With Imaging Patents (Class 250/559.07)
  • Patent number: 12115801
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording section configured to perform recording onto a medium, a facing section facing a recording surface of a medium at a discharge position where the medium recorded by the recording section is discharged, and a light emitter configured to emit light toward the recording surface. The facing section includes an optical member disposed at a position where the light emitted by the light emitter enters, the optical member being configured to pass the incident light toward at least the recording surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisayuki Akahane, Nobuhisa Nomoto, Satoru Orii
  • Patent number: 12078530
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example implementation includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene. The lens focuses light from the scene. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material. The system also includes a waveguide having a first side that receives light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. The waveguide guides the received light toward a second side of the waveguide opposite to the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes an array of light detectors that intercepts and detects light propagating out of the third side of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Droz, David Hutchison
  • Patent number: 12078761
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a signal detection system capable of removing noise caused by scattered light or the like and capable of detecting an accurate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shunya Katoh, Naoyuki Morooka
  • Patent number: 11985965
    Abstract: A fishing information management system has a fishing rod to which a fishing reel with a spool capable of winding a fishing line is attached, and is configured to include an operation/environment information detector that detects information on operation and environment of operation of fishing tools when in use including the fishing reel and the fishing rod, a calculator that calculates the skill levels in operating the fishing tools from information on the operation of the fishing tools, a storage that stores the detection values and the skill levels, and an indicator that displays at least either of the detection values or the skill levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: GLOBERIDE, INC.
    Inventor: Hiromu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11819198
    Abstract: A plurality of color sensing sections are attached to a toilet seat so as to test a health state or a fecal occult blood portion every time by capturing the feces surface color during defecation. Before feces which have been excreted from a body sink into a water-seal portion, the circumference of the feces is optically captured to detect the color of the surface of the feces. By monitoring changes in color, the health state of the defecator is monitored. In particular, by checking the presence/absence of an occult blood portion, the present invention assists in early detection of colorectal cancer and allows a fecal occult blood test to be performed in a hygienic manner without burdening the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: SETECH CO., LTD., TOTO LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Sekine
  • Patent number: 11802942
    Abstract: One example system includes a light source that emits light. The system also includes a waveguide that guides the emitted light from a first side of the waveguide toward a second side of the waveguide opposite the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes a mirror that reflects the guided light toward the third side of the waveguide. At least a portion of the reflected light propagates out of the waveguide toward a scene. The system also includes a light detector, and a lens that focuses light from the scene toward the waveguide and the light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Droz, David Neil Hutchison, Ralph Hamilton Shepard, Nathaniel Golshan
  • Patent number: 11728192
    Abstract: An optical inspection is performed to detect potential defects within integrated circuit devices and a first electron-based inspection of less than all of the potential defects is performed to identify primary actual defects. A process window of manufacturing parameter settings used to manufacture the integrated circuit devices is identified and the integrated circuit devices manufactured using the manufacturing parameter settings inside the process window have less than a threshold number of the primary actual defects. To identify additional actual defects a second electron-based inspection is performed that is limited to selected ones of the potential defects in the integrated circuit devices that were manufactured using the manufacturing parameter settings inside the process window but were uninspected in the first electron-based inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Chenlong Miao, Haizhou Yin, Michael J. Wojtowecz
  • Patent number: 11488800
    Abstract: Methods for drift corrected, fast, low dose, adaptive sample imaging with a charged particle microscopy system include scanning a surface region of a sample with a charged particle beam to obtain a first image of the surface region with a first detector modality, and then determining a scan strategy for the surface region. The scan strategy comprises a charged particle beam path, a first beam dwell time associated with at least one region of interest in the first image, the first beam dwell time being sufficient to obtain statistically significant data from a second detector modality, and at least a second beam dwell time associated with other regions of the first image, wherein the first beam dwell time is different than the second beam dwell time. The surface region of the sample is then scanned with the determined scan strategy to obtain data from the first and second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Pavel Potocek, Remco Schoenmakers, Maurice Peemen, Bert Henning Freitag
  • Patent number: 11387074
    Abstract: A charged particle beam optical apparatus has a plurality of irradiation optical systems each of which irradiates an object with a charged particle beam and a first control apparatus configured to control a second irradiation optical system on the basis of an operation state of a first irradiation optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 11333653
    Abstract: A method for evaluating crease recovery of fabrics based on power function equation. The steps are: (1) place the sample in the sample placement area; (2) pressure the overlapping part of the sample; (3) let the free part of the sample automatically restore and record the video image of the sample crease recovery by camera; (4) process the video image of the fabric crease recovery and calculating the recovery angle of each frame of video image; (5) repeat steps 1 to 4 to measure N samples of the same fabric; (6) obtain the dynamic process of fabric crease recovery angle change. This can reveal which type of fabric has better recovery property, when the existing methods have the similar results of recovery angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Jiangnan University
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Weidong Gao
  • Patent number: 11330116
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a document information acquirer that acquires information related to a document, a sheet information acquirer that acquires information related to a print sheet, a storage that stores, in advance, information related to the document and the print sheet, and prediction condition information including proposal processing associated with the document and the print sheet, a processing predictor that acquires, based on the information related to the document and the information related to the print sheet acquired by using the prediction condition information, proposal processing associated with the placed document and the print sheet, and a proposal processing generator that generates information related to the proposal processing to be presented to a user based on the acquired proposal processing. When the user places a document and a print sheet, the proposal processing is acquired and presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsutomu Itai
  • Patent number: 11315234
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to accurately measure the heights of wire loops densely disposed in a power module. A semiconductor manufacturing inspection system includes: an single-color illumination unit including a plurality of LED chips to emit light beams to a plurality of wire loops connected to surfaces of semiconductor elements; a camera to capture images of the wire loops; and an image processor to recognize an imaging region of each of the wire loops from the images, based on a luminance value and to measure the height of each of the wire loops based on the imaging region of the wire loop in the images. The LED chips emit the light beams to the separate wire loops, and the light beams emitted from two of the LED chips to adjacent two of the wire loops differ in luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Iinuma
  • Patent number: 11215945
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light source; and an optical detector detecting intensity of light that is reflected by a recording medium, the light from the light source and irradiated onto the recording medium. Further, when an incident angle of the light incident to the recording medium from the light source relative to a normal line of the recording medium is given as ?1, a formula 75°??1?85° is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ishii, Yoshihiro Oba, Fumikazu Hoshi, Satoru Sugawara
  • Patent number: 11156551
    Abstract: A device and method for observing an object, in particular a biological object includes a light source able to illuminate a sample. Under the effect of the illumination, the object emits back-scattered radiation that propagates to a screen, the area of which is larger than 100 cm2. The projection of the back-scattered radiation onto the screen forms an image representative of the back-scattered radiation, called a scattergram. An image sensor allows an image representative of the scattergram formed on the screen to be acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE APPLICATIONS
    Inventors: Emmanuelle Schultz, Damien Decq, Michel Roch, Selimen Benahmed
  • Patent number: 11112357
    Abstract: A device and method for observing an object, in particular a biological object, includes a light source able to illuminate a sample, and a screen lying between the light source and the object. The screen includes an aperture, through which propagates the illuminating beam produced by the light source and propagating toward the screen. Under the effect of the illumination, the object emits back-scattered radiation that propagates to the screen, the area of which is preferably larger than 100 cm2. The projection of the back-scattered radiation onto the screen forms an image representative of the back-scattered radiation, called a scattergram. An image sensor allows an image representative of the scattergram formed on the screen to be acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE APPLICATIONS
    Inventors: Emmanuelle Schultz, Damien Decq, Michel Roch
  • Patent number: 11041753
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example implementation includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene. The lens focuses light from the scene. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material. The system also includes a waveguide having a first side that receives light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. The waveguide guides the received light toward a second side of the waveguide opposite to the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes an array of light detectors that intercepts and detects light propagating out of the third side of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Droz, David Hutchison
  • Patent number: 10962592
    Abstract: A system and method for defect localization in embedded memory are provided. Embodiments include a system including automated testing equipment (ATE) interfaced with a wafer probe including a diagnostic laser for stimulating a DUT with the diagnostic laser at a ROI. The ATE is configured to simultaneously perform a test run at a test location of the DUT with a test pattern during stimulation of the DUT. Failing compare vectors of a reference failure log of a defective device are stored. A first profile module is configured to generate a first 3D profile from each pixel of a reference image of the defective device. A second profile module is configured to generate a second 3D profile from each pixel of the ROI of the DUT. A cross-correlation module is configured to execute a pixel-by-pixel cross-correlation from the first and second 3D profiles and generate an intensity map corresponding to a level of correlation between the DUT and defective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Szu Huat (Wu Shifa) Goh, Yin Hong Chan, Boon Lian Yeoh, Lin Zhao, Man Hon Thor
  • Patent number: 10957033
    Abstract: Repeater defects on a wafer can be detected by fusing multiple die images. In an instance, multiple die images are statistically fused to form a die-fused image. Each of the die images can be of a different die on a wafer. A presence of a repeater defect is detected in the die-fused image. The die images can be generated using a laser-scanning system or other systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Premchandra M. Shankar, Ashok Varadarajan, JuHwan Rha
  • Patent number: 10914687
    Abstract: An apparatus for the optical detection of inner walls includes at least one camera, an optical imaging arrangement, and an illumination arrangement. The apparatus is configured to record in a panoramic view by means of the camera a plurality of regions of an inner wall which are axially offset from one another. The apparatus is distinguished by virtue of the illumination arrangement having at least two different functional states, wherein a first brightness distribution emitted by the illumination arrangement is assigned to a first functional state, the brightness distribution differing from a second brightness distribution in at least one second functional state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAC SIRIUS ADVANCED CYBERNETICS GMBH
    Inventor: Christoph Wagner
  • Patent number: 10890650
    Abstract: One example system includes a light source that emits light. The system also includes a waveguide that guides the emitted light from a first side of the waveguide toward a second side of the waveguide opposite the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes a mirror that reflects the guided light toward the third side of the waveguide. At least a portion of the reflected light propagates out of the waveguide toward a scene. The system also includes a light detector, and a lens that focuses light from the scene toward the waveguide and the light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Droz, David Neil Hutchison, Ralph Hamilton Shepard, Nathaniel Golshan
  • Patent number: 10885631
    Abstract: The disclosure provides example methods that include a processor: (a) generating at least one phase contrast image of a biological specimen comprising one or more cells centered around a focal plane for the biological specimen; (b) generating a confluence mask in the form of a binary image based on the at least one phase contrast image; (c) receiving a first brightfield image of the biological specimen at a defocusing distance above the focal plane and a second brightfield image of the biological specimen at the defocusing distance below the focal plane; (d) generating a cell image of the biological specimen based on the first and second brightfield image; (e) generating a seed mask based on the cell image and the phase contrast image; and (f) generating an image of the biological specimen showing a cell-by-cell segmentation mask based on the seed mask and the confluence mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Essen Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Jackson, Nevine Holtz
  • Patent number: 10845470
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for protecting a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device against external light that is originated at a light source other than a light source of the LIDAR device and that is being emitted towards the LIDAR device. In particular, the LIDAR device may be equipped with a mitigation system that includes an interference filter, an absorptive filter, an adaptive filter, and/or a spatial filter. Additionally or alternatively, the LIDAR device may be operated to carry out reactive and/or proactive mitigation operations. For example, the LIDAR device may be operated to vary over time characteristics with which light is being emitted and to only detect light having characteristics that match the characteristics with which light is being emitted. In another example, the LIDAR device may be operated to activate a shutter to block the external light from being detected by the LIDAR device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Simon Verghese, Pierre-Yves Droz, Mark Shand
  • Patent number: 10823663
    Abstract: A measurement device for measuring a thin film on a transparent substrate is disclosed which includes, disposed sequentially along the direction of light propagation, a light source (1), a collimator lens (2), a filter (3), a polarizer (4), a beam splitter (5) and an objective lens (7). To the beam splitter (5) are connected a planar array detector (11) and a processor (13). Light emitted by the light source (1) sequentially passes through the collimator lens (2), the filter (3), the polarizer (4), the beam splitter (5) and the objective lens (7) and thereby forms a measuring light incident on the thin film. The objective lens (7) and the beam splitter (5) gather light reflected from the thin film, and the planar array detector (11) and the processor (13) measure physical parameters of the thin film based on the gathered reflected light. The device further includes a stop configured to block interfering light reflected from the transparent substrate during the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SHANGHAI MICRO ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao Liu, Yuying Zhou
  • Patent number: 10776912
    Abstract: Systems and methods for self-determining optical inspection of wire bonds of semiconductor components. The method is an automated optical wire bond inspection method that may include obtaining an image of a semiconductor component having wire bonds. The method may also include detecting a plurality of wire bonds on the semiconductor component image so that a wire between at least two of the plurality of detected wire bonds may be detected. Further, the method may include determining an inspection region of interest corresponding to at least one detected wire bond and at least one detected wire. The method may then include inspecting the detected wire bond along the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
    Inventors: Xiaoming Yin, Jian Xu
  • Patent number: 10718610
    Abstract: Roughness measurement probe (15) for scanning a surface (F), comprising an integratingly operating device (20) and an optical scanning device (30), wherein the optical scanning device (30) is arranged directly on or in the integratingly operating device (20), wherein the integratingly operating device (20) is designed, when scanning the surface (F), to predetermine a mean distance between the roughness measuring probe (15) and a larger region of the surface (F), and wherein the optical scanning device (30) is designed, when scanning the surface (F), to optically scan a smaller region of the surface (F) in a contactless manner, wherein the integratingly operating device (20) comprises an optical arrangement which is designed as a virtual skid in such a way that it images a light spot (LF) on the surface (F).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: KLINGELNBERG GMBH
    Inventor: Georg Mies
  • Patent number: 10698088
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example implementation includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene. The lens focuses light from the scene. The system also includes an opaque material that defines an aperture. The system also includes a waveguide having a first side that receives light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. The waveguide guides the received light toward a second side of the waveguide opposite to the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes a mirror that reflects the guided light toward the third side of the waveguide. The system also includes an array of light detectors that detects the reflected light propagating out of the third side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Droz, David Neil Hutchison, Ralph Hamilton Shepard
  • Patent number: 10698111
    Abstract: A method for imaging a moving object includes scanning a predetermined area with at least one distance sensor to form an image of a structure of a moving object using a safe sensing time window to periodically refresh the image. The images of the structure are compared to a known model of the structure to estimate rates of motion. A refined time window is determined based on the estimated rates of motion to monitor the moving object with increased accuracy and/or range compared to the safe time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Stathis, Jason C. Derenick
  • Patent number: 10582077
    Abstract: Based on a light-reception result of a light-receiving unit capable of receiving light on a document table and outputting the light-reception result, the end of a document placed on a document table is determined. In accordance with the condition of external light on the document table, the light-receiving unit is controlled so as to change a method of outputting the light-reception result from the light-receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA, INC.
    Inventor: Wataru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10495584
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for inspecting a transparent film. The method comprises irradiating an inspection target with light using a polarizer, receiving light that is reflected by the inspection target and passes through an analyzer by a line scan camera, synthesizing an amplitude and a phase of wavelength of the light into an intensity of light, comparing the intensity of the light with predetermined intensities of light for inspection targets having different thicknesses; and detecting a defect of the inspection target based on the compared intensity with the predetermined intensities. It can be determined whether there is a transparent film, and the thickness of the transparent film can be measured in a large area. The inspection is carried out in real-time after the transparent film is formed, such that if a defect is generated, it can be fed back immediately to thereby reduce defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: SeokJu Hwang
  • Patent number: 10401770
    Abstract: In order to provide a discriminating device in which high discrimination accuracy is achieved by appropriately setting parallelism of a plurality of light beams caused to enter a recording material, provided is a discriminating device including: a light guiding member configured to guide a plurality of light beams from a light source to an irradiated surface; an image pickup element configured to receive a light beam from the irradiated surface; and an optical system configured to guide the light beam from the irradiated surface to the image pickup element, wherein the plurality of light beams include a plurality of first light beams which are emitted from the light guiding member and enter a first effective region of the irradiated surface, and wherein the plurality of first light beams form an angle of 7° or less with each other within a first cross section parallel to the irradiated surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 10386309
    Abstract: An arrangement for photographing a hot surface includes a camera arranged to take a number of successive images of the surface, whereby each image includes a part of the surface to be photographed. A light source is arranged to illuminate the surface to be photographed, whereby the camera and the light source are synchronized in such a way that the light source illuminates the surface at the shooting moment of each image, and an image-processing unit is arranged to combine a complete image of the whole surface to be photographed out of the successive images taken by the camera. A server is arranged to determine a coordinate system for the complete image, to receive data on the surface generated by one or more measuring devices, and to combine the received data with the complete image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SAPOTECH OY
    Inventors: Saku Kaukonen, Juha Roininen
  • Patent number: 10373732
    Abstract: A transparent electrode film includes a transparent electrode disposed on a transparent film base, wherein the transparent electrode contains a transparent conductive layer and a conductive metal pattern layer. The conductive metal pattern layer is patterned in the in-plane direction of the transparent film base. The transparent conductive layer and a protecting layer are disposed in a region where the conductive metal pattern layer is provided, and the conductive metal pattern layer is disposed closer to the transparent film base than the transparent conductive layer and the protecting layer. The protecting layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a precious metal and a metal oxide. The transparent electroconductive layer is also disposed at opening sections where the electroconductive metal pattern layer is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Shimpei Okamoto, Junichi Nakamura, Yuji Takahashi, Takahisa Fujimoto, Takayoshi Kushizaki, Hitoshi Tamai
  • Patent number: 10317344
    Abstract: Systems and methods for height measurements, such as those for bumps, pillars, or film thickness, can use chromatic confocal techniques. The system can include a white light source that emits white light and lenses that vary a focal distance of each wavelength of the white light from the white light source. Each of the wavelengths of the white light focuses at a different distance from the lenses. A sensor body has multiple sensors that are disposed in the sensor body in multiple rows and columns. Each of the rows and the columns has at least two of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Horn
  • Patent number: 10309767
    Abstract: An optical measurement method with an optical measurement apparatus including an irradiation optical system and a measurement optical system is provided. The optical measurement method includes obtaining a distribution of actually measured values when angles of incidence are different for the same sample, calculating a modification factor depending on an angle of incidence on the measurement optical system from each measurement point in association with a region in the two-dimensional image corresponding to each measurement point in the measurement target irradiated with the measurement light, and calculating optical characteristics including a refractive index of the sample based on a group of pixel values in one row or a plurality of rows along any one direction in the distribution of the actually measured values and a corresponding modification factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Inoue, Kunikazu Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10209301
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve integrated circuit (IC) debug operations are described. In general, techniques are disclosed for acquiring/recording waveforms across an under-test IC during a single sweep of a laser scanning microscope (LSM). More particularly, techniques disclosed herein permit the acquisition of an integrated circuit's response to a test signal at each location across the IC in real-time. In practice the test signal consists of a stimulus portion that repeats after a given period. In one embodiment, the IC's response to multiple complete stimulus portions may be averaged and digitized. In another embodiment, the IC's response to multiple partial stimulus portions may be averaged and digitized. As used herein, the former approach is referred to as waveform mapping, the latter as gated-LVI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Christopher Nemirow, Neel Leslie
  • Patent number: 10180402
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for scanning an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of time-synchronized laser microscopes, each of which is configured to scan the same field of view of an integrated circuit under test that generates a plurality of images of the integrated circuit under test, a data processor, coupled to the laser scanning microscope, for processing the plurality of images, comprising, a netlist extractor (NE) that produces one or more netlists defining structure of the integrated circuit under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: David S. Stoker, Erik Frank Matlin, Motilal Agrawal, James R. Potthast, Neil William Troy
  • Patent number: 10165197
    Abstract: A system for digitizing an image from an optical substrate having at least a first defect comprises a digital image capture device, a first light source positioned at a first position relative to the digital image capture device, and a second light source positioned at a second position relative to the digital image capture device. The second position is offset with respect to the first position. Light emitted from the first and second light sources are combined at a light receiving portion of the digital image capture device for causing the first defect to be nullified from a composite digital representation of the image that is generated using information outputted from the digital image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Astral Images Corporation
    Inventors: Albert Durr Edgar, Michael Charles Wilder, Martin Potucek, Darryl Ray Polk
  • Patent number: 9992354
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a stated reflectance identifier for a media to be printed on during fulfillment of a print job is received. Utilizing an optical sensor and an illuminator, a measurement is taken of light from the illuminator reflected off the media. The measurement is compared to a stored average brightness value. Responsive to determining the measurement is within a range of the average value, the average value is adjusted to include the measurement, and printing on the media is caused according to the job. Responsive to determining the measurement is outside the range, the measurement is compared to a database associating brightness measurements and reflectance identifiers to determine an estimated reflectance identifier for the media. The estimated identifier is sent to a user and the user is prompted to perform a correction event. The media is printed on according to the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Tong Nam Samuel Low, Chin Hung Andy Koh
  • Patent number: 9983736
    Abstract: An optical touch sensor is disclosed which includes a first and a second light detector mounted side by side forming a gap therebetween, the first and the second light detector commonly facing a touch sensing surface area, and a light emitter mounted behind the first and second light detector and aligned with the gap, wherein a light beam emitted from the light emitter can pass through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventors: Peigen Jiang, Zhonghua Liu
  • Patent number: 9983393
    Abstract: A catoptric imaging device for drill measuring comprising a laser guide, an imaging unit for converting optical image into image information, and processing the image information to obtain a drill measure, a catoptric assembly including a first conical surface, and a second surface including a frustoconical surface, wherein the first surface is arranged relative to the laser guide to reflect a cone beam onto an cross section of the drill to be measured, and wherein the smallest diameter of the frustoconical surface is larger than the largest diameter of the first surface to receive the cone beam reflections and reflect them towards the imaging unit, and wherein the imaging unit is arranged to receive an optical image from the frustoconical surface reflections to obtain a drill measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space, S.A.
    Inventors: Fernando Enrique Esteban Finck, David Gomez Esteban, Francisco José León Arevalo, Luis Granero Montagud, Martín Sanz Sabater, Vicente Mico Serrano, Javier Garcia Monreal
  • Patent number: 9911666
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for inspecting a semiconductor package. The apparatus includes at least one 3D camera positioned at a first angle relative to a normal axis of the semiconductor package; and a light source configured to provide illumination for the at least one 3D camera, the light source being directed at the semiconductor package. The method includes casting a shadow of a bonded wire onto the semiconductor package; obtaining a 3D image of the semiconductor package; determining a distance S of the shadow and the bonded wire in the image; and obtaining a wire loop height H of the bonded wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAEDGE VISION SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Ah Kow Chin, Choong Fatt Ho, Victor Vertoprakhov, Soon Wei Wong
  • Patent number: 9906667
    Abstract: A fiducial on a backer of a flatbed scanner is used for determining a media size of a target scanned on the platen of the scanner. The fiducial is comprised of a plurality of symbols, either arranged in a predetermined pattern or randomly within a fiducial frame, and is placed at a predetermined location on the backer on the scanner lid. Each symbol has a finish that reflects light differently than a finish on the backer and has a high peak correlation value and a low off-peak correlation value when scanned. Image data from a scan of a target along with the backer is searched for the fiducial image. When the fiducial image is found, the media is selected to be of a first shorter length target type and, when the fiducial is not found, the target is selected to be of a second longer length target type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jo Phelps, Mark Lane Mayberry, Edward William Yohon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9778113
    Abstract: Techniques for hyperspectral imaging, including a device for hyperspectral imaging including at least one tunable interferometer including a thin layer of material disposed between two or more broadband mirrors. Electrodes placed on either side of the tunable interferometer can be coupled to a voltage control circuit, and upon application of a voltage across the tunable interferometer, the distance between the mirrors can be modulated by physically altering the dimensions of the thin layer of material, which can uniformly load the broadband mirrors. Physically altering the dimensions of the thin layer of material can include one or more of deformation of a soft material, piezostrictrive actuation of a piezostrictrive material, or electrostrictive actuation of an electrostrictive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Dirk R. Englund, Chaitanya Rastogi
  • Patent number: 9696674
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light source; and an optical detector detecting intensity of light that is reflected by a recording medium, the light from the light source and irradiated onto the recording medium. Further, when an incident angle of the light incident the recording medium from the light source relative to a normal line of the recording medium is given as ?1, a formula 75°??1?85° is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ishii, Yoshihiro Oba, Fumikazu Hoshi, Satoru Sugawara
  • Patent number: 9588056
    Abstract: Methods for detection of particulate on thin, flexible substrates wherein the substrate is positioned in a bend comprising an apex line. The apex line is illuminated by grazing angle illumination, and light from the illumination scattered by the particulate is captured by a detection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Norman Henry Fontaine, Alana Marie Whittier
  • Patent number: 9520449
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes an organic photoelectric conversion film; a first electrode and a second electrode provided with the organic photoelectric conversion film in between; and a charge block layer provided between the second electrode and the organic photoelectric conversion film, in which the charge block layer includes a work function adjustment layer including a metal element on the second electrode side of the organic photoelectric conversion film, the metal element being adopted to adjust a work function, and a first diffusion suppression layer provided between the work function adjustment layer and the second electrode and suppressing diffusion of the metal element to the second electrode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Udaka, Osamu Enoki, Masaki Murata, Rui Morimoto, Ryoji Arai
  • Patent number: 9518932
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining one or more parameters of a wafer inspection process are provided. One method includes acquiring metrology data for a wafer generated by a wafer metrology system. The method also includes determining one or more parameters of a wafer inspection process for the wafer or another wafer based on the metrology data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.
    Inventors: Allen Park, Craig MacNaughton, Ellis Chang
  • Patent number: 9500604
    Abstract: Systems and Methods for an air slide analyzer for measuring the elemental content of aerated material traveling by air slide. The air slide analyzer has an analyzer having an entrance opening and an exit opening, and an interior tunnel adapted for aerated material conveyed by an air slide; a radiation detector proximal to the analyzer; a neutron source emitting neutrons into material within the analyzer; and a processor to analyze detected information from the radiation detector, wherein emissions from the material being irradiated with neutrons are detected by the radiation detector and analyzed by the processor to provide elemental information of the material in the analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: XRSciences, LLC
    Inventors: Colin Charette, Tom Atwell, Jacob Lopp, Chaur-Ming Shyu
  • Patent number: 9462706
    Abstract: A device for a system for traffic monitoring of vehicles in road traffic, the device having a first mounting frame and a second mounting frame, which can be secured relative to each other by inner fixing elements. At least the first mounting frame has a cylindrical, especially cuboidal, shape. At least one device for recording a traffic situation can be disposed or is disposed in the first mounting frame and wherein at least the first mounting frame is accessible from four sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: JENOPTIK Robot GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Paetzoldt, Thomas Buenger, Stephan Maserski, Joerg Friessner
  • Patent number: 9244124
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a scan test system for an integrated circuit comprising multiple processing elements. The system comprises at least one scan input component and at least one scan clock component. Each scan input component is configured to provide a scan input to at least two processing elements. Each scan clock component is configured to provide a scan clock signal to at least two processing elements. The system further comprises at least one scan select component for selectively enabling a scan of at least one processing element. Each processing element is configured to scan in a scan input and scan out a scan output when said the processing element is scan-enabled. The system further comprises an exclusive-OR tree comprising multiple exclusive-OR logic gates. The said exclusive-OR tree generates a parity value representing a parity of all scan outputs scanned out from all scan-enabled processing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rodrigo Alvarez-Icaza Rivera, John V. Arthur, Andrew S. Cassidy, Bryan L. Jackson, Paul A. Merolla, Dharmendra S. Modha, Jun Sawada