Controlling Light Source Intensity Patents (Class 250/205)
  • Patent number: 9933306
    Abstract: There is provided a photoelectric switch capable of reducing a size of a whole device while suppressing light amount irregularity and color irregularity of detected light. The photoelectric switch includes: a surface mount LED, configured to generate a light containing a plurality of color components with different hues; an optical shield disposed between the surface mount LED and a light projecting lens to shield the light around an optical opening passing the light from the surface mount LED to the light projecting lens; a light receiving element configured to selectively receive the light to generate a plurality of light reception signals; a controller configured to control a light projecting amount of the surface mount LED based on the light reception signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Tsukigi, Sohei Kanoda, Yu Babasaki
  • Patent number: 9928732
    Abstract: An analyzer operable with an optical network is responsive to a probe signal reflected by a sensor in the network to convey information about targeted matter in air in the sensor. Multiple sensors at different locations in the network can be associated with respective selective optical wavelength filtering thereby enabling the analyzer to associated respective ones of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Tian, Akihiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9927568
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a light source (110), one or more light guides (104), and a light diffuser (102) having an integration chamber (114) surrounded by one or more light diffusive areas (108). The one or more light diffusive areas are configured with one or more first openings as one or more ingress areas (112) to receive light from the light source and one or more second openings as one or more egress areas (106) to provide light to the one or more light guides. For illuminating visual indicators with uniform light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Chun Chi Wan
  • Patent number: 9921661
    Abstract: A proximity sensor including a housing, light emitters mounted in the housing for projecting light out of the housing along a detection plane, light detectors mounted in the housing for detecting amounts of light entering the housing along the detection plane, whereby for each emitter-detector pair (E, D), when an object is located at a target position p(E, D) in the detection plane, corresponding to the pair (E, D), then the light emitted by emitter E is scattered by the object and is expected to be maximally detected by detector D, and a processor to synchronously activate emitter-detector pairs, to read the detected amounts of light from the detectors, and to calculate a location of the object in the detection plane from the detected amounts of light, in accordance with a detection-location relationship that relates detections from emitter-detector pairs to object locations between neighboring target positions in the detection plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Neonode Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Eriksson, Alexander Jubner, Rozita Teymourzadeh, Håkan Sven Erik Andersson, Per Rosengren, Xiatao Wang, Stefan Holmgren, Gunnar Martin Fröjdh, Simon Fellin, Jan Tomas Hartman, Oscar Sverud, Sangtaek Kim, Rasmus Dahl-Örn, Richard Berglind, Karl Erik Patrik Nordström, Lars Sparf, Erik Rosengren, John Karlsson, Remo Behdasht, Robin Kjell Åman, Joseph Shain, Oskar Hagberg, Joel Rozada
  • Patent number: 9907151
    Abstract: A lighting circuit for a light source includes a drive circuit and an overcurrent protection circuit. The drive circuit supplies power to the light source. The overcurrent protection circuit is inserted between the drive circuit and the light source. The overcurrent protection circuit restricts a lamp current flowing into the light source so that the lamp current does not exceed an overcurrent threshold value. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a transistor, an inductor, a rectifier, a current sensor and an overcurrent protection controller. The current sensor generates a current detection signal according to the lamp current. The overcurrent protection controller controls ON/OFF of the transistor based on the current detection signal and the overcurrent threshold value. The transistor, the inductor and the rectifier are disposed in a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9904275
    Abstract: An apparatus including an ultrasonic motor having an electrostrictive element of a stator for driving a rotor thereof; and a microcontroller having a central processing unit (CPU), a built-in memory (ROM) and a pulse generating circuit which generates an pulse output signal which is applied to the electrostrictive element of the ultrasonic motor, wherein the pulse generating circuit comprising a rise setting register, a fall setting register, a phase adjustment data register, a cycle data register, a phase arithmetic circuit, a counter, a 1st comparator, a 2nd comparator, and a pulse generator, wherein the counter starts to count up, incrementing its count value from a count initial value, wherein the cycle data register stores, as cycle data, a count maximum value for the counter to count up to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiro Shimizu, Toshio Asai
  • Patent number: 9897814
    Abstract: A device for the sampling of a pulsed laser beam of high energy, typically greater than 1 J, and of large size, having a diameter typically greater than 1 cm, combined with a compressor, comprises, upstream of the compressor: a sample-taking device provided with a sampling diopter capable of transmitting T % of the pulsed laser beam, T being greater than 90, and of reflecting (1?T) % of the pulsed laser beam, the reflected beam being called sampled beam, an afocal capable of reducing the size of the sampled beam, the compressor having a determined useful aperture, a device for reinjecting the reduced sampled beam into this useful aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Sébastien Laux, Paul Jougla, François Lureau
  • Patent number: 9877375
    Abstract: An example of a lighting system includes intelligent lighting devices, each of which includes a light source, a communication interface and a processor coupled to control the light source. In such a system, at least one of the lighting devices includes a user input sensor to detect user activity related to user inputs without requiring physical contact of the user; and at least one of the lighting devices includes an output component to provide information output to the user. One or more of the processors in the intelligent lighting devices are further configured to process user inputs detected by the user input sensor, control lighting and control output to a user via the output component so as to implement an interactive user interface for the system, for example, to facilitate user control of lighting operations of the system and/or to act as a user interface portal for other services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Januk Aggarwal, Jason Rogers, Jack C. Rains, Jr., David P. Ramer
  • Patent number: 9875687
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a display device, and a method of driving the same. The display device includes a display unit including pixels included in one or more deterioration region groups and pixels included in one or more reference groups corresponding to the deterioration region groups, a sensing unit configured to sense a current flowing through an organic light emitting diode of each of the deterioration region groups and each of the reference groups and provide current information about the deterioration region group and current information about the reference group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Myeon Han, Baek-Woon Lee
  • Patent number: 9866777
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to embody a convenient and reliable image sensor of an auto trigger scheme. The present invention provides a driving method for an image sensor in which pixels are arranged in a matrix form along row lines and column lines and which has a waiting mode and an image obtaining mode, the driving method for an image sensor comprising the steps of: when sequentially selecting a row line, applying a gate signal, and reading out a data signal for each frame in the waiting mode, calculating a variation between the data signal of the currently selected row line and the data signal of the same row line in the previous frame; and if the variation is greater than or equal to a threshold value, determining that light has been radiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: Rayence Co., Ltd., VATECH EWOO Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jo Seong Yim
  • Patent number: 9867246
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for lighting control. One or more properties of light output of one or more LEDs (124A, 124B, 124C, 124N) of an LED node (120A, 120B, 120C, 120N) of an LED-based lighting unit (110) are controlled to extend the lifetime of the LED-based lighting unit. For example, an LED node controller controlling an LED may determine whether the LED will be operated in the active light emitting state based on an LED activation probability. Thus, based on the LED activation probability the LED may at some times be in the active light emitting state and provide light output and may at other times be prevented from being in the active light emitting state and prevented from providing light output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry Viktorovich Aliakseyeu, Philip Steven Newton, Tim Dekker, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis
  • Patent number: 9864819
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) model file, and a method and apparatus for providing the 3D model file are provided. The method may include generating a 3D model file comprising a first field defining information associated with a printing material of a 3D model to perform 3D printing, and providing the 3D model file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Seung Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 9858896
    Abstract: A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm selectively limits the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Achim Pantfoerder
  • Patent number: 9841699
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus according to one aspect of this invention includes a light source that outputs a light beam having a light power based on a supplied driving current, a detection unit that detects the light power of the light beam, and a voltage holding unit that holds a charged voltage used to control the driving current. The optical scanning apparatus further includes a control unit that controls a charging unit so that the voltage holding unit is charged in a state where the driving current is not supplied to the light source, and controls the charging unit based on a detection result of the detection unit so that the voltage held in the voltage holding unit is controlled from the voltage of the voltage holding unit charged in the state where the driving current is not supplied to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhide Koga
  • Patent number: 9832487
    Abstract: A model-based scan line encoder is disclosed. A method of model-based scan line encoding includes defining a geometry model for describing a scan line of a scan, the scan line including multiple scan points. The method further includes calculating a trajectory model representing an approximate pattern of deviation of the multiple scan points relative to the geometry model. The method further includes calculating multiple residuals, each of the residuals associated with a difference between the deviation of the scan points and the trajectory model. The method may further include compressing the residuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS, AG
    Inventors: Gregory Charles Walsh, Christopher Thewalt
  • Patent number: 9827783
    Abstract: The detector that detects a light beam emitted from a light source of a second image forming device and reflected by a polygon mirror, and an adjustment device that performs adjustment processing of adjusting the velocity of the polygon mirror based on an output of the detector are provided. Before a first image forming device performs the image forming processing, the adjustment device performs the adjustment processing while causing the light source of the second image forming device to emit the light beam during a time period including at least a time period in which a photosensitive member of the second image forming device is emitted with the light beam. Before the adjustment processing is finished, the first image forming device starts to move a developing member to a developing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Mizuta, Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9819847
    Abstract: A fixture retains a housing in a fixed position relative to an imaging device. The housing has an aperture through which a surface recessed into the housing is aligned with the imaging device by the fixture. A planar electroluminescent illuminator is held in the fixture within a pocket of the fixture in which the housing is received. The illuminator uniformly emits light in response to electrical power applied thereto and the illuminator has an aperture formed therein held in alignment by the fixture with the aperture in the housing such that the light emitted by the illuminator is directed towards the recessed surface. An imaging device generates an image of the recessed surface through the aperture in the housing and the aperture in the illuminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin E. Edwards
  • Patent number: 9813682
    Abstract: A laser driving circuit, a laser driving method, and a device using laser light that can reduce speckle noise caused by laser light as coherent light are provided. In the laser driving circuit that generates laser driving current for driving a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser light of different wavelengths on the basis of an input video signal, a high-frequency signal of a frequency exceeding the band of the video signal is superimposed on the laser driving current generated on the basis of the input video signal, whereby speckle noise caused by the laser light as coherent light is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoi Kimura, Tsutomu Kurihara
  • Patent number: 9801245
    Abstract: An apparatus that is configured to be installed with a predetermined maximum wattage output wherein the maximum wattage output can be selected by the installer. The light fixture includes a housing and an adjustable resistor. A light source is electrically to the adjustable resistor. And the adjustable resistor is associated with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: George Erik McMillan
  • Patent number: 9797561
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, lighting systems include one or more lightsheets each including a plurality of strings of light-emitting elements, control elements, and power conductors for supplying power to the light-emitting elements and control elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: COOLEDGE LIGHTING INC.
    Inventors: Paul Palfreyman, Michael A. Tischler, Philippe M. Schick, Paul Jungwirth
  • Patent number: 9795016
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9791785
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for assigning a pupil facet of a pupil facet mirror of an illumination optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus to a field facet of a field facet mirror of the illumination optical unit for the definition of an illumination channel for a partial beam of illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Patra
  • Patent number: 9788385
    Abstract: The lighting device includes a control unit configured to set desired values of drive currents of solid state light sources with different light emission colors. The control unit has a normal mode and a correction mode. The normal mode is a mode of setting the desired values to normal desired values corresponding to instruction values representing a desired color of colors. The correction mode is a mode of setting the desired values to corrected desired values corresponding to corrected instruction values obtained by correcting the instruction values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Watanabe, Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Yuichirou Hirowatari, Koji Uenoyama, Shinichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 9787949
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus to recognize an illumination environment of a vehicle and a control method thereof. The apparatus includes an infrared illumination sensor to detect an infrared illumination amount emitted from the sun, a camera, and an illumination environment recognition unit which detects the infrared illumination amount by the infrared illumination sensor, receives a camera exposure time from the camera, receives double exposure images captured to have different exposure values, calculates a general illumination value based on the detected infrared illumination amount, the received camera exposure time, and an illumination value obtained through an image clustering analysis of the double exposure images, calculates a rate of change in the calculated general illumination value, and recognizes a current illumination environment as an illumination environment for each time section based on the calculated general illumination value and the rate of change in the general illumination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Myung-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 9785843
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tunnel decision apparatus, including: a camera which outputs an image of a view in front of a vehicle; a road area classifying unit which detects a vanishing point from the image of the view in front of a vehicle to output at least one of a road area and a non-road area; a pattern detecting unit which detects at least one of a lamp pattern from the non-road area and a lane pattern from the road area; and a tunnel decision unit which determines whether the vehicle enters a tunnel in consideration of at least one of the lamp pattern and the lane pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Mok Shin
  • Patent number: 9777913
    Abstract: An embodiment of an illumination system for use with an endoscope includes a laser source comprising laser light emitters, an electromagnetic sensor embedded within the laser source to sense light energy, and a control circuit in electronic communication with the electromagnetic sensor and at least one emitter. The control circuit is configured to cause the laser source to pulse light between pixel readout periods. The electromagnetic sensor receives light from at least one emitter and measures an amount of electromagnetic energy generated by at least one emitter. The control circuit controls a duty cycle of the emitters based on a predetermined, known output and in response the amount of electromagnetic energy generated by at least one of the emitters and obtains a desired exposure response for images captured by the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Talbert, Laurent Blanquart, Donald M. Wichern
  • Patent number: 9778727
    Abstract: An ambient light sensor that is operable in high gain mode and low gain mode is provided. The high gain mode may help provide satisfactory sensitivity at low light levels but may generate saturated output levels in bright ambient lighting conditions. Low gain mode may therefore be switched into use when bright ambient lighting conditions are detected. The ambient light sensor may be placed in high gain mode by default. An auto-gain switch controller may detect whether the ambient light reading is saturated during as given period of time. In response to determining that the ambient light reading is saturated for a programmable number of consecutive time periods, the auto-gain switch controller may reset and switch the ambient light sensor to the low gain mode. The gain state may optionally be embedded into the ambient light sensor output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian R. Land, Dong Zheng, Venkata Siva Sunil Kumar Reddy Bommu
  • Patent number: 9778576
    Abstract: An illumination optical unit for microlithography illuminates an object field with illumination light. The unit includes a first facet mirror that has a plurality of first facets, and a second facet mirror that has a plurality of second facets. The unit has facet pairs which include respectively a facet of the first facet mirror and a facet of the second facet mirror which predefine a plurality of illumination channels for illuminating the object field. At least some of the illumination channels have in each case an assigned polarization element for predefining an individual polarization state of the illumination light guided in the respective illumination channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Damian Fiolka, Michael Totzeck, Hartmut Enkisch, Stephan Muellender
  • Patent number: 9772409
    Abstract: An X-ray detector assembly comprising a light attenuator of electro-chromic material, the electro-chromic material having a first electrode layer electrically coupled to a first surface of the electro-chromic material and a second electrode layer electrically coupled to a second surface of the electro-chromic material, wherein the second surface is disposed opposite the first surface, and the light attenuator having a controllable light transmission rate. The X-ray detector further comprising a scintillator deposited on the first electrode layer and a photo detector deposited on the second electrode layer. The photo detector having a sensing surface adjacent to the second electrode layer of the light attenuator. A variable power supply is electrically coupled to the first and second electrode layers of the light attenuator to provide a controllable voltage across the first and second electrode layers to control the light transmission rate of the light attenuator in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Granfors, James Liu
  • Patent number: 9768866
    Abstract: An optical wavelength and optical power measurement device is provided. The optical wavelength and optical power measurement device includes: an input unit in which an optical connector that emits communication light of an infrared ray wavelength region is connected; a filter unit that separates the communication light of an infrared ray wavelength region and light of a visible ray wavelength region; a sensing unit that communicates with a path of the communication light of an infrared ray wavelength region of the filter unit and in which a signal of the communication light of an infrared ray wavelength region is input; and an inspection unit that communicates with a path of the light of the visible ray wavelength region of the filter unit and that inspects a surface of the optical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: hyoungjun Park, Kwon-Seob Lim, Hyun Seo Kang, Jaisang Koh, Keo-Sik Kim, Young Sun Kim, Jeong Eun Kim, Ji Hyoung Ryu, Eun Kyoung Jeon
  • Patent number: 9744832
    Abstract: A light source detector detects, from a vehicle, a light source that exists outside the vehicle. A light reactive sheet is arranged in a planar form and is located in front of the driver driving the vehicle. The light reactive sheet changes color in response to light having a specific frequency. A light source position calculating unit calculates a light source position on the surface of the light reactive sheet based on output of the light source detector. A light emitter emits light having the specific frequency from the inside of the vehicle to the light reactive sheet based on the calculated light source position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakashima, Kazuya Asaoka, Sho Masuda
  • Patent number: 9748942
    Abstract: A switching element driving circuit includes a current detection unit that outputs a driving stop signal based on a level of current flowing through the switching element, and first and second control elements each connected to a control terminal of the switching element. A comparator controls the first control element based on a result of comparison of an output voltage of the driving circuit main unit with a first reference voltage. A differential amplifier drives the second control element in accordance with a voltage difference between the output voltage of the driving circuit main unit and a second reference so as to maintain the output voltage equal to the second reference voltage. An operation stopping unit stops the comparator and the differential amplifier to drive the first and second control elements, respectively, in response to the driving stop signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masashi Akahane
  • Patent number: 9743489
    Abstract: A load control system for controlling an electrical load may include a sensor, a remote control, and a load control device. The remote control may comprise a button and may be configured to wirelessly transmit a digital message in response to an actuation of the button. The load control device may be configured to control the electrical load, be responsive to the sensor, and/or be configured to be associated with the remote control. The load control device may be responsive to the digital message transmitted by the remote control if the remote control is associated with the load control device. The load control device may be configured to automatically operate in a first mode of operation if the remote control is not associated with the load control device, and automatically operate in a second mode of operation if the remote control is associated with the load control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: David T. Saveri, III, Andrew Peter Schmalz, Akshay Bhat
  • Patent number: 9735282
    Abstract: Luminance variation due to change of current through a light-emitting element caused by change in environmental temperature is suppressed. Current through a first light-emitting element in a pixel portion is controlled by a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit includes a second light-emitting element, a transistor, a resistor, and an amplifier circuit. An anode of the second light-emitting element is connected to a source of the transistor. A cathode of the second light-emitting element is connected to the resistor and a first input terminal of the amplifier circuit. A second input terminal of the amplifier circuit is connected to a second power supply line. An output terminal of the amplifier circuit is connected to a gate of the transistor. The drain of the transistor is connected to a third power supply line. The transistor and the resistor each include an oxide semiconductor film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyake, Yoshiaki Oikawa, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9726537
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for measuring an ambient light level in a volume that is lighted by a pulsating light source. A first light sensor is configured to generate a first signal based on an amount of light detected in the volume. A bypass switch is configured to bypass the first light sensor at a first point in time when the light source is on and to not bypass the first light sensor at a second point in time when the light source is off. A second sensor is configured to generate a second signal based on an environment in the volume, and a difference circuit is configured to determine a difference magnitude between the second signal and the first signal to generate an ambient light signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Stack Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Joseph, Francis Joseph
  • Patent number: 9721534
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a method for controlling a backlight module thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes the backlight module, an input unit and a processing unit. A light-emitting device of the backlight module includes a first light-emitting unit and a second light-emitting unit. A photoelectric conversion efficiency of the first light-emitting unit is higher than that of the second light-emitting unit, and a covering color gamut of the second light-emitting unit is larger than that of the first light-emitting unit. The input unit generates an input signal. The processing unit is coupled to the input unit and configured to receive the input signal generated by the input unit, and the processing unit is coupled to the backlight module, and dynamically adjusts respective light intensity ratios of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit according to the received input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Ku Liu, Jhong-Hao Wu
  • Patent number: 9715023
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system and method for evaluating and calibrating detector in a scanner, further evaluating and calibrating time information detected by at least one time-to-digital convertor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ze Chen
  • Patent number: 9713227
    Abstract: Light fixture systems and application of ambient light measurement for improving lighting system efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Lumenpulse Lighting Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Campbell, Yvan Hamel, Philippe Racine, Paul Franzosa, James William Anderson, Casey Shea
  • Patent number: 9709389
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the sloshing in the cargo tank of a liquefied natural gas carrier is provided. The apparatus includes: a plate-shaped floating mat coupler which floats on the surface of the liquefied natural gas contained in the cargo tank of a liquefied natural gas carrier and moves in accordance with the movement of the liquefied natural gas; and an optical sensor measuring acceleration using optical sensor technology to measure acceleration when the floating mat coupler floats by being inserted in one or more positions in the floating mat coupler. The characteristics of the movement occurring in accordance with the sloshing of the liquefied natural gas in the cargo tank of a liquefied natural gas carrier, and the shock and deformation which the inner wall of the cargo tank is subjected to because of such movement, are measured at multiple angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Myungsub Lee
  • Patent number: 9704274
    Abstract: Several embodiments of display systems that have wide color gamut performance are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a display system comprises a plurality of emitters, said emitters emanating light into an optical path; a first modulator, said first modulator comprising a plurality of colored subpixels and wherein said first modulator transmitting light emanating from said emitters in said optical path; and a color notch filter, said color notch filter placed in said optical path for conditioning or convolving light together with said first modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: John Gilbert
  • Patent number: 9699423
    Abstract: In a projector, a reflection mirror configured to reflect light emitted from a discharge lamp is disposed on a first end of a discharge lamp main body, a first electrode is disposed on the first end side, each of a first AC period and a second AC period alternately includes a first polarity period in which the first electrode serves as an anode and a second polarity period in which a second electrode serves as an anode, a controller causes a period to transition from the first AC period to the second AC period in a case where an input reception unit receives a stop operation on the projector, and an absolute value of a driving current of the second polarity period in the second AC period is greater than an absolute value of the driving current of the second polarity period in the first AC period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Suzuki, Toru Terashima
  • Patent number: 9696119
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to camouflaged systems and related camouflaging methods. The camouflaged systems can include at least one camouflaged object, including but not limited to transmission lines and transmission towers. One or more pluralities of lights may be disposed on or otherwise coupled to a surface of the camouflaged object. Each of the one or more pluralities of lights can be configured to emit light having a characteristic that appears like (e.g., matches, mimics, simulates, corresponds to, or otherwise blends with) an environmental condition, which can include any variety of background environmental landscapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Geoffrey F. Deane, William Gates, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Robert C. Petroski, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9698903
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting and recovering from a damaged signal line in a communication cable. Signals are transmitted over a first plurality of signal lines within the cable from a first end, signals are transmitted over a second plurality of signal lines within the cable from the second end, and the quality of signals received on each of the first plurality of signal lines at the second end of the cable are monitored. A first one of the first plurality of signal lines that is not providing a signal of a predetermined minimum quality is identified, the identified first signal line is automatically switched out for a first spare signal line within the cable, and one of the second plurality of signal lines that is logically associated with the identified first signal line is automatically switched out for a second spare signal line within the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Shareef F. Alshinnawi, Gary D. Cudak, Edward S. Suffern, J. Mark Weber
  • Patent number: 9699861
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus having a plurality of light sources comprises a brightness sensor; a first malfunction detecting unit configured to detect any malfunction of each of the light sources; a second malfunction detecting unit configured to detect any malfunction of the brightness sensor; a storage unit configured to store a target value of a detected value of the brightness of each of the light sources; and a control unit configured to determine a light emission control value of each of the light sources so as to decrease a difference between the target value and the detected value of the brightness of each of the light sources; wherein the control unit allows the light emission control value to be set to a fixed value if the malfunction of at least any one of the light source and the brightness sensor is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Ohno
  • Patent number: 9694640
    Abstract: The present invention reveals a distance sensor comprising: a signal receiving unit, an electromagnetic wave transmitting unit, and a magnetic signal transmitting unit; wherein the signal transmitting unit is adapted to transmit to the signal receiving unit a sensed distance between the signal receiving unit and the magnetic signal transmitting unit, wherein the magnetic signal transmitting unit further comprises an electromagnetic wave receiving unit and an electromagnetic wave-to-electric power converter, and wherein the electromagnetic wave receiving unit receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from the electromagnetic wave transmitting unit to operate the magnetic signal transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: STEMCO KAISER INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lutz May
  • Patent number: 9690127
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a main body of the electronic device; a display, provided on the main body of the electronic device, where the display includes a first light transmitting layer, and a support layer between the main body of the electronic device and the first light transmitting layer, and where the first transmitting layer is located on a first surface of the electronic device; N sensors, provided in the display, and located inside the first transmitting layer, wherein a capturing module of the N sensors faces an inner surface of the first transmitting layer; and the N sensors are adapted to capture ambient light penetrating the first light transmitting layer or ambient light irradiating the N sensors via a through hole of the first light transmitting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ke Liu
  • Patent number: 9690203
    Abstract: Method for setting an illumination setting in an illumination optical unit comprising at least one controllable correction device, which includes a multiplicity of adjustable correction elements for influencing the transmission, wherein the illumination setting is varied for adapting a predetermined imaging parameter in the region of an image field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Zimmermann, Ralf Stuetzle, Paul Graeupner, Olaf Conradi
  • Patent number: 9667883
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image sensing device includes a light source, a sensing module, and a signal processing module. The sensing module includes a pixel array, a control unit, and a light source driver. The light source generates flashing light with a K multiple of a frequency of flicker noise or a predetermined frequency. The pixel array samples the flashing light to generate a sampling result. The control unit executes an image processing on the sampling result to generate a spectrum. The light source driver drives the light source according to the K multiple of the frequency or the predetermined frequency. The signal processing module generates the K multiple of the frequency according to the spectrum, or outputs the predetermined frequency to the light source driver, and generates depth information according to a plurality of first images/a plurality of second images during turning-on/turning-off of the light source included in the sampling result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EMINENT ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CORP. LTD.
    Inventors: Tom Chang, Kao-Pin Wu, Kun-Huang Tsai, Shang-Ming Hung, Cheng-Ta Chuang, Chih-Jen Fang, Tseng Kuo-Tsai
  • Patent number: 9651631
    Abstract: In order to provide a calculation method for reproducing solar cell characteristics with high accuracy by using data of a short-circuit current, an open-circuit voltage and the maximum power operation point of a solar cell in a temperature and a solar radiation intensity in a standard state, parameter values for determining characteristics in the standard state are calculated by using data of the short-circuit current, the open-circuit voltage and the maximum power operation point of the solar cell in the temperature and the solar radiation intensity in the standard state. Next, temperature coefficients of the open-circuit voltage and the reverse saturation current are calculated by using the calculated parameters, and a short-circuit current, an open-circuit voltage and the maximum power operation point at a given temperature are calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tohru Kohno, Akihiro Nakamura, Tomoharu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9651875
    Abstract: An illumination system is disclosed having a polarization member that includes first and second polarization modifiers movable into at least partial intersection with a radiation beam such that the respective polarization modifier applies a modified polarization to at least part of the beam. The illumination system further includes an array of individually controllable reflective elements positioned to receive the radiation beam after it has passed the polarization member, and a controller configured to control movement of the first and second polarization modifiers such that the first and second polarization modifiers intersect with different portions of the radiation beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignees: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., CARL ZEISS SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Heine Melle Mulder, Steven George Hansen, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Markus Deguenther