Patents by Inventor Michel Francois

Michel Francois 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: 8958053
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a source collector module including a collector, configured to collect radiation from a radiation source; an illuminator configured to condition the radiation collected by the collector and to provide a radiation beam; and a detector arrangement comprising a reflector arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the illuminator, the reflector arrangement being arranged to reflect radiation from the source collector module; and a sensor arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the reflector arrangement, the sensor arrangement being configured to measure at least one property of radiation reflected by the reflector, the detector arrangement being configured to determine the location of a far field position of the radiation as a function of at least one property of the radiation reflected by the reflector and measured by the sensor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Michel François Hubert Klaassen, Hermanus Johannes Maria Kreuwel
  • Publication number: 20140153381
    Abstract: The network according to the invention, including functional nodes connected in series by information transmission means, in which the information assumes the form of discrete messages propagating from node to node in the network, is characterized in that the information transmission means between the nodes are bidirectional to allow information to propagate in both circulation directions of the network, and each node includes at least one first and second associated information input/output port, connected by corresponding information transmission means to neighboring nodes and the operation of which is controlled exclusively and sequentially, by means forming a communication automaton, between a mode of operation with asynchronous reception of information from its neighboring nodes and a mode of operation for synchronous transmission of information to its neighboring nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicants: SYSTEMES EMBARQUES AEROSPATIAUX, THALES
    Inventors: Alexis Dubrovin, Michel Francois Gueguen, Augustin Mignot, Paul Ortais
  • Patent number: 8730454
    Abstract: An EUV radiation source comprising a fuel supply configured to deliver droplets of fuel to a plasma formation location, and a collector configured to collect EUV radiation emitted by a plasma at the plasma formation location, wherein the collector has a reflective surface that is a modified ellipsoid shape, the modified ellipsoid shape providing improved intensity uniformity of collected EUV radiation in the far field compared with a perfect ellipsoid shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Michel François Hubert Klaassen
  • Patent number: 8699794
    Abstract: Using methods, computer-readable storage media, and apparatuses for computer-implemented processing, a passage of text may be variably rendered. For each glyph in the passage of text, a glyph representation is varied according to a geometric transformation that was determined from statistical measurements of at least one geometric property from an ensemble of representations of the current glyph. Each varied glyph representation is included in renderable output data, such that when the passage of text is rendered to an output device, a given rendered representation of a given glyph subtly differs from other rendered representations of the given glyph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Gracious Eloise, Inc.
    Inventors: Eloise Bune D'Agostino, Michael Bennett D'Agostino, Bryan Michael Minor, Tamas Frajka, Michel Francois Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8678404
    Abstract: A stroller chassis includes a frame and a wheel that are connected to each other by a hinge defining a pivoting axis extending perpendicularly to the wheel's axis. The chassis can also include a bearing for guiding the frame and the wheel in free rotation about the axis. The chassis can include two plates, each including an annular body substantially centered with respect to the pivoting axis and arranged externally around the bearing. The two annular bodies are connected rotatably about the pivoting axis to the frame and the wheel and define substantially planar surfaces on the plate surfaces, the planar surfaces being mutually adjoining along a plane that is transverse to the pivoting axis. The plates cooperate with one another through sliding and frictional contact. The Chassis can also include resilient member for pressing the annular bodies against each other to maintain contact between the planar surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Astrollab
    Inventor: Jean-Michel François Chaudeurge
  • Publication number: 20130311901
    Abstract: Methods and systems for recording interactions between a user and specific objects. An interaction recordation system first receives an indication from a user that an interaction is to be recorded. The system prompts the user for an identification of the object with which the user has interacted. After receiving this identification, the system can then prompt the user for more details regarding the object as well as details about the interaction, including the user's impressions, feedback, and opinions about the object. These various inputs are then uploaded to a server where they can be accessed by the user. At least some of these impressions and feedback can also be anonymously shared by the user with other users who might be interested in the same object. The object can be a location, a business, an item, an application, or anything which the user can use, purchase, visit, or interact with.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: BK-N Inc.
    Inventor: Stephane Michel Francois
  • Publication number: 20130280068
    Abstract: A turbine wheel with optimal-mass dampers to dampen a predetermined resonance in context of vibration of a turbine, particularly a low-speed turbine, while assisting in flexibility of adapting to bearing surfaces of recesses of the dampers, by separating mass and flexibility functions by a flexible portion for clamping against the platform, and a mass portion for controlling frictional forces. A damper includes a plate and a counterweight. The plate is stamped from a metal sheet that is substantially thinner than that of the counterweight. The plate includes a wall configured to flexibly contact a platform of the blade of the wheel, while at least partially surrounding a surface of the counterweight. The damper can be used in particular for a wheel of a turbine of a turbine engine, of a fan, or of a BP compressor having mounted blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Turbomeca
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Pierre Sahores, Michel Francois, Leon Beaucoueste
  • Patent number: 8564689
    Abstract: An image acquisition system comprises: a single set of focussing optics focussing an incident beam from a scene to be imaged on a first sensor and a second sensor exhibiting identical spectral response curves; followed by separation means separating the irradiance of the beam coming from the focussing optics into first and second predetermined fractions, the separation means orienting the first fraction towards the first sensor and the second fraction towards the second sensor; control means for controlling a first acquisition time of the scene to be imaged by the first sensor to obtain a first image and/or a second acquisition time of the scene to be imaged by the second sensor to obtain a second image; and merging means that merge the first image coming from the first sensor and the second image coming from the second sensor to generate a final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Matthieu Grossetete, Jean-Claude Ebert, Jean-Michel Francois
  • Publication number: 20130251263
    Abstract: Using methods, computer-readable storage media, and apparatuses for computer-implemented processing, a passage of text may be variably rendered. For each glyph in the passage of text, a glyph representation is varied according to a geometric transformation that was determined from statistical measurements of at least one geometric property from an ensemble of representations of the current glyph. Each varied glyph representation is included in renderable output data, such that when the passage of text is rendered to an output device, a given rendered representation of a given glyph subtly differs from other rendered representations of the given glyph.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: GRACIOUS ELOISE, INC.
    Inventors: Eloise Bune D'AGOSTINO, Michael Bennett D'AGOSTINO, Bryan Michael MINOR, Tamas FRAJKA, Michel Francois PETTIGREW
  • Patent number: 8487233
    Abstract: The invention relates to vision equipment including a translucent optical strip covering all or some of the visual field of the user of the said equipment and a device for projecting images onto the said strip in at least one zone of the visual field of the user, called the image-projection zone. The optical strip includes a plurality of zones covered by a layer of material with a controlled coefficient of light transmission, a zone at least covering the image-projection zone and in that the vision equipment also comprises a means for controlling the coefficient of light transmission capable of receiving status information and of controlling the coefficient of light transmission of each of the zones and independently of one another as a function of the said status information. The invention preferably applies to helmet visor equipment or head-up displays for an aircraft cockpit and to vision equipment in the motor vehicle field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Joël Baudou, Laurent Laluque, Jean-Michel François
  • Publication number: 20130069329
    Abstract: This stroller chassis comprises a frame (10) and at least one wheel (20) resting on the ground, which are connected to each other by a mechanical hinge assembly (40) defining a pivoting axis (Z40-Z40), which extends perpendicularly to the wheel rolling axis on the ground (Y20-Y20) and about which pivoting axis the frame and the wheel pivot with respect to each other, and also comprising at least one bearing (42) for guiding the frame and the wheel in free rotation about said axis with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: ASTROLLAB
    Inventor: Jean-Michel François Chaudeurge
  • Publication number: 20130063726
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of characterising a dielectric material. The method comprises the step of providing a light source, a light collector and a sensor. The sensor is arranged so that an evanescent field of light penetrates through a surface of the sensor and surface plasmons are generated at the surface of the sensor when suitable light is directed along at least a portion of the sensor. The method also includes the step of exposing the surface of the sensor to the dielectric material so that an interface is formed between the surface and the dielectric material. Further, the method comprises guiding light along at least a portion of the sensor to generate the surface plasmons. In addition, the method comprises the step of collecting an intensity of light from the interface as a function of a spectral parameter of the light. Further, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for characterising the dielectric material in accordance with the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Tanya Mary Monro, Alexandre Guy Michel Francois, Jonathan Boehm
  • Patent number: 8351700
    Abstract: Using methods, computer-readable storage media, and apparatuses for computer-implemented processing, an image of handwritten text may be segmented into a disjoint component image corresponding to individual glyphs connected by ligatures. The disjoint component image is skeletonized into a grid graph, and a connected path traversing the ligatures is determined. The disjoint component image is segmented into non-overlapping segments based on connected graphs corresponding to edges in the disjoint component image, where sets of adjacent non-overlapping segments correspond to the individual glyphs. Glyph geometry may be varied by obtaining an ensemble of glyph representations, each characterized by measurable geometric glyph properties. For each geometric glyph property, target values are obtained from ensemble-wide statistical distribution functions, and the target values are used to transform a base glyph representation into a target glyph representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Gracious Eloise, Inc.
    Inventors: Eloise Bune D'Agostino, Michael Bennett D'Agostino, Bryan Michael Minor, Tamas Frajka, Michel Francois Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8342562
    Abstract: A frame for a child's stroller which includes two rear arms and a single front arm which are joined to one another with the two rear arms spaced on opposite sides of a front to rear median vertical plane (P) of the frame and wherein wheels are pivotally mounted to each of the arms so as to be movable between first deployed positions wherein an axes of rotation of the wheels extend transversely to the plane (P) and a second compact storage position wherein the axes of rotation of the wheels extend parallel with respect to the plane (P), and wherein the wheels connected so as to be moved simultaneously between the two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Francois Chaudeurge
  • Patent number: 8315690
    Abstract: An interventional device configured for placement in or near an internal organ or tissue is provided. The interventional device includes a reference portion having three or more sensor elements. In one implementation, the interventional device and associated sensor elements provide dynamic referencing of the internal organ, tissue or associated vasculature after registration of the sensor data with images and/or volumetric representations of the internal organ or tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Eduardo Groszmann, Michel Francois Grimaud, Yves Lucien Trousset
  • Patent number: 8251381
    Abstract: A child's carriage including a frame that supports a seat for a child and from which a rear bar extends for pushing the carriage and from which a front rod extends to a fork to which a front wheel is mounted. A swivel is mounted between the front rod and the fork which swivel is covered by a housing for at least one light source and wherein the light source is controlled by a switch on the rear bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Francois Chaudeurge
  • Publication number: 20120154775
    Abstract: An EUV radiation source comprising a fuel supply configured to deliver droplets of fuel to a plasma formation location, and a collector configured to collect EUV radiation emitted by a plasma at the plasma formation location, wherein the collector has a reflective surface that is a modified ellipsoid shape, the modified ellipsoid shape providing improved intensity uniformity of collected EUV radiation in the far field compared with a perfect ellipsoid shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Michel François Hubert Klaassen
  • Publication number: 20120038898
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a source collector module including a collector, configured to collect radiation from a radiation source; an illuminator configured to condition the radiation collected by the collector and to provide a radiation beam; and a detector arrangement comprising a reflector arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the illuminator, the reflector arrangement being arranged to reflect radiation from the source collector module; and a sensor arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the reflector arrangement, the sensor arrangement being configured to measure at least one property of radiation reflected by the reflector, the detector arrangement being configured to determine the location of a far field position of the radiation as a function of at least one property of the radiation reflected by the reflector and measured by the sensor arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Michel François Hubert KLAASSEN, Hermanus Johannes Maria KREUWEL
  • Publication number: 20110240834
    Abstract: The invention relates to vision equipment including a translucent optical strip covering all or some of the visual field of the user of the said equipment and a device for projecting images onto the said strip in at least one zone of the visual field of the user, called the image-projection zone. The optical strip includes a plurality of zones covered by a layer of material with a controlled coefficient of light transmission, a zone at least covering the image-projection zone and in that the vision equipment also comprises a means for controlling the coefficient of light transmission capable of receiving status information and of controlling the coefficient of light transmission of each of the zones and independently of one another as a function of the said status information. The invention preferably applies to helmet visor equipment or head-up displays for an aircraft cockpit and to vision equipment in the motor vehicle field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Joël Baudou, Laurent Laluque, Jean-Michel François
  • Publication number: 20110006495
    Abstract: The invention relates to a so-called three-wheel stroller frame (2) in which the front wheel (20) and the two rear wheels (22D, 22G) are respectively and simultaneously movable relative to a front arm (12) and to two rear arms (14D, 14G) rigidly connected to each other, between an extended service position, in which the rotation axes (Y20-Y20, Y22D-Y22D, Y22G-Y22G) of the wheels extend perpendicularly to a same antero-posterior plane (P) of the frame, and a stowed storage position in which said rotation axes extend in parallel to said plane, the antero-posterior distance (?) between the rear wheels and the front wheel being then smaller than when the wheels are in the expanded position. In order to move the wheels in a quick, simple and easy manner, the stroller frame also includes a specific handle (60) for manually driving a wheel movement means arranged at the front end of the front arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Francois Chaudeurge