Light Chopper Type Patents (Class 250/232)
  • Patent number: 11680960
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include a PIR assembly including a dome comprising a plurality of optical components, a stationary circuit board, and a moveable PIR sensor moveably coupled to the stationary circuit board via a flexible cable, wherein the moveable PIR sensor is configured to move to a first position to monitor a first zone via a first optical component of the plurality of optical components and to a second position to monitor a second zone via a second optical component of the plurality of optical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Boris Zhevelev, Michael Hahamov
  • Patent number: 11137282
    Abstract: An optical concentration measurement device includes an LED light source, alight receiving unit having a rectangular light receiving surface and outputting a detection signal representing intensity of received light, and light guiding units guiding light emitted by the LED light source to the light receiving unit, wherein a shape on the rectangular light receiving surface of light radiated on the light receiving surface is rectangular, the optical concentration measurement device measures concentration of an object to be measured existing in a light path formed by the light guiding units, based on the detection signal output from the light receiving unit, and the light guiding units guide light at a diffraction limit or greater in such a way that area of the light on the rectangular light receiving surface is ½ or less of area of the rectangular light receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Shota Isshiki, Takaaki Furuya
  • Patent number: 10180351
    Abstract: A circuit includes a charge sensitive amplifier (CSA) that includes an input to receive current from a photon sensor and generates an output signal that represents photons received by the sensor and dark current of the sensor. A control circuit generates a compensation signal to offset the dark current from the photon sensor at the input of the CSA. The control circuit couples feedback from the CSA to enable the compensation signal if the photon current received from the sensor is below a predetermined threshold. The control circuit decouples the feedback from the CSA to disable the compensation signal if the photon current received from the sensor is above the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rakul Viswanath, Nagesh Surendranath, Sandeep Kesrimal Oswal
  • Patent number: 9958945
    Abstract: A linear vibration actuator is provided, comprising a movable structure, a coil and an elastic suspension system. The elastic suspension system comprises a first and a second elastic sheets, and the first and second elastic sheet respectively comprising a first and a second fixed portions, a first and a second suspension portions, and a first and a second engaging portions. Both first and second suspension portions comprise a bend with an angle greater than 90°. The elastic suspension system enables the simple harmonic motion of the movable structure approximating a parallel motion to improve vibration effect without increasing current outputted to the coil, so as to reduce temperature and power consumption of the present invention. As a result, the present invention is able to provide superior vibration effect to portable electronic product and solve the overheating and power consumption problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: TOPRAY MEMS INC.
    Inventors: Chin-Sung Liu, Hsiao-Ming Chien
  • Patent number: 9789982
    Abstract: A device for supporting containers in filling machines for products in powder form includes, a first supporting element, connected to the structure of a filling machine, and a second supporting element designed to support a respective container to be filled. The device further includes actuation elements configured for actuating, with a vibrating motion, the second supporting element with respect to the first supporting element. The second supporting element can rotate with respect to the first supporting element about a substantially vertical rotation axis. The actuation elements further include elements for generating a variable magnetic field, which are integral with one of the supporting elements, and magnetic means, which are integral with the other of the supporting elements and interact with the generator to cause an alternating oscillation, in the two opposite rotation directions, of the second supporting element with respect to the first supporting element, about the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: WEIGHTPACK S.R.L.
    Inventors: Carlo Corniani, Antonio Franco Selmo
  • Patent number: 9354316
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for leveraging emitted polarized electromagnetic radiation as a means to track relative orientation and position of an object with regard to another object. Six basic degrees of freedom including three angular and three translational are determined based on making multiple polarization-based measurements and then determining the corresponding geometry that would yield those measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brent D. Larson, Ken Leiphon, Greg Reinhart
  • Publication number: 20120050856
    Abstract: Shuttered eyewear comprising: a frame; a right eye shutter supported by the frame; a left eye shutter supported by the frame; and a sensor arranged to detect light passing through the right eye shutter, the left eye shutter, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Shintani
  • Publication number: 20120018626
    Abstract: In order to reduce an error component of a detected waveform and enable high-accuracy position detection, there is provided an optical encoder, in which a transmittance distribution or a reflectance distribution provided in a scale track in a displacement scale has a first modulation period and a second modulation period in a scale displacement direction, the light receiving element array is arranged to detect a first signal group including two-phase signals, relative phases of which are reversed, in the first modulation period and a second signal group including two-phase signals, relative phases of which are reversed, in the second modulation period, first position information in the first modulation period is detected from the first signal group, and second position information in the second modulation period is detected from the second signal group, and the second modulation period is an odd multiple of the first modulation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chihiro Nagura
  • Publication number: 20110192960
    Abstract: An optical sensing device, which includes a shell, at least one light emitting member, a shading member, at least one anti-static member and at least one optical sensing member, is disclosed. The shell is formed with a black-body condition space therein, and the black-body condition space has a light emitting chamber, a shading chamber and at least one optical sensing chamber. The light emitting member projects a light beam into the light emitting chamber. The shading member is movably restrained within the shading chamber, and generates a static electricity when moving therein. The anti-static member is arranged in the shading chamber to ground the static electricity. The optical sensing member is arranged in the optical sensing chamber, and senses the light beam to accordingly send out a sensing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: EDISON OPTO CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHUNG-PING FENG, PENG-YU CHEN
  • Patent number: 7958620
    Abstract: A method of determining the eccentricity of an encoder scale member of a rotary encoder includes taking an encoder scale blank having a geometric center and mounting the encoder scale blank centered about a second center. A scale can then be produced on the encoder scale blank thereby forming an encoder scale member. The scale of the encoder scale member is centered about the second center. Any eccentricity between the geometric center and the second center is measured by, for example, measuring any change in the apparent radius of the encoder scale member. The encoder scale member may then be mounted in a working location wherein it is rotated about a third axis. The eccentricity when mounted in the working location may be matched to that measured during manufacture thereof and/or the eccentricity errors arising from both manufacture and mounting of the encoder scale member may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Renishaw PLC
    Inventor: James Reynolds Henshaw
  • Patent number: 7326918
    Abstract: System and method for an optical position sensor architecture for use in servo systems. A preferred embodiment comprises a light source configured to produce a light with an intensity dependent upon a control signal, a first light sensor and a second light sensor positioned adjacent to one another, each light sensor configured to produce a current based upon an amount of light incident upon each light sensor. The preferred embodiment also comprises a slotted device coupled to the load and positioned between the light source and the first light sensor and the second light sensor. The slotted device regulates an amount of light striking the first light sensor and the second light sensor based upon a position of the load. The slotted device features a slot that has a radius with a linearly increasing radius as a function of rotation angle so that the optical position sensor has linear behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Wesley Marshall
  • Patent number: 7102832
    Abstract: A chopper for an imaging system includes a frame and a sheet that have different coefficients of thermal expansion. The frame has a space within it, and has at least one opening that allows radiation to pass through the space. The sheet has structure which influences radiation passing through the sheet, and the sheet is movably disposed within the space in the frame, in a manner so that the sheet can expand and contract relative to the frame in a direction approximately parallel to the sheet. The frame prevents any significant movement of the sheet in a direction transverse to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander L. Kormos, Paul D. Felts
  • Patent number: 6172358
    Abstract: Disclose is a multifunction input module comprising a clamping stage, an optical chopper, a light source, and a photo detector. The clamping stage has a pivoting rack with two axial holes which can support the shaft of the optical chopper. The clamping stage has two clamping grooves outside the optical chopper to accommodate the light source and the photo detector. The clamping stage further has a plurality of clamping hooks on the bottom thereof which can be inserted into holes on a circuit board such that the optical chopper, light source, and photo detector can be easily and firmly arranged on the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Dexin Corporation
    Inventor: Hsin-Yin Ho
  • Patent number: 6152443
    Abstract: An optical device for detecting the printing media in printers includes an element pivoting on two rotation pivots which are incorporated therein a certain distance apart and which are guided in respective independent curved grooves. The pivoting element includes two extensions which point outwards from the central portion of the element, and of which one is intended to receive, at its front and rear edges, the end edges of the laminar printing media during its forward and rearward movements towards and away from the input rollers of the laminar substrate in the printer. The second extension of the pivoting element can move into and out of an opening of the optical detector in a manner corresponding to the rotary movements of the pivoting element brought about by the movements of the printing media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: David Claramunt, Luis Hierro
  • Patent number: 6114690
    Abstract: A light-controlled safety switch for an automated press includes an optical transmitter and receiver affixed to the press frame just above the press ram that redirects the light beam from vertical to horizontal. A light beam is directed downward from the transmitter to a 45-degree reflective surface on the ram. A cross-hole, perpendicular to the centerline of the ram, and a second 45-degree opposite-facing reflector opposite to the first reflective surface returns the light beam to the receiver. Thus, an optical path is achieved from the transmitter to the first reflector, through the ram, to the second reflector and then back up to the receiver. The opposing 45-degree reflectors are preferably provided by a 45-degree dished collar with a light-reflective interfacing surface fitted about the ram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Oei, James R. Dickert, Kenneth A. Swanstrom, Edward P. Yeh
  • Patent number: 5805056
    Abstract: A vehicle security system 10 having a sensor 28 which selectively produces output signals based upon a threshold signal comparison, which automatically deactivates upon the presence of transmitter 20, and which may be used in combination with an existing vehicle security system 106.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Code-Alarm, Inc.
    Inventors: Rand W. Mueller, Robert J. Pizzuti, Graham Fishman, Jay N. Cullimore, Thomas Lemense, Hilton W. Girard, Mark Cohrs, Joseph Santavicca, Todd Scott, Peter J. Stouffer, David Rupert, John Gillespie
  • Patent number: 5291261
    Abstract: A system (4) for use in an automobile (2) for the detection of objects comprising: a light source (6); a plurality of spaced transmitter ports (10, 12) for respectively transmitting light to a plurality of fields of illumination (18, 20); an optical fiber coupling the light source to the transmitter ports; a plurality of receiver ports (10, 12) embracing respectively a plurality of fields of reception (34, 36) each having an area of overlap (38, 40, 42, 44) with each of the plurality of fields of illumination so as to receive light transmitted from one of the transmitter ports and reflected by an object present in an area of overlap; a receiver (22) for receiving light and for producing a signal representative thereof; an optical fiber (24) coupling the receiver ports to the receiver; and processing means (52) for sequentially activating each of the transmitter ports with each of the receiver ports, and for processing the signal produced by the receiver in response to each activation to detect the presence of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Dahl, Sanjar Ghaem
  • Patent number: 5165078
    Abstract: A radiation aperture system where two sets of apertures are distributed in ring sections of like radius on two parallel rings. As one ring is rotated with respect to its counterpart, one aperture of each ring will align to pass a radiation beam through both apertures. Only a single aperture pair is formed at each unique time, allowing sequential measurements of all combinations of both aperture openings during rotation without halting the rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Miles Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Hough, Willis E. Howard, III, Donald L. Jaworski
  • Patent number: 4710619
    Abstract: Information regarding an object, especially brightness information, is obned by scanning the object with an optical scanner, especially an infrared scanner to provide a respective analog signal. The analog signal is produced by passing the received radiation past a chopper disk onto a detector through a secondary optical assembly. The output signal of the detector is digitized and supplied to a fast Fourier transformation processor which also receives a counting signal derived from the oscillation of the chopper disk. The system may be used, for example, for obtaining deviation and/or presence signals regarding the orientation of an earth satellite relative to the center of the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Fritz Haberl
  • Patent number: 4706046
    Abstract: The resonator (10) includes a monocrystal (11) of a nonpiezoelectric matel with low attenuation of elastic bulk waves, such as corundum, means of supporting the monocrystal fastened to the monocrystal at points corresponding to the vibration nodes, thermal means (40) for directly causing a proper excitation of the monocrystal (11) and optical means (50) for detecting the periodic motion of the resonator without contact. Application in particular in oscillator construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Etat Francais as represented by the Deleque General pour l'Armement
    Inventors: Eugene J. Dieulesaint, Daniel R. Royer
  • Patent number: 4413179
    Abstract: A tuning fork type vibrator for an optical chopper in a photosensor, which vibrator oscillates at a single frequency. The vibrator comprises vibrating plates so disposed as to face each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween, and a stem portion obtained by bonding together bent portions located at one end of each of said vibrating plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignees: Anritsu Electric Company Limited, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Public Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Matsuoka, Ikutaro Kobayashi, Junichiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 4202602
    Abstract: A radiant energy source modulator comprising a plurality of electro-mechanical drivers which operate individually to close an aperture through which radiant energy from an infrared laser light, etc., source must pass. Excitation of each of said drivers with separate desired input signals operates to obstruct or permit the radiant energy to pass through the aperture, the overall radiant energy which passes being modulated by the plurality of drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1973
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Inventor: Ismael Torres
  • Patent number: 4185274
    Abstract: An electrooptical analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. A laser beam is coupled into a waveguide which has been fabricated on an electrooptical crystal such as a lithium niobate LiNbO.sub.3 crystal. Electrodes are placed relative to the waveguide to form an electrooptical prism and an analog signal is fed to the electrodes. A modulated laser beam passing through the electrooptical prism is deflected in the plane of the waveguide in proportion to the applied analog signal. The deflected beam is expanded in the y-direction by diffraction-spreading or by a beam-spreading lens and falls on a ribbon-fiber, coded detector array. The array effectively codes the analog signal, translating the position of the deflected beam into a coded digital word which is representative of the magnitude of the analog signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Thomas G. Giallorenzi
  • Patent number: 4045140
    Abstract: A means for obtaining east-west and north-south information for characterng a continuous wave laser source using either time blanking and frequency modulation or scanning with orthogonal time functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Jon H. Bumgardner
  • Patent number: 3993901
    Abstract: In a spectrophotometry system, apparatus for modulating radiation in fixed phase relationship with an oscillatory electric signal, comprising a radiation interrupting member connected to an armature torsionally mounted in a magnetic field generated from said oscillatory signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1976
    Assignee: Pye of Cambridge Ltd.
    Inventor: David Sydney Widmer
  • Patent number: 3988683
    Abstract: A method for generating switching signals from an alternating current containing a harmonic or from a mixture of at least two alternating currents containing harmonics with adjacent fundamentals, characterized in that one even and one odd harmonic is filtered from the frequency range, then they are amplified, rectified and compared, and a switching signal is generated when a given and adjustable ratio is achieved between these two potentials, for instance when the ratio is unity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: Ernst Leitz G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Rudolf Bohme, Klaus Heinecke, Fromund Hock
  • Patent number: 3985448
    Abstract: A measuring device is disclosed which can measure an angle or length and which employs either an angle or length measuring plate. The angle or length measuring plate has thereon at least one measuring scale which has a regular pattern along the majority of the lengths thereof and an irregular pattern on two portions thereof. A light beam shines through an optical system to pass through the measuring scale at two points and from there into a photo-detector. The light path is arranged to pass through the two irregular portions at the same time. Several embodiments of the irregular patterns are shown. A circuit is also shown to detect the irregular portions and employ it as a reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1976
    Assignee: AGA Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Klas Rudolf Wiklund, Nils Gunnar Bernhard, Harald Kleinhuber
  • Patent number: 3956628
    Abstract: A photoelectric detection system for a printer that is particularly useful for accurately detecting the position of type bearing or printing elements of known width and spacing as they pass a predetermined location. An output signal is generated that substantially corresponds to the light and dark periods created as the elements pass between a light source and detector. This output signal is integrated and compared with a reference signal that represents the ratio of the width of the elements to the spacing therebetween and the error is used to modify the light source and thereby adjust the output signal to accurately correspond with the dimensional criteria of the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1976
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: William A. Hanger