Patents Examined by Daniel L Murphy
  • Patent number: 11629959
    Abstract: A surveying instrument includes a distance measuring module for measuring a distance to the object, in which the distance measuring module includes a light projecting optical system configured to project a distance measuring light and a light receiving optical system configured to receive a reflected distance measuring light, the light receiving optical system includes a prism having a quadrangular shape and a photodetector, the prism includes a first plane, a second plane, a third plate and a fourth plane, configured to enter the reflected distance measuring light in the first plane, sequentially internally reflect on the second plane, the first plane, and the third plane, transmit through the fourth plane, and project, and the reflect distance measuring light projected from the prism configured to be received by the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOPCON Corporation
    Inventor: Taichi Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11623198
    Abstract: An ultrasound generation member according to an aspect of the present invention includes an ultrasound generation element configured to emit ultrasound in a direction of a target object in one specific container of a plurality of containers. An ultrasound emission device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the ultrasound generation member, and a drive power supply configured to apply voltage across the ultrasound generation element of the ultrasound generation member. An ultrasound emission device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the ultrasound generation member that includes, as the ultrasound generation element, a plurality of ultrasound generation elements, and a drive power supply configured to apply voltage across the plurality of ultrasound generation elements of the ultrasound generation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, CORONA ELECTRIC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Goto, Hirotsugu Ogi, Masatomo So, Kensuke Ikenaka, Hideki Mochizuki, Shinichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11624848
    Abstract: The underwater acoustic test system comprises an underwater acoustic transmitting unit, an underwater acoustic parabolic reflector, an underwater acoustic receiving unit, an orientation control system, and a computer measurement and control system. The underwater acoustic transmitting unit comprises an underwater acoustic signal generator and a transmitting transducer. The underwater acoustic parabolic reflector comprises a central main reflecting area and an edge diffraction processing area, wherein the central main reflecting area is configured for reflecting acoustic wave signals, and the edge diffraction processing area is configured for reducing the influence of the underwater acoustic parabolic reflector on a test area. The underwater acoustic receiving unit comprises a receiving transducer and an underwater acoustic signal receiver. The orientation control system comprises a traveling crane and a test turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology
    Inventors: Junxiang Ge, Jie Wang, Hai Lin
  • Patent number: 11624810
    Abstract: Multiple LIDAR output signals are generated and are concurrently directed to the same sample region in a field of view. The LIDAR output signals have one or more optical diversities selected from a group consisting of wavelength diversity, polarization diversity, and diversity of an angle of incidence of the LIDAR output signal relative to the sample region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SiLC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Jonathan Luff, Dazeng Feng, Mehdi Asghari
  • Patent number: 11624822
    Abstract: A method for providing enhanced sonar images includes ensonifying a target column of water with sonar beams corresponding to pulses of continuous wave (CW) and pulse compression (FM) signals. Received acoustic returns are processed to generate sonar image data corresponding to the CW signals and the FM signals. The CW and FM sonar image data are then displayed contemporaneously such that one sonar image data set overlays another. Techniques are also disclosed to provide situational imagery. A pilot display system includes a user interface, a logic device, and a speed sensor mounted to a mobile structure. The user interface is configured to receive user input and provide user feedback, and the logic device is configured to receive a speed of the mobile structure from the speed sensor, generate corresponding situational image data, and render the situational image data via at least one display of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Teledyne FLIR, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Stokes, Mark Rivers
  • Patent number: 11619491
    Abstract: A reflector arrangement for determining the position or marking of target points, having at least one retroreflector, and a beam detection unit, by means of which the orientation measurement radiation passing through the retroreflector is acquirable. The beam detection unit comprises a first sensor for generating a signal in dependence on an acquisition of orientation measurement radiation and a first beam guiding unit. The first sensor and the first beam guiding unit are arranged such that a detection field of view for acquiring the orientation measurement radiation is defined, an alignment of the detection field of view around the yaw axis is variable and orientation measurement radiation passing through the retroreflector is acquirable in dependence on the alignment of the detection field of view with the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Jensen, Zheng Yang, Andreas Schwendener, Danick Brühlmann, Josef Müller, Johan Stigwall
  • Patent number: 11619736
    Abstract: An object detection device that detects an object existing around a moving body moving on a road surface by a TOF method, the object detection device includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires target information including distance information of a detection target on the basis of a comparison result between a signal level of a reflected wave and a first threshold value; a second acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including distance information of the road surface on the basis of a comparison result between the signal level of the reflected wave and a second threshold value; and a setting unit that sets the second threshold value so that an amount of the distance information acquired within a predetermined period does not exceed a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ippei Sugae, Koichi Sassa
  • Patent number: 11620973
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. The ultrasonic transducer includes a stainless steel backing comprising a piezoelectric element mounted on a front face of the backing, wherein the stainless steel backing enables operation in high temperature and radiation applications. The ultrasonic transducer further includes a first enclosure comprising a threaded through hole and a second enclosure comprising an opening, wherein the first and second enclosure encapsulates the stainless steel backing, wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are joined together using a plurality of enclosure screws, wherein the first enclosure is configured to receive a set screw through the threaded through hole, and wherein the set screw upon being received is configured to make contact with a ceramic ball, and wherein tightening of the set screw pushes the piezoelectric element out of the opening in the second enclosure to make a contact with a work structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventors: Dan Xiang, Uday Singh
  • Patent number: 11619718
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures—including LiDAR—that employ multiple detectors that may determine multiple incident angles of multiple received radiation beams and advantageously do not require or employ phase shifters in illustrative embodiments and may instead—employ optical Fourier transform structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Photonics LLC
    Inventors: Ehsan Hosseini, Michael Watts, Christopher Poulton, Matthew Byrd, Diedrik Vermeulen, Peter Russo
  • Patent number: 11619484
    Abstract: In order to reliably detect a target object located within a projection area and measure a distance to the detected target object, a distance measurement system includes: a light emitting device including a phase-modulation-type spatial light modulator element, and configured to emit projected light for forming a pattern associated with a phase distribution displayed on a display part of the spatial light modulator element, toward at least two projection areas; a light receiving device for capturing an area including a pattern to be formed by projected light emitted by the light emitting device; and a control device for controlling light emission from the light emitting device, verifying, for each projection area, presence or absence of a target object within the projection area by analyzing imaging data captured by the light receiving device, and measuring a distance to a detected target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Watanabe, Fujio Okumura, Shigeru Asai
  • Patent number: 11618056
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer, a method for preparing the same, a panel, and a device, and belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic imaging. A capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer includes a first electrode, a vibrating diaphragm layer and a second electrode that are arranged in order from bottom to top, a cavity existing between the first electrode and the vibrating diaphragm layer, in which the capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer further includes a third electrode located on a surface of the vibrating diaphragm layer proximate to the cavity, an orthogonal projection of the third electrode on the first electrode covers a part of an orthogonal projection of the cavity on the first electrode. The technical solution of the present disclosure can realize the conversion of the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaotong Liu, Yongchun Tao
  • Patent number: 11614540
    Abstract: A method for controlling a sound box, includes: in response to the sound box being in a standby state, emitting an ultrasonic signal, and receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal reflected by an external object; acquiring a moving trajectory of the external object according to the reflected ultrasonic signal; and determining a target operation instruction to be executed according to the moving trajectory of the external object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yanbing Lei, Ruifeng Feng, Weiyang Chen
  • Patent number: 11614524
    Abstract: Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems and methods of operating the LiDAR systems are provided. The LiDAR system includes a light emitter configured to emit first lights of different wavelengths in a vertical direction and at different scanning angles with respect to a horizontal axis, a lens configured to converge second lights that are reflected from objects on which the first lights are emitted, and a light filter comprising an active-type device configured to adjust a transmission central wavelength of the active-type device to the different wavelengths of the first lights that are emitted from the light emitter. The LiDAR system further includes a controller configured to control an operation of the light emitter and the light filter, and a detector configured to detect light from the light emitter, and obtain information about the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Inoh Hwang, Dongjae Shin, Jungwoo Kim, Tatsuhiro Otsuka, Heesun Yoon
  • Patent number: 11614542
    Abstract: A lidar photosensor amplification circuit may include light sensors; amplifiers corresponding respectively to the light sensors, in a powered-on state, to amplify output signals of the respective light sensors as amplified outputs; and switches corresponding respectively to the amplifiers, where individual switches may be controlled to pass a respective amplified output in a closed state or disconnect the amplified output in an open state. The lidar photosensor amplification circuit may be controlled by a controller according to timing rules that conserve power supplied to photosensor amplification circuit, reduce heat produced by the light sensor board, and do not aggravate cross-talk between sensors. The timing rules include staging an amplifier for a staging time before the corresponding light sensor is to be read, closing a switch after the staging time has passed, and powering down the amplifier and opening the switch after a reading time passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Nikitin, Riley Andrews, Adam Lee Berger
  • Patent number: 11609313
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide both an image of a scene and depth information for the scene. An example system includes at least one time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and an imaging sensor. The ToF sensor and the imaging sensor are configured to receive light from a scene. The system also includes at least one light source and a controller that carries out operations. The operations include causing the at least one light source to illuminate at least a portion of the scene with illumination light according to an illumination schedule. The operations also include causing the at least one ToF sensor to provide information indicative of a depth map of the scene based on the illumination light. The operations additionally include causing the imaging sensor to provide information indicative of an image of the scene based on the illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Caner Onal, David Schleuning, Brendan Hermalyn, Simon Verghese, Alex McCauley, Brandyn White, Ury Zhilinsky
  • Patent number: 11609317
    Abstract: The invention is based on speed changes of sound/ultrasound pulses and a fixed detecting depth between a transducer and sampling points to collect information of the detecting depth and/or a velocity of motionless and/or moving objects from the sampling points to construct two-dimension or three-dimension images of the sampling points. By taking advantages of a pulse ultrasound and a continuous ultrasound, a method of coded sound pulses can simultaneously collect the information of the detecting depth and the velocity from the sampling points, which improves imaging quality. Calculating a speed of the moving objects by simultaneously detecting time-of-flight (TOF) and TOF shift at same site from two separated piezoelectric (PZT) elements improves testing results with accuracy, simplification and reproducibility. An aliasing can be rectified based on the TOF and the TOF shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventors: Hai Huang, Tony Huang
  • Patent number: 11604050
    Abstract: After determining that a gunshot has been fired, particularly indoors, the method of the invention is employed to determining the number of gunshots fired by analyzing consecutive windows of time over a certain time period. That is, after it is determined that a gun has been fired, the method is employed to identify that the gun is an automatic or rapid fire weapon by quickly counting the number of rounds shot over short periods of time. This information can be used to provide shooting details, both in connection with notifying emergency personnel and enabling the personnel to assess details of the shooting incident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
    Inventors: Wesley C. Pirkle, Richard L. Shoaf
  • Patent number: 11604247
    Abstract: Mobile device positioning employs various forms of audio signal structures and detection methodologies. In one method, detection of an audio signal from a first source enables construction of a signal to facilitate detection of an audio signal from another source. Signals detected from these sources enable positioning of the mobile device receiving those signals. Another method forms audio signals transmitted from audio sources so that they have parts that add constructively and parts that differentiate the sources to enable positioning. Another audio signal based positioning method adaptively switches among positioning methods so that positioning remains operative as a mobile device moves toward and away from the sources. Another method tracks positioning history, evaluates it for errors and performs error mitigation to improve accuracy. Various other positioning technologies are detailed as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Brett A. Bradley, Ravi K. Sharma, Shankar Thagadur Shivappa, John D. Lord
  • Patent number: 11604279
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method for a binocular LiDAR system. The system includes a light source, a beam steering apparatus, a receiving lens, a light detector. The light source is configured to transmit a pulse of light. The beam steering apparatus is configured to steer the pulse of light in at least one of vertical and horizontal directions along an optical path. The lens is configured to direct the collected scattered light to the light detector. The electrical processing and computing device is electrically coupled to light source and the light detector. The light detector is configured to minimize the background noise. The distance to the object is based on a time difference between transmitting the light pulse and detecting scattered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Innovusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Li, Junwei Bao
  • Patent number: 11598895
    Abstract: Deconvolution-based processing of ultrasonic waveforms enables robust calculation of two-way travel time for an ultrasonic caliper, particularly in the presence of multiple, proximal reflectors (e.g., mud cake, formation, casing, cement, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Glenn Andrew Wilson, Arthur Cheng