Patents by Inventor William Blain

William Blain 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: 4630111
    Abstract: A system for providing a view of a scene scanned by an electro-optic framing sensor (30) includes control means (36) operable to cause the sensor to scan the scene in a number of frames each of which is viewed at a different viewing angle. Pickoff means (37) provide signals representing that viewing angle. Storage means (32) are provided to store the image information derived from each frame. Circuit means (33) are provided to transform the image information in each store (32) so as to remove distortions due to the different viewing angles, and the transformed image information is stored in a picture store (34). The contents of the picture store represent a view of the scene as viewed from a predetermined viewing angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: Ferranti plc
    Inventors: William Blain, Alexander McKeand, William H. McKendrick
  • Patent number: 4458982
    Abstract: An optical scanning system includes scanning means arranged to scan an object field and comprising, in one form, a rotatable drum (10) carrying a plurality of pairs of mirrors (12, 13). A detector (21) is provided which is sensitive to optical radiation directed on to it by the scanning means. Means, such as telescopes (17, 22) collect radiation from at least two fields of view for presentation to the object field of the scanning means. Optical switching means are provided so that radiation reaches the detector (21) from each field of view in turn. The switching means may be an optical shutter (14) having reflective regions (15) and transparent regions (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Ferranti plc
    Inventors: William Blain, Nicolas L. Brignall