Identifying, Composing, Or Selecting Patents (Class 355/40)
  • Patent number: 11948124
    Abstract: A variety of factors may affect a shipment as it travels from a sender to a recipient. However, reliably gathering and storing information relating to such factors may be difficult because of the wide variation in the means for generating and/or collecting such information. Accordingly, examples of the present disclosure describe shipment record systems and methods. In an example, an image capture device is used to generate image data relating to a shipment. The image data may be associated with the shipment to generate a shipment record, such that the shipment record may be later updated and/or retrieved. In examples, the shipment record comprises other shipment information relating to the shipment. As a result, it is possible to generate statistics, identify trends, and provide reports relating to one or more shipments, which increases accountability and enables shipping agents to dynamically adjust resource allocation, among other benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Transformation Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Boothman, Miguel Baldwin
  • Patent number: 11460777
    Abstract: A method and device for exposing a light-sensitive layer, said method comprising: generating at least one light ray by use of at least one light source, illuminating pixels of an exposure pattern by use of at least one micromirror device having a plurality of micromirrors with respective mirror intensity profiles, and overlaying the mirror intensity profiles of adjacent micromirrors to provide a pattern intensity profile of the exposure pattern by summing the mirror intensity profiles of each illuminated pixel of the exposure pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: EV Group E. Thallner GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Thallner, Boris Povazay
  • Patent number: 11451681
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a lower unit having a recording section configured to perform recording on a medium, and an upper unit disposed on the lower unit, the upper unit including a reading section configured to read an image of the document, in which the lower unit includes a medium discharge section configured to discharge the medium toward the rear of the apparatus, and a medium receiving section disposed on the apparatus rear side with respect to the medium discharge section, the medium receiving section being configured to receive the medium discharged, and the upper unit is shorter than the lower unit in the apparatus front-rear direction and the upper unit is closer to the apparatus front with respect to the lower unit such that an end portion of the medium receiving section in the medium discharging direction is exposed at the rear of the upper unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masamitsu Shimazu, Katsumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11376876
    Abstract: A printing apparatus (printer) is provided in which a base material is conveyed by a roll-to-roll method and feedback control is performed on a tension imposed on the base material, and which includes a control unit, a first drive motor (front drive motor) configured to control a speed of conveyance of conveying the base material, and a second drive motor (feeding motor, rear drive motor, winding motor) configured to control the tension imposed on the base material. In a case where a conveyance operation for conveying the base material is stopped based on detection of a foreign object, and when a speed of the first drive motor is at a predetermined value or less, the control unit stops the tension control performed by the second drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Yamada, Atsushi Imamura
  • Patent number: 11212407
    Abstract: A control method for an apparatus for controlling a reading apparatus that performs reading in a transmission mode includes a read controlling step, a generating step and a processing step. In a read controlling step, the reading apparatus is controlled to read at least one film in the transmission mode based on a reading instruction from operating system standard software. In a generating step, a display image is generated, in which at least one frame image is arranged, based on a read image obtained by the reading in the read controlling step. In a processing step, a processing for displaying the display image generated in the generating step by using the operating system standard software, is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Kuno
  • Patent number: 11073767
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus comprising: a rotary drum that includes a cylindrical outer circumferential surface which is curved at a predetermined radius from a predetermined center line, that rotates about the center line in a state in which a part of a sheet substrate is supported in a length direction of the sheet substrate along the outer circumferential surface; a pattern forming part that forms the pattern on the sheet substrate at a first specific position; a scale disk that is fixed to an end portion of the rotary drum in a direction in which the center line extends while being coaxial with the center line and that includes a circular scale; and a first reading mechanism that is arranged to oppose with the scale formed at the outer circumferential surface of the scale disk, that is arranged at substantially same azimuth as an azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kato, Tohru Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 11055326
    Abstract: A method for indexing and retrieving text that includes affixing a first text identifier adjacent to a first body of text, the first body of text is included in a physical collection of text, the first text identifier that includes a first iconography; affixing a first page identifier adjacent to a page included in the physical collection of text, the page includes the particular body of text, the first page identifier includes the first iconography; and modifying a list to include a first summary of the first body of text, the list include a table of cells arranged into rows and columns, each of the rows is associated with one of a plurality of iconographies, the plurality of iconographies includes the first iconography, each iconography is associated with one indexing item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Lisa Shoeibi
  • Patent number: 11003091
    Abstract: A method for exposing a wafer substrate includes forming a reticle having a device pattern. A relative orientation between the device pattern and a mask field of an exposure tool is determined based on mask field utilization. The reticle is loaded on the exposure tool. The wafer substrate is rotated based on an orientation of the device pattern. Radiation is projected through the reticle onto the rotated wafer substrate by the exposure tool, thereby imaging the device pattern onto the rotated wafer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsueh-Yi Chung, Yung-Cheng Chen, Fei-Gwo Tsai, Chi-Hung Liao, Shih-Chi Fu, Wei-Ti Hsu, Jui-Ping Chuang, Tzong-Sheng Chang, Kuei-Shun Chen, Meng-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 10996909
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses processing documents for printing. In an example implementation, a print preview of a plurality of documents to be printed by an image forming system is generated. The plurality of documents is assigning to at least one print job bucket. Each print job bucket is indicative of a print job for documents assigned to a respective print job bucket. A set of print job attributes is assigned to each print job bucket. The set of print job attributes is indicative of print settings for printing documents associated with a respective print job bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Imtiyaz Altafhussain Khatib, Jose Mattathilanickal Chacko
  • Patent number: 10982948
    Abstract: A non-contact measuring device for measuring dimensions of an object using processed light beams from a laser includes a laser source, an attenuator, a lens group, a stage, a charge-coupled device (CCD), and a processor. The stage supports and rotates a measurable object and the light beams passing through or reflected by the object are collected by pixels of the CCD, enabling calculations of the dimensions of the object by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO.LTD.
    Inventor: Ai-Ning Wang
  • Patent number: 10971882
    Abstract: A light source module includes a light source configured to emit a first light beam, a first optical element having a first surface on which the first light beam is incident along a first direction, the first surface including a first region on which at least a portion of the first light beam is incident, and a second surface from which the first light beam is emitted, and a second optical element on which the first light beam having emitted from the first optical element is incident. The first light beam has a first width along a second direction and a second width along a third direction. The first width is greater than the second width. The first region has a protruding shape in a first cutting plane including the first and second directions, and has a recessed shape in a second cutting plane including the first and third directions. The second surface has a protruding shape in the first and second cutting planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takanori Aruga
  • Patent number: 10951784
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer having a sheet discharge tray, a scanning device disposed above the printer, a resin-made support member supporting the scanning device on the printer and defining a sheet discharge space above the sheet discharge tray between the printer and the scanning device, a metal-made first reinforcement plate fixed to the printer and the support member, and a metal-made second reinforcement plate fixed to the scanning device and the support member. The support member has a notched part formed to communicate the sheet discharge space with an outside in a direction intersecting a sheet discharge direction on the sheet discharge tray. The first reinforcement plate extends at least in a vertical direction along the notched part. The second reinforcement plate, which is not coupled with the first reinforcement plate, extends at least in the vertical direction along the notched part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Oyama
  • Patent number: 10848636
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an optical unit through which a light from a document passes, an image sensor configured to receive the light from the document via the optical unit, and a first holding member configured to hold the optical unit and the image sensor. The first holding member has an opening and a second holding member is fitted in the opening. The optical unit is disposed on the second holding member and the second holding member is positioned with respect to the first holding member with a gap between the first holding member and the second holding member and fixed to the first holding member by an adhesive that fills the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10841442
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a lower unit having a recording section configured to perform recording on a medium, and an upper unit disposed on the lower unit, the upper unit including a reading section configured to read an image of the document, in which the lower unit includes a medium discharge section configured to discharge the medium toward the rear of the apparatus, and a medium receiving section disposed on the apparatus rear side with respect to the medium discharge section, the medium receiving section being configured to receive the medium discharged, and the upper unit is shorter than the lower unit in the apparatus front-rear direction and the upper unit is closer to the apparatus front with respect to the lower unit such that an end portion of the medium receiving section in the medium discharging direction is exposed at the rear of the upper unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masamitsu Shimazu, Katsumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10832394
    Abstract: According to an example, an apparatus may include an image capture device, a controller, and a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium may include instructions that may cause the controller to receive, from the image capture device, an image of a testing agent deposited in a testing pattern onto a layer of build materials, in which the layer of build materials is to form a section of a three-dimensional printed part. The instructions may also cause the controller to determine a condition of the deposited testing pattern in the received image, wherein the determined condition is to be used to determine a quality level of the layer of build materials based upon the determined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Aja Hartman, Lihua Zhao
  • Patent number: 10824699
    Abstract: There are disclosed methods and apparatus to manufacture an inventory of finished physical print products from a base work including one or more images. Print metadata is assigned to each print of an image from the base work, the print metadata including an identification of the base work and a provenance of the base work. For each print, at least one cryptographic hash is generated of the image, the print metadata, and an index value of a security feature embedded into a physical substrate on which the image is printed. The cryptographic hash is then written to a node of a transaction processing network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Eight Plus Ventures, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Bertsch, Rodney Lake, Douglas Sturgeon, Anthony Sziklai
  • Patent number: 10798261
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: RIPCORD INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Christopher Hall, Jens Jordan Hurley, Jonathan Floyd Grubb, Joseph David Dills Hartnagle, Arthur Joseph Petron, Alex Fielding
  • Patent number: 10740714
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for determining shipping rules and shipping methods for an order are disclosed herein. A computer implemented method includes receiving an electronic record of an order placed with a merchant. The method further includes determining a smallest available package size in which the order content can be shipped and one or more additional available package sizes having dimensions larger than the smallest available package size in which the order content can be shipped. The method also includes determining a shipping price to ship the order content and presenting a plurality of shipping methods to a user with the shipping price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Shu Saito
  • Patent number: 10691027
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus comprising: a rotary drum that includes a cylindrical outer circumferential surface which is curved at a predetermined radius from a predetermined center line, that rotates about the center line in a state in which a part of a sheet substrate is supported in a length direction of the sheet substrate along the outer circumferential surface; a pattern forming part that forms the pattern on the sheet substrate at a first specific position; a scale disk that is fixed to an end portion of the rotary drum in a direction in which the center line extends while being coaxial with the center line and that includes a circular scale; and a first reading mechanism that is arranged to oppose with the scale formed at the outer circumferential surface of the scale disk, that is arranged at substantially same azimuth as an azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kato, Tohru Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 10636132
    Abstract: An image processing system includes: a central processing unit (CPU); a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a storage in which a library including plural pieces of image processing executed by the CPU or the FPGA is stored; an operation unit configured to receive an operation to select at least one piece of image processing from the library and an operation to designate execution order with respect to each piece of selection target image processing selected through the selection operation; an estimator configured to estimate an execution time in each combination of execution subjects with respect to each piece of selection target image processing when the CPU or the FPGA processes each piece of selection target image processing according to the execution order; a specification unit configured to specify the combination of the execution subjects having the relatively short execution time; and a display configured to display the specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Toshinori Tamai
  • Patent number: 10638005
    Abstract: In a scanner, a document cover is pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position to cover the document table and an open position to expose the document table. An operation panel is movable between a first position and a second position lower than the first position. The operation panel in the first position overlaps with the document cover in the closed position when viewed in a perpendicular direction to the pivot axis of the document cover. The document cover is away from the operation panel in the perpendicular direction. The moving mechanism is configured to move the operation panel to the second position in response to pivoting of the document cover to the open position, and to move the operation panel to the first position in response to the pivoting of the document cover to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10613804
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a printed-matter producing program for executing steps on a controller of a printed-matter producing apparatus. In a consistency determination step, it is determined whether or not medium specification information acquired is identical to medium specification information stored in a medium specification information storage memory. In a medium specification information replacement step, the stored medium specification information is not replaced with the acquired medium specification information in the case that the acquired medium specification information is identical, and the stored medium specification information is replaced with the acquired medium specification information in the case that the acquired medium specification information is not identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 10591827
    Abstract: A pattern exposure apparatus comprising: a rotary drum that supports a flexible substrate, which is exposed with a mask pattern formed on an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical mask that rotates about a first center axis; a rotary drum-side scale portion that is arranged for measuring a movement of the substrate which is fed in a circumferential direction by a rotation of the rotary drum, that includes a scale; a first projection optical system that projects an exposure light; a second projection optical system that projects an exposure light; a first reading device that is arranged to oppose with the rotary drum-side scale portion and that reads the scale; and a second reading device that is arranged to oppose with the rotary drum-side scale portion and that reads the scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kato, Tohru Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 10572760
    Abstract: A method and system for analyzing text in an image is disclosed. A text localization and classification system accesses an annotated image comprising a plurality of text location identifiers for a given item of text. A neural network predicts the location of the given item of text using at least a first location identifier and a second location identifier. Optionally, the first location identifier comprises a first shape and the second location identifier comprises a second shape. A first loss is generated using a first loss function, the first loss corresponding to the predicated location using the first location identifier. A second loss is generated using a second loss function, the second loss corresponding to the predicated location using the second location identifier. The neural network is enhanced with backpropagation using the first loss and the second loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Wu, Jonathan Wu, Meng Wang, Wei Xia
  • Patent number: 10467391
    Abstract: There are disclosed methods and apparatus for manufacture of image inventories and prints produced and packaged from image inventories in which the physical substrate of the print contains a security feature. A frame slicing and packaging machine assigns metadata to each frame of a digital video work. It then detects objects in each frame's image, recognizes the objects and assigns metadata to the objects. The machine then generates a cryptographic hash of the frame's image. Lastly, the machine writes the hash to a node of a transaction processing network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Eight Plus Ventures, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Bertsch, Rodney Lake, Douglas Sturgeon, Anthony Sziklai
  • Patent number: 10394496
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage section that stores a medium setting including information representing a printing area on a printing medium, a printing section that performs printing on the printing medium based on the medium setting stored in the storage section, a determining section that determines whether a first medium setting included in a print job sent from an information processing apparatus and including information representing a printing area on a printing medium differs from a second medium setting stored as the medium setting in the storage section, and a controller that changes the medium setting stored in the storage section from the second medium setting to the first medium setting, when the determining section determines that the first medium setting differs from the second medium setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Shimanuki
  • Patent number: 10304174
    Abstract: A printer-verifier is provided for printing and verifying a printed indicium. Printer-verifier includes imaging module for capturing image of printed indicium on print media, memory communicatively coupled to imaging module and configured to store print quality verification program, and processor communicatively coupled to memory. Processor is configured by print quality verification program to evaluate print quality of printed indicium, determine if print quality meets print quality standard, reject printed indicium on print media as rejected printed media when print quality does not meet print quality standard, and one of output location-specific feedback about rejected printed media or send a command signal to cutting device to destroy rejected printed media. Location-specific feedback is in same language as language associated with printer-verifier. A printer and methods for verifying the printed indicium are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Celinder, H. Sprague Ackley
  • Patent number: 10218881
    Abstract: [Object] To quickly and correctly reproduce an image intended by a photographer, a cinematographer, and the like on the occasion of post-production. [Solving Means] The development apparatus includes: an imaging unit that performs shooting and generates RAW data; a first conversion unit that converts the generated RAW data into image data by interpolation; an acquisition unit that acquires an exposure index value corresponding to an illuminance of a shooting environment; a first correction unit that corrects a value of the image data based on the exposure index value; and an output unit that associates the RAW data and the acquired exposure index value with each other and outputs the associated RAW data and exposure index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Ogikubo
  • Patent number: 10171707
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a communicator; a medium color input device; an image processor including a color image generator, an edge detector, and a corrector; and an image forming unit. The image processor performs a correction process that corrects first image data corresponding to a first color and second image data corresponding to a second color. The image processor performs the correction process by causing, based on medium color of the recording medium, a first edge of a first image that is in the first image data and a second edge of a second image that is in the second image data and initially correspond, to be distanced from each other. The image forming unit forms the first image and the second image in this order on the recording medium, based on the first image data and the second image data that are corrected by the image processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Henmi
  • Patent number: 9924891
    Abstract: An image alignment guide for producing images for producing a knee brace has an arm carrying a focal angle tube, a mechanism for positioning the arm against the lateral side of the leg of a patient, and a mechanism for setting the level of the brace. The guide is used in method of preparing such images involving taking images with the image alignment guide against the lateral side of a patient's leg at an anterior-posterior mid-line thereof with the focal angle tube at the side of the knee and at a distance therefrom, respectively, measuring the length of the patient's leg from the patella center to a position on the leg at which a shell of a brace to be produced is to be located, measuring the crest of the tibia using a tibial contour guide and sending all images, readings and measurements obtained to a knee brace manufacturer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Townsend Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven S. Knecht, Frederic Desmoulins
  • Patent number: 9906654
    Abstract: Methods and systems print an original image to form a printed sheet, scan the printed sheet, and overlay the original image on an area of the scanned image where original image is located, to produce an overlay image. A border is added to the original image in the overlay image to modify the original image into an enlarged original image. Markings from an area of the overlay image where the enlarged original image is positioned are removed to produce a white space image. Defects in the white space image are detected and highlighted by adding highlight markings to the white space image where the defects are located, to produce a defect image. The defect image is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas R. Taylor, Eliud Robles Flores
  • Patent number: 9888141
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a process control part configured to execute at least one processing unit provided for input data in an order which is defined in definition information, and a selection part configured to select a target processing unit, which is executed by the process control part, among a plurality of processing units defined in the definition information as a candidate to be executed after each of the at least one processing unit based on output information obtained from the at least one processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ayumi Mihara
  • Patent number: 9866713
    Abstract: A reading device includes a first housing, and a second housing capable of being attached and detached in relation to the first housing, in which the first housing includes a reading unit which reads a document according to a reading mode, and a power transmission circuit which wirelessly supplies power to the second housing according to the reading mode, and in which the second housing includes a power reception circuit which wirelessly receives power from the power transmission circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzo Shiota, Haruyuki Imai, Kuniaki Ueki, Satoshi Shimizu, Toshifumi Sakai
  • Patent number: 9798238
    Abstract: Methods for reducing reticle transmission differences and for optimizing layer placement for overlay in MTRs and CTRs are disclosed. Embodiments include providing a reticle having a prime area and a frame area surrounding the prime area; determining RT differences across the prime area; and providing RT adjustment structures on the reticle to decrease the RT differences. Other embodiments include grouping multiple layers of a semiconductor production flow, the layers for each group having an RT difference less than a predetermined value; and placing the layers on plural ordered reticles of a reticle set, each reticle having multiple image fields, by selecting, for each reticle, layers from a single group and optimizing placement of the layers for overlay. Other embodiments include selectively rotating image fields on a reticle having multiple image fields to improve overlay, or optimizing placement of DDLs on CTRs by placing each design orientation on a different reticle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Guo Xiang Ning, Arthur Hotzel, Paul Ackmann, Soon Yoeng Tan
  • Patent number: 9668829
    Abstract: A device including a coded pattern for use in dental procedures is provided. Related methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 9639764
    Abstract: The present invention can improve the recognition performance of a traffic sign board, improve the recognition performance of a reflective traffic sign board and a light emitting type traffic sign board by adjusting an exposure of a camera, improve the recognition performance of the reflective traffic sign board and the light emitting type traffic sign board by adjusting gain of an image signal, and improve the recognition performance of the reflective traffic sign board and the light emitting type traffic sign board by simultaneously adjusting the exposure of the camera and the gain of the image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: PLK TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kwang Il Park, Sang Mook Lim, Jin Hyuck Kim
  • Patent number: 9619775
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for determining shipping rules and shipping methods for an order are disclosed herein. A computer implemented method includes receiving an electronic record of an order placed with a merchant. The method further includes determining a smallest available package size in which the order content can be shipped and one or more additional available package sizes having dimensions larger than the smallest available package size in which the order content can be shipped. The method also includes determining a shipping price to ship the order content and presenting a plurality of shipping methods to a user with the shipping price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Shu Saito
  • Patent number: 9521277
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising providing a printing device, providing, to the printing device, a two-dimensional bar code related to the printing device, and providing, to a mobile device, the two-dimensional bar code. The method further includes based upon the two-dimensional bar code, facilitating operations of the printing device by the mobile device. The two-dimensional bar code (i) identifies the printing device, (ii) identifies access privileges of the mobile device with respect to the printing device, and (iii) provides information to the mobile device to facilitate operations of the printing device by the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: David A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9507954
    Abstract: Digital images are monitored by enabling access to a digital image, receiving a notification associated with the digital image from a first user, and regulating access of the first user to the digital image based on the notification received from the first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Tessman, Jr., Patrick D. Lippert, Timothy B. Hayman
  • Patent number: 9500962
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a mask includes aligning a mask sheet including an effective area and a non-effective area, on a mask frame; applying a pressure to the non-effective area of the mask sheet in a direction opposite to a sagging direction of the non-effective area, to prevent sagging of the non-effective area; and moving a clamping unit to the mask sheet along a direction substantially parallel to the mask sheet, to clamp the clamping unit onto the non-effective area of the mask sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ho Eoun Kim
  • Patent number: 9470987
    Abstract: An overlay mask includes a plurality of first patterns, a plurality of second patterns and a plurality of third patterns. The first patterns are arranged within a first pitch. The second patterns are arranged within a second pitch. A first portion of the third patterns are arranged alternately with the first patterns, within the first pitch, and a second portion of the third patterns are arranged alternately with the second patterns, within the second pitch, and the first pitch is not equal to the second pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Che-Yi Lin, En-Chiuan Liou, Yi-Jing Wang, Chia-Hsun Tseng
  • Patent number: 9465344
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: a conveyance unit provided to convey a long medium provided with conveyance indexes at a predetermined conveyance index spacing; a print unit provided to perform printing on the medium; a cutter unit provided to cut the medium; an index detector provided to detect the conveyance indexes; a print controller configured to drive the print unit to perform printing in response to detection of the conveyance indexes; a cut controller configured to cause the cutter unit to cut the medium in response to detection of the conveyance indexes; and a conveyance controller configured to form a slack in the medium by driving the conveyance unit. The print controller performs printing based on a virtual conveyance index when the medium having the slack is cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Kerama Yabe
  • Patent number: 9420133
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit and first and second image scanning devices. The first and second image scanning devices scan the same surface of the same sheet with an image formed thereon on a sheet-conveying pathway. The image forming apparatus adjusts an image forming condition based on information acquired through the scan by the first and second image scanning devices. The first image scanning device scans only a part of an area in the main scanning direction. The second image scanning device scans an area across the image forming width in the main scanning direction. The control unit detects an anomalous value based on the information acquired through the scan by the second image scanning device, and prompts cleaning of the first and second image scanning devices in response to detection of the anomalous value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Hirata, Kazuomi Sakatani
  • Patent number: 9310749
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image carrying member capable of carrying an image, a paper conveying unit, a foreign matter detection unit, and a toner layer forming unit. The paper conveying unit conveys a paper to the image carrying member. The foreign matter detection unit detects a foreign matter projecting from the end portion of the paper. The toner layer forming unit forms a toner layer on the surface of the image carrying member in response to a position of the foreign matter detected by the foreign matter detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Shunichi Takaya
  • Patent number: 9291794
    Abstract: The invention provides a temperature balancing device for a projection objective of a lithography machine. The device comprises at least one temperature sensor, at least one heat-absorbing light-transmitting layer and an objective temperature balancing control unit, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed adjacent to the projection objective for sensing the temperature difference of the projection objective in different areas; the heat-absorbing light-transmitting layer is positioned below the projection objective for absorbing radiation energy in the laser beams transmitted from the lithography machine and transmitting the laser beams; and the objective temperature balancing control unit is used for controlling the absorption degree and light transmission degree of the heat-absorbing light-transmitting layer according to the temperature difference sensed by the temperature sensor. The invention also discloses a method for balancing temperature of a projection objective of a lithography machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SHANGHAI HUALI MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Zhu, Lijun Chen
  • Patent number: 9274439
    Abstract: A support structure for positioning an exchangeable object (e.g., patterning device) in a lithographic apparatus. The support structure has a chuck and at least two clamp mechanisms spaced from one another in a first direction. Each clamp mechanism has a plurality of vacuum sections to support the object and apply a localized clamping force to the object to hold the object. The separation between the vacuum sections is in a second direction different from the first direction. The support structure may have a chuck and a clamp mechanism having a plurality of clamp sections to support the object and apply a clamping force to the object. The sections may move relative to each other. Each section may include a channel to communicate a low pressure to hold the object. The stiffness of the clamp mechanism(s) reduces and/or avoids stress and/or slip at the interface of the chuck/clamp and object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ASML HOLDING N.V.
    Inventor: Enrico Zordan
  • Patent number: 9245206
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus detects a region of a subject from an input image, and extracts an image feature amount from the region. Also, the apparatus classifies the subject into any one of plural attributes based on the image feature amount, and estimates, based on the image feature amount and an attribute into which it is classified, an attribute value of the subject belonging to the attribute into which it is classified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsuo Nomoto, Kotaro Yano, Yuji Kaneda
  • Patent number: 9207426
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a lens mount section; an imager having an imaging plane on which an image having an image height obtained through a lens device mounted to the lens mount section is formed; an imaging process section correcting transverse chromatic aberration of an imaging signal obtained by the imager; and a control section determining an imager size in accordance with the diameter of the lens device mounted to the lens mount section and correcting a correction coefficient for the correction of transverse chromatic aberration at the imaging process section according to the size thus determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masamiki Kawase, Hidekazu Suto
  • Patent number: 9195120
    Abstract: A universal adjustable lens adapter and rig system for smartphones, or similar electronic devices, that is modular in nature. The universal adjustable lens adapter includes a clamp mount assembly, a lens mount assembly, and a handle assembly. The clamp mount assembly provides a means for securing a smartphone, while the lens mount assembly provides a means for securing a camera lens. The clamp mount assembly includes a spring loaded first clamp and a fixed second clamp mounted to a clamp base and between which the smartphone is secured. Both the clamp mount assembly and the lens mount assembly are slidably connected to the handle assembly, such that the camera lens of any smartphone can be properly aligned with the camera lens attached to the lens mount assembly. Additionally, the handle assembly provides a means for manipulating and stabilizing the smartphone while taking pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Vadym Chalenko
  • Patent number: 9146479
    Abstract: In the present invention, a planar distribution of pixel values in a picked-up substrate image is decomposed into a plurality of pixel value distribution components through use of a Zernike polynomial for each of substrate images; Zernike coefficients of the pixel value distribution components decomposed through use of the Zernike polynomial are calculated; a median value and values deviated from the median value by a predetermined value or more are extracted for every Zernike coefficients having a same couple of degrees from the calculated Zernike coefficients; substrate images having the extracted values are specified; and a substrate image being a defect inspection reference is created by combining the specified substrate images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Izumi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tomita, Shuji Iwanaga, Tadashi Nishiyama