Patents Examined by Renee Naphas
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Patent number: 8633429Abstract: An image pick-up module and method for producing an image pick-up module. An image pick-up module, particularly for installation in an endoscope, the image pick-up module having an electronic image sensor, a first circuit board, a second circuit board and a cable.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Dirk Eismann, Martin Klumpp, Peter Schwarz
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Patent number: 8624176Abstract: A detector assembly includes a cap assembly configured to close an end of a detector housing that is configured to contain a sensor therein, the cap assembly has a radially expandable member configured to expand radially within the detector housing and lock the position of the cap assembly relative to the detector housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2010Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.Inventor: Michael L. Bush
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Patent number: 8624173Abstract: A sensing pixel structure for generating a sensed image with uniform resolution is applied in a light sensor. The sensing pixel structure includes a plurality of first sensing pixels and a plurality of second sensing pixels. The location of the plurality of first sensing pixels corresponds to a center region of a lens. Each of the plurality of first sensing pixels has a first pixel area. The location of the plurality of second sensing pixels corresponds to the peripheral region of the lens. Each of the plurality of second sensing pixels has a second pixel area. The first pixel area is larger than the second pixel area, so that number of the sensing pixels corresponding to the peripheral region of the lens is larger than that corresponding to the center region of the lens. Therefore, the light sensor generates the sensed image with uniform resolution.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.Inventors: Sen-Huang Huang, Hui-Hsuan Chen, Wu-Chieh Liu
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Patent number: 8618467Abstract: An absolute encoder (100) includes a scale portion (41) movable along with the object and including first and second track (42, 43) having first and second slits (44, 45), a light source (1) that illuminates a light onto the first and second slits, a first detector (9) that detects a first signal obtained from a light from the first slit, a second detector (10) that detects a second signal obtained from a light from the second slit, and a calculator (25, 27) that calculates an absolute position of an object based on the first and second signals. The second slit is formed so that a reflected light intensity or a transmitted light intensity is different in accordance with a position in a moving direction of the scale portion. The calculator obtains an upper-level signal, a middle-level signal, and a lower-level signal to calculate the absolute position.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Haruhiko Horiguchi
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Patent number: 8614415Abstract: A method for forming an image of an object includes: illuminating sequentially a surface of the object arranged in the same shooting area using each of N (N is natural number equal to or more than two) polarized light beams, each of which has different property; scanning the surface using the each of N polarized light beams; and outputting the each of N polarized light beams reflected by the surface, the each of N polarized light beams passed-through the object or the each of N polarized light beams scattered by the surface, as an image signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: NEC CorporationInventors: Hideyuki Moribe, Kenichi Matsumura
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Patent number: 8608389Abstract: An optical transceiver includes a transmitting side photoelectric converter, a transmitting side circuit board, a receiving side photoelectric converter, a receiving side circuit board, a surface of the transmitting side circuit board being arranged to face a surface of the receiving side circuit board, a lens block disposed between the transmitting side circuit board and the receiving side circuit board, and optically connected to a transmitting side optical fiber and a receiving side optical fiber, and a frame body holding the lens block such that the lens block aligns with the transmitting side photoelectric converter and the receiving side photoelectric converter, and to fix the transmitting side circuit board and the receiving side circuit board at a predetermined distance from each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2010Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Tamura, Yoshiaki Ishigami
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Patent number: 8610046Abstract: A switched capacitor sample and hold buffer that can be used, for example, in a CMOS image sensor. The switched capacitor sample and hold circuit has large output swings, low noise and reduced capacitor area compared to the traditional switched capacitor approach.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Forza Silicon CorporationInventor: Daniel A. Van Blerkom
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Patent number: 8602562Abstract: A projector includes: a first solid-state light source device which includes a first solid-state light source emitting excitation light, and a fluorescent layer converting excitation light emitted from the first solid-state light source to light including a first color light component and a second color light component different from the first color light component, and emitting converted light; a second solid-state light source device which includes a second solid-state light source emitting a third color light component different from the first color light component and the second color light component; a light modulation device modulating the first color light component, the second color light component, and the third color light component in accordance with image information; and a projection optical system projecting the modulated light components from the light modulation device as a projection image.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Miyamae
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Patent number: 8600126Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an image obtaining device which obtains a breast image obtained by radiography of a breast; a mammary gland region extracting device which extracts a mammary gland region from the breast image; a local region setting device which sets a plurality of local regions around pixels belonging to the extracted mammary gland region; a local contrast value calculating device which calculates a plurality of local contrast values in a local regions, for each of the set plurality of local regions; and an image processing device which applies image processing to the breast image on the basis of the calculated plurality of local contrast values. Thus, considering a contrast between a mammary gland and a fat region, a stable image processing result can be obtained while enhancing viewability of a local mammary gland structure and a lesion.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Junya Morita
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Patent number: 8596794Abstract: A light modulator configured to modulate at least two channels of an image to be projected and a lighting system configured to illuminate portions of the modulator corresponding to each channel with light having properties consistent with the channel. The channels comprise, for example, left and right channels of a 3D projection (e.g., a digital cinema projection). In one embodiment, the channels are provided by a multi-sectored filter wheel having at least one filter section for a first channel and at least one filter section for a second channel, where boundaries between the sectors are different in each section.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Stephen M. Jacobs, Martin J. Richards
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Patent number: 8586912Abstract: Systems, methods for manufacturing, and devices for producing an output current that simulates a current generated by an optical patient sensor are provided. An optical patient sensor includes a sensor light source having a first characteristic profile and a sensor photodetector having a second characteristic profile. The current source includes a light source having a characteristic profile similar to the first characteristic profile and indicative of interchangeability between the light source and the sensor light source, and a first photodetector configured to produce an output current in response to receiving light from the light source, the first photodetector having a characteristic profile similar to the second characteristic profile and indicative of interchangeability between the sensor photodetector and the first photodetector.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Timothy John Palmer, Paul Nicholas Winter
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Patent number: 8581163Abstract: An automated control method for a solar protection screen (SCR) installation (INST) comprising retroreflecting-type slats (B1, B2, B3) which can be inclined between two extreme inclinations, wherein, in the presence of direct solar radiation, the slats are inclined at a first intermediate inclination, equal to the maximum aperture inclination (AMAX) of the screen relative to a preferred direction, as long as an inclination threshold automatically controlled in relation to the height of the sun (ATH) remains less than the maximum aperture inclination.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Somfy SASInventors: Bernard Grehant, Eric Lagarde
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Patent number: 8577103Abstract: Computer-implemented methods of reconstructing an image object for a measured object in object space from image data in data space include causing a computer to execute instructions for providing zonal information separating the object space into at least two zones, providing at least two zonal image objects, each zonal image object being associated with one of the at least two zones, reconstructing the image object using a data model derived from forward projecting the zonal image objects into data space, wherein the contribution of each zonal image object to the data model is weighted according to a zonal scaling factor, and outputting the image object.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2009Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Alexander Hans Vija, Amos Yahil
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Patent number: 8569673Abstract: An image sensor includes an active pixel, an amplifier stage, and a voltage-limiting stage. The active pixel is configured to generate an information signal. The amplifier stage is coupled to the active pixel and configured to amplify the information signal. The voltage-limiting stage is coupled to the amplifier stage and includes a current shunting device and a gain device. The current shunting device has a first terminal connected to an output of the amplifier stage, a second terminal connected to a reference voltage node, and a control terminal. The gain device is connected to the control terminal of the current shunting device and configured to decrease the voltage span required to cause the current shunting device to enter into a current shunting mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SASInventor: Laurent Simony
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Patent number: 8569680Abstract: A multi-aperture passive light sensor and method for detecting motion and edges of an object are described. The sensor may include at least two focusing lenses mounted on a spherical surface for focusing light from the object into the ends of optical fibers, the optical axis for each lens diverging at an angle from that of adjacent lenses depending on the intended application. Each lens is located closer to the end of its associated optical fiber, which is disposed coaxially to the optical axis of the lens, than the natural focal plane of the lens, thereby blurring the light received from the object. Light exiting the fibers is detected by photosensors located at the opposite end of each optical fiber, and voltage differences between the voltages generated in response to the light intensity impinging on the photosensors are used to detect motion and edges of the object.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2010Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: University of WyomingInventors: Geoffrey P. Luke, Cameron H. G. Wright, Steven F. Barrett
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Patent number: 8569727Abstract: The object of the invention included in the present application is to automatically prevent the deterioration of the image even when the image quality of the projected image is deteriorated due to the replacement of the light source or the like. The following light beam scanning image projection apparatus is one means for achieving the object.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2009Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Etsuko Nomoto, Shigehisa Tanaka, Hitoshi Nakamura, Toshiki Sugawara, Kouji Nakahara
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Patent number: 8558154Abstract: The current application is directed to autofocus subsystems within optical instruments that continuously monitor the focus of the optical instruments and adjust distances within the optical instrument along the optical axis in order to maintain a precise and stable optical-instrument focus at a particular point or surface on, within, or near a sample. Certain autofocus implementations operate asynchronously with respect to operation of other components and subsystems of the optical instrument in which they are embedded. The described autofocus subsystems employ multiple calibration curves to precisely adjust the z-position of an optical instrument.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Applied Precision, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Cooper, Paul Goodwin, Stephen G. Goodson
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Patent number: 8552352Abstract: A solid-state imaging device of an embodiment includes an imaging region, an output register, a corner register, a multiplication register, a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a valve gate electrode. The output register is a transfer register that receives a charge transferred from the imaging region to transfer the charge. The output register is capable of selectively transferring a charge in one direction and in the other direction opposite to the one direction. The corner register transfers a charge transferred in one direction from the output register. The multiplication register receives a charge from the corner register and generates and transfers a multiplied charge. The first amplifier generates a signal based on a multiplied charge from the multiplication register. The second amplifier generates a signal based on a charge transferred in the other direction by the output register.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Hisanori Suzuki, Yasuhito Yoneta, Shin-ichiro Takagi, Kentaro Maeta, Masaharu Muramatsu
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Patent number: 8530810Abstract: A laser scanning microscope (LSM) having variable light intensity and a control method for the same. The light intensity of a laser beam in an LSM has been controlled to date with high accuracy, but also high costs by means of an acousto-optic component (AOM, AOTF). According to the invention, such a component for beam modulation is to be omitted, without reducing the exposure accuracy of the sample. In an LSM, a directly modulated laser diode (10) is used with an electric control (12) for direct modulation. Said laser diode (10) has a turn-on delay of the light intensity that is dependent on the amount of the control variable when subjected to an electric control variable. The control (12) is designed such that the fluctuation width (??tV) of the occurring turn-on delay (?tV) is smaller than 1 ?s, particularly smaller than 0.5 ?s. Thus highly exact modulation without an acousto-optic component is possible.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbHInventors: Dieter Huhse, Stefan Wilhelm, Hans Schlüter, Alexander Liebhold, Erhardt Hülβe, Uwe Patz
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Patent number: 8530816Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device may include a pixel array including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels, and a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Each ADC may include a pulse delay circuit including a plurality of connected delay unit stages, each of which delays a pulse signal during a delay time corresponding to a magnitude of a voltage of the pixel signal read from the pixel array, an encoder unit that outputs a digital value based on the number of stages of the delay units through which the pulse signal has passed during a predetermined time, and a correction unit that corrects the digital value output by the encoder unit by a rate corresponding to the number of stages of the delay units through which the pulse signal has passed during a predetermined period.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Atsuko Kume