Patents Examined by Thanh X. Luu
  • Patent number: 8189896
    Abstract: An alignment apparatus and a program that improve the accuracy of alignment between two radiation images are provided. For each of portions of the two radiation images, evaluation means calculates an evaluation value that evaluates an amount of positional shift regarding a tissue radiographed in the radiation images, and search condition setting means sets for each of the portions a condition of search for corresponding positions between the two radiation images based on the evaluation value. According to the search condition having been set, alignment means searches for the corresponding positions between the two radiation images, and aligns the two images by warping at least one of the radiation images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8188414
    Abstract: A grid support system for tracker-mounted solar panel array for rooftop applications includes a base frame having a plurality of interconnected lateral members which define a generally planar area substantially parallel with the rooftop. The system also includes a set of support legs corresponding to each one of the tracker devices. The set of support legs are secured to the lateral members and extend upward and inward toward one another to a respective tracker mounting plate. The tracker mounting plate supports a tracker device and associated solar panel(s). A plurality of ballast trays are secured to the base frame and are adapted to hold a plurality of ballast weights for applying a downward force on the base frame to stabilize and resist movement of the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Opel, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Linke
  • Patent number: 8183516
    Abstract: Several detailed layout designs are disclosed, for the monolithic integration of avalanche devices in large arrays, that can be operated as Avalanche Photo-Diodes (APDs) or Avalanche Light Emitting Diodes (ALEDs) depending only on the applied bias conditions, which can be software-controlled from peripheral circuitry. If the deposited films have direct bandgaps, then the devices can emit light even in the absence of avalanche operation. In particular, the layouts according to the invention comprise a sensor/emitter matrix achieved through the replication of basic Pixel/Lixel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Quantum Semiconductor LLC
    Inventor: Carlos J. R. P. Augusto
  • Patent number: 8183513
    Abstract: Read-out cell systems are disclosed for image detectors, including infrared image detectors, that provide improved sensitivity by providing in-cell subtraction through the use of a voltage ramp signal generated using a reference pixel and a feedback amplifier. The ramp voltage is generated using a reference pixel and an amplifier having feedback. The ramp voltage is then provided to a plurality of read-out cells. The ramp voltage can be coupled to an input transistor to provide current subtraction prior to the integration node. The ramp voltage can also be provided to integration capacitors within the read-out cells to provide current subtraction directly to the integration node. Further, a temperature-independent fixed current source can also be utilized to further control current subtraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporatin
    Inventors: Charles M. Hanson, Stephen D. Gaalema
  • Patent number: 8168937
    Abstract: An optical head that can be easily assembled is for reading an image of an object and includes a housing, a diffuser, a light source module and a light sensing module. The diffuser is connected to the housing. The light source module has a substrate and a first light source mounted on a front side of the substrate. The front side of the substrate is fixed to an external surface of the diffuser. The first light source provides an initial light ray incident to the diffuser. The diffuser processes the initial light ray into uniform light for output. The light sensing module fixed in the housing senses reflected light, which is generated from the uniform light reflected by the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus mMedia, Inc.
    Inventor: Chih Mang Wu
  • Patent number: 8168938
    Abstract: A method of making an optical member including high refractive index layers and low refractive index layers, which are each relatively thin as compared with an optical length, and disposed alternately in the lateral direction with respect to an optical axis. Each width of the high refractive index layers and the low refractive index layers is equal to or smaller than the wavelength order of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Coproration
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • Patent number: 8164038
    Abstract: A light source detection device includes first photo sensors disposed on a reference plane along a first direction and a control unit. Each first photo sensor has a first sensing surface for detecting a photo intensity of a light source to output a photo intensity signal. The first sensing surfaces are back to back or face to face. An included angle between a normal vector of one of the first sensing surfaces and a normal vector of the reference plane is equal to an included angle between a normal vector of another one of the first sensing surfaces and the normal vector of the reference plane. The normal vectors are coplanar. The control unit is adapted to receive the photo intensity signals and normalize the difference of the photo intensities of the light source sensed by the first photo sensors, so as to detect a position of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus mMedia Inc.
    Inventors: Yarn-Chen Chen, Yi-Chieh Chang
  • Patent number: 8152305
    Abstract: A broadband electromagnetic wave beam is projected from a broadband wave source (301). The wave beam is separated by an element (306) into narrowband wavelength beams. The narrowband beams are directed across a predetermined area (312). A narrowband wavelength beam corresponding to a desired pixel wavelength is selected and displayed on a display surface (318).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Kurtis P. Keller, Henry Fuchs, Leonard McMillan, Leandra Vicci
  • Patent number: 8152304
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for stereoscopic 3D image projection and viewing using a single projection source, alternating polarization, and passive eyewear. This approach is applicable to frame sequential video created using existing 3D graphics APIs, as well as other video signal formats, and is compatible with existing digital light processor (DLP) technology for both front and rear projection systems. An alternating polarizer in the form of a magnetomechanically resonant polarizing filter actuator is used to modulate the projected image. A preferred embodiment enables an existing DLP projection system to be enhanced with 3D capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Casimer M. DeCusatis, Timothy M. Trifilo
  • Patent number: 8152315
    Abstract: A light guide of the tapered-waveguide type includes an input slab (30) for expanding a projected image between an input end and an output end (40); and a tapered output slab (10) arranged to receive rays from the said output end of the input slab, and to emit them at a point on its face that corresponds to the angle at which the ray is received. The taper is calculated so that all rays injected into the input end undergo the same number of reflections before leaving the output face. The thickness of the input slab light guide (30) is greater in the transverse direction away from the centre line C, so that light travelling at the critical angle from the input face of the slab waveguide towards the output waveguide (10) bounces the same number of times in the input slab, regardless of its fan-out angle, in order to further reduce image distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Adrian Travis, Timothy Andrew Large, Neil Emerton
  • Patent number: 8152313
    Abstract: A projection display device has an imager that modulates light from a light source in accordance with an image signal, a projection optical system that enlarges and projects the light modulated by the imager onto a projection plane, a focus adjustment part disposed in the projection optical system, and a displacement part that displaces the imager in a direction vertical to a light axis of the projection optical system, in conjunction with the focus adjustment part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuhei Amano
  • Patent number: 8148672
    Abstract: An optical member includes high refractive index layers having a great refractive index and low refractive index layers having a small refractive index, which are each relatively thin as compared with an optical length, disposed alternately in the lateral direction as to an optical axis. Each width of the high refractive index layers and the low refractive index layers is equal to or smaller than the wavelength order of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • Patent number: 8150122
    Abstract: In a method to control the acquisition and/or evaluation procedure of image data in medical examinations, in a previously acquired planning image data set entirely or partially covering a target volume, spatial information of the target volume is determined automatically using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy. The acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information. A statistical model of at least one greyscale value distribution in the region of the surface of the target volume is used to calculate the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Fenchel, Andreas Schilling, Stefan Thesen
  • Patent number: 8147067
    Abstract: A laser projection system includes at least one laser light source, a projection screen and a spatial light modulator for projecting a laser beam of the laser light source to form an image on the projection screen. The projection screen includes a luminescent layer which upon excitation by the laser beam emits blue light. The luminescent layer contains MSi6?aAlaN8?aOx+a:Eu2+ (with M=Sr, Ba,; 0?x?1; 0?a?1) as a luminescent material. With this material laser light of a laser diode emitting in the wavelength region of 405 nm can be converted to blue light of 450 nm with high efficiency. The proposed projection system, therefore, is suitable for RGB projection using laser diodes as laser light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ulrich Weichmann, Peter Schmidt, Gero Heusler
  • Patent number: 8143567
    Abstract: An occupancy sensor is provided with a separable override unit which can selectively override the operation of the occupancy sensor at designated times and for selected time intervals. The occupancy sensor includes a light sensor for actuating the occupancy sensor and a light assembly when the ambient light is below a predetermined level and to deactivate the occupancy sensor when the ambient light is above a threshold level to prevent the light assembly from being actuated when the light level is sufficient to avoid the need for actuating the light assembly. The override unit is removably attached to the occupancy sensor and is provided with a light source, such as an LED. The override unit is coupled to the occupancy sensor to emit light to actuate the light sensor of the occupancy sensor, thereby controlling the operation of the occupancy sensor, such as by preventing the occupancy sensor from being actuated regardless of the light level in the surrounding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Williams, Thomas J. Hartnagel, Robert A. Martin, R. Kurt Bender
  • Patent number: 8136950
    Abstract: An optical system unit of a projector of the invention includes an illumination side block, an image producing block and a projection side block, the image producing block, in which a DMD display device is fixed which reflects rays of “off” state light to the outside of an entrance opening of a projection side optical system, has a resin accommodation case and a metallic light absorbing portion which is disposed on an inner surface of the accommodation case, an inner surface of the light absorbing portion has heat resisting properties and light absorbing properties, and the accommodation case has in an upper surface thereof a cooling opening for preventing the overheating of the resin which forms the accommodation case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Umamine, Masanori Ohta
  • Patent number: 8138464
    Abstract: An optical-receiving circuit includes a first photodiode converting an optical signal into a current signal, a first trans-impedance amplifier to which a first power supply voltage of Vreg is supplied and which has a negative feedback resistor and to which the current signal is input and which outputs a voltage signal, and an output circuit to which the voltage signal output from the first trans-impedance amplifier is input and which outputs a voltage signal to the outside. A temperature coefficient of a voltage of (Vreg?MVbe) is positive, in which Vbe is a base-emitter voltage of a transistor contained in the first trans-impedance amplifier and M is a coefficient that does not depend on the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toyoaki Uo
  • Patent number: 8134105
    Abstract: A light quantity measuring device includes a first light reception element, a second light, reception element, an identification circuit, and a selection circuit. The first light reception element receives a predetermined incident light at a first light reception surface. The second light reception element receives the incident light at a second light reception surface, which is oriented in the same direction as the first light reception surface. The identification circuit identifies an incident angle of the incident light with respect to the first light reception surface. The selection circuit, when the incident angle differs from a desired incident angle, selectively electrically connects an output portion of the second light reception element to an output portion of the first light reception element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8132921
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a projection display apparatus comprises an optical system configured to modulate light from a light source in accordance with an input image signal and to project modulated light onto a screen, a cooling fan configured to cool the optical system, an error detector configured to detect a driving error of the cooling fan, a target rotation speed setting unit configured to set a target rotation speed of the cooling fan, and a target rotation speed controller configured to increase the target rotation speed of the cooling fan when the error detector detects a drive error of the cooling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Takeda
  • Patent number: 8132917
    Abstract: A projection type display device includes: a light emitting unit that includes at least one light source for emitting a coherent light. An image light generating unit modulates the light emitted by the light emitting unit to generate an image light. A projecting unit projects the image light. A phase modulating unit is arranged either between the light emitting unit and the image light generating unit or between the image light generating unit and the projecting unit and has an area where at least one of a retardation value and an azimuth direction of a slow axis is distributed respectively in different directions or values in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuo Osawa, Atsushi Kawamori