Patents by Inventor Charles N. Harward

Charles N. Harward has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Methods and apparatus for optically determining the acceptability of products
    Patent number: 5165101
    Abstract: The appearance of a product is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable by computing a discriminant function or image from a plurality of two-dimensional images of products of the kind to be inspected. A two-dimensional image of the product is then formed and processed using the discriminant image to produce an output value which can be compared to a predetermined value used in computing the discriminant image. If the output value deviates from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined amount, the product has been found to have an unacceptable appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incoporated
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Henry M. Dante, Charles N. Harward, Robert J. Maher
  • Methods and apparatus for optically enhancing selected features in an input image
    Patent number: 4928181
    Abstract: Input image features of predetermined brightness are enhanced in an output image by processing the input image using a liquid crystal display in conjunction with specially oriented light polarizing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventor: Charles N. Harward