Patents by Inventor John P. Spoonhower

John P. Spoonhower 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).

  • Patent number: 7057639
    Abstract: A portable intra-oral capture and display system includes: (a) a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, said handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom; (b) a portable, hand-cradled base containing in a single integral enclosure a light source for generating light, electronics for processing the image for display, a display monitor for displaying the image, a storage for storing the image, thereby providing a stored image for subsequent review and access, and an interface for transferring the stored image to a peripheral device; and (c) an optical connection for transmitting the light from the base to the light emitter in the camera, and an electrical connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the processor in the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, John R. Squilla, John T. Boland
  • Patent number: 7027924
    Abstract: A method for detecting failures in a natural gas returning radiation from the pipeline; determining that there is a failure in the pipeline when the spectral or thermal signature indicates that there is a plume of escaping natural gas from the pipeline emitted from a failure; and indicating to a customer that a failure in the pipeline has been detected at a predetermined coordinate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, Janet M. Sherin, Martin G. Graen, Steven V. Stearns
  • Patent number: 6999484
    Abstract: A digital reading and/or writing system and method for reading and/or digital data recorded on a digital recording medium. The system includes a first array having a plurality of near-field solid immersion optical lenses and a second array having a plurality organic micro-cavity lasers with the capability of light intensity modulation. The first array being positioned with respect to the second array such that each near-field optical lens of the first array is associated with at least one organic micro-cavity laser in the second array wherein each of the plurality of organic micro-cavity lasers with the capability of light intensity modulation providing light to its associated near-field solid immersion optical lens that is used for reading digital data on the digital recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, David L. Patton
  • Patent number: 6995846
    Abstract: A system for remote quantitative detection of fluid leaks from a natural gas or oil pipeline by use of an airborne platform; including at least one laser light source for nearly simultaneous illuminating two or more target fluids and a background, wherein the two or more target fluids are characterized by two or more absorption wavelengths, and wherein the background has a different wavelength than either of the two or more target fluids. The illumination source is pointed based on a positioning system while in a geometric area along a path two or more target fluids are scanned for using the illumination sources. A signal detector detects the two or more target fluids using quantitative signal processing. Also included are a controller, a path planning and path finding tool for the positioning of the airborne platform, and a communicator for communicating the presence of the detected leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Hooshmand M. Kalayeh, Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6987877
    Abstract: A method for superimposing graphic representations of ground locations onto images of ground locations after detecting the presence of material failure(s) or failures in man-made structures in such ground locations including providing an image sensor spaced remotely from the ground and which sequentially captures a number of images of various ground locations to provide digital images of such ground locations; processing captured digital images to determine the presence of a potential material failure in a man-made structure in accordance with predetermined coordinate positions which locate the man-made structures in one or more of the captured digital images; identifying reference points in the ground locations corresponding to the same reference points in the graphic representations of the ground location; and superimposing the graphic representation with the reference points onto at least one of the captured digital images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, John P. Spoonhower, David A. Parkes
  • Patent number: 6970488
    Abstract: A system for mechanically tuning optical wavelengths emitted from an organic laser cavity device, that includes: a multi-layered film structure, wherein the multi-layered film structure is pumped by an incoherent source of photons; and a micro-electromechanical mirror assembly proximate to the multi-layered film structure, wherein the micro-electromechanical mirror assembly varies the cavity length of the organic laser cavity device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, John A. Agostinelli, Brian E. Kruschwitz, Keith B. Kahen, John A. Lebens
  • Patent number: 6963594
    Abstract: An organic laser cavity device, that includes: a first dielectric stack for receiving and transmitting pumped beam light and being reflective to laser light over a predetermined range of wavelengths and having a substantially low threshold for optical excitation; an organic active region for receiving the transmitted pumped beam light and laser light from the first dielectric stack, and emits the laser light; a second dielectric stack for reflecting the transmitted pumped beam light and the laser light from the organic active region back into the organic active region, wherein a combination of the first and second dielectric stacks and the organic active region outputs the laser light; and an external self-contained photon source of the pumped beam light cooperating with the organic laser cavity for optical excitation at the substantially low threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Manico, John P. Spoonhower, David L. Patton, Edward Covannon
  • Patent number: 6956601
    Abstract: A portable intra-oral capture and display system includes (a) a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, the handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom; (b) a portable, hand-cradled base containing, in a single integral enclosure, electronics for processing the image for display and a display monitor for displaying the image; (c) an electrical interface for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base; and (d) a contamination control device for the portable, hand-cradled base comprising a pouch enclosing the single integral enclosure and having a transparent front panel that is positioned adjacent the display monitor. In addition, the electronics includes a touch screen interface for providing a plurality of touch screen controls that appear on the screen of the display monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Squilla, John T. Boland, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6952487
    Abstract: A method for capturing at least one image of an existing man-made structure and for detecting the presence of failure(s) in such existing man-made structure including: providing a detectable material on the surface or in an existing man-made structure so that portions of the detectable material will be present in the failure(s) of the existing man-made structure; providing an image sensor and which captures at least one image of the existing man-made structure and identifies failure(s) due to the existence of the detectable material in the failure(s) to provide at least one digital image; and processing the captured digital image(s) to provide a visual image of the existing man-made structure to determine the presence of failure(s) in the existing man-made structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Patton, Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6950454
    Abstract: An electronic imaging system for providing a viewable color image from an image data stream, including: a plurality of different colored laser light sources arranged in an at least one array with each such colored laser light source including a vertical cavity design; at least one area light valve for receiving the laser light and producing the viewable color image from the image data stream; and a projection lens for projecting the viewable color image onto a target plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Brian E. Kruschwitz, Keith B. Kahen, Andrew F. Kurtz, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6939012
    Abstract: A laser image projector includes a substrate; and a two dimensional array of individually addressable laser pixels formed on the substrate for emitting an imagewise beam of laser light perpendicular to the substrate, each of the laser pixels including an addressable organic light emitting diode (OLED) and an organic vertical cavity laser that is arranged to be pumped by the OLED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ronald S. Cok, John P. Spoonhower, Joseph A. Manico, Edward Covannon, David L. Patton
  • Patent number: 6908035
    Abstract: A system and security card comprising a support substrate having a diffuse layer disposed thereon, the support substrate having a substantially uniform light transmitting characteristic, the lens layer having a predetermined pattern area formed thereon such that when light is transmitted through the support substrate and the diffuse layer a unique pattern is produced that can be read from the light passing there through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Amy L. Bench, David L. Patton, Robert P. Bourdelais, Cheryl J. Kaminsky, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6879618
    Abstract: A laser emitting apparatus includes a substrate having on one side an incoherent light-emitting device having a light-emitting layer wherein an electric field is applied across the light-emitting layer to produce light which is transmitted out of the incoherent light-emitting device through an optically transparent layer into a vertical laser cavity structure disposed to receive light transmitted from the incoherent light-emitting device and produce laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ronald S. Cok, Keith B. Kahen, John A. Lebens, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6879306
    Abstract: A display system for providing a user viewable visible color image includes a display for receiving color laser light so that the display, in response to color laser light, produces a viewable visible colored image; a plurality of different color laser light sources arranged in an array with each such laser light source including: a first dielectric stack for receiving and transmitting pump-beam light and being reflective to laser light over a predetermined range of wavelengths; an organic active region for receiving transmitted pump-beam light from the first dielectric stack; and a second dielectric stack for reflecting transmitted pump-beam light and laser light from the organic active region back into the organic active region. The display system projects color laser light from the array onto the display in a pattern to cause a visual image to be produced by the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, Keith B. Kahen, John A. Lebens
  • Patent number: 6869185
    Abstract: A display system for providing a user viewable visible image, includes a view screen for receiving organic laser light and having a diffusing optical element so that the view screen, in response to organic laser light, produces a viewable visible image, wherein the diffusing optical element includes a viewing angle greater than 160° in a first viewing direction and greater than 100° in a second viewing direction orthogonal to the first direction; one or more organic laser light sources arranged in an array with each such laser light source including a vertical cavity design and means for projecting and modulating the intensity of the organic laser light from the array onto the view screen in a pattern to cause a visual image to be produced by the view screen; and means associated with the view screen for reducing speckle in the organic laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Cheryl J. Kaminsky, Robert P. Bourdelais, Keith B. Kahen, John A. Lebens, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6868172
    Abstract: An image registration method is described for X-ray imagery, in which specific views of the x-rays are provided to optimize tie point selection accuracy and efficiency. The first view maintains context during initial point selection. The second view provides a detailed view of each point pair, to allow for fine adjustment, while automatically presenting each point pair in sequence to the user. After the tie points are refined and the images are registered, a third view is provided which allows direct comparison of the registered images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John T. Boland, John P. Spoonhower, John R. Squilla
  • Patent number: 6853660
    Abstract: An organic laser cavity structure is described, comprising a plurality of organic laser cavity devices, each organic laser cavity device characterized by: i) a first dielectric stack for receiving and transmitting pump beam light and being reflective to laser light over a predetermined range of wavelengths; ii) an organic active region for receiving transmitted pump beam light from the first dielectric stack and for emitting light; iii) a second dielectric stack for reflecting transmitted pump beam light and laser light from the organic active region back into the organic active region, wherein a combination of the first and second dielectric stacks and the organic active region produces the laser light; and a predetermined arrangement of the plurality of organic laser cavity devices, such that a desired laser output is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John P. Spoonhower, Joseph A. Manico, Edward Covannon, David L. Patton
  • Patent number: 6845114
    Abstract: A vertical cavity organic laser device, that includes: an organic laser cavity including: a bottom dielectric stack for receiving and transmitting pump beam light and being reflective to laser light over a predetermined range of wavelengths; an organic active region for receiving transmitted pump beam light from the bottom dielectric stack and for emitting the laser light; a top dielectric stack for reflecting transmitted pump beam light and laser light from the organic active region back into the organic active region, wherein a combination of the bottom and the top dielectric stacks and the organic active region produces the laser light; the device further including an external pump beam light source for optically pumping light to the organic laser cavity; and a positioner for locating the organic laser cavity in a spaced relationship to the external pump beam light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David L. Patton, Joseph A. Manico, Edward Covannon, John P. Spoonhower
  • Patent number: 6842534
    Abstract: A method for capturing images of ground locations and for detecting the presence of failure(s) or material failures in man-made structures in such ground locations is disclosed. The method provides an image sensor spaced remotely from the ground and which sequentially captures a number of images of various ground locations to provide digital images; processing captured digital images to determine the presence of a potential material failure in a man-made structure in accordance with predetermined coordinate positions which locate the man-made structures in one or more of the captured digital images; and indicating to a customer that a potential material failure has been detected in a predetermined coordinate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, John P. Spoonhower
  • Publication number: 20040264528
    Abstract: A thin-film organic laser, that includes: a substrate; a bottom mirror provided on the substrate; at least one active region deposited on the bottom mirror, wherein the at least one active region includes organic gain material; an external mirror provided at a predetermined distance from the at least one active region such that the bottom mirror combined with the external mirror forms a laser resonator; and an optical pumping means for exciting the organic gain material to produce a laser beam with a wavelength &lgr; and at least one lateral laser mode in the laser resonator and an output of laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Brian E. Kruschwitz, Francisco J. Duarte, Andrew F. Kurtz, John P. Spoonhower