Occulting A Projected Light Beam Patents (Class 356/621)
  • Patent number: 11933638
    Abstract: A method for detecting a phase on a gear includes obtaining a first determination result indicating whether the gear has been detected at a first detection position. A second determination result indicating whether the gear has been detected at a second detection position is obtained. A third angle between the first and second angles is obtained. A third determination result indicating whether the gear has been detected at a third detection position is obtained. The first angle is replaced with the third angle when the third and first determination results are same, or the second angle is replaced with the third angle when the third and first determination results are different. The phase on the gear is detected based on an angle that is between the first angle and the second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAZAKI MAZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Horibe, Kazumasa Maruta, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Yuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11725929
    Abstract: A positioning apparatus with a pose measurement function includes a first and second kinematic links, a first measuring link attached to the second kinematic link, a joint connecting the first and second kinematic links, and a sensor capturing a measurement device. Either the measurement device or the sensor is arranged at the first measuring link and is movable jointly with the second kinematic link. The other one is arranged at the first kinematic link and is movable jointly with the first kinematic link. An attachment location of the first measuring link lies closer to an end of the second kinematic link that is remote from the joint than to the joint. The positioning apparatus is configured to ascertain, based on data captured by the sensor, a first relative pose value corresponding to the degree of freedom of the joint and a further relative pose value for another degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Nils Haverkamp
  • Patent number: 11669121
    Abstract: A joystick includes a casing, a stick body, an identification mark and an optical sensor. The casing has a hole. The stick body is movably disposed on the casing. The stick body has a first section and a second section. The first section penetrates through the hole to protrude from the casing, and the second section is inside the casing. The identification mark is disposed on the second section of the stick body. The identification includes a first line group and a second line group crossed to each other. The first line group and the second line group respectively has a plurality of lines with different widths and arranged adjacent to each other. The optical sensor is disposed inside the casing and adapted to acquire an identification image containing the identification mark to determine a gesture of the stick body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chao-Chien Huang, Yi-Chung Chen
  • Patent number: 11609083
    Abstract: Apparatus (1) for checking the dimensions and/or shape of a complex-shaped body (3), comprising a checking support (5) on which the body to be checked is positioned, a robotic system (8) with an optical assembly (17) and a memory unit (19) for storing reference data relating to a reference shape of the body. A processing and control unit (18) controls movements of the optical assembly so as to obtain dimensional values relating to the body at predetermined measuring points, these dimensional values then being compared with the reference data stored in the memory unit. The apparatus further comprises reference elements (35) defined in the checking support in predetermined positions and a distance sensor (17) for acquiring actual positions of said reference elements. Local compensation parameters for correcting positioning errors of the robotic system are calculated for each of the reference elements on the basis of the predetermined positions and the actual positions acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Marposs Societa' Per Azioni
    Inventors: Maurizio Dalla Casa, Pier Paolo Conti
  • Patent number: 11524879
    Abstract: A handheld remote control for a crane includes a wireless transceiver, an input device, a display screen, and processing circuitry. The wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly communicate with a controller of the crane. The input device is configured to receive a user input. The display screen is configured to display information regarding deployment of a stabilizer of the crane. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain the user input via the input device, and cause at least one stabilizer of the crane to deploy or retract based on the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Toni Kohler, Axel Cadena
  • Patent number: 11472678
    Abstract: A multi-axis gantry system comprising a multi-axis gantry apparatus and vacuum system, and method for repositioning is disclosed. The multi-axis gantry system comprises a frame. The frame includes a plurality of curved base members, a first rail, a second rail, a bridge slidably moveable along the first rail and the second rail, a carriage including an end effector, and a first plurality of pucks and a second plurality of pucks. The vacuum system comprises a vacuum controller, a first vacuum source and a second vacuum source. Each of the first and second vacuum sources is in fluid communication with one or more pucks of the first and second pluralities of pucks. The frame is reconfigurable from a first configuration mountable on a first work surface to a second configuration mountable on a second work surface that may be different from the first work surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Olberg, Shane E. Arthur, Matthew H. Mellin
  • Patent number: 11462877
    Abstract: A die clearance monitoring system includes a light source, a light detector, and a controller. The light source is disposed along a front side of a die set of a crimping device and emits light towards the die set. The die set includes a first crimp die and a second crimp die that engage and crimp an object along a crimp stroke. The light detector is disposed along a rear side of the die set. The light detector receives the emitted light from the light source that traverses across the die set through a gap defined between the first and second crimp dies and generates light absorption data based on the emitted light that is received. The controller is communicatively connected to the light detector. The controller processes the light absorption data to determine a relative spacing between the first crimp die and the second crimp die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard R. Dobson, Jr., Matthew John Orlowski
  • Patent number: 11112284
    Abstract: A portable sensor calibration device that provides a reference to a sensor during a calibration procedure. The sensor calibration device may have a umber of adjustable functions providing for functional configurability, such as interchangeable target elements, adjustable pitch, adjustable target mounting, and locking elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Scott Bartkowiak, Weston Myer
  • Patent number: 10696523
    Abstract: A control device for controlling motion of a load of a carrier device is presented. The carrier device can be for example a crane and the load can be carried with a rope connected to a suspension point of the crane. The control device comprises an input interface for receiving an input signal indicative of a target speed of the load, an output interface for submitting an output signal indicative of a reference speed of the suspension point, and a processing system constituting a signal processing path for producing the output signal based on the input signal. The signal processing path comprises at least one finite impulse response filter for suppressing a signal component whose frequency is the natural swinging frequency of the load. Due to the finite impulse response, the temporal length of settling and tail effects caused by the filter is limited and deterministic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Vacon Oy
    Inventor: Jaakko Ollila
  • Patent number: 10344906
    Abstract: An isolated human work platform for stabilized positioning of collaborative robotics. A base platform is provided, and a work platform is positioned above the base platform for supporting one or more humans. One or more robots are supported on the base platform independently of the work platform, so that movement of the work platform does not affect the robots' positions. The work platform is isolated from the robots for stabilized positioning of the robots, so that the base platform and work platform together provide a collaborative workspace for the robots and the humans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John Eric Miller, Dennis R. Mathis
  • Patent number: 9914624
    Abstract: Systems and methods for object guidance and collision avoidance are provided. One system includes a location sensor disposed on a movable crane. The system also includes a plurality of sensors disposed on a plurality of objects within a facility. The system further includes a controller having a receiver for monitoring signals transmitted from the location sensor disposed on a movable crane and the plurality of sensors disposed on a plurality of objects within the facility. The controller is configured to generate a travel path for the movable crane to move an object coupled with the movable crane based on the one or more intersection regions and generate an output signal to an alarm device to provide an alert, when at least one object of the plurality of objects is within a predetermined proximity of at least the object being moved by the crane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Fulton, Whitney Loubier, Shibin Mathew, Wei Mi, Andrew Pinion
  • Patent number: 9718192
    Abstract: The present disclosure illustrates a system for automatically and precisely positioning a robotic arm and method thereof. A control computing apparatus of the present disclosure controls a probe of the robotic arm to touch one of the positioning devices, and acquires a moment variation of each of the axes from a moment sensing device of the robotic arm, and then computes the distance between a geometric center of the touched positioning device and a coordinate origin according to a geometric feature of the touched positioning device, and then positions the robotic arm according to the moment variations of the axes and the distance between the geometric center of the touched positioning device and the coordinate origin. Therefore, the technical effect of quickly, precisely positioning the robotic arm without the error accumulation can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL TAIPEI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hsien I Lin, Yu Che Huang
  • Patent number: 9615494
    Abstract: A substrate conveyance mechanism includes conveyance units and a clamp mechanism. The conveyance units include a working unit corresponding to a working area for types of substrates having different sizes of length taken as objects, an area length of the working area being variable in accordance with the sizes of length, and a stand-by unit corresponding to a stand-by area for the substrate to be carried-in to the working area. The clamp members include commonly used first clamp members and second clamp members which are attachable and detachable and are selectively used in accordance with the sizes of length of the plurality of types of substrates in addition to the first clamp members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Nagaya, Hiroyuki Fujiwara, Shigeo Ogata, Yoshinori Konda, Yoichi Makino, Shinji Yamamoto, Shuuichi Kubota, Kimio Ilzuka, Koji Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9516199
    Abstract: A machine vision system is provided. The machine vision system includes a camera. A first flash unit is in communication with the camera and adapted to emit light or a first range of wavelengths in synchronization with operation of the camera. A second flash unit is in communication with the camera and adapted to emit light of a second range of wavelengths in synchronization with operation of the camera. The light of the first range of wavelengths does not overlap the wavelength of the light of the second range of wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: LynxRail Corporation
    Inventors: Krzysztof Kilian, Vladimir Mazur, Hongyin Fan
  • Patent number: 9471179
    Abstract: A laser optical touch control module includes a light emitting part with a laser light source and a light receiving part with a position sensor. A laser beam is emitted from the laser light source and reflected by a wide angle optical element. Thus a light fan of the reflected light is larger than 90 degrees to form a wide angle linear light beam. The position of a touch control widget is obtained by a sensor of the light receiving part that detects the linear light beam blocked and reflected by the touch control widget. An analog-to-digital conversion system includes a variable reference level generator that calculates to generate a variable reference level according to different variances. Then the sensor output data is converted into a digital signal based on the reference voltage level by a digital comparator and the digital signal is output to a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SERAFIM TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Zen Chen, Ming-Hua Wen, Shun-Cheng Lin
  • Patent number: 9360964
    Abstract: An optical touch apparatus and an optical touch method are disclosed. The optical touch apparatus comprises a touch panel, a first optical sensor, a second optical sensor and a processor. The first optical sensor senses a light pen to output a first sensing signal. The second optical sensor senses the light pen to output a second sensing signal. The processor decides a threshold value according to the second sensing signal, and determines whether the first sensing signal is greater than the threshold value. The processor determines that the light pen touches the touch panel if the first sensing signal is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: WISTRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsien Lu, Ching-An Cho, Yu-Yen Chen, Chia-Ta Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9352463
    Abstract: A robot system includes a first robot arm and a controller. The first robot arm extends in a first direction and includes a holder to hold a workpiece placed on a workpiece placement stand. The holder includes a distal end portion and a base portion. The base portion is coupled to the first robot arm such that a turning axis of a portion of the first robot arm to which the base portion of the holder is coupled is apart from a geometrical center of the holder. The controller controls the holder to hold the workpiece while controlling the first robot arm to turn the holder with the distal end portion of the holder oriented in a direction crossing the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Toshihiro Tomo, Toshiaki Shimono
  • Patent number: 9323394
    Abstract: A touch control apparatus includes a first light source, a first sensor, a second light source, a second sensor and a controller. A selection method for the touch control apparatus includes steps of: driving the first light to generate a first initial structured light; sensing a first reflected light distribution by the first sensor; driving the second light source to generate a second initial structured light; sensing a second reflected light by the second sensor; and, from multiple candidate touch positions, selecting positions corresponding to at least two touch points according to a first left reflected structured light, a second left reflected structured light, a first right reflected structured light and a second right reflected structured light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: WISTRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: You-Xin Liu, Sheng-Hsien Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9213481
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for precisely judging the number of touches. The method includes a step A of reading a touch sensing signal sensed by an ith infrared ray sensor module located at an ith corner (i being a natural number not exceeding 3) of a touch panel, a step B of defining a portion of the touch sensing signal having a signal intensity lower than a predetermined touch recognition threshold signal as a touch recognition signal corresponding to the touches, and a step C of, when the touch recognition signal is recognized as representing one touch and the length of the overall section of the touch recognition signal is within a critical range as a result of analysis of the touch recognition signal, finally judging whether or not the touch recognition signal is recognized as one touch or two touches through re-analysis of the touch recognition signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyung-Uk Jang, Jong-Hyun Han
  • Patent number: 9199378
    Abstract: A measuring apparatus (1; 1?) for measuring a manipulator (10), with a measuring body (2; 2?) having at least one measurement point (3; 3?) that is fixed in relation to the measuring body for determining a position (TTCP,3; TTCP,3?) relative to a reference point (TCP) that is fixed in relation to the manipulator, and an attaching device connected to the measuring body (2) for fixing on the surroundings, includes at least one calibration point (7; 7?) connected to the measuring apparatus for determining a position (TR, M; TR,M?) relative to the surroundings and/or at least one measurement point (6) positioned on the attaching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Groll, Thomas Purrucker, Dietmar Tscharnuter
  • Patent number: 9141235
    Abstract: An optical position detecting apparatus that detects a position of a target object in a detection region, includes: a light source device for position detection that emits position detection light to the detection region and forms an intensity distribution of the position detection light in the detection region; plural photodetectors that direct incident angle ranges to regions not overlapping one another in the detection region; and a position detecting device that detects the position of the target object on the basis of results of detection by the photodetectors of the position detection light reflected on the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 9103661
    Abstract: A system measures the position of a light source in space using an imager and transparent surface with a pattern on top. The pattern consists of a repetitive pattern and a distinctive element. The system achieves sub-micron precision. It also handles the measurement of several light sources simultaneously, and the measurement of the position of a retroreflector instead of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA—RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPMENT
    Inventors: Eric Grenet, Peter Masa, Edoardo Franzi, David Hasler
  • Patent number: 9098137
    Abstract: A position detecting function-added projection display apparatus that optically detects a position of a target object positioned in a forward space in which an image is projected from an image projecting device, includes: a position detecting light source unit that forms a distribution of intensities of position detecting light in the forward space by emitting the position detecting light into the forward space; a plurality of photodetectors that are disposed in the image projecting device and have ranges of incident angles in directions of angles different from each other when the forward space is viewed from the image projecting device; and a position detecting unit that detects the position of the target object based on results of detection of the position detecting light reflected by the target object by using the photodetectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8902435
    Abstract: This position detection apparatus includes a plurality of light receiving portions receiving a reflected laser beam from an indicator, a lens, a masking portion arranged between the light receiving portions and the lens, having a masking surface restricting the reflected laser beam guided to the light receiving portions in a direction orthogonal to a projection surface, and a determination portion determining a three-dimensional position in a projection image indicated by the indicator. The masking surface of the masking portion has such a concave shape that opposing ends thereof are closer to the lens than a central portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Hirai
  • Patent number: 8881380
    Abstract: There is provided a component mounting apparatus, which includes: a nozzle which sucks a component; a nozzle supporting member, on which the nozzle is installed, which moves in a vertical direction with respect to an upper surface of a substrate on which the component sucked at the nozzle is mounted; an optical system which captures an image of a leading edge portion of the nozzle where the component is sucked in a component mounting operation, from a side direction, such that an optical axis of the optical system is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a sucking surface of the nozzle; and an analyzer which analyzes the image of the leading edge portion to determine whether a sucking state of the component sucked by the nozzle is normal or abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hatase Takayuki
  • Patent number: 8836957
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) is provided with a plurality of light transmitters (14) and light receivers (26) that form between one another a field (20) of mutually parallel monitoring beams (18), wherein beam shaping optics (16, 24) are assigned to the light transmitters (14) and the light receivers (26). The optics (16, 24) comprise a geometry and arrangement leading to a mutual overlap of the optics (16, 24) in a direction diagonal, in particular perpendicular, to the field (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Daniel Kietz, Jürgen Bürger, Axel Hauptmann, Günter Hirt
  • Patent number: 8824049
    Abstract: Systems and methods have been provided to scale wavelength beam combining (WBC) systems, which are systems configured to increase output power, as well as spatial and/or spectral brightness when utilizing or combining a plurality of beam emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventors: Bien Chann, Robin Huang
  • Patent number: 8797296
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for adjusting brightness of an optical touch panel. The optical touch panel comprises a microprocessor, a display module including a back light source, and an optical position detection device including optical transmitting devices and optical receiving devices. The method comprises detecting, via the optical receiving devices, a current ambient light level on the display module. The method further comprises generating, via the optical receiving devices, a current ambient light level signal indicative of the current ambient light level and transmitting the current ambient light level signal to the microprocessor. Furthermore, the method comprises adjusting, via the microprocessor, brightness of the back light source based on the current ambient light level signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Tsung Hsuan Hsieh, Wei Yi Hsuan, Yi Sheng Lee, Robert David Parsons, Chia Lin Yang
  • Patent number: 8766155
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a coordinate recognizing apparatus includes plural light emitting elements, plural light receiving elements, a memory, and a controller. The memory stores, concerning plural pairs of the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements set in advance, reference values used for determination of blocking of a light path. The controller performs, concerning the respective pairs, actions for collecting, plural times, a difference between first intensity indicated by a detection signal output from the light receiving element, which is a pair of the light emitting element, in a state in which the light emitting element is caused to emit light and second intensity indicated by a detection signal output from the light receiving element during non-light emission of the light emitting element and updating the reference value of the pair stored in the memory using a minimum of differences collected plural times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuishi Takeno, Shinji Saegusa, Takuya Ogishima, Sadatoshi Oishi
  • Patent number: 8760667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for the detection of a substrate edge in a printing machine comprising a substrate transport unit that defines a substrate transport path (8). In this method, at least one light value of a first section of a sensor line (10) and a dark value of a second section of the sensor line are determined, and a threshold value is calculated based thereon. When the threshold value on one pixel is exceeded and the threshold value on another pixel is not reached, it is possible to calculate a position of the substrate edge. The device comprises a light source arrangement (5) for generating diffuse light, and comprises a sensor line for the detection of light from the light source arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas Jacobsen, Wolfgang Kuphaldt, Joerg Zessin
  • Patent number: 8717582
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for detecting an overhang on a load of a carrier device, having a sensor arrangement with at least one transmitter and a receiver and also an electronic unit for control purposes. According to the invention, the sensor arrangement senses two regions of the carrier device with a load during a movement of the carrier device such that evaluation of the geometrical position of the regions in relation to one another is made possible, wherein the first region relates to the carrier device and the second region relates to the load. Furthermore, the electronic unit is designed for generating a signal for each region and linking the signals such that it is possible to ascertain an overhang from this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Cedes Safety & Automation AG
    Inventor: Eric Lutz
  • Patent number: 8675211
    Abstract: A fork light barrier (1), provided with at least one first, one second, and one third light sensor (FT1 to FT3), which are arranged along an axis (X), wherein the second light sensor (FT2) lies between the first light sensor (FT1) and the third light sensor (FT3). The fork light barrier is advantageously incorporated into a position determining device and/or method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sartorius Weighing Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Wagener
  • Patent number: 8610903
    Abstract: An optical position detection apparatus detects the position of a target object based on the result of the light reception through a light receiving unit when a light source is turned on. In a front-side housing portion of a housing of an optical unit, a reflection unit for generating a default light that makes the default light be incident to the light receiving unit is configured even in a state where a target object is not present. Accordingly, the initial setting of the relationship between a drive current in the light source unit and a light intensity in the light receiving unit can be appropriately performed based on the result of receiving the default light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 8582963
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting substrate warping during RTP processing are provided. In one embodiment, one or more beams of light are provided above and across the substrate being processed. In this embodiment, the amount of beam blockage correlates to the amount of substrate warping. In another embodiment, a beam of light is reflected off of a substrate during processing. In this embodiment, the amount of movement of the beam correlates to the amount of substrate warping. In yet another embodiment, a region of a substrate is illuminated during processing. In this embodiment, images of the illuminated region are analyzed to determine the amount of substrate warping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jiping Li
  • Patent number: 8576411
    Abstract: In the component position measurement method, the position B of the component 1 when the laser beam is blocked (the laser beam blocking position) is measured with respect to the chuck position A of the component 1. Since the component 1 generates a large vibration (inclination) during the chuck is used, the position of the leading end (front end) C of the component 1 is computed using the inclination angle ? with respect to the measurement value of the deviation amount H of the laser beam blocking position B of the component 1 based on a similarity relationship of a triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 8576412
    Abstract: A position detection device includes: a light source adapted to form a light intensity distribution of a detection light beam; a first detector adapted to receive a reflected light beam of the detection light beam reflected by an object in a detection area where the light intensity distribution is formed; a transmissive member disposed between the detection area and the light source, and between the detection area and the first detector, and having a first surface directed toward the detection area and a second surface directed toward the light source; a second detector adapted to receive a light beam reflected by the second surface out of the detection light beam; a position detector adapted to detect the object based on the detection result in the first detector; and a light blocking member disposed between the second detector and the detection area, and adapted to block the reflected light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8564791
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for detecting an overhang on a load of a carrier device, having a sensor arrangement with at least one transmitter and a receiver and also an electronic unit for control purposes. According to the invention, the sensor arrangement senses two regions of the carrier device with a load during a movement of the carrier device such that evaluation of the geometrical position of the regions in relation to one another is made possible, wherein the first region relates to the carrier device and the second region relates to the load. Furthermore, the electronic unit is designed for generating a signal for each region and linking the signals such that it is possible to ascertain an overhang from this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: CEDES Safety & Automation AG
    Inventor: Eric Lutz
  • Patent number: 8537370
    Abstract: A measuring device for detecting a relative position, the measuring device including a measurement graduation movable in at least one measurement direction and a scanning unit for determining a relative position of the measurement graduation with respect to the scanning unit. The scanning unit includes a light source, a scanning grating disposed on a first side of a transparent carrier element that is positioned in a scanning beam path and a detector arrangement. The scanning unit further includes an attenuation structure that adjusts a light intensity on the detector arrangement in a defined manner, wherein either 1) the attenuation structure is disposed on a second side, opposite the first side, of the transparent carrier element or 2) the attenuation structure has a permeability that varies as a function of location at least along one direction so that a light intensity which is uniform at least in that one direction results on the detector arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Benner
  • Patent number: 8446247
    Abstract: A safety system for detecting the presence of an undesired object in a safety area may include a first pair of distance measuring sensors disposed on opposed sides of the conveying path, the pair of distance measuring sensors defining a sensor field between said pair of distance measuring sensors, and an electronic control device operatively coupled to the sensors. The electronic control device may be configured to initiate a machine-stopping sequence based at least in part on signals received from the distance measuring sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Allen, Michael Harrington, Lynn E. Vershum
  • Patent number: 8434874
    Abstract: A pattern projection light source is disclosed in which a light source (2a); a plurality of mask regions (5) in each of which a light-transmitting portion that transmits light from the light source therethrough is formed in a predetermined pattern; and a plurality of lenses (7) that each form an image of the predetermined pattern of the light-transmitting portion at a predetermined distance are arranged in this order. Since the pattern projection light source includes a plurality of projection optical systems each including a mask region and a lens, a compact and thin pattern projection light source can be realized. Moreover, provision of a plurality of lenses makes it possible to increase the imaging range of a pattern image. Furthermore, an image of the pattern of the light-transmitting portion can be formed clearly on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Norihiro Imamura
  • Patent number: 8422036
    Abstract: An edge sensing apparatus is disclosed including first and second emitters, first and second detectors and a timer. Beams radiated from the first emitter being emitted in an opposite direction from beams radiated from the second emitter. The first and second detectors being aligned to receive beams from the first and second emitters respectively, where the first detector is offset in a cross-process direction from the first emitter and/or the second detector. The timer receiving signals from both the first and second detectors, wherein a change of the signals determines a position of an edge of a substrate media sheet causing the change of signals. Also, an edge sensing method is disclosed including measuring a mean time associated with a change of signals received from the two detectors and determining a location of a sheet edge causing the change of signals based on the mean time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Wyble, Lloyd A. Williams
  • Patent number: 8411288
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for determining the coordinates K of at least one point P1 on an edge of an optical lens, wherein the lens is held/can be positioned, by a retaining device, with the edge which is to be measured in an optical path of an optical micrometer, whereby the lens is held/can be positioned with the edge in the optical path, a coordinate Za is determined for the point P1, a variation of the relative position between the lens and the optical path is made, which is based on a pivotal axis S, a coordinate Zb is determined in the new position B for the point P1, and the coordinates Ya and Yb are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gunter Schneider, Torsten Gerrath, Klaus Krämer
  • Patent number: 8400642
    Abstract: A position detection device includes: a light source adapted to form a light intensity distribution of a detection light beam; a first detector adapted to receive a reflected light beam of the detection light beam reflected by an object in a detection area where the light intensity distribution is formed; a transmissive member disposed between the detection area and the light source, and between the detection area and the first detector, and having a first surface directed toward the detection area and a second surface directed toward the light source; a second detector adapted to receive a light beam reflected by the second surface out of the detection light beam; a position detector adapted to detect the object based on the detection result in the first detector; and a light blocking member disposed between the second detector and the detection area, and adapted to block the reflected light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8400643
    Abstract: A position sensing device having a high range to resolution ratio comprises a light source arrangement, a moving aperture arrangement and a multiple position sensitive detector (PSD) arrangement. The multiple PSD arrangement comprises a plurality of position sensitive detectors arranged along at least two detection tracks along a measuring axis. Each of the plurality of position sensitive detectors shares a common portion of a total measuring range along the measuring axis with an adjacent position sensitive detector which is on a different detector track. The total measurement range is larger than the detector range of each of the position sensitive detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Kim Atherton
  • Patent number: 8339615
    Abstract: An edge detection method includes preparing a transparent substrate which includes a first main face having a first main region and a first peripheral region and a second main face having a second main region and a second peripheral region, the first peripheral region having an inclination angle of ?a1 and the second peripheral region having an inclination angle of ?a2, causing measuring light to enter the first peripheral region from a direction perpendicular to the first main region, detecting a non-emitting region where the measuring light is not emitted from the second peripheral region, and detecting an edge of the transparent substrate on the basis of the non-emitting region, wherein if a refractive index of the transparent substrate is n, the inclination angles ?a1 and ?a2satisfy the following expression: n×sin(?a1+?a2?arcsin(sin ?a1/n))?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masayuki Dohi, Itsuko Sakai, Takayuki Sakai, Shunji Kikuchi, Takuto Inoue, Akihiro Hori, Masayuki Narita
  • Patent number: 8319965
    Abstract: Aerosol and hydrosol particle detection systems without knowledge of a location and velocity of a particle passing through a volume of space, are less efficient than if knowledge of the particle location is known. An embodiment of a particle position detection system capable of determining an exact location of a particle in a fluid stream is discussed. The detection system may employ a patterned illuminating beam, such that once a particle passes through the patterned illuminating beam, a light scattering is produced. The light scattering defines a temporal profile that contains measurement information indicative of an exact particle location. However, knowledge of the exact particle location has several advantages. These advantages include correction of systematic particle measurement errors due to variability of the particle position within the sample volume, targeting of particles based on position, capture of particles based on position, reduced system energy consumption and reduced system complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Thomas H. Jeys, Antonio Sanchez-Rubio, Ronald H. Hoffeld, Jonathan Z. Lin, Nicholas M. F. Judson, George S. Haldeman, Vincenzo Daneu
  • Patent number: 8259308
    Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing a misalignment condition during operation of a continuous oven, which includes a conveyor system conveying and positioning trays carrying panned baked goods within an oven bake chamber defined at least in part by two side panels extending parallel to one another. The system includes an optical sensor arrangement having a transmitter and a receiver disposed along a line of sight, the line of sight extending across a location of the oven bake chamber such that a misaligned tray or mis-positioned utensil moving on the conveyor system disposed within the oven cavity interrupts the line of sight, which in accordance with the method causes the optical sensor system to provide a signal indicative of the misalignment condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Baking Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Blane Bishop, Greg Clark, Tim Hinterman
  • Patent number: 8234092
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring a lead edge and/or a trail edge media curl utilizing a dual cross beam sensor. The dual cross beam sensor includes one or more pairs of emitters (e.g., a pair to two pairs of emitters) and one or more detectors positioned sequentially in a media path so that a media passes via dual cross beams. Timing data with respect to the media can be measured as the media crosses via the dual cross beam sensor from a leading edge and/or trailing edge. A true instantaneous media speed and a curl height (i.e., media tip height or media curvature) can be simultaneously calculated from the timing data associated with the lead edge/trail edge with respect to each single cross beams of the dual cross beam sensor. An average curl height can be then calculated to enhance the accuracy of the media curl measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ming Yang, Thomas Jay Wyble, Keith Andrew Buddendeck
  • Publication number: 20120147385
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for the detection of a substrate edge in a printing machine comprising a substrate transport unit that defines a substrate transport path (8). In this method, at least one light value of a first section of a sensor line (10) and a dark value of a second section of the sensor line are determined, and a threshold value is calculated based thereon. When the threshold value on one pixel is exceeded and the threshold value on another pixel is not reached, it is possible to calculate a position of the substrate edge. The device comprises a light source arrangement (5) for generating diffuse light, and comprises a sensor line for the detection of light from the light source arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Jacobsen, Wolfgang Kuphaldt, Joerg Zessin
  • Patent number: 8125653
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the determination of the position of a disc-shaped object, particularly of a wafer (10). Thereby, a mount (14) for supporting the sensor device (11) is provided on a movable carrier (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Gert Weniger, Ulrich Pohlmann, Frank Rennicke