Patents Issued in August 14, 2007
  • Patent number: 7256887
    Abstract: The method tests the suitability of an optical material having a radiation-induced absorption, especially of an alkali or alkaline earth halide, for production of an optical element exposed to high-energy irradiation. The method includes pre-irradiating the optical material with laser radiation until rapid damage induced in the optical material with the laser radiation is saturated; subsequently measuring fluorescence of the optical material during and/or immediately after irradiating the optical material with excitation radiation and determining the non-intrinsic fluorescence and intrinsic fluorescence present in the measured fluorescence. Suitability may be preferably determined according to a ratio of the amount of non-intrinsic fluorescence to intrinsic fluorescence. A device for performing the method including a barrier device for blocking scattered excitation radiation is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Christian Muehlig, Wolfgang Triebel, Jochen Alkemper, Regina Martin
  • Patent number: 7256888
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to verify the composition of a medical fluid in a fluid infusion channel by comparison with clinician-entered input. Light is transmitted through the channel and detected by a sensor that generates signals representative of the spectral data of the light detected. A processor compares the spectral data of the light detected to the spectral data associated with the expected contents of the channel to verify that the correct fluid is being infused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Cardial Health 303, Inc.
    Inventors: Linda B. Staehr, James L. Cudney, Roger J. Greenwald
  • Patent number: 7256889
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement, in particular for spectroscopic measurements on particulate samples, is described, having a measuring cuvette (10) for sampling which has at least one window (11) through which the sample (3) can be irradiated and including a rotating mount (20) with which the measuring cuvette (10) can be rotated about a predetermined axis of rotation (1), whereby the alignment of the axis of rotation (1) deviates from a vertical reference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Hans Joachim Bruins
  • Patent number: 7256890
    Abstract: A spectroscope capable of suppressing the dimension and the cost with avoiding a problem caused by polarization dependency of the diffraction grating. The spectroscope includes a polarizing beam splitter plate 3 that divides the light from an input fiber 1 into a first and a second optical paths and polarizes each light of each optical path having different direction of polarization with each other, a Fresnel rhomb half wave plate 5 that arranges the direction of polarization of the light in the first optical path into that in the second optical path and a plane mirror 4 that deflects the second optical path such that at least a portion of an area where the light through the first optical path is incident on the diffraction grating 6 and an area where the light through the second optical path is incident on the diffraction grating overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hisao Osawa, Naoshi Aikawa, Akira Adachi
  • Patent number: 7256891
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing a population of particles is set forth. The apparatus includes an emitter adapted to generate a beam of electromagnetic radiation, such as from a laser, and a particle chamber disposed in a path of the electromagnetic radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation scattered by or otherwise received from the particle chamber. A sensor alignment unit supports the sensor along a detection axis and allows adjustment of the position of the sensor along orthogonal axes lying in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the detection axis. In one embodiment, the sensor alignment unit includes a first support platform and a first adjustment mechanism disposed to adjust the position of the first support platform along a first orthogonal axis. The sensor alignment unit also includes a second support platform that supports the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Domack, Santos E. Vargas
  • Patent number: 7256892
    Abstract: A measuring instrument that comprises a light source unit 1 capable of emitting light having different wavelengths, a light receiving unit 2 that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to an intensity of transmitted light or radiated light from a sample 6 mixed with a plurality of coloring matters, and a calculation section 3, is used. The calculation section 3 uses a previously calculated correction coefficient to calculate the fluorescence intensity of transmitted light or radiated light for each coloring matter. The correction coefficient is calculated based on an electrical signal output by the light receiving unit 2 when a plurality of correction samples are irradiated with light having different wavelengths, each correction sample being mixed with any one of the coloring matters and the respective mixed coloring matters being different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Arkray, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinya Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7256893
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a laser system is disclosed which may comprise a spectrometer adapted to measure an unknown bandwidth of a spectrum of light emitted from the laser, which may comprise an optical bandwidth measuring unit adapted to provide as an output a measured parameter, which is indicative of a parameter of the unknown bandwidth of the spectrum being measured; a reported parameter computing unit adapted to compute a reported parameter of the unknown bandwidth of the spectrum being measured according to the formula: Reported Parameter(“RP”)=A*(Measured Parameter(“MP”))+C, wherein the RP and MP are a different type of parameter and the values of A and C are determined based upon calibration of the optical bandwidth measuring unit MP response for light of known valued of RP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Cymer, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Rafac
  • Patent number: 7256894
    Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for second harmonic optical coherence tomography of a sample comprising a laser coupled to an interferometer which has a reference arm and in a sample arm. A nonlinear crystal in the reference arm generates a second harmonic reference signal. The sample typically backscatters some second harmonic light into the sample arm. A broadband beam splitter optically coupled to the reference arm and sample arm combines the signals from the reference arm and sample arm into interference fringes and a dichroic beam splitter splits the interference fringes into a fundamental and second harmonic interference signal. A detector is optically coupled to the dichroic beam splitter detects interference fringes from which both an OCT and second harmonic OCT image can be constructed using a conventional data processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Zhongping Chen, Yi Jang
  • Patent number: 7256895
    Abstract: A far-field measurement instrument has multiple imaging lenses cut into a pentagon shape and arranged in geodesic spherical configuration with a common field of view focused on the source of the scattered light to be measured. Aspheric lenses are used to facilitate collimation of large incident angles of scattered light. A measurement module, such as a camera, is used behind each lens. The measurement module may consist of an interferometer or Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor, thereby enabling the measurement of both intensity and phase of the scattered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Raymond J. Castonguay
  • Patent number: 7256896
    Abstract: A method for verifying scan precision of a laser measurement machine includes the steps of: preparing a transparent flat, of which the flatness of each plane is regarded as a flatness conventional true value; determining an optimum scanning mode; determining optimum scanning parameters under the optimum scanning mode; scanning the transparent flat under the optimum scanning mode and the optimum scanning parameters for certain times, and obtaining measuring data; calculating a plurality of flatness values using the measuring data; calculating an average value and a standard deviation of the flatness values, and a bias between the average value and the flatness conventional true value; evaluating the repetitiveness of the laser measurement machine according to the standard deviation; and evaluating the veracity of the laser measurement machine according to the bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ling-Hua Que, Zhong-Kui Yuan, Wei Xu, Xiao-Bo Xin, Kuei-Yang Lin
  • Patent number: 7256897
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for three-dimensional measurements by shining an object to be measured with plural laser beams while scanning. Even if the optical intensity of laser beams is weak, light disturbance is accurately separated to perform real-time three-dimensional measurement. A laser beam emitted from a laser source is separated into the plural beams of slit light with a predetermined angle at a hologram plate. These two beams are used for scanning and irradiating the object by a scanning mirror. These beams are reflected and read to determine whether or not an interval between these beams corresponds to the predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshinobu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7256898
    Abstract: To determine the position of rotationally drivable tools in machine tools, the moment of separation of the tool to be measured and a measuring beam, for example a laser beam of a light barrier, is used. The tool to be measured is first positioned in such a manner that the measuring beam is interrupted, and is then moved to a measuring position in which the moment of separation of the tool and the measuring beam occurs, and the measuring beam is no longer interrupted by the tool during at least one complete revolution. The moment of separation is used to determine the position of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Blum-Novotest GmbH
    Inventors: Heribert Bucher, Wolfgang Reiser
  • Patent number: 7256899
    Abstract: Methods for acquiring an approximation of the surface geometry of a 3-dimensional object include projecting pattern of structured light on the object, moving the pattern with respect to the object, acquiring images of the intersection of the light on the object over time, determining local coordinates of points on the intersection with respect to the pattern, tracking the position of the pattern, transforming the local coordinates to object coordinates, and accumulating the points as a model of the surface of the object. The methods include a step for wirelessly and possibly compactly transmitting geometrical data which characterizes an intersection for a given position of the scanner with respect to the object. Systems for embodying the method include a self-powered wireless, non-contact optical scanner, the location and orientation of which may be tracked with respect to an object coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventors: Ivan Faul, Waldean Allen Schulz
  • Patent number: 7256900
    Abstract: The technique of the present invention ensures efficient management of printers in a large-scaled network even under a condition that some printer shifts its position on the network. A positioning unit included in each printer connected to the network recognizes positional information, which represents its own geographical position where the printer is located and includes, for example, a latitude and a longitude. Each of computers connected to the network obtains the positional information from each of the printers and specifies a printer, to which print data are output to carry out printing, based on the positional information thus obtained. This arrangement extremely facilitates the management of the printers on the network and enables the user to carry out printing with a selected printer that is located at a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 7256901
    Abstract: An operating system alternate arrangement for a printer driver/spooler/print processor is disclosed. Referring to one embodiment, although using a PPD-compatible printer driver is often desirable, such a driver includes no mechanism for implementing a printer feature that cannot be specified in a PPD. The disclosed alternate arrangement uses the PPD for those printer options and features that can be specified by PPD. The remaining options and features are classified as “custom actions” that are processed in a custom print processor that is bound to the spooler in place of the operating system's default print processor. Preferably, however, the custom print processor does not implement any traditional print processor functionality. Instead, after performing any custom actions, the custom print processor subroutines call the OS default print processor subroutines to perform traditional print processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew R. Ferlitsch
  • Patent number: 7256902
    Abstract: The object is to provide a network printing system in which printing may be executed using stable print modes regardless of the printer operating environment. When the printer receives a print job, if (i) any of the printing parameters in the print mode associated to the print job is registered as prohibited and (ii) the current time is within a designated time frame in which no one is expected to be near the printer, printing using prohibited printing parameters is not performed. The situation in which the printer is kept on suspended for a long period of time is prevented by changing such printing parameters to other available printing parameters, or by deleting the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Morikawa, Yoshikazu Ikenoue
  • Patent number: 7256903
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes restriction process executing unit for executing a predetermined restriction process in compliance with acquired restriction information; current position acquiring unit for acquiring current location information indicating a current location of the apparatus; restriction contents acquiring unit for acquiring restriction contents which differ depending on a region; and process contents updating unit for acquiring the restriction contents at the current location of the apparatus by the restriction contents acquiring unit based on the current location information acquired by the current position acquiring unit and for updating the restriction information in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Ando
  • Patent number: 7256904
    Abstract: An image can be smoothly generated without delaying the release of a host by dynamically changing the priority of a task for writing to a hard disk for the priority of another task. The dynamic varying of the priorities of the different types of tasks is dependent upon predetermined events or triggers, which thereby prevents the release delay of a host, so that successive images can be smoothly generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Shima
  • Patent number: 7256905
    Abstract: The invention provides a communication apparatus with plural communication functions, which, in case of importing plural address information, judges whether the communication function corresponding to each address information is effective or not and selectively importing only the address information of which the corresponding communication function is effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 7256906
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a read and analysis unit that analyzes print setting items recorded by a printer and stored in a memory card, and a generation unit that generates additional data relating to print settings required upon printing by the printer based on the print setting items analyzed. The image processing apparatus reduces the user's burden of manipulating print setting items for each printer, and avoids an incident in which print setting items that cannot be set by a printer that is to output image data are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7256907
    Abstract: A specific memory box is temporarily formed every job which is requested by a client apparatus and the user of the client apparatus uniquely processes the job information at a high speed. In response to a print request from a client apparatus which can be connected to a network, a printer apparatus is instructed to form a memory box for managing the job information in a memory apparatus of the printer apparatus. When the job information whose printing has been requested by the client apparatus is inputted and registered into the formed memory box, the client apparatus is notified of printer management information of the job information inputted and registered in the memory box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Matsueda
  • Patent number: 7256908
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus of the present invention uses plural expansion processing units which expand printing data of a predetermined format to image data of a format to be output to a printer, by a segment. Before expansion processing to the printing data of one page is performed, a processing time necessary to expand the printing data to the image data is calculated for each segment. The expansion processing for each segment by the plural expansion processing units is scheduled based on the calculated processing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisuke Mitani
  • Patent number: 7256909
    Abstract: To enable automatic proxy printing and manual proxy printing to be switched and used, whether the automatic proxy printing has been set or not is discriminated. If it is determined that the automatic proxy printing has been set, the automatic proxy printing is executed. If it is determined that the automatic proxy printing is not set, the manual proxy printing is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 7256910
    Abstract: A method is described for overcoming the adverse visual effect of misregistered ink planes in multiple ink color prints. Color separations are initially made in a normal fashion. The separation carrying the greatest object detail is then chosen as a luminance or achromatic channel. This may be used as is or preferably it is sharpened using a high pass filter. Normally this separation will be black. However, it may be a surrogate color for black, particularly if only two or three separations are made. Object detail in all other separations (chrominance separations) is degraded, usually by a low pass filter such as a Gaussian blur. The printed image formed when the separations are recombined in a conventional manner is remarkably visually tolerant of misregistration of the various ink planes in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventor: David L. Lee
  • Patent number: 7256911
    Abstract: Provided is photo retouching software which is easy for photo studio personnel to use. Upon opening photo image(s), special photo retoucher 11 converts photo image data thereof to working color space image data. At such time(s), if working ICC profile(s) is/are set which is/are different from ICC profile(s) previously embedded in such photo image file(s), color perceptual matching is carried out on the photo image data thereof based on such embedded ICC profile(s) and working ICC profile(s) when such photo image file(s) is/are opened. Furthermore, when such photo image(s) is/are displayed at monitor(s), such image data is converted to monitor color space image data through color matching using working ICC profile(s) and monitor ICC profile(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Takabayashi, Masaru Hoshino, Atsushi Hatta
  • Patent number: 7256912
    Abstract: A method is provided for adaptively generating perceptually uniform printer characterization samples in a three-dimensional (3-D) signal space. The method comprises: generating lines, each including a plurality of samples, in a printer 3-D signal space; printing signal space color targets; measuring the signal space color targets; generating lines with a plurality of perceptually uniform samples; generating polygon shapes in the 3-D signal space from the perceptually uniform sampled lines; calculating addition perceptually uniform sample points associated with each polygon; and, generating a final target in the printer 3-D signal space using the calculated perceptually uniform sample points. In one aspect, generating lines, includes: for each line, generating a metric distance function; creating a plurality of perceptually uniform samples on the function output axis; and, using the inverse of the metric distance function, mapping perceptually uniform samples onto the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc
    Inventor: James Zhixin Chang
  • Patent number: 7256913
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include devices, media, systems, and methods of image adjustment. One exemplary embodiment includes a printing device having a program and a print engine. The program can apply a filter profile associated with an image filtering material. The program can adjust an image based upon the filter profile. The print engine can be in communication with the program to print an image, adjusted based on the filter profile, on a print media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steve A. Jacob, Mark J. Wibbels
  • Patent number: 7256914
    Abstract: An optical scanner for scanning a document includes a housing, a glass platform, an optical scanning module and a heat dissipating member. The glass platform is disposed on the housing for placing thereon the document to be scanned. The optical scanning module is disposed inside the housing for scanning the document. The heat dissipating member is disposed inside the housing and in contact with a first lateral edge of the glass platform for conducting the heat generated from the optical scanning module to the glass platform such that the heat is then radiated from the glass platform to the outside of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsi-Yu Chen, Kuan-Yang Chen
  • Patent number: 7256915
    Abstract: Transmission and reflection type holograms may be formed utilizing a novel polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) material and its unique switching characteristics to form optical elements. Applications for these switchable holograms include communications switches and switchable transmission, and reflection red, green, and blue lenses. The PDLC material of the present invention offers all of the features of holographic photopolymers with the added advantage that the hologram can be switched on and off with the application of an electric field. The material is a mixture of a polymerizable monomer and liquid crystal, along with other ingredients, including a photoinitiator dye. Upon irradiation, the liquid crystal separates as a distinct phase of nanometer-size droplets aligned in periodic channels forming the hologram. The material is called a holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Sutherland, Bill Hagan, William Kelly, Bob Epling
  • Patent number: 7256916
    Abstract: The system includes an illumination system, a scanner, a non-linear optical element, and a pumping light source. The illumination system emits imaging beam and the scanner scans the beam incident from the illumination system. The non-linear optical element is made of a material having a Kerr effect or the like and forms a lens automatically aligned while following a path of the imaging beam scanned from the scanner. The pumping light source actives the non-linear optical element to cause a non-linear refractive index change of the non-linear optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju-hyun Lee, Yong-kweun Mun
  • Patent number: 7256917
    Abstract: A two-dimensional scanning apparatus has light source means, deflecting means for deflecting a beam emitted from the light source means in a two-dimensional direction, and scanning optical means for directing the beam deflected by the deflecting means onto a surface to be scanned. The scanning optical means has one or more scanning optical element, and one or more surfaces of one or more of the aforementioned one or more scanning optical elements are anamorphic surfaces, and the anamorphic surfaces on the aforementioned one or more surfaces are anamorphic surfaces monotonously changing in a radius of curvature of which the absolute value of the radius of curvature in a first one-dimensional direction continuously decreases from one side toward the other side along a second one-dimensional direction orthogonal to the first one-dimensional direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiichiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: 7256918
    Abstract: In order to determine an arrangement of an optical scanning device provided with a rotary polygon mirror having a plurality of reflective faces, it is determined a direction of polarization of light which is to be made incident on one of the reflective faces and to be reflected and deflected in accordance with a rotary action of the polygon mirror; and it is determined a direction from which the light is made incident on the one of the reflective faces, such that a variation of reflectivity of the light depending on a variation of an incident angle thereof in accordance with the rotary action of the polygon mirror compensate for a positional variation of reflectivity on the one of the reflective faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Coporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Sowa, Nozomu Inoue, Yoichi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7256919
    Abstract: A rotational micro mirror is rapidly driven, has a large driving angle, and is structurally stable. The rotational micro mirror includes: a substrate; a reflection plate which is rotatable and reflects light; a pair of torsion springs which support opposite ends of the reflection plate so that the reflection plate is raised from the substrate, and acting as a rotation axis when the reflection plate is rotationally driven; a pair of frames which are connected to the reflection plate without connecting to the torsion springs and are symmetrically formed with respect to the torsion springs; frame supporting units which connect the reflection plate and the frames; and a driving unit including moving combs disposed on the frames and static combs disposed on the substrate and respectively corresponding to the moving combs in order to generate an electrostatic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-Moon Jeong, Jin-ho Lee, Jin-woo Cho
  • Patent number: 7256920
    Abstract: A modulator circuit (28) for directing a voltage across a modulator element (26) to modulate a beam (20) includes a first inductor L1 that is electrically connected in parallel to the modulator element (26) and a second inductor L2 that is electrically connected in parallel to the first inductor L1 and the modulator element (26). A resonant frequency of the modulator circuit (28) is controllable over a range of between approximately 200 and 380 MHz. Additionally, the modulator circuit (28) can include a third inductor L3 that is electrically connected in parallel to the inductors L1, L2, and the modulator element (26). Further, the modulator circuit (28) can include an added capacitor (546) that is electrically connected in parallel to the inductors L1, L2, and the modulator element (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Bookham Technology plc
    Inventor: Eduardo Tinoco
  • Patent number: 7256921
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to optical elements comprising an at least partial coating having a first state and a second state connected to at least a portion of a substrate, the at least partial coating being adapted to switch from the first state to the second state in response to at least actinic radiation, to revert back to the first state in response to thermal energy, and to linearly polarize at least transmitted radiation in at least one of the first state and the second state. Other embodiments relate to optical elements comprising a substrate and at least one at least partially aligned photochromic-dichroic compound connected to at least a portion of the substrate and having an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in the activated state as determined according to CELL METHOD. Still other embodiments relate to security devices, liquid crystal cells and methods of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Transitions Optical, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil Kumar, Peter C. Foller, Forrest R. Blackburn, Jiping Shao, Meng He, Terry A. Kellar, II
  • Patent number: 7256922
    Abstract: A modulator has a transparent substrate with a first surface. At least one interferometric modulator element resides on the first surface. At least one thin film circuit component electrically connected to the element resides on the surface. When more than one interferometric element resides on the first surface, there is at least one thin film circuit component corresponding to each element residing on the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: IDC, LLC
    Inventors: Clarence Chui, Stephen Zee
  • Patent number: 7256923
    Abstract: Syntheses of a new blue EC monomer (ProDOT-MePro), and a new red EC monomer (ProDOP-Et2) are described. Two additional new types of EC monomers based on 3,4-alkylenedioxythiophene include fluorinated EC monomers and an EC monomer including silicon. EC polymer devices having more than one different color EC polymer to enable additional colors to be provided using subtractive color mixing are also described, as well as EC polymer devices incorporating a logo, image, or text, are generally obscured when the device is colored, but become visible when the device is not colored. Also described are EC polymer devices that include a cathodic EC polymer layer, a gel electrolyte, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. Working prototypes of such devices exhibit significant increases in the speed of transition of the EC device from a colored state to a transparent state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Lu Liu, Chunye Xu, Susan E. Legenski, Minoru Taya
  • Patent number: 7256924
    Abstract: A multi-cell electrochromic device comprising: first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies which each comprise; a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith and second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises: at least one solvent; at least one anodic electroactive material; at least one cathodic electroactive material; wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and wherein the first and second electrochromic device sub-assemblies are in optical alignment, and further wherein the multi-cell electrochromic device exhibits a transmittance of less than approximately 1.5% in a low transmission state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas F. Guarr, Frederick T. Bauer, David A. Theiste
  • Patent number: 7256925
    Abstract: A flexible electrochromic device including a flexible transparent electrode including a predetermined pattern, an insulating layer formed on a portion of the transparent electrode other than the predetermined pattern, a semiconductor layer formed on the predetermined pattern, an electrochromic monolayer formed on the semiconductor layer, a flexible counter electrode disposed to face the transparent electrode and an electrolyte provided in a space between the transparent electrode and the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang ho Noh, Sung Hen Cho, Ki Yong Song, Jin Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7256926
    Abstract: An optical deflector includes a magnet unit, which generates a magnetic field, and a movable plate unit, which is placed in the magnetic field. The movable plate unit has an inner movable plate having a reflecting surface, an outer movable plate, two inner torsion bars connecting the inner and outer movable plates, a support located outside the outer movable plate, and two outer torsion bars connecting the outer movable plate and support. The movable plate unit has two inner drive wiring portions that extend along by a periphery of the inner movable plate. The magnet unit includes magnets, two adjacent magnets of which are opposite in magnetic polarity direction. The inner drive wiring portions extend almost parallel to boundaries between the two adjacent magnets and are respectively located substantially immediately above the boundaries. Currents of the same direction are applied to the two inner drive wiring portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kamiya, Daisuke Matsuo, Hiroshi Miyajima, Masahiro Nishio
  • Patent number: 7256927
    Abstract: An actuator (100) taking advantage of ponderomotive forces to enhance its electromechanical performance as a function of input energy. An actuator (100) may include a first conductive layer (102) residing on a first electret layer (101). The actuator (100) may further include a moveable second electret layer (103) which is spaced apart in relation to the first conductive layer (102) when the second electret layer (103) is in a quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a second conductive layer (104) in a spaced apart relation to the second electret layer (103) when the second electret layer (103) is in the quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a voltage source (105) configured to selectively apply a voltage between the first (102) and second (104) conductive layers thereby propelling the second electret layer (103) to either the first (102) or second (104) conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Pixel Displays, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin G. Selbrede
  • Patent number: 7256928
    Abstract: Modulation device for laser radiation, having at least one modulation means which can change at least in part the laser radiation which passes through the modulation device, the modulation device having splitter means which can split the laser radiation into at least two component beams of radiation, the device furthermore in the direction of beam propagation downstream of the beam splitter means having beam combining means which can recombine at least two of the component beams of radiation, and at least one modulation means being located between the beam splitter means and beam combining means such that at least one of the component beams can be changed by at least one modulation means such that the laser radiation which has been combined by the beam combining means or in the area of the beam combining means at least in a given area of space has the desired modulation as a result of the interference of at least two component beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Hentze-Lissotschenko Patentverwaltungs GmbH & Co, KG
    Inventors: Vitalij Lissotschenko, Aleksei Mikhailov
  • Patent number: 7256929
    Abstract: A semiconductor-based all optical wavelength converter is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes an optical waveguide disposed in semiconductor material. An optical pump source is optically coupled to direct an optical pump beam having a first wavelength into the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide is further optically coupled to receive an input optical beam having a second wavelength. The optical waveguide is optically coupled to generate an output optical beam having a third wavelength in response to the optical pump beam and the input optical beam in the optical waveguide. A diode structure is disposed in the optical waveguide. The diode structure includes at least P and N regions. The diode structure is biased to generate an electric field to remove free carriers from an optical path through the optical waveguide generated in response to two photon absorption in the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Haisheng Rong, Mario J. Paniccia
  • Patent number: 7256930
    Abstract: An amplified laser source for amplifying a laser projection that includes a diode laser source modulated by a pulse generator applying an alternate high and low voltages higher and lower than a threshold voltage for projecting a modulated optical signal. The laser source further includes a first erbium-doped fiber (EDF) for amplifying the modulated optical signal. The laser source further includes a set of Bragg gratings for receiving the modulated optical signal from the first EDF for reflecting a grating-specific pulse-distortion-reduced optical signal. The laser source further includes an electro-absorption (EA) modulator synchronized with the pulse generator for increasing an extinction ratio of the optical signals. The laser source further includes a second erbium doped fiber (EDF) for receiving and amplifying the optical signal from the EA modulator wherein the second erbium doped fiber (EDF) having a length of several meters and a diameter greater than or equal to thirty-five micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Jian Liu
  • Patent number: 7256931
    Abstract: In an optical amplifying device, an optical beam passes multiple times through a grazing-incidence bounce amplifier, accessing different parts (G1,G2) of the gain region on each transit. This provides improved characteristics in beam quality, with higher power scalability. The multipass configuration can operate as a high gain amplifier device and, with the addition of suitable feedback such as reflectors (M1-M4), as a laser oscillator to provide an optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Imperial College Innovations Limited
    Inventor: Michael John Damzen
  • Patent number: 7256932
    Abstract: An optical system for ultraviolet light having wavelengths ??200 nm, which may be designed in particular as a catadioptric projection objective for microlithography, has a plurality of optical elements including optical elements made of synthetic quartz glass or a fluoride crystal material transparent to a wavelength ??200 nm. At least two of the optical elements are utilized for forming at least one liquid lens group including a first delimiting optical element, a second delimiting optical element, and a liquid lens, which is arranged in an interspace between the first delimiting optical element and the second delimiting optical element and contains a liquid transparent to ultraviolet light having wavelengths ??200 nm. This enables effective correction of chromatic aberrations even in the case of systems that are difficult to correct chromatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Toralf Gruner, Wolfgang Singer
  • Patent number: 7256933
    Abstract: An optical corrector system optical system comprising two components, a first housing supporting therein a telenegative-type lens, and a second housing supporting therein a positive-type lens. The first housing is adapted to be coupled to a telescope in a manner so that the telenegative lens intercepts the image plane provided by the telescope. The second housing is adapted to be coupled to an image input portion of a remote viewing device. Opposite ends of the first and second housings are adapted to be coupled to each other in a manner so that the distance between the telenegative lens in the first housing and the positive lens in the second housing results in the intercepted image plane being repositioned from a viewing position at the telescope, to a viewing position at the remote viewing device. In a preferred embodiment, the remote viewing device comprises a binocular viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventors: Russell Drew Lederman, Clamore William Dankmeyer, III
  • Patent number: 7256934
    Abstract: A tilting system for an observation device, in particular for a microscope, with at least one objective device and at least one optical device for passing at least one beam path from an entrance region to an exit region of the tilting system is described, wherein the optical device has at least one optical element in the form of a prism for tilting and for image reversion of the beam path as well as for guiding it further into at least one ocular device. According to the invention, a particularly cost-favorable and structurally simple configuration of the tilting system with a mechanical structural length that is simultaneously as small as possible is provided by configuring the optical elements for tilting the beam path as well as at least one prism for image reversion in a special way and by arranging them in a specific manner relative to one another in the beam path. In addition, an observation device with a corresponding tilting system is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
    Inventors: Joachim Bihr, Alfons Abele
  • Patent number: 7256935
    Abstract: To eliminate ghosts caused by retroreflection of projected light and obtain high resolution images. Fine irregularities 5 are randomly formed on the plane of incidence 2a of a Fresnel lens sheet 2 with little space between them. The glossiness (Gs 60°) of the fine irregularities 5 formed by such a random pattern is equal or less than 35%. The fine irregularities 5 are in a semispherical shape, the level difference is about 10 ?m, and the maximum diameter is about 50 ?m. Projected light L is scattered by the fine irregularities 5 at the plane of incidence 2a, subjected to vector resolution, and has its optical intensity weakened, so that retroreflection light can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 7256936
    Abstract: Multilayer films are provided that exhibit a colored appearance when viewed at an oblique angle as a result of one or more reflection bands in the visible region of the spectrum. The films however provide no substantial reflection bands in either the visible or near infrared regions for light normally incident on the film. The films can be made to shift from clear at normal incidence to an arbitrary designed color at an oblique angle without necessarily becoming cyan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Laurence R. Gilbert, James M. Jonza, Andrew T. Ruff