Patents Issued in August 6, 2013
  • Patent number: 8503026
    Abstract: A printing method of printing an image corresponding to one frame by using inks of a plurality of colors applied to an ink ribbon allows a printing apparatus to print one image on continuous paper by using inks corresponding to a plurality of ink surfaces. When printing one print image by using a plurality of ink surfaces on an ink ribbon, the printing apparatus sets an area in the print image to be printed by one ink surface on the ink ribbon, by dividing the print image. The printing apparatus then prints one print image by using a plurality of ink surfaces on the ink ribbon based on the set area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuya Kaechi
  • Patent number: 8503027
    Abstract: A method for registering color measured values on printing materials with a color sensor includes registering the color measured values on the printing materials at different angles of observation of the color sensor. The angular dependence of the color measured values registered on the printing materials at different angles of observation is corrected in a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Werner Huber
  • Patent number: 8503028
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an accepting unit; a printing unit, which performs a high-speed double-sided print processing operation to print an image on a second recording medium during a period between when a first side of a first recording medium is printed and when a second side of the first recording medium is printed; an adjustment unit, which performs an image quality adjustment; a determination unit that determines whether adjustment execution conditions will be fulfilled during performance of the high-speed double-sided print processing operation before the high-speed double-sided print processing operation is initiated; and a control unit, which controls the adjustment unit to perform the image quality adjustment before initiation of the high-speed double-sided print processing operation, when the determination unit determines that the adjustment execution conditions will be fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8503029
    Abstract: A print control terminal including a user interface to receive a setting of a print command and print options of a document, a screen selection unit to select a halftone screen to be applied to the document, a transparency multiple number selection unit to select a transparency multiple number to correspond to the selected halftone screen, a print data generation unit to generate print data of the document according to the selected transparency multiple number, and a communication interface to transmit the generated print data and the print options to the image forming apparatus. A transparency multiple number is changed according to the characteristics of a halftone screen to improve quality of an output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-min Hahm, Hae-kee Lee
  • Patent number: 8503030
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, system and medium are described that support functionality to receive document(s) to be printed at a printing device, and enable editing the document(s) prior to printing. Modifications to the document(s) may be generated based on the user edits, and a print preview of the modified documents may be displayed and may enable further edits. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user on a display that is part of the printing device. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user through a UI presented on a client device. Display of the modified document(s) may be a rasterized image of the modified document(s), generated based on capabilities of a selected printing device. In some embodiments, modifications may be made to an intermediate version of the document(s), and that intermediate version may be cached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Imaging US, LP
    Inventors: Mark Goldwater, Shenbo Yu, Luis Garcia, Gang Dong, Michael Braun
  • Patent number: 8503031
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus executes quantization processing of second multi-valued image data that corresponds to a second relative movement of a plurality of relative movements based on first multi-valued image data that corresponds to a first relative movement of the plurality of relative movements, and executes quantization processing of the first multi-valued image data based on the second multi-valued image data. This makes it possible to output a high-quality image having excellent robustness and reduced graininess by controlling the overlap rate of dots that are printed by the first relative movement and the dots that are printed by the second relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rie Kajihara, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuji Konno, Yutaka Kano, Hitoshi Nishikori, Norihiro Kawatoko
  • Patent number: 8503032
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an extracting section configured to extract first and second images from an original document such that the first and second images partially overlap at an overlapping portion, and a control section configured to execute printing onto a first medium based on the first image using a layout in which at least a portion of the overlapping portion of the first image extends beyond a first edge of the first medium and a margin is formed between a second edge and an image edge of the first image, and to execute printing onto a second medium based on the second image using a layout in which at least a portion of the overlapping portion of the second image extends beyond a first edge of the second medium and a margin is formed between a second edge and an image edge of the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8503033
    Abstract: A dither mask is used in a halftone process that is performed by the printer that includes the preceding and following heads. The dither mask includes preceding and following head storage regions. The preceding head storage region is used for a printing portion of the preceding head. The following head storage region is used for a printing portion of the following head. The dither mask is generated by determining, using comprehensive evaluation values, storage elements in which thresholds are to be stored under the condition that dots are permitted to be formed by the preceding and following heads at the same position in the region corresponding the overlapping regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Tanase, Toru Miyamoto, Toru Takahashi, Hirokazu Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8503034
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to connect a video controller to a laser scanning unit through a cable and the video controller includes a halftone table in order to perform a halftone process with respect to an original image. The halftone table includes a dot region having at least two shapes and a non-dot region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jai Yeol Lee
  • Patent number: 8503035
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image data generating unit configured to convert a tone of an input value which indicates a density of a pixel by using a predetermined dither matrix and generate image data. The image forming apparatus further comprises a drive source and a gear configured to transmit a drive force from the drive source to an image carrier. The dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrixes arranged in a predetermined rule and a dot in each of the plurality of the sub-matrixes grows from a corresponding original point. The image forming apparatus satisfies a relation of (1) a?0.08 mm and b/a<0.80, or (2) a<0.08 mm and b/a>1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ueda, Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8503036
    Abstract: A system and method of reducing noise in output image data is provided. Grayscale image data having a plurality of pixels is received and processed. During processing, pixels which may produce noise are identified, and a mask associated with the image data is generated. The mask provides information related to the pixels, such as opaque and transparent regions for overlaying the pixels. The image data and the mask are compressed and stored. The mask assists in preventing the identified pixels from being visible when the image data is output, thereby reducing the noise in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John Christopher Cassidy, Francis Tse, Yingjun Bai
  • Patent number: 8503037
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel method for reducing errors in IOP registration of a digital document system. In one embodiment, a number of digital pages (10, for example) are received in the image path. For each of a process and lateral direction of a first side of each digital image, a total amount of IOP registration error to be corrected is determined. A portion of the total IOP registration error is estimated that is separable error. Each of the estimated separable errors are subtracted from the total IOP registration error to obtain an amount of non-separable error in each respective direction. The non-separable error values are averaged to obtain an error value for each direction per-side. The error values are compensated for in their respective directions per-side by adjustments to the device in an amount which is equal in magnitude and in an opposite direction to the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Rakesh Suresh Kulkarni, Beilei Xu
  • Patent number: 8503038
    Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for securely advancing continuous form media including pre-printed sensitive elements. A command is identified for advancing the media without imprinting on the sensitive elements. A security image is identified for voiding the sensitive elements. The security image is then imprinted on the sensitive elements as the media is advanced to void the sensitive elements. Embodiments include detecting a Non Process Run Out (NPRO) command at a printer for advancing the media without imprinting the sensitive elements, and imprinting the security image onto the sensitive elements as the media is advanced to void the sensitive elements. Further embodiments include detecting that a print job includes a blank logical page for advancing the media without imprinting the sensitive elements, and imprinting the security image onto the sensitive elements as the media is advanced to void the sensitive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Scott D. Mastie
  • Patent number: 8503039
    Abstract: In an image reading apparatus, a white reference member for obtaining a reference value used in shading correction in the reading mechanism and an elastic member for cleaning a surface of the transparent member are provided such that respective positions of the white reference member and the elastic member with respect to the transparent member are variable. A controller controls the positions of these members with respect to the transparent member to alternately achieve movement of the white reference member to a position where the white reference member faces the transparent member and movement of the elastic member to a position where the elastic member faces the transparent member. The controller calculates the above reference value using a plurality of detection values read by the reading mechanism through the above positional control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8503040
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source, a reading unit to convert received light to image data, a correction unit to correct the image data based on correction data, a storing unit storing the correction data, an illumination target switch unit to switch an illumination target between a read position and a reference position, a reflector reflecting light, a judgment unit to judge whether the image data outputted by the reading unit at the read position satisfies a predetermined condition, a correction data determination unit to determine the correction data in response to a fact that the illumination target of the light source is switched to the reference position, and a correction data update unit to store the correction data in the correction data storing unit. The illumination target switch unit switches the illumination target to the reference position if the image data satisfies the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8503041
    Abstract: Disclosed are a scanner and an image reading apparatus including the same. The scanner can include a transparent plate, a scanning unit configured to scan a document on the transparent plate, a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is positioned in a first document zone that is associated with an area in which a first document type is to be positioned based on a first alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The second sensor is positioned in a second document zone that is associated with an area in which a second document type of a different size is positioned based on a second alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The first document zone and the second document zone are non-overlapping zones. The document type and/or orientation can be determined based on the detection signals from the first and second sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Taek Kim
  • Patent number: 8503042
    Abstract: An imaging station for processing a media includes a media output for outputting a processed media, a first media delivery station having a first media entrance, a second media delivery station having a second media entrance, and a passive urging device. The second media entrance has a width smaller than a width of the first media entrance. The second media entrance is positioned downstream from the media output and upstream from the first media entrance. The passive urging device is positioned downstream from the media output such that the media is urged towards the second media entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: OCE-Technology B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Koning
  • Patent number: 8503043
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: an image reading portion which has a box-shaped first housing with a reading surface, and a scanning device displaceable along the reading surface in the first housing, and reads a first image on a document by relatively displacing the document and scanning device; and an image recording portion which includes a recording medium supply device accommodating a recording medium, a feeding mechanism feeding the recording medium fed out of the supply device, a recording device recording a second image on the recording medium, and a second housing incorporating at least the feeding mechanism and recording device. The apparatus is placed on a rest surface in a substantially upright position, and the reading portion is changeable in position between an upright position in which the reading surface is opposed to the recording portion, and a horizontal position in which the reading surface faces upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yazawa, Michifumi Ishigami, Sakiko Kobayashi, Kazuma Aoki, Masahiko Furuhashi, Manabu Isshiki
  • Patent number: 8503044
    Abstract: An angle detection device includes a rotator including a shaft supported by and inside a case in a direction parallel to a horizontal plane of the case, a center of gravity positioned differently from the shaft, and a diagonal line formed on a surface along a circumferential direction around a rotation axis of the rotator, the line intersecting with a width direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction if the surface is spread into a plane along the circumferential direction; and a sensor including a group of imaging elements arrayed in a line parallel to the shaft direction. The sensor is fixed to and inside the case opposite to the surface. The group intersects with the diagonal line if the surface is viewed from the sensor toward the shaft, and a position of the intersection changes according to rotation of the case around the axis when viewed from the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Tomomi Wakaura
  • Patent number: 8503045
    Abstract: An overhead scanner device includes an area sensor, a linear sensor, and a control unit, wherein the control unit includes an area-image acquiring unit that controls the area sensor to successively acquire a plurality of images, a feature-point extracting unit that extracts feature points from the images acquired by the area-image acquiring unit, a velocity-vector computing unit that computes a velocity vector of each of the feature points by comparing the feature points extracted by the feature-point extracting unit between the images, and a read-start determining unit that determines a read start by the linear sensor, based on the velocity vector computed by the velocity-vector computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Kubo, Yuki Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8503046
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a scanning device and a method for scanning. The scanning device comprises a first frame (4) supporting a first deflector (6), and a second frame (8) supporting a second deflector (10). The first frame is arranged for rotation around a first axis (12), and the second frame is arranged for rotation around a second axis (14). The first frame is rotatably connected to a base (38) for rotation around the first axis and the second frame is arranged for rotation around the first axis. The method for scanning comprises rotating the first frame around the first axis according to a first selected value, and rotating the second frame around the second axis according to a second selected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet
    Inventors: Torben Krogh Mikkelsen, Jakob Mann Sorensen, Morten Nielsen
  • Patent number: 8503047
    Abstract: A controller controls a scanner unit of an image reading device to read a section of an original document that corresponds to an image reading area specified by a user, when a user instruction for setting the image reading area is received. The controller causes the scanner unit to move to an image reading start position in a sub-scanning direction as specified by a user instruction. When a user instruction for starting image reading is received, the controller causes the scanner unit to start reading the section of the original document from the image reading start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Shirado
  • Patent number: 8503048
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an auto document feeding device comprises: a document placing section on which documents are placed; a first gate configured to divert the documents in a first direction or a second direction; a first conveying unit or a second conveying unit configured to lead the documents to the image scanning unit; a paper discharging and conveying unit configured to lead the documents from the image scanning unit in the direction of the paper discharge tray; a reversing roller configured to switch back the documents passed through the paper discharging and conveying unit; a reversing and conveying unit configured to convey the documents from the reversing roller to the first gate; and a second gate configured to divert the documents passed through the paper discharging and conveying unit to the reversing and conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihito Tokutsu
  • Patent number: 8503049
    Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a document positioning plate configured to position a document, a carriage configured to move a light source along the document positioning plate, a reading unit configured to read an image of a document illuminated by a light source of the carriage, a white reference member provided in the displacement range of the carriage, an input unit configured to input a reading start instruction for a document, and a control unit configured to move the carriage along the document positioning plate in response to a reading start instruction input via the input unit. The control unit moves the carriage to a first position at which the white reference member is provided, cause the reading unit to read the white reference member, moves the carriage to a second position that is an acceleration start position for accelerating toward the reading start position of the document positioning plate, and waits for a reading start instruction input from the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youhei Kattou, Shigemichi Hamano, Nobuo Sekiguchi, Kenji Morita, Akiko Kanno, Satoshi Seki, Akira Morisawa
  • Patent number: 8503050
    Abstract: An optical filter is provided on photoelectric conversion elements for monochrome reading. Each of a reflecting optical system and the optical filter has an end portion and a central portion in a predetermined direction. The optical filter suppresses light at a peak wavelength of a light source such that a difference between a sensitivity of optical path via the end portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter and a sensitivity of optical path via the central portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter fall within a range of 5% at the peak wavelength of light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8503052
    Abstract: We describe techniques for recording a holographic image onto holographic recording film, in particular for security holograms. We thus describe a structure having a stack comprising the holographic recording film and a multichannel image generation device under the film. A three-dimensional object (or hologram of a 3D object) is provided, located under the multichannel image generation device. At least a portion of the multichannel image generation device is substantially transparent or absent in a region above the object. A holographic image is recorded in the film by illuminating the stack with laser light. The multichannel image generation device under the film may comprise a volume reflection hologram of a lenticularly generated image. The structure records a hologram of the 3D object in conjunction with a multi-channel holographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ver-Tec Security Systems Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Flynn, John David Wiltshire
  • Patent number: 8503053
    Abstract: A precision scan sphere designed for use in conjunction with scanner technology, and includes a full or partial sphere, having a laser detecting surface, and which can be mounted by a shank into a holder, or held by a steel insert that may be applied to a sphere mount, during its application and usage. Because of the reduction and size of the insert, as applied to the bottom of the scan sphere, as an example, a 2.375 inch diameter sphere can mount directly to a 1.5 inch sphere mount, during its application and usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Hubbs Machine & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles D. Graham, William O. Hubbs
  • Patent number: 8503054
    Abstract: A device for deflecting light beams is provided, which includes a swing-mounted light exit segment of an optical waveguide and a swing-mounted mirror. The device features a first rotation device that is set up to rotate the light exit segment of the optical waveguide, from which light is able to strike the mirror, in a rotational plane, and a second rotation device that is set up to rotate the mirror around a rotational axis situated in the mirror plane, which deviates from the vertical to the rotational plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Friese
  • Patent number: 8503055
    Abstract: A curve correction mechanism for correcting a direction and degree of curvature of a reflecting mirror that reflects a light beam includes an adjuster to contact and move a pressing member between a first position, where a first pressing portion of the pressing member presses against an outboard portion of the reflecting mirror provided outboard from a support that supports the reflecting mirror in a longitudinal direction of the reflecting mirror while a second pressing portion of the pressing member is isolated from the reflecting mirror, and a second position, where the second pressing portion of the pressing member presses against an inboard portion of the reflecting mirror provided inboard from the support while the first pressing portion of the pressing member is isolated from the reflecting mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Serizawa, Hiroshi Johno, Takeshi Yamakawa, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8503056
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for controlling a bias point voltage for an external optical modulator are provided. A control loop is used to adjust a bias signal applied to an external modulator by determining unwanted signals at a predetermined frequency received by an optical receiver of the control loop and accounting for these unwanted signals when determining the bias point voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: ARRIS Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel F. Schemmann, Venkatesh G. Mutalik
  • Patent number: 8503057
    Abstract: A device comprising: two mutually immiscible conductive liquids arranged to form an interface therebetween; a plurality of nanoparticles localised at the said interface, the said nanoparticles each having a first region formed of a semiconductor having a first bandgap, the first region being surrounded by a second region having a second bandgap, the second bandgap being larger than the first bandgap; and means for applying an electric field to the said nanoparticles and thus, through the Stark effect, altering the optical absorption or emission characteristics of the nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Michael Edward Flatte, Alexei Kornyshev, Michael Urbakh
  • Patent number: 8503058
    Abstract: An etalon has an effective cavity length that can be tuned to compensate for temperature-dependent frequency shift and/or for random variations in the manufacturing process. The effective cavity length of an etalon is adjusted by changing the orientation of a tuning plate positioned in the etalon cavity. A screw adjustment and bending beam spring are used to change tuning plate orientation and precisely tune the etalon resonance frequency after the manufacturing process has been completed. Orientation of the tuning plate is adjusted during operation of the etalon using a passive thermal compensation mechanism, such as a bimetal support arm, which is fixed to the tuning plate and configured to reposition the tuning plate with changing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Oclaro Technology Limited
    Inventors: Ruibo Wang, Ming Wu, Ming Cai
  • Patent number: 8503059
    Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter can include or consist of the creation and manufacture of electrochromic thin film transistors, either self-sustaining or not, with lateral or vertical structure, deposited on any kind of functionalized substrate, referred to as electrochromic substrate, or non-functionalized substrate. The electrolyte material and the presence or not of an ultra-thin membrane can act as dielectric element. The electrochromic material can act as active semiconductor of the channel region. The gate, source and drain electrodes can be based on metal materials, such as Titanium, Gold, Aluminum, or degenerate semiconductive oxides, like Indium and Zinc oxide, Gallium-doped Zinc oxide. The device operation control process can be made by means of electronic and ionic current, and the off-state to on-state switch, or vice-versa, can be followed by a change of color of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia/Universidade Nova de Lisboa
    Inventors: Rodrigo Ferrão De Paiva Martins, Elvira Maria Correia Fortunato
  • Patent number: 8503060
    Abstract: A vehicular mirror assembly (100) includes a first bezel (107) for housing an electrochromic (EC) glass element and a second bezel (109) for housing a spotter glass (111) element. A spotter glass heating element (113) is positioned behind the spotter glass element (111) for heating the spotter glass (111) above an ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Thomas, David J. Cammenga, Mark A. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8503061
    Abstract: A reflective element assembly for a vehicular mirror assembly includes a front substrate, a rear substrate, an electro-optic medium disposed between the front and rear substrates and a transmission-reducing thin film coating established at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. A window is established through the transmission-reducing thin film coating and is substantially devoid of the thin film coating at a location where a sensor is disposed behind the reflective element and having a field of view through the reflective element and through the window. A portion of the transmission-reducing thin film coating at and around the window locally varies in physical thickness, with a minimum physical thickness of the thin film coating being closest to the window and with the physical thickness of the thin film coating generally increasing to a generally maximum physical thickness of the thin film coating at a distance from the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Michael J. Baur, Ian A. McCabe, Hamid Habibi
  • Patent number: 8503062
    Abstract: A rearview mirror element assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having a primary viewing region operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity, with a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at a third surface of a rear substrate at the primary viewing region. An auxiliary viewing region provides an auxiliary wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when the electrochromic reflective element is used in an exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a side of a vehicle. A specularly reflective demarcating layer is established at a second surface of a front substrate of the electrochromic reflective element and, at least in part, is visible through the front substrate to a viewer when viewing the first surface of the front substrate of the electrochromic reflective element. The demarcating layer at least partially traverses the reflective element adjacent the auxiliary viewing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Baur, Ian A. McCabe, Hamid Habibi, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 8503063
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multicolor display comprising a plurality of microcups, wherein (a) the microcups are separated by partition walls; (b) each of the microcups is filled with a display fluid comprising white charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent of a dark color, (c) the microcups are sandwiched between a first layer and a second layer wherein the first layer comprises a common electrode and the second layer comprises a plurality of pixel electrode, and (d) each of the microcups is capable of displaying the white color state, a dark color state and a medium color state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Sprague
  • Patent number: 8503064
    Abstract: An electrical pressure-sensitive reflective display includes an array of display pixels, each with a transparent top surface, first electrode, second electrode, an elastic polymer medium, and metallic nanoparticles distributed in the elastic polymer medium. When a first voltage potential is applied between the first and second electrodes of each display pixel, a first color is reflected from the incident spectrum of light, assuming no pressure is applied on the top surface of each display pixel. When the top surface of a first display pixel is deformed in response to an applied pressure, the elastic polymer medium in the first display pixel is compressed, decreasing the metallic nanoparticle-to-metallic nanoparticle mean distance in the first display pixel. In response to decreasing the metallic nanoparticle-to-metallic nanoparticle mean distance, the color reflected from the incident spectrum of light by the second display pixel is changed from the first color to second color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Tang, Akinori Hashimura, Apostolos T. Voutsas
  • Patent number: 8503065
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display structure includes a substrate, an activation layer, an electrophoretic display layer, a protective layer, a first sealant, and a second sealant. The activation layer is disposed on the substrate while the electrophoretic display layer is disposed on the activation layer. The electrophoretic display layer has a plurality of electrophoretic display elements and a waterproof layer disposed on the electrophoretic display elements. The protective layer is disposed on the electrophoretic display elements. The protective layer is disposed on the waterproof layer, and the first sealant is disposed between the activation layer and the protective layer to fill in the sides of the electrophoretic display layer. The second sealant covers the outer side of the first sealant and connects with the activation layer and the protective layer. The viscosity of the first sealant in liquid state is lower than the viscosity of the second sealant in liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Che Hsieh, Shih-Hsing Hung
  • Patent number: 8503066
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes: a substrate; partition walls which partition a space on the substrate into a plurality of cells; an electrophoretic dispersion liquid with which the plurality of cells on the substrate is filled; a sealing film which is disposed so as to face the substrate with the partition walls interposed therebetween and seals the plurality of cells; and phase separation portions which are partially formed between upper surfaces of the partition walls and the sealing film and in which the electrophoretic dispersion liquid is subjected to phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kozo Shitagami, Yasushi Yamazaki, Shinobu Yokokawa, Harunobu Komatsu, Atsushi Kitabayashi
  • Patent number: 8503067
    Abstract: A display device includes a substrate that is provided on a display face side, an opposed substrate that is provided opposing the substrate, a display layer that is provided between the substrate and the opposed substrate and is filled with a dispersion liquid in which white particles and black particles are dispersed in a dispersion medium, and a particle constrained layer that is provided in the display layer to allow the particles to move in a thickness direction of the display layer and to prevent the particles from moving in an in-plane direction of the display layer. A void ratio of the particle constrained layer of the substrate side is higher than that of the opposed substrate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8503068
    Abstract: The present invention provides a radiation source apparatus which can generate a DUV radiation beam having a wavelength of 193.4 nm efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8503069
    Abstract: By compensating polarization mode-dispersion as well chromatic dispersion in photonic crystal fiber pulse compressors, high pulse energies can be obtained from all-fiber chirped pulse amplification systems. By inducing third-order dispersion in fiber amplifiers via self-phase modulation, the third-order chromatic dispersion from bulk grating pulse compressors can be compensated and the pulse quality of hybrid fiber/bulk chirped pulse amplification systems can be improved. Finally, by amplifying positively chirped pulses in negative dispersion fiber amplifiers, low noise wavelength tunable seed source via anti-Stokes frequency shifting can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin E. Fermann, Gennady Imeshev, Gyu C. Cho, Zhenlin Liu, Donald J. Harter
  • Patent number: 8503070
    Abstract: A method of implementing a high-power coherent laser beam combining system in which the output of a master oscillator laser having a linewidth broader than the Stimulated Brillouin Scattering linewidth of the laser signal is split into N signals and fed into an array of N optical fibers. This is a modification of the self-synchronous LOCSET and self-referenced LOCSET phase matching systems in which the optical path length of each optical fiber is matched to less than the signal coherence length of the master oscillator by using a path length matching signal processor to modulate temperature controlled segments of each optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by The Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Leanne J. Henry, Thomas M. Shay
  • Patent number: 8503071
    Abstract: Disclosed is a stimulated Raman scattering effect (SRS), amplifying optical fiber that includes a central core comprising a dielectric matrix that is capable of vibrating at a given frequency (?Raman) under the effect of a pump signal. The optical fiber includes at least one kind of metallic nanostructure that is capable of generating surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the optical fiber. The metallic nanostructures have a shape and composition such that the frequency of their surface plasmon resonance (?plasmon) corresponds to the frequency of the pump signal (?pump) and/or the frequency of the optical signal transmitted in the optical fiber (?signal).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Ekaterina Burov, Alain Pastouret, Cedric Gonnet, Christine Collet, Olivier Cavani
  • Patent number: 8503072
    Abstract: A gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier according to the present invention has a pair of DBR areas 2, 3 disposed in sandwiching relation to gain area 1 for amplifying guided light. A portion of a waveguide of gain area 1 comprises MMI waveguide 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 8503073
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed technique disclose an optical device generating light by luminescence comprising a substrate, a waveguide, a pump light source and a photoluminescent layer, wherein the waveguide is positioned between the substrate and the photoluminescent layer, or the photoluminescent layer is positioned between the substrate and the waveguide. The pump light source is provided opposite to the photoluminescent layer at the backside of the substrate. The pump light source is adapted to pump the photoluminescent layer to emit light; and at least some of the emitted light is evanescently coupled into the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique S.A.—Recherche et Developpement
    Inventors: Marc Ramuz, David Leuenberger, Carsten Jochen Winnewisser, Ross Stanley, Lukas Bürgi
  • Patent number: 8503074
    Abstract: A multi-wavelength band imaging system including a beam splitter is provided, allowing image capturing means adapted to specific wavelength bands to be used such as from visible to near infrared, intermediate infrared and far infrared. The system may have a field of view of substantially (360) degrees about an optical axis of the system and may fit into a golf ball sized housing. The imaging system includes a first convex mirror and a second concave mirror. Some embodiments for imaging single or close wavelength bands and not requiring a beam splitter are equally provided. Also provided is a self-righting housing for an imaging system, for example as described above, which self-rights under the action of gravity, thereby disposing the imaging system in an appropriate orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: DSAM London LLP
    Inventors: David W. Samuelson, Iain A. Neil
  • Patent number: 8503075
    Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of devices for focusing light to subwavelength dimensions including at least one focusing structure having a metal film provided with a first aperture that penetrates the film, the aperture having dimensions an order of magnitude smaller than the working wavelength of the focusing device. In the devices according to the invention, the focusing structure has at least one optical cavity placed around the aperture so that, when the structure is illuminated with a radiant flux at the working wavelength of the device, a large part of this flux is concentrated on the aperture by said cavity. Several embodiments are described using various cavities that may comprise plasmon reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Marianne Consonni, Jérôme Hazart, Gilles Lerondel
  • Patent number: 8503076
    Abstract: A light detector for use in a line scanning microscope and a microscope comprising such a light detector are described. The light detector comprises a line array of avalanche semiconductor detectors; and an electronic trigger circuit that is adapted to operate the avalanche semiconductor detectors in at least one of a Geiger mode with internal charge amplification and in a linear mode. The trigger circuit further comprises a parallel counter that is designed to read out in parallel light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors. The parallel counter is adapted to accumulate the light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors over a preset counting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Birk, Volker Seyfried