Patents Assigned to Vision
  • Patent number: 6052058
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring integrity of a filter (25) of a smoke or fire detector system. The system has a detector chamber (14) into which light is passed from a light source incorporated into a light source control circuit (10). Scattered light is detected by a light scatter detector (12). Controller circuit (16) receives signal from the detector (12) and makes a cumulative count over time of the number of dust particles detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Vision Products Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald Knox
  • Patent number: 6049404
    Abstract: An optical routing switch provides polarization-independent and low-crosstalk switching between any of a plurality of input ports and any of a plurality of output ports over a wide operating range of temperatures and wavelengths. Optical signals appearing at each input port are spatially decomposed into two orthogonally-polarized beams by a first polarization-dependent routing element (e.g., a birefringent element or polarized beamsplitter). Beyond this point, a network of optical switches are placed along the optical paths of the pair of light beams. Each optical switch includes: (1) a polarization rotator that switchably controls the polarization of the input light beams so that both of the emergent beams are either vertically or horizontally polarized, according to the control state of the device; and (2) a polarization-dependent routing element that spatially routes the light beam pair to provide physical displacement based on their state of polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Macro-Vision Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Kuang-Yi Wu, Jian-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 6046946
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for testing multi-port memory performs a shadow read to an adjacent memory cell concurrent with a write operation associated with typical read-write testing. In the presence of a bit wire short or a word wired short, the concurrent read of an adjacent memory cell will cause the value of that cell to be corrupted. The corrupted value is then found by the read-write testing. Consequently, the testing takes no longer than read-write testing. In addition, the testing scheme can be modified for memory with read only ports. An embodiment of the apparatus employs and exclusive OR gate on the least significant bit of the test row address line to generate the shadow read address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Logic Visions, Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Cote
  • Patent number: 6042230
    Abstract: The invention provides marks for use in contact lenses and contact lenses that contain the marks, which marks are highly visible. The marks of the invention are useful for determining the inside versus the outside of the lens as well as for diagnostic purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Neadle, George Stanley
  • Patent number: 6043237
    Abstract: Photodynamic therapy to prevent secondary cataracts is effected using photosensitizers such as green porphyrins as photoactive agents to destroy remnant lens epithelial cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignees: QLT PhotoTherapeutics, Inc., The University of the British of Columbia, Ciba Vision Opthalmics
    Inventors: Howard E. Meadows, Danielle Wenkstern, David R. Mallek, Marcello Nick Bussanich, Anna M. Richter, Julia G. Levy, Claude A. A. Hariton, Gustav Huber, Jack Rootman
  • Patent number: 6039899
    Abstract: An automated method and apparatus is provided to mold and cure soft contact lenses. A molding station injection molds first and second mold parts for the production of the lenses and these mold parts are transferred to an inert gas or low oxygen environment wherein a series of automated stations receive the mold parts, deposit a polymerizable hydrogel within the first mold part, assemble and clamp the first and second mold parts together, apply radiant energy for polymerizing the hydrogel and subsequently separate the mold parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Wallace Anthony Martin, Jonathan Patrick Adams, Finn Thrige Andersen, Stephen Robert Beaton, Svend Christensen, Allan G. Jensen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Victor Lust, Craig William Walker, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang
  • Patent number: 6040416
    Abstract: A melt polymerization method for producing poly(arylene ethers phosphine oxide)s suited to optical applications comprising reacting a trimethyl silyl derivative of bisphenol and an activated aromatic dihalide, wherein either reactant is a phosphine oxide, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignees: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkateshwaran N. Sekharipuram, Beverly Sue Mecham, Atul Bhatnagar, James E. McGrath
  • Patent number: 6039466
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight has a light source, a reflector co-operating with the light source to form a beam of predetermined photometry, a housing which contains the reflector and the lamp that includes the light source, and a cover glass closing the front of the housing. An adjusting device is provided for varying the orientation of the beam by pivoting the reflector about a tilting axis. The lamp is mounted in a fixed position in the casing, and the tilting axis of the reflector passes close to the light source. The adjusting device includes a rotary maneuvering member having a driving spigot which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the maneuvering member. The spigot is arranged to slide, substantially without clearance, in a slot formed in an element fixed to the reflector. This slot is oriented substantially transversely to the axis of the rotary member and transversely to the direction of displacement of the reflector. The rotary member can be turned freely on itself over more than 360.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Laurent Duchenne, Benony Grigorescu, Jean-Pierre Loiselet
  • Patent number: 6036096
    Abstract: A multi-modally grippable housing construction of improved ergonomic efficiency is disclosed, the construction including a head and a generally elongated handle assembly having a proximal portion coupled to a rear wall of the head to define a neck grippable by thumb and index fingers of an operator, the head having an exterior configuration extending rearwardly from the front end and being sized and shaped for facilitation of the cupping and holding of the head by an operator. Gripping of the housing about the neck, according to one preferred manner of gripping the housing, or cupping of the head according to another mode of grasping the housing construction, permits the operator, in the case of a symbology reader or imager, to address with ergonomic efficiency symbologies positioned, respectively, in vertical or horizontal orientation with respect to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Maaike L. Evers, Chaitanya Kanojia, Steven J. Meister, Gilbert Y. Wong
  • Patent number: 6037708
    Abstract: A lateral-emitter field emission device has a thin-film emitter cathode 50 which has thickness of not more than several hundred angstroms and has an edge or tip 110 having a small radius of curvature. To form a novel display cell structure, a cathodoluminescent phosphor anode 60 is positioned below the plane of the thin-film lateral-emitter cathode 50, allowing a large portion of the phosphor anode's top surface to emit light in the desired direction. An anode contact layer contacts the phosphor anode 60 from below to form a buried anode contact 90 which does not interfere with light emission. The anode phosphor is precisely spaced apart from the cathode edge or tip and receives electrons emitted by field emission from the edge or tip of the lateral-emitter cathode, when a small bias voltage is applied. The device may be configured as a diode, triode, or tetrode, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Vision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D. Potter
  • Patent number: 6036319
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for controlling a laser projection assisted assembly operation includes the ability to display a menu with the laser projector. An operator is able to request the menu be displayed at the operator's location. The menu provides the operator the ability to select from several display options. By selecting an icon associated with a desired display option, the operator is able to change the display option at a location remote from the control. This is particularly valuable in large laser assisted work assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Virtek Vision Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt D. Rueb, Edward S. Bianchin
  • Patent number: 6034481
    Abstract: An apparatus displaying a sequence of images on an electroluminescent lamp is disclosed. The apparatus includes an electroluminescent lamp, a plurality of trace leads, and an overlay adjacent to the electroluminescent lamp. The lamp has a front electrode and a plurality of pixels, the pixels being independently illuminable portions of the lamp, and each pixel includes an electroluminescent material and a rear electrode. The trace leads are connected to the rear electrodes, with each rear electrode connected to one trace lead and each trace lead connected to more than one rear electrode. The overlay has a translucent or transparent material and a plurality of images interwoven together on the translucent or transparent material. Each image corresponds to selected pixels on the lamp. Power supplied to the front electrode and selected rear electrodes creates an electric field therebetween, whereby pixels to which power is supplied are illuminated to display an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Add-Vision, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan D. Haynes
  • Patent number: 6029808
    Abstract: This invention provides a blister pack comprising a base and a cover, wherein said base comprises a recess which houses a contact lens and solution, wherein the thickness of the material of said recess is less than 0.75 mm, and said recess houses less than 0.75 ml solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: James Malcolm Peck, Gary L. Collins, Jerry Wayne Dukes, Gregory Scott Duncan, George E. Himes, Kornelis Renkema, Michael J. Tersak, Donnie Jerome Duis, Ranganath Ramakrishnan Raja
  • Patent number: 6031932
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a surface of a printing medium, the method comprising the steps of acquiring an image of the surface or a portion thereof, digitizing the acquired image whereby a digitized real representation of the surface or portion is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignees: Scitex Corporation Ltd., Advanced Vision Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafail Bronstein, Omer Karp, Michael Goldstein
  • Patent number: 6031225
    Abstract: A system and method for correcting a scan pattern of a moving optical scanning system. A gantry moves an optical system at a constant rate in a first direction. Using a light source and a first deflector, the optical scanning system quickly sweeps a light beam in a direction orthogonal to the motion of the gantry by changing the angle of deflection of the first deflector linearly with time. To compensate for the motion of the gantry, the optical system includes a second deflector which deflects the light, the deflection angle being determined as a function of the velocity of the gantry. The deflected light is focussed on the object (or pattern). Accordingly, the object is scanned along a corrected scan line orthogonal to the X-axis. The optical scanning system may optionally perform "selected" scanning. Also, the optical system optionally employs a "look-ahead/look-behind" scanning approach to further improve the rate at which portions of an object (or pattern) may be inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Stern, Kuo-Ching Liu, Robert C. Blosser
  • Patent number: 6031059
    Abstract: The invention provides hydrogels for use in the production of biomedical devices. In particular, the invention provides hydrogels formed from siloxane prepolymers and a hydrophilic monomer, which hydrogels are optically transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Vanderlaan, Frank Molock, Giancarlo Fruzzetti
  • Patent number: 6027470
    Abstract: A punctum plug includes a proximal head, a distal body, and a shaft between the head and the body. The head and shaft are provided with a bore to facilitate insertion of the plug through the punctal opening with an insertion tool. According to one aspect of the invention, the head is provided with a lower portion having a frustoconical shape which, in situ, reduces the external profile of the head, without sacrificing the thickness of the head. Preferably, the head includes peripheral upper and lower surfaces which are both non-orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a more central upper surface which is generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. According to a second aspect of the invention, the head has an oblong cross-section such that long and short lateral dimensions are defined across the head. According to a third aspect of the invention, at least a proximal portion of the shaft is provided with an oblong cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Eagle Vision, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. Mendius
  • Patent number: 6028528
    Abstract: The apparatus can manage transfers of video recording media bearing machine readable registration codes. This media is adapted to record video from a vehicle-mounted camera. The management apparatus (and the methods) operate with a user identification key carrying at least one machine readable, identification code, as well as a supplemental code. The apparatus has a port for reading and writing to the key, a registration device, and a processor. The port can provide in response to the key, an identification signal and supplemental signal corresponding to the identification and supplemental code. The registration device can read the registration codes borne by the video recording media and can provide in response thereto a registration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Mobile-Vision, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Lorenzetti, Louis W. Blanco
  • Patent number: 6028582
    Abstract: An improved solenoid and reset pin for a modular display apparatus for displaying indicia at a front thereof having a frame for rotationally mounting a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes first and second display faces joined along respective adjacent edges. A triggering mechanism has a plurality of solenoids adapted for selective actuation to rotate selected ones of the pixels for changing the pattern of the desired display indicia and a plurality reset pins to return the pixels to an original position. The reset pins and the plungers for the solenoids include a spring and a rod extending axially outward from said spring to provide radial flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Reader Vision, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Brooks Drew, G. Frank Dye, F. Martin Black
  • Patent number: 6024448
    Abstract: This invention provides a contact lens comprising a front surface, a back surface and an identifying mark on at least one of said front surface and said back surface, wherein said identifying mark comprises a depressed region having a cross-section which comprises at least two intersecting concave surfaces at the bottom of said depressed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jongliang Wu, Khaled A. Chehab, Carl G. Crowe, Timothy R. Poling, Richard J. Nason, Jon Scott Walker, Susan-Wendy B. Neadle, Patricia Ann Hutfles, W. Anthony Martin