Patents Examined by Richard A. Rosenberger
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Patent number: 6504617Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a measuring arrangement for determining gloss of paper or paperboard. The paper or paperboard surface is illuminated with collimated light substantially parallel with the normal of the paper or paperboard surface. An image is produced from the paper or paperboard surface by means of reflected optical radiation. The reflected optical radiation is used for producing an image of the paper or paperboard surface onto the pixels of the camera's detector surface, each of the pixels imaging an area in the order of micrometers of the paper or paperboard surface. An aperture provided in front of the camera is used for adjusting the incidence angles of the reflected radiation, which affects the measurement of gloss. Gloss of paper or paperboard is measured on the basis of the intensity of the pixels on the camera's detector surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2001Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Metso Paper Automation OyInventors: Hannu Komulainen, Jaana Hakkarainen, Keijo Lehmikangas
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Patent number: 6504603Abstract: Described is a method for determining whether a brown egg contains undesired matter such as blood. In two wavelength ranges the transmission of the egg is examined, one of those wavelength ranges corresponding to an absorption peak of blood. The transmission signal of the other wavelength range is corrected with a fixed fraction &ggr; to correct for the egg being brown.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2000Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: FPS Food Processing Systems B. V.Inventor: Kurt Otto Peter Schouenborg
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Patent number: 6496257Abstract: Pattern transfer can be performed with improved exposure accuracy, by reducing the contamination caused by the attachment of a photosensitive agent or the like on an optical member of a projection optical member or the like. The pattern transfer onto a substrate W is performed after cleaning the objective member OB disposed at a given position by a cleaning device 8 at the time when pattern transfer is not performed, or while making flow a gas in a space between the substrate W and the optical member OB by a contamination protection device 98. Alternatively, the optical member OB disposed at a given position is inspected for contamination by a contamination inspection device 84 at the time when pattern transfer is not performed, and the pattern transfer or the cleaning or replacement of the optical member is performed based on the result.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2000Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Tetsuo Taniguchi, Masayuki Murayama
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Patent number: 6493085Abstract: A light analysis system for analyzing light transmitted through an ampoule includes a housing having at least one. receptacle for the ampoule, a cover for substantially preventing ambient light from affecting the receptacle and having an interior reflective surface, and a master control system. Each receptacle includes at least one light source and a photodetector positioned such that the light from the light source passes through the receptacle (and thereby the ampoule and its contents) prior to entering the photodetector. According to one preferred aspect of the invention, the receptacles are provided preferably at a 30° to 45° angle relative to vertical. According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the light source is at least one LED which is directed to transmit light upward into the reflective surface of the cover such that the light is reflected by the cover downward into the receptacle toward the photodetector.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2000Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Microcensus, LLCInventors: John Edward Pfeifer, William Frederick, Alvaro Dedios, Stephen C. Fog
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Patent number: 6490040Abstract: A fume sensor system that measures the concentration of fume particulate in a boiler and suppresses background noise.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2000Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: McDermott Technology, Inc.Inventors: John W. Berthold, Larry A. Jeffers
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Patent number: 6486965Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a depth and a gradient of a trench in a semiconductor device including: a light emitting element for making a light incident on a wafer while varying an incident angle, the wafer having a trench structure carried by a test sample carrying unit; a detect unit for detecting a light reflected from the wafer at a position symmetrical to the light emitting element on the basis of a virtual vertical line perpendicular to the wafer; a photoelectric conversion unit for converting an intensity of a light detected by the detect unit to an electric signal; an operating unit for receiving an output signal from the photoelectric conversion unit, catching a time point where the size of the received signal is increased or maintained, computing a depth of the trench by using a critical angle, that is, an incident angle where the incident light is reflected from the central portion of a lower surface of the trench, and judging the time point when the increasing output signal of the photoelectric conType: GrantFiled: May 8, 2000Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hyung-Sik Kim
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Patent number: 6480290Abstract: An apparatus for determining a cross-sectional area of an object. The apparatus includes a plurality of radiant energy sources, a plurality of radiant energy detectors oriented to receive radiant energy emitted by the plurality of radiant energy sources, a strobing module in communication with the plurality of radiant energy sources for strobing the plurality of light sources, and a profile determination module in communication with the plurality of radiant energy sources and the strobing module for determining the cross-sectional area of an object disposed between the plurality of radiant energy sources and the plurality of radiant energy detectors.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Carnegie Mellon UniversityInventors: Sanjiv Singh, Bruce Digney, Herman Herman, Michael Joseph Rondinelli
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Patent number: 6480281Abstract: The invention relates to a device for localizing objects in turbid media. The device can be used for optical mammography. In optical mammography the interior of the part of the breast to be examined is imaged. The device includes a holder for receiving the part of the breast of a female. This holder is provided with light sources and photodetectors. The holder also contains a matching liquid in order to provide an optical coupling between the light sources and the part of the breast and as well as an optical coupling between the part of the breast and the photodetectors. In order to obtain such images, the part of the breast of a female to be examined is positioned in the holder and a resilient sealing ring is placed around the part of the breast and the upper side of the holder. The resilient sealing ring improves the filling of the holder with matching liquid, thus reducing imaging artefacts in the reconstructed images.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Martinus B. Van Der Mark, Gert W. 'T Hooft
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Patent number: 6480282Abstract: SPR sensors and multisensors having capillary geometry. Sensors have a capillary substrate in which at least a portion of the inside surface of the capillary is provided with an SPR-sensing area. Samples for analysis are introduced into the capillary cavity. SPR is measured by radially illuminated the capillary SPR-sensing area with light having a TM-polarized component. Light reflected from the SPR-sensing area exiting radially from the capillary is detected at selected angles to obtain reflectivity as a function of incidence angle to determine RI of the sample in the vicinity of the SPR-sensing area. The capillary geometry is readily adaptable to simultaneous measurement of several optical properties of a given sample in addition to SPR by radial and/or axial illumination of the sample. Multisensors with capillary geometry which simultaneously measure SPR and bulk RI are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: University of WashingtonInventors: Timothy M. Chinowsky, Sinclair S. Yee
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Patent number: 6480280Abstract: A device for crizzle detection, provided with a means for rotating a glass container placed at an inspection position, a data collecting means which has N light projectors and M light receivers arranged on a generally semispherical mointing jig around the mouth or thread of the glass container and which is adapted to collect N×M pieces of data for each scan over the glass container, a means for rearranging the collected data, and a means for differentiating the rearranged data. At regular intervals or each time a predetermined number of glass containers have passed, data on acceptable containers for all or part of N×M channels are automatically collected to update the threshold values initially registered for acceptable containers based on the collected data. Thus, the rate of detection of crizzled glass containers in not lowered.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Precision Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kunio Hinata
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Patent number: 6480268Abstract: A process for measuring at least one parameter of an optical element having first and second surfaces on opposed sides thereof uses a reflection-reducing member, which is solid and has substantial mechanical integrity, but which is resilient and elastically deformable so as to conform to a surface with which it is placed in contact. This reflection-reducing member is contacted with the second surface of the optical element so that a surface of the reflection-reducing member conforms to this second surface, the parameter is measured, and the reflection-reducing member is removed from the second surface leaving this surface substantially free from any residue. The presence of the reflection-reducing member reduces or eliminates unwanted reflections from the second or “back” surface of the optical element, thus simplifying the measurement of any parameter which depends upon detecting reflection from the first or “front” surface of the optical element.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2000Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Optikos CorporationInventor: Stephen R. Wilk
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Patent number: 6473190Abstract: An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object, the object having a top and a side. The optical sensor comprises a source of light and a light sensor adapted to measure the amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object, wherein the measured amount of the light reflected off the side and the top of the object correlates to a height and a diameter of the object. At least one optical device is adapted to direct light reflected off the side of the object to the light sensor, and at least one optical device is adapted to direct light reflected off the top of the object to the light sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Bayer CorporationInventor: Andrew J. Dosmann
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Patent number: 6473170Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a closure on a container and determining whether the closure is properly seated includes at least two fiber optic heads positioned opposite one another on either side of a conveyor belt or other package transport mechanism. The optic heads face one another through the path of travel of a package. The optic fibers of the receiving head are arranged in a rectangular shape, narrow in the horizontal direction and long in the vertical direction. The optic heads are connected to an optical sensor with an analog output. As a package with a closure travels down the transport mechanism, the package closure interrupts portions of the light beam directed at the receiving head. The optical sensor generates an analog trace signal as the closure moves down the conveyor. A processor samples the analog signal and determines the presence and/or position of the closure therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: White Cap, Inc.Inventor: Thomas C. Schafer
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Patent number: 6473171Abstract: A biocompatible flow cytometry system such that low levels of bacteria or other particles in a sample will not adsorb onto the system's surfaces. The biocompatible flow cytometry system comprises an upper chamber assembly. The upper chamber comprises a biocompatible input system, a means for retaining and adjusting the biocompatible system, a sheath fluid input port, and a means of interfacing with a glass tube. The interface between the biocompatible system and a glass tube allows for the low level contaminants to be irradiated with a laser source selected to interact with marked bacteria and cause them to fluoresce at a wavelength that can be detected.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1999Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Coors Brewing CompanyInventors: Daniel A. Buttry, Guoying Chen
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Patent number: 6473188Abstract: An apparatus for aligning components is disclosed. The apparatus includes a light source, a scattering plate for scattering light emitted from the light source towards the side of the component, a focus lens for focusing the scattered light having passed through the component, and a light detector for receiving the focused light from the focus lens to detect a side image of the component.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1999Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Samsung Aerospace Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Sang-cheol Kim
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Patent number: 6466315Abstract: A system and method are presented for optical inspection of reticles by simulating the operation of a selected stepper. The system utilizes a flying spot inspection technique and includes a scanning apparatus and a detection unit. The scanning apparatus uses a laser source similar to that of the stepper of interest. First and second light directing assemblies are accommodated in the optical paths of, respectively, incident and transmitted light, and are designed so as to provide coherence of the light substantially equal to that of the stepper.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1999Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Avner Karpol, Boaz Kenan
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Patent number: 6466322Abstract: An ring-down spectroscopy instrument comprising a ring-down cavity (RDC) and CW light source (CWLS). The CWLS produces light having components with different polarizations. The ring-down cavity is optically isolated from the light source so that light reflected from the cavity is precluded from perturbing the light source. A frequency shifter shifts a mean frequency of the first component of input light with respect to a mean frequency of the second component of input light by a frequency shift &Dgr;&ngr;. A first detector measures a signal beam with the a polarization. A second detector measures a tracking beam having a second polarization. The frequency shift &Dgr;&ngr; is equal to a difference between a resonant frequency of a first cavity mode with the first polarization and a resonant frequency of a second cavity mode having the second polarization. A threshold detector delivers a trigger pulse to the frequency shifter when an intensity of the signal beam reaches a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1999Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Barbara A. Paldus, Richard N. Zare
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Patent number: 6459494Abstract: The width measuring apparatus according to this invention includes a light emitting element, a pair of light receiving elements, a measurement support table for fixing them and calculating device, where a pair of partial laser beams of the laser beam from the light emitting element which are not projected over a traveling elongated object to be measured are received by the light receiving elements, and a width of the elongated object calculated from the received light quantities of the pair of partial laser beams. The width measuring apparatus according to this invention further includes a single light emitting element, pairs of light receiving elements, a measurement support table for fixing and calculating devise, where pairs of partial laser beams of the laser beams from the light emitting element which are not projected over traveling elongated objects are received by the light receiving elements, and widths of the elongated objects are calculated from light quantities of the received partial laser beams.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2000Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koshu Kurokawa, Youichi Hayata, Akihiro Hashimoto
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Patent number: 6456383Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making absolute distance or ranging measurements using Fresnel diffraction. The invention employs a source of electromagnetic radiation having a known wavelength or wavelength distribution, which sends a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a screen at least partially opaque at the wavelength. The screen has an aperture sized so as to produce a Fresnel diffraction pattern. A portion of the beam travels through the aperture to a detector spaced some distance from the screen. The detector detects the central intensity of the beam as well as a set of intensities displaced from a center of the aperture. The distance from the source to the target can then be calculated based upon the known wavelength, aperture radius, and beam intensity.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2000Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignees: UT Battelle, LLC, The University of Tennessee Research CorporationInventors: Dennis D. Earl, Stephen W. Allison, Michael R. Cates, Alvin J. Sanders
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Patent number: 6456379Abstract: A detector device for detecting the presence of airborne particles such as smoke includes a light source, an optical bridge, a measurement path, a reference path, a measurement receiver and a reference receiver. The optical bridge, in addition to the light source and the measurement and reference receivers, are the only optical elements of the detector device. The optical bridge includes two circular apertures arranged downstream of the light source along the radiation path. The light source is arranged in a chamber having an air reservoir, whose surface area is substantially greater than that of the light source. A temperature drift curve is determined by heating the light source and storing the detector signal at different temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1999Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies AGInventors: Peter Kunz, Kurt Müller, Dieter Wieser, Markus Loepfe