Patents Examined by Don Williams
  • Patent number: 9865633
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device in which the potential of a signal line, which is obtained before a pixel has an operating period, is fixed to an intermediate potential between a first power-supply potential and a second power-supply potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Mabuchi, Toshifumi Wakano, Ken Koseki
  • Patent number: 9859318
    Abstract: An image sensor pixel includes a photodiode region formed in a semiconductor layer, a pinning layer and a depletion adjustment layer. The photodiode region receives visible and infrared light from a light incident side of the image sensor pixel. The pinning layer is disposed between a front surface of the semiconductor layer and the photodiode region, while the depletion adjustment layer is disposed between the pinning layer and the photodiode region. The depletion adjustment layer is configured to adjust a depletion region of the photodiode region to reduce charge carriers induced in the photodiode region by the received infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Guannho George Tsau
  • Patent number: 9841319
    Abstract: A light detecting device is provided, comprising a substrate having a patterned metal layer formed thereon; a dielectric layer formed on the substrate, first pixel element formed on the dielectric layer, and a second pixel element. The dielectric layer at least has a first trench, and the first trench is positioned below the level of the first pixel element. The second pixel element comprises a buried portion formed correspondingly to the first trench, and an upper portion formed on the buried portion. The upper portion of the second pixel element is positioned at the same level of the first pixel element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Tse-Yi Lu
  • Patent number: 9835491
    Abstract: An imager for imaging a plurality of images of a single scene over a plurality of disparate electromagnetic wavelength sets includes front-end optics for outputting a polychromatic, collimated image beam of the scene; a beam displacer configured for splitting the collimated image beam into spatially displaced, mutually parallel beams, and an imaging-sensor array configured for registration of the spatially displaced wavelength sets at disparate locations along the imaging-sensor array. In alternative versions, the beam displacer displaces constituent light beams based on at least one of wavelength and polarization. In various implementations, a back-end focusing element focuses each constituent beam onto a predetermined location along the imaging-sensor array. The imaging-sensor array is optimally configured for simultaneous sampling of the plural images focused thereupon by the back-end focusing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Solid State Scientific Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Martin Mooney
  • Patent number: 9810554
    Abstract: A position measuring instrument including a code carrier having first and second code tracks, each including an identical series of code elements, wherein each of the series of code elements has two subregions with complementary properties. A scanning unit having detectors for scanning code elements, wherein each of the code elements defines one corresponding code word, wherein each of the code words defines an absolute position in the measuring direction, and wherein the detectors form a corresponding scanning signal from each of the two subregions of the series of code elements. An evaluation unit generating one item of code information for each of the series of code elements from each corresponding scanning signal, and forming the corresponding code words from the one item of code information, wherein each of the code words is composed of N and K items of code information from successive code elements of the first and second code tracks, respectively, with N and K being greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Johann Oberhauser, Heinz Tovar
  • Patent number: 9791594
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light grid having divergent light beams so that cross-beams can also be evaluated beside parallel beams, wherein not only a light beam interruption, but also the intensity of the light incidence on a light reception unit is evaluated. To provide an improved light grid with which in particular smaller objects can be detected and possibly also located, it is proposed that the light transmission units have a transmission optics in whose focus an extended light source is arranged. Furthermore, each beam contains an effective beam, with an effective beam being defined in that a part shading of this effective beam effects a measurable intensity change in the associated light receiver corresponding to the shading. Finally, the effective beams define at least one detection zone in the monitored plane, with an illumination by at least one effective beam being present in the total detection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Johannes Eble
  • Patent number: 9786702
    Abstract: An image sensor with an array of image sensor pixels is provided. Each image pixel may include a photodiode and associated pixel circuits formed in the front surface of a semiconductor substrate. Buried light shielding structures may be formed on the back surface of the substrate to prevent pixel circuitry that is formed in the substrate between two adjacent photodiodes from being exposed to incoming light. The buried light shielding structures may be lined with absorptive antireflective coating material to prevent light from being reflected off the surface of the buried light shielding structures. Forming buried light shielding structures with absorptive antireflective coating material can help reduce optical pixel crosstalk and enhance signal to noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Victor Lenchenkov
  • Patent number: 9759660
    Abstract: A sensor assembly, a method, and a measuring system for capturing the distribution of at least one variable of an object are disclosed. The sensor assembly has at least one sensor element comprising at least one first sensor sub-element and at least one second sensor sub-element. The at least one first sensor sub-element is transparent for at least one wavelength region of light, the at least one second sensor sub-element is sensitive to at least one variable. Furthermore a method and measuring system and an illumination system for illuminating the sensor assembly and the object is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: PreSens—Precision Sensing GmbH
    Inventor: Achim Stangelmayer
  • Patent number: 9746381
    Abstract: An exemplary laser instrumentation bracket includes a support structure providing a recess configured to receive a collar of a laser housing. The laser housing has a main body extending axially through an aperture of the support structure when the recess receives the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Witt C. Guinn, John J. Korzendorfer, David J. Sander, Kelly A. Vanston
  • Patent number: 9739944
    Abstract: A pluggable transceiver is provided that may receive an electrical signal from a host device, convert the optical signal into an optical signal, and transmit the converted optical signal to one or more external cables. In one aspect, a pluggable transceiver may include a first transceiver connector for connecting to a host device, an optical module for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal and vice versa, and a second transceiver connector for transmitting the optical signal to external cables or devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: David Fermor
  • Patent number: 9692988
    Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein involves systems, methods, apparatuses or devices related to infrared imaging or infrared imaging projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Reichow, Christopher Raynard Runco, Thomas E. Brentnall, Thomas Frasier LaDuke
  • Patent number: 9692958
    Abstract: Focus assist systems and methods for imaging devices are provided. The focus assist systems and methods display focus level data to a user. There are a variety of methods of displaying focus level data to a user, including, but not limited to, graphs, highlights, symbols, and varied levels of brightness or color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: RED.COM, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Graeme Nattress
  • Patent number: 9690168
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a method for assisting the adjusting of a focus of an image includes providing a graphical representation of a detected image. The method can also include receiving an indication of a user selection of a region of the image and providing a magnified graphical representation of the selected image region. The method may further include providing a graphical indication of a degree of focus for at least a portion of the selected image region. The graphical indication in some instances is visually correlated with the magnified graphical representation of the selected image region. The size, shape, and/or color of the graphical indication in some instances can be correlated with the degree of focus for at least a portion of the selected image region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: RED.COM, INC.
    Inventors: James H. Jannard, Peter Jarred Land, Deanan DaSilva, Thomas Graeme Nattress
  • Patent number: 9691999
    Abstract: In the photoelectric conversion device having a pair of electrodes and a light receiving layer sandwiched between the pair of electrodes and including at least a photoelectric conversion layer, at least a part of the light receiving layer includes a fullerene or a fullerene derivative deposited using a vapor deposition material of a plurality of particles or a compact formed of the particles consisting primarily of the fullerene or fullerene derivative with an average particle size expressed as D50% of 50 to 300 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsumasa Hamano
  • Patent number: 9677929
    Abstract: An aperture adjusting apparatus is provided. The aperture adjusting apparatus includes: a variable part of which an aperture size varies; an optical sensor configured to sense light incident to the variable device part and light output from the variable device part; an aperture calculator configured to calculate a size of an aperture formed in the variable part from light intensity sensed by the optical sensor; and a driving controller configured to control driving of the variable device part by receiving a calculation result fed back from the aperture calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun-sung Lee, Seung-wan Lee, Jong-hyeon Chang, Kyu-dong Jung, Min-seog Choi
  • Patent number: 9681077
    Abstract: A device for transferring charges photogenerated in a portion of a semiconductor layer delimited by at least two parallel trenches, each trench including, lengthwise, at least a first and a second conductive regions insulated from each other and from the semiconductor layer, including the repeating of a first step of biasing of the first conductive regions to a first voltage to form a volume accumulation of holes in the area of this portion located between the first regions, while the second conductive regions are biased to a second voltage greater than the first voltage, and of a second step of biasing of the first regions to the second voltage and of the second regions to the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics SA, STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: Cedric Tubert, Francois Roy, Pascal Mellot
  • Patent number: 9651419
    Abstract: An apparatus adapted for confocal imaging of a non-flat specimen comprising a coherent light source for producing a light beam, imaging optics adapted to focus the light beam into at least one spot on a surface of a specimen, and a detector adapted to receive and detect light reflected from the specimen surface. The imaging optics comprise at least one optical component located so that the light reflected from the specimen surface passes therethrough on its way to the detector. The optical component is movable so as to move the at least one spot, within a range of movement, to a number of distinct locations in a plane perpendicular to the apparatus' optical axis, within the detector's integration time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Noam Babayoff, Yossef Atiya, Tzvi Philipp
  • Patent number: 9638482
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a digital detector apparatus for use with a sensor unit is provided wherein the sensor unit includes an emitter device and a receiver device, the receiver device having a capacitance. The digital detector apparatus comprises at least a first input port, first output port, and a second output port; and an A/D converter circuit wherein an input of the A/D converter circuit is coupled to the first input port for receiving an output of the receiver device; wherein the first output port of the digital detector apparatus is coupled for charging and discharging the capacitance of the receiver device; the second output port of the digital detector apparatus is coupled for driving the emitter device; and the A/D converter circuit derives a sensor output value from the output of the receiver device during a number of charging and discharging cycles. A digital smoke detector and a method of generating an output signal in a digital detector are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ingolf E. Frank
  • Patent number: 9638911
    Abstract: An autofocus mechanism includes a light source emitting light through an objective lens at a work piece; a first detector detecting a portion of light reflected by the work piece and generating a first signal; a second detector detecting a portion of the reflected light and generating a second signal; a first amplifier amplifying the first signal and generating a first amplified signal; a second amplifier amplifying the second signal and generating a second amplified signal; an amplification rate definer defining an amplification rate of each of the first amplifier and the second amplifier based on the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal, respectively; and a calculator identifying a focal position of the objective lens based on the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shohei Udo
  • Patent number: 9634156
    Abstract: A silicon photomultiplier device is provided. The device comprises a plurality of photosensitive cells each having a photo-detector, a quench resistive load and a first stage capacitive load. The device is arranged in a three electrode connection configuration comprising first and second electrodes arranged to operably provide a biasing of the device and a third electrode operably used to readout a signal from the device. A second stage capacitive load is operably coupled to two or more photosensitive cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Sensl Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Nikolai Pavlov, Carl Jackson, Kevin O'Neill