Patents by Inventor Glen Van Sant

Glen Van Sant 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).

  • Precision cable drive
    Patent number: 6503163
    Abstract: The precision cable drive system of the present invention consists generally of a frame upon which is mounted the components of the drive. These include a motor having a drive shaft, a plurality of idler pulleys, a tensioner, and a drive pulley, to which the object being rotated is connected. A cable composed of woven polymer fibers is wrapped around the shaft of the motor and is stretched around the idler pulleys, the tensioner and the drive pulley. The drive is capable of rotating the drive pulley, and the load attached to it, by fractions of a degree, without play between the motor shaft and the drive pulley. The drives are used in a compact image steering device to rotate cameras and illuminators about two axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Sensar, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Van Sant, Christopher John Killion, Joseph Freeman Spangler, III
  • Compact imaging device incorporating rotatably mounted cameras
    Patent number: 6320610
    Abstract: A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rectangular frame containing at least one illuminator and at least one and preferably two cameras and a pan/tilt mirror on a tilting frame. There is a tilt axis through the frame. A tilt motor is attached to the frame to turn the frame about the tilt axis. Another camera is positioned in optical alignment with the pan/tilt mirror. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. Images from the cameras on the titling frame are used to focus the other camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image or iris code on file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Sensar, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Van Sant, Michael Negin, John Drozd, Thomas A. Chmielewski, Jr., Kevin Carl Kaighn
  • Cable driven image steering and focusing device
    Patent number: 6005704
    Abstract: A compact image steering and focusing device has a generally rotatable platform that carries a pan/tilt mirror. The rotatable platform, at least one motor driven lens and a camera are mounted on a housing. Two drive motors each with an associated cable are provided to rotate the rotatable platform and tilt the mirror. Light reflected from a subject is captured by the mirror and directed through the lens to the camera. The device can fit behind the cover plate of an automated teller machine. This system is preferably used with a narrow field of view camera and two wide field of view cameras. Images from the wide field of view cameras are used to focus the narrow field of view camera on one eye of the automated teller machine user to identify the user by iris analysis and comparison to an iris image on file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Sensar, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Chmielewski, Jr., Michael Negin, Glen Van Sant, Chris Killion