Patents Examined by Christopher M. Yealy
  • Patent number: 7335871
    Abstract: Methods and systems for low power switching are provided. In one embodiment, an optical switching system is provided. The system comprises at least one optically controlled switch adapted to maintain one of an open state and a closed state based on an associated light signal; and at least one light source adapted to output the associated light signal to the at least one switch, wherein the at least one light source cycles the light signal on and off, wherein the at least one light source is cycled on for a sufficient duration of time and with a sufficient periodicity to maintain the optically controlled switch in one of an open state and a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Bauhahn, Robert C. Becker, David W. Meyers, Kelly P. Muldoon
  • Patent number: 7326948
    Abstract: A beam modifying device configured to receive an input radiation beam along a first optical axis, and configured to emit an output radiation beam along a second optical axis. The beam modifying device includes a divider disposed along the first optical axis and configured to divide the incoming radiation beam into a first part and a second part, the divider being configured to direct the first part along the second optical axis and to direct the second part via a delay path. The beam modifying device further includes optics forming the delay path, the optics being configured to receive the second part and to direct the second part via the delay path and then along the second optical axis. The optics are arranged to mirror the second part such that the second part is mirrored with respect to the first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Hako Botma
  • Patent number: 7309873
    Abstract: A raindrop sensor includes a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and a light guide body. The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element face a transparent panel. The light guide body, which is mounted on the transparent panel, includes an input lens, an input side dividing surface, an output lens and an output side dividing surface. The input lens collimates light emitted by the light-emitting element to form an input side collimated light beam. The output lens receives the collimated light beam, which is collimated by the input lens and is reflected by a reference surface of the transparent panel, to which the raindrop attaches. The output lens converges the reflected collimated light beam toward the light-receiving element. An intersection between an imaginary extension of the input side dividing surface and an imaginary extension of the output side dividing surface is located on the reference surface of the transparent panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7297913
    Abstract: In a compact laser measuring device with a high level of transmission power the problem arises of the laser detector being dazzled by unwanted stray light. To resolve that problem there is provided a module (2) for a laser measuring device (4) which includes a laser source (6, 36), a transmission light guide (8, 38a-d) optically connected to the laser source (6, 36), a laser detector (10), a reception light guide (12) optically connected to the laser detector (10), a transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) and a coupling element (14, 40a-d) which optically connects the transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) to the laser source (6, 36) and the laser detector (10), wherein the transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) is operatively connected to a light amplifier element (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Diehl BGT GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hans Dieter Tholl, Rainer Baumann, Joachim Barenz
  • Patent number: 7297974
    Abstract: Electric charges, which have been generated in a recording photo-conductor layer having been exposed to radiation, are accumulated at an accumulating section. The accumulated electric charges combine with electric charges, which are generated in a reading photo-conductor layer when the reading photo-conductor layer is exposed to reading light having passed through each of transparent linear electrodes, and an electric current in accordance with a radiation dose flows through each of the transparent linear electrodes. An opaque good electrically-conductive member extends at a middle region of each of the transparent linear electrodes, the middle region being other than an end region extending along a longitudinal direction of each of the transparent linear electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Imai
  • Patent number: 7297935
    Abstract: A position-measuring device includes: a measuring graduation provided on a measuring standard device arranged around in ring-like fashion; a scanning unit for optically scanning the measuring graduation using electromagnetic radiation; a scanning plate with a scanning graduation, formed by a scanning grating, extending along a detection axis, which is arranged in the beam path of the electromagnetic radiation used for scanning the measuring graduation, so that the radiation interacts both with the scanning graduation and with the measuring graduation; and a detector of the scanning unit, whose detector surface is used for detecting the electromagnetic radiation after interaction with the scanning graduation and the measuring graduation and which is present as a stripe pattern, in order to record motions of the measuring standard device relative to the scanning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Dr. Johnannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Walter Huber
  • Patent number: 7271380
    Abstract: A photosensitive apparatus, such as scanner, includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel having associated therewith a set of photosensors, each photosensor filtered to record a primary color. The photosensors are exposed to light of each primary color separately, thereby deriving test signals. A cross-color correction factor for the pixel is derived from the test signals. The cross-color correction factor is used in processing signals output from the pixel when an image is being recorded, so as to isolate the effects of signal crosstalk between closely-spaced photosensors of different colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Martin E. Banton, Paul A. Hosier
  • Patent number: 7268360
    Abstract: Techniques for determining wafer stage grid and yaw in a projection imaging tool are described. The techniques include exposing an overlay reticle onto a substrate having a recording media, thereby creating a plurality of printed fields on the substrate. The overlay reticle is then positioned such that when the reticle is exposed again completed alignment attributes are created in at least two sites in a first and a second printed field. The substrate is then rotated relative to the reticle by a desired amount. The overlay reticle is then positioned such that when the reticle is again exposed, completed alignment attributes are created in at least two sites in the first and a third printed field. Measurements of the complementary alignment attribute and a dynamic intra-field lens distortion are then used to reconstruct wafer stage grid and yaw error of the projection imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Litel Instruments
    Inventors: Adlai H. Smith, Robert O. Hunter, Jr., Bruce B. McArthur
  • Patent number: 7265370
    Abstract: A method and apparatus senses light reflected off of a surface of an object at angles with respect to incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael M. Blythe, Wyatt A. Huddleston, Gregory W. Blythe, Jeffrey L. Thielman
  • Patent number: 7265337
    Abstract: Motion sensing apparatus including at least one light sensitive electronic component, said component responsive to at least a first and second incident light level each level creating in said light sensitive component a first state and a second state, wherein the apparatus is configured to measure the response of the light sensitive component during the first state for at least one of the incident light levels and to compare the response with a previously recorded value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Steve Doe
  • Patent number: 7235773
    Abstract: A system and method for calibration and compensation of a visual sensor system. The visual sensor system includes dark pixels adjacent active pixels on a CCD imaging array, which provide dark current data corresponding to image response data. Concurrently, the temperature of the focal plane of the CCD is measured by one or more temperature sensors disposed on the array. Concurrently, the temperature of a circuit board including a processor is measured by one or more temperature sensors arranged on the circuit board. The image response data, dark current data, and circuit board and focal plane temperatures are used to compensate the image response data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Newman