Patents Assigned to Vision
-
Patent number: 5949086Abstract: The object of the invention is a method and apparatus for measuring the characteristic quantities, such as e.g., the length, diameter, volume, and defects of a log (1) or similar in which method the log (1) is moved at a known speed past a photographing station. The photographing station consists of at least one plane of light (4.1) that transects the direction of travel of the log and a video camera (3) set at a fixed angle (a) to this, and a computer apparatus (6), which is arranged to calculate and collect sequential images of a group of surface points (x.sub.l, y.sub.l, z.sub.l ; . . . ; x.sub.n, y.sub.n, z.sub.n) of a three-dimensional model depicting the surface of the log as the log moves through the plane of light, in which the coordinates of each point are calculated with the aid of the geometry of the photography. The log (1) is transported transversely to the direction of the conveyor, the log then traveling along an imagined plane, while the plane of light (4.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1997Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: Vision Systems OyInventors: Jorma Reponen, Mauno Kauppinen
-
Patent number: 5949899Abstract: A system for measuring and analyzing an image of a gel electrophoresis, includes measuring apparatus and a processor. The measuring apparatus includes a frame mountable in a fixed location relative to the image, including a bar extending along a first axis, a carriage coupled to the bar and slidable along the first axis, an alignment device extending transversely from the carriage along a second axis for aligning selected components of the image, and a distance sensor operatively coupled to the carriage for sensing the distance travelling by the carriage and generating distance signals. The processor is operatively coupled to the measuring apparatus and processes the distance signals and generates maps based thereon. The subject system is well suited for constructing restriction enzyme maps for an image of bands created by subjecting DNA to gel electrophoresis.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1996Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: Nebular Vision Research & Development Inc.Inventor: David Ng
-
Patent number: 5944752Abstract: This implant is an intrastromal corneal insert ("ICR") which is not uniform in dimension. It has, typically, two or more raised areas (or areas of additional bulk) spaced apart from each other on the insert. This insert design, when introduced into the stroma and properly adjusted there, permits at least partial correction of astigmatism in the eye.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Kera Vision, Inc.Inventor: Thomas A. Silvestrini
-
Patent number: 5944853Abstract: A highly purified monomer-dye unit is disclosed. A method for producing a highly purified monomer-dye unit is also disclosed. A hydrophilic monomer is reacted with a halotriazine or vinyl sulfone dye in the presence of a base under conditions that yield highly pure monomer-dye units.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Frank F. Molock, James D. Ford, Gregory A. Hill, Joe M. Wood
-
Patent number: 5945916Abstract: A motor vehicle indicator light comprises a light source, a reflector defining an axis on which the light source lies, the reflector having striations in a first orientation, and an optical plate having striations in a second orientation substantially at right angles to the first orientation. A central zone of the reflector spreads the light in a first direction in a first angular gap defined on either side of the axis, while the striations in two side zones of the reflector spread the light while directing it towards the axis of the reflector in the first direction. A homologous central zone of the optical plate, which may be an intermediate screen, spreads the light in a second direction substantially at right angles to the first direction, in a second angular gap on either side of the axis, while homologous side zones of the intermediate screen spread the light in the second direction to a lesser extent than the central zone.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Valeo VisionInventor: Patrice Collot
-
Patent number: 5942141Abstract: A heating plug has a shroud containing a heating resistance of spiral form. The base of the shroud has engagement lugs for contact with the outer end of the resistance.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Valeo VisionInventor: Bertrand Neyret
-
Patent number: 5943436Abstract: A method and system for verifying the presence of a lens in a transparent package. The method comprises the steps of moving the package into an inspection position, and conducting a light beam through the package and onto an image plane to form an image of the package on the image plane. The method further comprises the steps of generating a set of signals representing the image on the image plane, and analyzing those signals to determine whether a lens is present in the package. This analyzing step, in turn, includes the steps of searching the package image for images of discrete objects; and for each object image found in the package image, identifying values for a plurality of parameters, and analyzing those identified values according to a predetermined procedure to identify the object as a lens or as not a lens.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: James Ebel, Michael Francis Widman, Peter W. Sites, Peyman H. Dehkordi
-
Patent number: 5942188Abstract: An interactive control system for controlling the automatic consolidation of contact lenses in a contact lens product flow, the interactive control system comprises a product line having random variations in product flow. A consolidation buffer receives the products from the product line. A controller initiates consolidation of the random variations in the product flow. The consolidation is preferably performed by at least one stacking cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: John Mark Lepper, Russell James Edwards, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang
-
Patent number: 5938795Abstract: An improved method for imparting a tint or color to a soft, hydrogel contact lens by uniformly dispersing a dye throughout the lens. The dye is a water-soluble halotriazine dye. The dye is reacted with a hydrophilic monomer to prepare a reactive dye containing predominantly monofunctionality. The monomer is then subjected to polymerization in the presence of a homogeneous solution of the reactive dye in the monomer under conditions to yield the hydrophilic polymer from which the lens is formed. The dye becomes bonded to the polymer during polymerization. The finished lens does not require soaking in an aqueous solution of the dye to impart the desired tint or color to the lens. Additionally, the dye uniformly dispersed throughout the lens according to the improved method does not leach out of the lens or migrate within the lens. Furthermore, the lens does not need to be washed with aqueous base to bond the dye to the lens.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1995Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Frank F. Molock, James D. Ford
-
Patent number: 5940681Abstract: There is disclosed a method for automatically checking position data of J-leads at a semiconductor component enclosed in a housing with respect to a plane parallel to the bottom side of the housing. The bottom side of the housing is illuminated by light from an illuminator at at least one reproducible angle. The light reflected from the bottom side of the housing and the leads at essentially right angles is picked up by a camera with high resolution. The image signals of the camera are fed to an image signal processing device, and at least one data record with an indicator assigned to the semiconductor component is stored. From the image signals, position data of the leads are determined. Any deviation of the position data from predetermined nominal values is determined by comparing the position data with reference data.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1997Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignees: Micronas Intermetall GmbH, Innovative Technology for Vision, Inc.Inventors: Hartmut Seeger, Bernd Sommer
-
Patent number: 5938988Abstract: An injection molding process for molding an assembly of a frontcurve molds in a plurality of unitary solid piece of polymer in which plurality of frontcurve molds are arranged symmetrically around a single center polymer injection gate. In this arrangement the molten polymer flows radially outwardly therefrom uniformly in all directions to the four frontcurves to form one common molded piece of polymer. In a compression injection molding process, the pressure on the molten polymer is maintained relatively constant, and the mold is mechanically collapsed during the molding operation. The present invention molds an assembly of frontcurve molds in a manner in which there is a significant reduction of residual stress locked into the resultant assembly of frontcurve molds. This results in a significant reduction in warpage and shrinkage of each frontcurve mold, which is not optically stressed, and results in a subsequent casting of an ophthalmic lens which is not optically stressed.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1996Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Victor Lust, Daniel G. Boone, Robert E. LaBelle, Dennis M. Jones, Robert G. Petit
-
Patent number: 5937407Abstract: An information retrieving apparatus comprises a retrieve instruction executing means for executing a retrieve instruction based on a retrieval formula described based on an arbitrary schema, a schema conversion means for converting the retrieval formula into another retrieval formula according to another schema based on pregiven rules, and a schema management means for managing the rules for converting the retrieval formula into the other retrieval formula, wherein the retrieve instruction executing means retrieves desired information based on the other retrieval formula. In this case, preferred embodiments are as follows.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Digital Vision Laboratories CorporationInventor: Tsuyoshi Sakata
-
Patent number: 5936666Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus which includes at least two sensors whose overlapping fields of view are matched by sectorization. Sensor signal output processing of a high resolution sensor and a low resolution sensor provide a detection device which achieves a substantially higher performance over devices which only logically combine the outputs of two individual detectors. In a particular embodiment, the high resolution sensor senses a visible wavelength, such as by video camera, and the low resolution is an infrared thermal sensor.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1996Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Vision Systems LimitedInventor: Andrew Lennox Davis
-
Patent number: 5935492Abstract: Methods and apparatus which are utilized for the production of ophthalmic lenses, and more particularly, a method for the removal or demolding of molded ophthalmic contact lenses from the individual molds in which they are produced. The apparatus implements the demolding of such ophthalmic lenses, the latter of which may consist of suitable hydrogel contact lenses or other types of high-precision ophthalmic lenses; for example, such as intraocular contact lenses. Mechanical prying apart of such mating mold half portions, and to facilitate this procedure at a reduced application of force, while concurrently potentially preventing or at least appreciably ameliorating the extent of any possible sticking together of the mold half portions is effected in that mechanical leverage applied to the upper mold half portion, in addition to the application of the heating action thereto.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Wallace Anthony Martin, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Craig William Walker
-
Patent number: 5936052Abstract: The present invention describes novel statistical copolymers and the preparation and possible uses thereof. Copolymers are described that are water-soluble and cross-linkable and that comprise the copolymerization product of a monomer mixture consisting substantially of a vinyl lactam (a) and at least one further vinyl monomer (b) of a different type selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic, hydrophilic and functional vinyl monomers, wherein the monomers are present in the copolymer in the form of statistically distributed building blocks, and, if a functional vinyl monomer is present as a building block in the copolymer, that building block is, where appropriate, modified with a reactive vinyl monomer (c), the reactive vinyl monomer (c) being linked to a building block of a functional vinyl monomer with retention of its vinylic group and with the formation of a covalent bond.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: CIBA Vision CorporationInventors: Harald Bothe, Achim Muller, Bernhard Seiferling, Sharla Borghorst, John Golby, Peter Hagmann, Peter Herbrechtsmeier, Otto Kretzschmar
-
Patent number: 5933664Abstract: A lens aperture of an autostereoscopic camera is moved in a parallax scanning pattern through a plurality of disparity positions offset from the optical axis of the camera lens. Images of a scene being photographed, as viewed through the lens aperture in its various disparity positions, are recorded for subsequent display in three dimensional illusion when viewed with the unaided eye. The size of the lens aperture and the parallax scanning pattern are adjustable to suit conditions. The lens aperture may be defined as a through-hole in an opaque card or a planar array of cells switched between transparent and opaque states. In addition to stereoscopic imaging, the moving lens aperture principle of the present invention may be utilized in range-finding and camera image stabilization applications.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1997Date of Patent: August 3, 1999Assignee: Vision III Imaging, Inc.Inventor: Aron Bacs, Jr.
-
Patent number: 5932126Abstract: The lighter body comprises a lighter, a connecting bimetallic strip and a safety bimetallic strip mounted head to tail in relation to the connecting bimetallic strip and having two safety blade able to cooperate with convex contact parts belonging to a power supply part.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1996Date of Patent: August 3, 1999Assignee: Valeo VisionInventor: Gilles Thivet
-
Patent number: 5928682Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of optical polymer contact lenses in a closed mold, where a mold cavity is created between a front curve insert and a back curve insert, the side walls of the mold cavity being formed by the inner wall of a movable annular gate collar, the collar being positioned in a retracted position during polymer dosing and then moved prior to polymer cure into an extended position to complete the mold cavity and to separate the polymer curing inside the mold cavity from any waste polymer outside of the mold cavity.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1995Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Joseph E. Janca, Carl G. Crowe
-
Patent number: 5928539Abstract: A motor vehicle cigar lighter has an illuminating sleeve carrying an illuminating module which includes a light source and which surrounds the lighter socket or body. A connecting module is fixed to the rear of the lighter body. Temporary locking means, comprising tongues, are interposed between the connecting module and the illuminating sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1998Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Valeo VisionInventor: Gilles Thivet
-
Patent number: 5929969Abstract: An ophthalmic lens provides a cumulative ratio of distance to near focal length that is predominantly distance correction under high illumination, nearly evenly divided between distance and near correction under moderate illumination, and favoring again distance vision correction under low level illumination. The lens is specifically adjusted to match the patient's pupil size as a function of illumination level, in the preferred embodiment by applying pupil size parameters as a function of age. This lens has the properties of matching both the distribution of near and distance focal vision correction to the type of human activity typically undertaken in various illumination conditions, as well as matching particular lens dimensions to suit the size of the pupil as a function of illumination intensity.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1997Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey H. Roffman