 8416293
    Abstract: A plasma monitoring device includes a plasma supplier including a power supply, a reaction gas supply line, and an emission nozzle for emitting plasma, which is generated therein, toward an object; a camera unit for obtaining an image of the plasma emission state; and a controller for obtaining a measurement value by converting pixel information of the image into a numerical value and comparing it with a reference value, which is a measurement value in a normal emission state, to check the plasma emission state. The camera unit obtains an image of the plasma emission state, and the controller analyzes the image to obtain a measurement value, which is used to monitor the state of plasma in real time and control the amount of reaction gas supplied to the plasma supplier and the plasma discharge condition, so that plasma is evenly emitted from the plasma supplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: SNU Precision Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Heung Hyun Shin, Woo Jung Ahn
  • Patent number: 8379082
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for mapping substrates in a substrate carrier. The invention includes a substrate carrier including one or more windows; and an imaging system coupled to a substrate carrier handling robot and adapted to determine or image substrate positions in the substrate carrier via the one or more windows. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinay K. Shah, Sushant S. Koshti, Eric A. Englhardt
  • Patent number: 8355532
    Abstract: A system communicates a representation of a scene, which includes a plurality of objects disposed on a plane, to one or more client devices. The representation is generated from one or more video images of the scene captured by a video camera. The system comprises an image processing apparatus operable to receive the video images of the scene which includes a view of the objects on the plane, to process the captured video images so as to extract one or more image features from each object, to compare the one or more image features with sample image features from a predetermined set of possible example objects which the video images may contain, to identify the objects from the comparison of the image features with the predetermined image features of the possible example objects, and to generate object path data for each object which identifies the respective object; and provides a position of the identified object on a three dimensional model of the plane in the video images with respect to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Clive Henry Gillard, Morgan William Amos David
  • Patent number: 8355812
    Abstract: A shaping machine system is presented. The shaping machine system includes a shaping device including at least one jig mount body for mounting a jig for supporting a workpiece, a shaping tool support body for supporting a shaping tool for shaping the workpiece, a first drive device for rotating the shaping tool, and a second drive device for driving at least one of the shaping tool support body, the jig mount body, or to change a posture of the shaping tool relative to the workpiece. The shaping machine system also includes a computer including an input unit for receiving a jig selection, a shaping tool selection, a shape data reading unit for reading shape data representing a shape of the workpiece after shaping, a shaping data producing unit for producing shaping data for controlling the first and the second drive devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Suyama, Ryo Sato, Yoshimitsu Asahina, Makoto Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20130002854
    Abstract: A position of a marking device is monitored by receiving start position information indicative of an initial position of the marking device, capturing one or more images using one or more camera systems attached to the marking device, and analyzing the image(s) to determine tracking information indicative of a motion of the marking device. The tracking information and the start position information are then analyzed to determine current position information. In one example, images of a target surface over which the marking device is carried are analyzed pursuant to an optical flow algorithm to provide estimates of relative position for a dead-reckoning process, and the current position information is determined based on the estimates of relative position and the start position information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Steven Nielsen, Curtis Chambers, Jeffrey Farr, Jack M. Vice
  • Patent number: 8319118
    Abstract: An optical transceiver that reduces the EMI noise leaked therefrom is reduced is disclosed. The optical transceiver of the invention provides a metal housing, an optical subassembly, and an electronic circuit. The metal housing includes a first space that installs the electronic circuit and a second space that installs the optical subassembly. The first space and the second space are electrically shielded to each other, in addition that both spaces are shielded from the external. In the optical transceiver of the invention, even the second space provides the optical path to the optical connector, which becomes a definite leak path for the EMI noise, the leakage from the first space to the external through the optical path is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Phillip J. Edwards, Jignesh H. Shah, Lance R. Thompson, Nhan Huynh