Displacement, Motion, Distance, Or Position Patents (Class 73/1.79)
  • Patent number: 11970183
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for calibrating a sensor of a vehicle. One technique involves identifying a trigger for calibrating at least one sensor of a vehicle. In response to identifying the trigger, the technique then involves initiating a calibration path planning mode for the vehicle. In the calibration path planning mode, the technique involves: generating a plurality of calibration-aware paths that each include at least one calibration trajectory along at least one road; and selecting, from the plurality of paths, a first calibration-aware path for the vehicle, where the at least one sensor is calibrated while the vehicle travels along the selected path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Bartolomeo Della Corte, Maurilio Di Cicco, Jun Shern Chan
  • Patent number: 11911860
    Abstract: A numerical-control machine tool is provided that includes a tool-holder head which is provided with a tool-holder spindle and is capable of rotating/tilting the tool-holder spindle about two different rotation axes inclined to one another; a movable supporting structure that supports the tool-holder head; inclinometer microsensor(s) that are located on the movable supporting structure of the machine to measure/determine the tilt of the element on which the sensors are mounted; and an electronic control device that commands the moving members of the movable supporting structure and of the tool-holder head. The electronic control device is electronically connected to the inclinometer microsensor(s) controls the moving members of the movable supporting structure and of the tool-holder head based on signals arriving from the inclinometer microsensor(s), so as to correct the spatial position and/or the orientation of the tool-holder spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PARPAS S.P.A.
    Inventor: Vladi Parpajola
  • Patent number: 11913814
    Abstract: A position-measuring device includes a carrier body having a first and second measuring graduations and a reference mark. The first and second measuring graduations include graduation structures periodically arranged along first and second measurement directions, respectively, that are perpendicular to each other. The graduation structures of the first measuring graduation each extend parallel to a first direction and the reference mark extends in a second direction that forms an angle different from 0° with the first direction. First and second scanners are configured to scan the first and second measuring graduations and generate first and second scanning signals, respectively. A third scanner is configured to scan the reference mark and generate a reference pulse. The position-measuring device is configured such that a phase angle of the reference pulse is determined as a function of the first scanning signals and the reference pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Pascal Haible, Alois Bartlechner, Sebastian Gruber
  • Patent number: 11906672
    Abstract: A method for detecting a degradation in a distance-measuring system (1.1), comprising the following method steps: transmitting a transmission signal (1.2), acquiring a received signal back-scattered from an object, determining the distance (a) from the object using the received signal, and determining a degree of degradation based on the determined distance (a) from the object and/or the received signal strength of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventor: Guenter Anton Fendt
  • Patent number: 11892820
    Abstract: An error compensation method includes outputting at least one of a plurality of calibration-master conditions including a type of a calibration master that includes targets, obtaining measurement values of positions of the targets by detecting the positions of the plurality of targets under the calibration-master condition using a sensor mounted to the main spindle, and calculating an error value using the measurement value and a calibration value of the position of the target. The error compensation method further includes approximating a relation between the measurement values and the error values by a curve and a straight line, calculating a compensation parameter of a positioning error of a translational axis based on an approximate curve in a partial range of a stroke of the translational axis, and calculating the compensation parameter of the positioning error based on an approximate straight line in another range of the stroke of the translational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Kojima, Tetsuya Matsushita, Yasunori Kondo
  • Patent number: 11841453
    Abstract: According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: obtaining a position of a user device; locating one or more surfaces providing one or more putative reflection points for a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) path between the user device and a wearable device; conditional upon locating the one or more surfaces, causing ranging signals to be exchanged between the user device and the wearable device to determine a relative position of the wearable device with respect to the user device; determining, from at least the relative position and position of the user device, data that enables calibration of one or more sensors of the wearable device; and causing transmission of the data to the wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Harry Cronin, Christopher Wright, Phil Catton
  • Patent number: 11839434
    Abstract: Surgical instrument calibration methods, systems, and devices are provided that allow a virtual representation of a surgical instrument to be modified to adjust for any variations in a distal tip of a surgical instrument. For example, an instrument calibration system is provided that can have a surgical instrument, a calibration instrument, and a monitoring system. The surgical instrument can have a distal tip and an orientation element thereon, and the calibration instrument can have a pivot point thereon and a calibration reference element attached thereto. The monitoring system can be configured to record movement of the surgical instrument with respect to the calibration instrument when the tip of the surgical instrument is inserted into the pivot point of the calibration instrument, and to calculate a deviation of the tip of the surgical instrument from a predefined ideal tip based on the recorded movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Steffen Schumann, Marc Puls
  • Patent number: 11781849
    Abstract: An inspection master can perform three- and five-axis measurements wherein measurement in a rotation axis or/and turning axis direction for a five-axis processing machine is added. In one aspect, peripheral-surface spherical reference portions protrudes laterally on a peripheral surface of a master main body having a tubular shape, including the peripheral surface and an upper surface, and an upper reference ball for detection of an inclination angle of the body protrudes upward on the upper surface. The reference portions are provided at two or more portions of the peripheral surface in a circumferential direction thereof. In another aspect, an upper reference ball protrudes upward on the upper surface, and upper-surface spherical reference portions protrudes upward at one or more portions of the upper surface on an outer side with respect to the ball. In another aspect, both the peripheral-surface and upper-surface spherical reference portions are on the master main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ASANUMA GIKEN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu Asanuma
  • Patent number: 11774227
    Abstract: The inspection gauge is an inspection gauge for a coordinate measuring apparatus having a triangular pyramid shape, and includes a plurality of support members in which first ends are provided at positions corresponding to vertexes of the triangular pyramid and second ends are connected to each other in a region inside the triangular pyramid, and a plurality of spheres provided at positions corresponding to the vertexes of the triangular pyramid on the plurality of support members, and at least three support members of the plurality of support members have mutually different shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Kiyotani
  • Patent number: 11766301
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a moveable component include a system, a method, and/or a non-transitory computer-readable medium. A controller coupled to the moveable component is configured to hold the moveable component at a first position, detect a disturbance that moves the moveable component from the first position, in response to a detection of the disturbance, move the moveable component according to a first motion, continue to move the moveable component according to the first motion until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected, and in response to a detection of the stop condition, hold the moveable component at a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nicola Diolaiti, Jeffrey D. Brown, Daniel H. Gomez, Robert E. Holop, Anthony K. McGrogan, Probal Mitra, Craig R. Ramstad
  • Patent number: 11759954
    Abstract: A calibration object is placed at a target orientation in a station of an electronics processing device by a first robot arm, and then retrieved from the station by the first robot arm. The calibration object is transferred to an aligner station using the first robot arm, a second robot arm and/or a load lock, wherein the calibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station. The first orientation at the aligner station is determined. A characteristic error value is determined based on the first orientation. The aligner station is to use the characteristic error value for alignment of objects to be placed in the first station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael Bergantz, Damon K. Cox, Alexander Berger
  • Patent number: 11740072
    Abstract: The inner surface shape measurement device, which measures an inner surface shape of a small hole formed in a workpiece, includes: a rotating body for rotating the workpiece around a rotation axis, and a linear-and-tilting-motion stage; an elongated probe capable of being inserted into the small hole of the workpiece; a probe linear-and-tilting-motion mechanism capable of adjusting posture of the probe; a camera, configured to be rotatable integrally with the rotating body, for imaging the probe from at least three circumferential positions on a rotation trajectory centered on a rotation axis; and a controller for adjusting the posture of the probe using the probe linear-and-tilting-motion mechanism based on an image taken by the camera at each of the circumferential positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO SEIMITSU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Morii, Katsufumi Moriyama
  • Patent number: 11708896
    Abstract: A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling driving of a motor. A learning unit learns, as a position correction value, a normal state time correction value calculated based on first and/or second reference angles when an output shaft signal is available when turning on of a start switch. The first reference angle is a motor angle when the output shaft signal changes in response to the rotation of the motor in a first direction. The second reference angle is the motor angle when the output shaft signal changes in response to the motor rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A motor angle target value is set by using the normal state time correction value stored during a period from when all the output shaft signals are determined to be unavailable to when the start switch is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kamio, Masahiko Akiyama, Masashi Misawa, Kenshi Masuo
  • Patent number: 11656074
    Abstract: A calibration method includes: measuring, with a CMM, a ball-to-ball distance of a plurality of edges of an inspection gauge installed in a first posture, a second posture and a third posture, and calculating a calibration value calibrating a ball-to-ball distance between two balls at respective ends of a plurality of edges of the inspection gauge by solving simultaneous equations including the ball-to-ball distance of the plurality of edges of the inspection gauge installed in the first posture, the ball-to-ball distance of the plurality of edges of the inspection gauge installed in the second posture, the ball-to-ball distance of the plurality of edges of the inspection gauge installed in the third posture, and a measurement error of the CMM at the measurement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuto Inoue, Masayuki Nara
  • Patent number: 11643286
    Abstract: The operator may first place a blank device in a first socket in a first site. The APS may self-teach the position and orientation of that first socket by removing and replacing the device in the socket one or more times, and by detecting the position of the device in the socket or by monitoring a change in position of the device as it is placed into the socket. The APS then picks the device from the first socket (or from the input tray) and moves it in succession through the rest of the sockets to establish position and orientation of each socket. After all sockets are taught, the APS loads all sockets with blank devices, and programming begins. Alternatively, the programming job begins as each site is taught and before the remaining sites are taught so that production output can begin “immediately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BPM MICROSYSTEMS
    Inventors: William H. White, Alain A. Mangiat, Josué E. Salazar Vanoye, Colin D. Harper
  • Patent number: 11639234
    Abstract: A method for aligning a removable sensor on a vehicle includes connecting the removable sensor to a sensor mounting device. The method further includes connecting a connector of an alignment apparatus to either (i) the removable sensor such that a spatial reference component of the alignment apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to a current position and orientation of the removable sensor or (ii) a fixed connection location on the vehicle such that the spatial reference component indicates a desired position and orientation of the removable sensor. In addition the method includes adjusting the current position and orientation of the removable sensor by reference to the alignment apparatus to cause the current position and orientation of the removable sensor to match the desired position and orientation of the removable sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kevin S. Callahan, Nick S. Evans, Eric R. Muir
  • Patent number: 11590818
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprises vehicle axles, a chassis, and at least two sensor modules. The control device comprises an energy supply unit. The control device is configured to supply energy to the at least two sensor modules via the energy supply unit. The at least two sensor modules are permanently connected to one of the vehicle axles of the vehicle. A vehicle is also provided. The vehicle comprises vehicle axles, a chassis, a sensor arrangement, and a control device comprising an energy supply unit. The sensor arrangement comprises at least two sensor modules which are permanently connected to the vehicle axle and each comprise a supply connection for providing energy into the respective sensor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Hannover GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Gröger
  • Patent number: 11571810
    Abstract: The arithmetic device configured to perform a calculation for controlling a motion of a grasping apparatus that performs work involving a motion of sliding a grasped object includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a state variable indicating a state of the grasping apparatus during the work; a storage unit storing a learned neural network that has been learned by receiving a plurality of training data sets composed of a combination of the state variable acquired in advance and correct answer data corresponding to the state variable; an arithmetic unit configured to calculate a target value of each of various actuators related to the work of the grasping apparatus by inputting the state variable to the learned neural network read from the storage unit; and an output unit configured to output the target value of each of the various actuators to the grasping apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11448559
    Abstract: A capacitance detection device includes a sensor unit including at least one sensor element whose capacitance changes, a control line applying to the sensor element a predetermined charging voltage for detecting the capacitance of the sensor element, a shield line electrically shielding the control line, a control circuit supplying the charging voltage to the sensor element via the control line, measuring a voltage change of the sensor element when the charging voltage is applied to the sensor element, and detecting the capacitance of the sensor element based on the voltage change, and an equipotential circuit setting a potential of the shield line equal to a potential of the control line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Ukitsu, Yuta Moriura, Hiroyuki Furuya, Takashi Matsumoto, Yui Sawada
  • Patent number: 11435179
    Abstract: A device for calibrating the speed of a movement axis of a machine, including a measuring instrument and a measuring assembly having first and second measuring elements provided at a defined and known distance from one another on the measuring assembly. The measuring assembly is arranged on a workpiece receptacle of the machine, and the measuring instrument performs measurements with a known target frequency. When the device is arranged on the machine and the measuring instrument is moved at a known target speed of a movement axis of the machine from the first measuring element to the second measuring element, the measuring instrument interacts with the respective measuring element to determine an interaction date or a detection date. The device detects starting from the first interaction date or detection date to the second interaction date or detection date, a number of measurements of the measuring instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: M&H Inprocess Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Wiest
  • Patent number: 11396071
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a shim and related systems and equipment. A mechanical tool inserted into a shim space defined between two or more components with the mechanical tool in a first configuration. The mechanical tool is free of measurement electronics. The mechanical tool, while in the shim space, is modified such that the mechanical tool assumes a second configuration to establish a plurality of model points corresponding to a boundary surface of the shim space. The mechanical tool is removed from the shim space while maintaining the mechanical tool in the second configuration. Using a measurement station distinct from the tool, the positions of the model points are electronically measured while the mechanical tool is both disposed outside of the shim space and in the second configuration. Machining instructions are generated based on the measured positions. A shim is fabricated based on the generated machining instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Nathan Alphonse Secinaro, Douglas Alan Jones, Brent F. Craig
  • Patent number: 11385141
    Abstract: A sampling device and associated methods for assessing operation of a medical washing device includes a base, a cover, a fluid path, a sensor, and a controller. The cover is selectively removably mounted to the base and includes an opening. The fluid path is in fluid communication with the opening, and has an outlet through which the fluid is discharged. The sensor is a sensor of an analytical characteristic, and is disposed in the fluid path. The controller is in communication with the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Edward Weslosky, Richard F. Huyser
  • Patent number: 11366447
    Abstract: A spatial accuracy correction apparatus performs a spatial accuracy correction of a positioner displacing a displacer to a predetermined set of spatial coordinates using a measurable length value measured by an interferometer and a measurable value of the set of spatial coordinates of the displacement body that is measured by the positioner. The measured length value and the measured value for each measurement point are acquired by displacing the displacement body to a plurality of measurement points in order, one or more repeated measurements are conducted for at least one of the plurality of measurement points being measured after conducting measurement of the measured length value and the measured value for each of the plurality of measurement points, and the plurality of points are measured again when a repeat error of the measured length value is equal to or greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichiro Yanaka, Masayuki Nara
  • Patent number: 11364650
    Abstract: Tools for replacing knives in cutting machines. The tools include a clamping body having a base, bracket, clamp, and knife support tab(s). The bracket has a flange portion spaced apart from an upper surface of the base. The clamp is coupled to the base for translating in translation directions transverse to a longitudinal axis of the base. The clamp has a lift tab on the same side of the base as a rear surface thereof, and a handle is secured to the flange portion of the bracket and located on the same side of the base as the lift tab. The support tab projects from the front surface of the base, and the clamp is biased toward the support tab so that the clamp and support tab create a knife gripping mechanism for clamping an edge of a knife against the tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Joseph Gereg, Scott Alan Klockow
  • Patent number: 11366448
    Abstract: A method that corrects an error in positioning in a positioning mechanism by using a measurable length value measured by a laser interferometer and a measured value for spatial coordinates measured by the positioning mechanism. The method includes a measurement step in which a retroreflector affixed to a displacer is displaced to a plurality of measurement points, and the measured length value and the measured value at each of the measurement points is acquired; and a parameter calculation step in which a correction parameter is calculated based on the measured value, the measured length value, and the coordinates of a rotation center of the tracking-type laser interferometer. A first correction constant is applied to the measured length value for each measurement line, and a second correction constant different from the first correction constant is applied to the coordinates of the rotation center of the interferometer for each measurement line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichiro Yanaka, Masayuki Nara
  • Patent number: 11300880
    Abstract: A coating system includes supporting pins, a suction plane, and a calibrating disk. The suction plane is located between the supporting pins, and the calibrating disk is configured to dispose on the supporting pins or the suction plane. The calibrating disk includes a round top surface and a round bottom surface being opposite to the round top surface. The round bottom surface has a round plane and a dependable wall surrounding the round plane, and an edge of the round plane and an edge of the round bottom surface are concentric. The dependable wall is configured to limited horizontal movement of the supporting pins, and the round plane is configured to cover the suction plane. A calibration method of the coating system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sheng-Kai Chang
  • Patent number: 11238189
    Abstract: A defect prediction method for a device manufacturing process involving processing a pattern onto a substrate, the method comprising: identifying a processing window limiting pattern (PWLP) from the pattern; determining a processing parameter under which the PWLP is processed; and determining or predicting, using the processing parameter, existence, probability of existence, a characteristic, or a combination thereof, of a defect produced from the PWLP with the device manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Hunsche, Venugopal Vellanki
  • Patent number: 11199205
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that allows easy and accurate calibration of a pressure sensor and enables accurate control of hydraulic actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Moriki, Takaaki Chiba, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 11193800
    Abstract: An absolute position detection apparatus includes a calculator configured to generate, based on a detection signal, a first signal, and a second signal. A relative movement range of the scale and the sensor includes a boundary between adjacent detection units in the first signal such that at least one of the boundary is included in each of a plurality of areas in the relative movement range. The calculator is configured to specify a detection unit, to be used to calculate the absolute position, in the first signal based on a code of each detection unit of the second signal in an area that includes the boundary of the plurality of areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11108961
    Abstract: In an electronic device for controlling the shaking of a lens part of a camera module and an operation method for the electronic device according to various embodiments, the electronic device includes: a housing; a first camera that is accommodated in the housing and includes a first lens part capable of refracting light, reflected from an external object, through one surface of the housing, and a first optical image stabilizer (OIS) capable of compensating for the shaking of the first lens part; a second camera that is accommodated in the housing and includes a second lens part capable of refracting light, reflected from the external object, through the one surface and a second optical image stabilizer capable of compensating for the shaking of the second lens part; and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit may be configured to: acquire an image of the external object by using the first camera and the second camera; acquire a first signal, corresponding to the shaking of the first lens part, and a s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junseok Shin, Sungmin Kim, Yeonhak Kim, Sewon Kim, Dongyoul Park, Kihuk Lee
  • Patent number: 11065064
    Abstract: An apparatus, including a magnetic field generator, a first magnetic field sensor configured for attachment to a proximal end of a surgical tool configured for insertion into a body, and a calibration device that includes a second magnetic field sensor and a proximity sensor, wherein the field sensors generate respective location signals responsive to a magnetic field emanating from the generator and traversing the field sensors. The apparatus includes a control unit, which receives the signals from all the sensors, extracts respective location and orientation coordinates of the field sensors based on the signals, computes a conversion relation between the coordinates of the first sensor and a distal end of the tool that is brought into contact with the calibration device, and subsequently applies the conversion relation, together with the coordinates of the first sensor, in providing a visual indication of a location of the distal end inside the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoav Pinsky, Akram Zoabi, Itamar Bustan, Michal Alroy Levy
  • Patent number: 11051721
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method, and a program for initializing an attachment location of a measurement sensor. The method of determining an initial attachment location of at least one measurement sensor includes at least: retrieving, by the terminal, identification information of the at least one measurement sensor selected from a user, as the terminal receives a selection input for the at least one measurement sensor attached to a particular location of a body of the user, from the user; and matching, by the terminal, the retrieved identification information with the particular location of the body where the at least one measurement sensor is configured to be attached such that the initial attachment location of the at least one measurement sensor is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NEOFECT Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoyoung Ban, Younggeun Choi, Soobin Lee
  • Patent number: 10935397
    Abstract: A position-measuring device includes a graduation carrier having a measuring graduation disposed thereon. At least one position sensor is configured to generate position-dependent measurement signals by scanning the measuring graduation. A processor is configured to process the position-dependent measurement signals into position signals. An interface is configured to transmit the position signals to subsequent electronics via at least one data channel. At least one motion sensor is configured to generate time-varying measurement signals. A signal analyzer is configured to analyze the measurement signals in the frequency domain dependent on parameters that are transmittable from the subsequent electronics to the interface unit, and to produce result data that is transmittable from the interface unit to the subsequent electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Ingo Joachimsthaler, Sebastian Lenz, Thomas Geisler, Johannes Soier
  • Patent number: 10900917
    Abstract: A coefficient-of-thermal-expansion measuring device includes temperature control device, optical interferometer, and control device including: an actual data acquiring unit sequentially changing an object's temperature and acquiring actual data measured by the optical interferometer at each temperature; a data set generating unit generating pieces of verification data by setting an order of interference of the actual data within a predetermined range, selecting one piece of verification data at each temperature, and generating data sets each containing the selected piece of verification data at each temperature; and a judging unit deriving approximation functions with different orders from each data set, determining an evaluation index value based on differences of verification data from each approximation function, selecting a candidate data set with the smallest evaluation index value for each approximation function, and determining whether the candidate data set is the same for each approximation function
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yokoyama, Takeshi Hagino
  • Patent number: 10866262
    Abstract: A device for microscopically precise positioning and guidance of a measurement or manipulation element in at least two spatial axes, comprising an outer base with side walls defining a base interior, and an xy-stage having side walls and mounting means for at least one measurement or manipulation element, the xy-stage being arranged inside of the base interior and being displaceable in an XY-plane relative to the outer base. The xy-stage is coupled to the outer base with bending elements, and with actuators designed for displacing the xy-stage relative to the outer base. The outer base is provided with at least one stiffening element rigidly connected to the side walls of the outer base, and/or that the xy-stage is provided with at least one stiffening element rigidly connected to the side walls of the xy-stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: GETEC MICROSCOPY GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Ziger, Georg E. Fantner, Jeffrey M. Markakis
  • Patent number: 10831108
    Abstract: Methods are provided for deriving a partially continuous dependency of metrology metric(s) on recipe parameter(s), analyzing the derived dependency, determining a metrology recipe according to the analysis, and conducting metrology measurement(s) according to the determined recipe. The dependency may be analyzed in form of a landscape such as a sensitivity landscape in which regions of low sensitivity and/or points or contours of low or zero inaccuracy are detected, analytically, numerically or experimentally, and used to configure parameters of measurement, hardware and targets to achieve high measurement accuracy. Process variation is analyzed in terms of its effects on the sensitivity landscape, and these effects are used to characterize the process variation further, to optimize the measurements and make the metrology both more robust to inaccuracy sources and more flexible with respect to different targets on the wafer and available measurement conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Tal Marciano, Barak Bringoltz, Evgeni Gurevich, Ido Adam, Ze'ev Lindenfeld, Zeng Zhao, Yoel Feler, Daniel Kandel, Nadav Carmel, Amnon Manassen, Nuriel Amir, Oded Kaminsky, Tal Yaziv, Ofer Zaharan, Moshe Cooper, Roee Sulimarski, Tom Leviant, Noga Sella, Boris Efraty, Lilach Saltoun, Amir Handelman, Eltsafon Ashwal, Ohad Bachar
  • Patent number: 10670383
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement is calibrated for determining rotational positions of a rotary device that has a first part and a second part which can be rotated relative to the first part about a rotational axis. Rotational positions of the first part relative to the second part and/or rotational positions of the second part relative to the first part are detected using a plurality of sensors distributed about the rotational axis. A respective measurement signal corresponding to each detected rotational position is generated such that redundant information on the rotational positions of the first part and the second part relative to each other is provided. The redundant information on the rotational position(s) are analyzed such that effects of a translational movement of the first and the second part relative to each other are corrected, the translational movement running transverse to the extension of the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Engel, Dominik Seitz, Rainer Sagemueller, Fabian Holzwarth
  • Patent number: 10656533
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of a lithographic process and an apparatus and method for determining a relationship between a measure of quality of an estimate of a parameter of a lithographic process are provided. In the apparatus for estimating the parameter a processor is configured to determine a quality of the estimate of the parameter relating to the tested substrate based on a measure of feature asymmetry in the at least first features of the tested substrate and further based on a relationship determined for a plurality of corresponding at least first features of at least one further substrate representative of the tested substrate, the relationship being between a measure of quality of an estimate of the parameter relating to the at least one further substrate and a measure of feature asymmetry in the corresponding first features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak, Kaustuve Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 10603512
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a target volume, e.g., tumor, during radiation treatment are provided. Under one aspect, a system includes an ultrasound probe, an x-ray imager, a processor, and a computer-readable medium that stores a 3D image of the tumor in a first reference frame and instructions to cause the processor to: instruct the x-ray imager and ultrasound probe to substantially simultaneously obtain inherently registered x-ray and set-up ultrasound images of the tumor in a second reference frame; establish a transformation between the first and second reference frames by registering the 3D image and the x-ray image; instruct the ultrasound probe to obtain an intrafraction ultrasound image of the tumor; registering the intrafraction ultrasound image with the set-up ultrasound image; and track target volume motion based on the registered intrafraction ultrasound image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ACCURAY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Calvin R. Maurer, Jay West, Petr Jordan
  • Patent number: 10537997
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and method of performing a robot calibration process within a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, a calibration device is used to calibrate a robot having an end effector. The calibration device includes a body, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The calibration device further includes a sensor disposed on the second side of the body. In some embodiments, the sensor covers the entire second side of the body. In this configuration, because the sensor covers the entire second side of the body of the calibration device, the calibration device can be utilized to sense the contact between the sensor and various differently configured chamber components found in different types of processing chambers or stations disposed within a processing system during a calibration process performed in each of the different processing chambers or stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Narayanan Ramachandran, Karthik Narayanan Balakrishnan, Rajkumar Thanu, Jeffrey Hudgens
  • Patent number: 10539004
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include well ranging apparatus, systems, and methods which operate to receive normal and tangential components of electromagnetic field strength measurements within a first well as a set of field strength components from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is used to take multiple azimuthal field strength measurements at a single depth. Further activities include determining an approximate range from the at least one sensor to a second well that serves as a source of an electromagnetic field, via direct transmission or backscatter transmission, when a ranging direction associated with a housing upon which the at least one sensor is mounted is unknown. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Hsu-Hsiang Wu, Akram Ahmadi Kalateh Ahmad
  • Patent number: 10508530
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for visualizing and steering a drilling apparatus are provided, including a drill string with a bottom hole assembly (BHA), a sensor system, and a controller operable to generate a visualization comprising an original drill plan and an adjusted ideal drilling path. The adjusted ideal drilling path may represent an ideal drilling route based on updated drilling data received by the controller such as determined parameters of geological formations. The differences between the location of the BHA and the adjusted ideal drilling path may also be visualized. This visualization may be used by an operator or the controller to steer the BHA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Colin Gillan
  • Patent number: 10504269
    Abstract: Inertial damping is used to improve the simulation of deformable bodies for physics-based animation. Using this technique, undesirable dynamics of deformable bodies can be suppressed or completely removed while retaining other, more desirable dynamics. An inertial damping module selectively applies inertial damping to a subset of the dynamic modes of a simulated system (e.g., by using the quasi-static solution for these modes or reducing their magnitude). Thus, when the dynamics are simulated, the interactions between modes can be retained while the undesirable effects of the damped modes are reduced or eliminated. The results of the simulation are used to drive a physics-based animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ziva Dynamics Inc.
    Inventors: Essex A. Edwards, Jernej Barbic
  • Patent number: 10458398
    Abstract: A method of setting a zero point according to one embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method of setting a zero point of a bi-directional linear pump for an active suspension apparatus supplying fluid to an actuator connected to a coil spring coupled to a wheel of a vehicle, which includes controlling at least one of a first valve disposed between the actuator and the pump and a second valve disposed between the pump and a fluid reservoir by means of an electronic control unit (ECU) in a first Operation, moving a piston disposed inside the pump to one side to move the piston up to a MAX Stroke position of the one side in a second Operation, calculating an approximate MIN Stroke position of the other side of the piston based on the MAX Stroke position of the one end thereof in a third Operation, moving the piston to the other side to move the piston up to a MIN Stroke position in a fourth Operation, comparing the approximate MIN Stroke position of the other side with the MIN Stroke position thereo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seung Hwan Jeong
  • Patent number: 10314522
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method, and a program for initializing an attachment location of a measurement sensor. The method of initializing an attachment location of at least one measurement sensor includes requesting selection of the measurement sensor that is attached to a specific body unit (S100); recognizing identification information of the measurement sensor, which agrees with a selection manipulation of the measurement sensor (S200); matching the identification information with the body unit (S300); and determining sensing data received from the measurement sensor, which corresponds to the identification information, as motion data of the body unit. According to the inventive concept, because attachment locations of a plurality of measurement sensors are initialized, a terminal may accurately calculate a posture or motion of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: NEOFECT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hoyoung Ban, Younggeun Choi, Soobin Lee
  • Patent number: 10203613
    Abstract: Positional information of a movable body in a Y-axis direction is measured using an interferometer and an encoder whose short-term stability of measurement values excels when compared with the interferometer, and based on the measurement results, a predetermined calibration operation for obtaining correction information for correcting measurement values of the encoder is performed. Accordingly, by using measurement values of the interferometer, correction information for correcting the measurement values of the encoder whose short-term stability of the measurement values excels the interferometer is obtained. Then, based on the measurement values of the encoder and the correction information, the movable body is driven in the Y-axis direction with good precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 10082417
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a fluid dispensing system includes the steps of locating an external reference point with an optical sensor, moving a fluid dispenser to the external reference point, dispensing fluid with the fluid dispenser at the external reference point, locating the dispensed fluid with the optical sensor, calculating a distance between the location of the external reference point and the location of the dispensed fluid, determining a correction value based at least in part on the calculated distance, and using the correction value to improve placement accuracy of dispensed fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Cutler Crowell, III, Payman Tayebi
  • Patent number: 10012757
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a local acceleration of gravity includes releasing a ferrous rod having a regular alternating pattern of reflective and non-reflective portions on a surface thereof from an electromagnetic holder so that the rod falls with a substantially vertical acceleration and substantially no angular velocity about a center of mass of the rod. The falling rod is illuminated with a light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit infrared (IR) light, and IR light emitted by the LED and reflected by the falling rod is detected with a photodiode. A two-state signal is generated corresponding to an illumination state of the photodiode by the reflected IR light. Times of transitions between the two states in the generated signal are calculated to determine kinematic data, and the kinematic data is fitted to a predetermined curve to calculate a local acceleration of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Sohaib Abdelazem, Watheq Al-Basheer
  • Patent number: 9760021
    Abstract: A controller measures positional information of a stage within an XY plane using three encoders which at least include one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and the stage is driven in the XY plane, based on measurement results of the positional information and positional information (p1, q1), (p2, q2), and (p3, q3) in a surface parallel to the XY plane of a head (an encoder) used for measurement of the positional information. Accordingly, it becomes possible to control the movement of the stage with good precision, while switching the head (the encoder) used for control during the movement of the stage using the encoder system which includes a plurality of heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 9722834
    Abstract: A communication system includes a receiving circuit and a phase error estimating circuit. The receiving circuit receives an input signal x, which has an input phase ? in a polar coordinate system. According to partial differentiation performed on the natural logarithm of a function f(x, ?), the phase error estimating circuit generates an estimated phase error of the input signal x. f(x, ?) represents a probability function of receiving the input signal x at the receiving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Jen Chou