Patents Examined by Don Williams
  • Patent number: 8373106
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing light from a light source. The method includes the steps of measuring a predetermined set of characteristics of the light source and detecting flicker when the predetermined set of characteristics exceed a corresponding flicker fusion threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Dignity Health
    Inventors: Stephen L. Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde
  • Patent number: 8368005
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical MEMS detector, comprising: a substrate; at least one photo diode in a region within the substrate; an isolation wall above the substrate and surrounding the photo diode region; and at least one movable part having an opening for light to pass through and reach the photo diode, wherein when the at least one movable part is moved, an amount of light reaching the photo diode is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pixart Imaging Incorporation
    Inventors: Chuan-Wei Wang, Hsin-Hui Hsu, Chih-Hung Lu
  • Patent number: 8368004
    Abstract: A reflection plate for an optical encoder includes: a base material (1) with a reflecting surface; and a film (3) that is formed on a part of the reflecting surface and includes a non-electrolytic plating film or an electrolytic oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Oshida, Masaru Kato
  • Patent number: 8366278
    Abstract: A light source device includes: a light emitting plate that has a plurality of segment regions including a transmissive portion that transmits light and a reflective portion on which a fluorescent substance layer; a light source that irradiates the fluorescent substance layer of the light emitting plate with the excitation light; a dichroic mirror that is disposed between the light source and the light emitting plate to transmit the excitation light and reflect fluorescent light from fluorescent substances of the fluorescent substance layer; and an optical device that condenses the excitation light transmitted by the transmissive portion of the light emitting plate and the fluorescent light reflected by the dichroic mirror on a single optical path to form a condensed light and radiate the condensed light toward the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kurosaki, Hideaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8362411
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies described herein provide for an accurate and cost-effective method for rotating a solar array disk for tracking the movement of the sun. According to various aspects, a motor includes a fixed caliper and a translating caliper positioned adjacent to one another. Electromagnetically controlled brakes on the translating caliper grip the solar array disk while adjacent, but spaced apart, electromagnets on the fixed caliper and the translating caliper are energized to create an attractive force that pulls the translating caliper with the solar array disk toward the fixed caliper. After reaching the fixed caliper, brakes on the fixed caliper are engaged with the disk, brakes on the translating caliper are released from the disk, and the translating caliper is pushed back to the starting location where the process repeats until the desired rotation is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Scott James Rau
  • Patent number: 8360585
    Abstract: A method of measuring a zoom ratio of a projection optical system adapted to project image light representing an original image on a projection screen, the method includes: (a) projecting and displaying a measuring image including a measurement point on the projection screen so that the measurement point is displayed at a position with an offset from an optical axis of the projection optical system; (b) detecting a projected measurement point, which is the measurement point projected and displayed on the projection screen, from a measurement point detection position having a fixed position relative to the projection optical system; and (c) determining the zoom ratio using position information of the detected projected measurement point and correspondence between the position information and the zoom ratio, the correspondence being prepared previously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiki Furui
  • Patent number: 8362412
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup element includes: (A) a light receiving/charge accumulating region formed in a semiconductor layer and formed by laminating M (where M?2) light receiving/charge accumulating layers; (B) a charge outputting region formed in the semiconductor layer; (C) a depletion layer forming region formed of a part of the semiconductor layer, the part of the semiconductor layer being situated between the light receiving/charge accumulating region and the charge outputting region; and (D) a control electrode region for controlling a state of formation of a depletion layer in the depletion layer forming region, wherein the solid-state image pickup element further includes a light receiving/charge accumulating layer extending section extending from each light receiving/charge accumulating layer to the depletion layer forming region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kubodera, Akihiro Nakamura, Kaneyoshi Takeshita
  • Patent number: 8356906
    Abstract: A screen unit includes an upper horizontal rim, lateral vertical rims, and a lower horizontal rim U-shaped in cross section that cover four side outer peripheries of a laminated body including a thin sheet glass, a Fresnel lens sheet that is a part of a cylindrical surface with an axis line extending in a first direction parallel to the thin sheet glass and is warped in a shape convex toward a side of the thin sheet glass, and a lenticular lens sheet that is a part of a cylindrical surface with an axis line extending in a direction parallel to the thin sheet glass and perpendicular to the first direction, is warped in a shape convex toward a side of the thin sheet glass, and sandwiches the thin sheet glass with the Fresnel lens sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Tomomi Matsui
  • Patent number: 8357890
    Abstract: A method for fabricating image sensor is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of photodiodes; forming at least one dielectric layer and a passivation layer on surface of the substrate; using a patterned photomask to perform a first pattern transfer process for forming a plurality of trenches corresponding to each photodiode in the passivation layer; forming a plurality of color filters in the trenches; covering a planarizing layer on the color filters; and using the patterned photomask to perform a second pattern transfer process for forming a plurality of microlenses corresponding to each color filter on the planarizing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Chung Chen, Wen-Chen Chiang, Yu-Tsung Lin
  • Patent number: 8354628
    Abstract: A luminescent solar concentrator including a light-guiding slab containing a luminescent material that generates light emissions in response to received sunlight, spaced-apart outcoupling structures that provide a distributed outcoupling of the light emissions through predetermined locations on one of the “broadside” (e.g., upper or lower) surfaces of the light-guiding slab, and optical elements positioned to redirect the outcoupled light emissions such that the light emissions are concentrated onto a predetermined target (e.g., a PV cell). Each optical element includes a collimating surface portion and optional returner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Philipp H. Schmaelzle, Robert A. Street
  • Patent number: 8344341
    Abstract: A map of the surface of a substrate is generated at a measurement station. The substrate is then moved to where a space between a projection lens and the substrate is filled with a liquid. The substrate is then aligned using, for example, a transmission image sensor and, using the previous mapping, the substrate can be accurately exposed. Thus the mapping does not take place in a liquid environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Joeri Lof, Joannes Theodoor De Smit, Roelof Aeilko Siebrand Ritsema, Klaus Simon, Theodorus Marinus Modderman, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Hendricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Erik Roelof Loopstra
  • Patent number: 8324558
    Abstract: The device (10) according to the invention for counting and detecting flat products (14) comprises a light source (16) having an illumination beam profile (24), an optical sensor (18) having a detection beam profile (30) and an evaluation unit (20) connected to the optical sensor (18). The detection beam profile (30) overlaps the illumination beam profile (24) in a detection region in which a section (33) of a surface profile of the flat products (14) is illuminated, the section being at least partially delimited by the illumination beam profile (24). A detection signal generated by the optical sensor (18) is fed to the evaluation unit (20), which determines therefrom the number of flat products located in the detection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Steven Brossi, Carl Conrad Maeder
  • Patent number: 8299414
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises pixel units, column signal lines, column circuits, a switching unit, and a mode control unit. Pixel units are two-dimensionally disposed in a matrix direction, and each of them comprises a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplifying unit. Column signal lines are provided for each column and the pixel signals from the amplifying units are output to each of rows. Column circuits are provided for each column and process signals from the column signal lines. A switching unit switches connection between the column signal lines and the column circuits. A mode control unit outputs signals to the switching unit and controls switching between a first mode in which the column signal lines are connected to the column circuits on the same column thereof and a second mode in which the column signal lines are connected to the column circuits on another column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Kondo
  • Patent number: 8294076
    Abstract: An imaging photodetection device (4) includes: a plurality of photodetectors (6) that are arrayed on a substrate (5) at least along a first direction; a transparent low refractive index layer (12) that is formed above the plurality of photodetectors; and a plurality of transparent high refractive index sections (13) that are embedded in the transparent low refractive index layer along the first direction. On a cross-section of the transparent high refractive index sections orthogonal to the substrate and along the first direction, central axes (14) of the transparent high refractive index sections are bent stepwise. Light that enters the transparent low refractive index layer and the transparent high refractive index section passes therethrough to be separated into 0th-order diffracted light, 1st-order diffracted light, and ?1st-order diffracted light. Thereby, improvement in the efficiency of light utilization and pixel densification can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Nishiwaki, Masa-aki Suzuki, Shin-ichi Wakabayashi, Kazuya Yonemoto, Masao Hiramoto
  • Patent number: 8294078
    Abstract: A multi-stage optically-triggered power system. At least one triggering stage is responsive to at least one optical trigger to directly create photogeneration of carriers in the at least one triggering stage and thus generate at least one output signal. At least one main power device stage coupled to the at least one triggering stage is responsive to the at least one generated output signal to activate the at least one main power device stage. The at least one triggering stage and the at least one main power device stage may be monolithically integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Sudip K. Mazumder, Tirthajyoti Sarkar
  • Patent number: 8272750
    Abstract: A projection-type image display apparatus that projects an image onto a screen and includes a laser light source, an optical engine, a projection lens, and a control unit. The laser light source includes a plurality of light source units that respectively emit laser beams of different wavelengths. The optical engine combines the laser beams received from the light source and forms an image. An optical sensor is arranged in the optical engine to detect a physical property of a uniformly-scattered laser beam and outputs a physical property signal indicative of the detected physical property to the control unit. The control unit controls output powers of the light source units based on the physical property signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Taisuke Murata
  • Patent number: 8274036
    Abstract: An active infrared induction instrument powered by a dry battery capable of reducing power consumption through the adjustment of the emitter pulse width. The infrared emitted LED emits infrared signals, which, after being reflected by an object, are received by the infrared photodiode. The infrared signals received the infrared signals received by the infrared photodiode then enter an integrated circuit chip through a comparator. The pulse widths of the infrared emission pulse signals are dynamically adjusted after the width of the pulse series is received by the discrimination chip, thus reducing the emission power consumption to save energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Shanghai Kohler Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chen Weigen
  • Patent number: 8274030
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a concentrator, particularly a terrestrial solar concentrator to harness the sun's energy, and a tracking system. The concentrator includes a parabolic or other curved reflective surface and an absorber positioned at the focus of the curved reflective surface. Parabolic ribs give shape to the reflective surface. The tracking system includes a rotating, swiveling, or pivoting joint. One or more cables attach to the tracking system. Selectively applying tension to the cables causes the tracking system to rotate, swivel, or pivot at the joint to track an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: D-Rev Design for the Other Ninety Percent
    Inventor: Gregory Jin-keng Lee
  • Patent number: 8274026
    Abstract: The invention relates to image focus. In particular, it relates to a focus assist system that conveys focus level data to a user. There are a wide variety of different display methods, including, but not limited to, graphs, highlights, symbols, and varied levels of brightness or color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: RED.COM, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Graeme Nattress
  • Patent number: 8263926
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device which detects light ranging from weak light to strong light. The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device having a photodiode having a photoelectric conversion layer, an amplifier circuit including a thin film transistor and a bias switching means, where a bias which is connected to the photodiode and the amplifier circuit is switched by the bias switching means when intensity of incident light exceeds predetermined intensity, and accordingly, light which is less than the predetermined intensity is detected by the photodiode and light which is more than the predetermined intensity is detected by the thin film transistor of the amplifier circuit. By the present invention, light ranging from weak light to strong light can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Arao, Atsushi Hirose, Kazuo Nishi, Yuusuke Sugawara