Transparent Or Translucent Material Patents (Class 356/239.1)
  • Patent number: 11823927
    Abstract: A wafer inspection apparatus includes: an objective lens on an optical path of first and second input beams; and an image sensor configured to generate an image of the wafer based on scattered light according to a nonlinear optical phenomenon based on the first and second input beams, wherein the first input beam passing through the objective lens is obliquely incident on the wafer at a first incident angle with respect to a vertical line that is normal to an upper surface of the wafer, the second input beam passing through the objective lens is incident on the wafer at a second incident angle oblique to the vertical line that is normal to the upper surface of the wafer, and the first and second incident angles are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kyunghun Han, Ingi Kim, Sangwoo Bae, Jungchul Lee, Minhwan Seo, Myeongock Ko, Youngjoo Lee, Taehyun Kim, Seulgi Lee
  • Patent number: 11774378
    Abstract: Provided is a foreign substance inspection method for inspecting presence or absence of a foreign substance embedded in a tubular resin molded product. A dome is prepared. The foreign substance inspection method includes: a first measurement step of measuring a dimension of a first projection image of the embedded foreign substance; a second measurement step of measuring a dimension of a second projection image of the embedded foreign substance: and a calculation step of calculating the dimension of the embedded foreign substance based on a proportional relationship between the dimension of each of the projection images to a distance from a corresponding one of the light sources to the each of the projection images and the dimension of the embedded foreign substance to a distance from the corresponding one of the light sources to the embedded foreign substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miki Kimura, Tatsuyuki Asada, Yoshiki Koike
  • Patent number: 11692949
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed which enable the analysis of a break in a vehicle glazing panel without the attendance of a technician, the method and apparatus utilize capturing an image of the break and processing the image of the break to enable the suitability for repair or replacement of the glazing panel to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Belron International Limited
    Inventors: Mark Hansen, Ian Hales, Abdul Farooq, Melvyn Smith, Gwen Daniel
  • Patent number: 11496642
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry and an image forming device. The processing circuitry is configured to acquire characteristic information of a recording medium measured, and apply a preset calculation criterion to the characteristic information to calculate an image forming condition. The image forming device is configured to form an image on the recording medium based on the image forming condition calculated by the processing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Ohnishi, Tomoaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 11385189
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed which enable the analysis of a break in a vehicle glazing panel without the attendance of a technician, the method and apparatus utilize capturing an image of the break and processing the image of the break to enable the suitability for repair or replacement of the glazing panel to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Belron International Limited
    Inventors: Mark Hansen, Ian Hales, Abdul Farooq, Melvyn Smith, Gwen Daniel
  • Patent number: 11300829
    Abstract: This disclosure provides an optical sheet, a backlight module and a display device. A transparent photochromic material is coated on at least part of the locations (A) on a surface of the optical sheet (11). The backlight module comprises a light source (131), a light guide plate, and the above described optical sheet (111, 112). The display device comprises the said backlight module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaohu Li, Hanyan Sun, Inho Park
  • Patent number: 11275013
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for use with a biological sample, wherein in one example, the device comprising a sample holder and an excitation source for providing excitation energy into the light conduit towards the sample holder. In one embodiment, the device comprises an imaging cytometer. Optionally, the device comprises a flow cytometer. Optionally, a light conduit comprises an optical fiber. Optionally, the optical fiber has an outer cross-sectional shape different from an inner optical core cross-sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Labrador Diagnostics LLC
    Inventor: Peiqian Zhao
  • Patent number: 11254495
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a trash bag detection device for a smart trash receptacle, comprising a transmitter for transmitting a signal and a receiver for receiving a signal, both the transmitter and the receiver being disposed on internal surfaces of the trash receptacle, wherein the signal received by the receiver is a direct signal transmitted from the transmitter or a signal from the transmitter that has been reflected. The present invention also discloses a smart trash receptacle incorporating such a trash bag detection device and a method for control of automatic bag replacement. With the present invention, the position of a trash bag in the trash receptacle can be automatically detected, allowing improved intelligent control of the trash receptacle. This is helpful in protecting the trash bag, saving resources, reducing potential safety risks of the smart trash receptacle and increasing its stability and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TOWNEW INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Beijing Qiu, Jianxiang Li
  • Patent number: 11257208
    Abstract: A defect inspection system for a specimen includes an image sensor and a defect inspection device. The image sensor is configured to capture a target image of the specimen that includes a flat portion and a curved portion extending from the flat portion along a first direction and having a curvature. The target image includes a first area corresponding to the flat portion of the specimen and a second area corresponding to the curved portion of the specimen. The defect inspection device is configured to determine a defect of the specimen based on the target image. The defect inspection device includes an image editor that is configured to enlarge a width of the second area along the first direction by a resize ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong-keun Ha
  • Patent number: 11238303
    Abstract: An image scanning method for a metallic surface and an image scanning system thereof are provided. The method includes sequentially moving one of a plurality of areas on a metallic surface of an object to a detection position, providing far infrared light by a light source component facing the detection position, wherein a light wavelength of the far infrared light is associated with the object, the far infrared light illuminating the detection position with a light incident angle of less than or equal to 90 degrees relative to a normal line of the area located at the detection position, and capturing a detection image of each of the areas sequentially located at the detection position by a photosensitive element according to the far infrared light, wherein the photosensitive element faces the detection position and a photosensitive axis of the photosensitive element is parallel to the normal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 10942132
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inspecting a glass substrate. The apparatus for inspecting a glass substrate includes a stage configured to support the glass substrate, a first light source for irradiating light onto a surface of the glass substrate at a first angle, a first camera for capturing scattered light of the light irradiated from the first light source, a second light source for irradiating light onto the surface of the glass substrate at a second angle greater than the first angle, a second camera for capturing reflected light and scattered light of the light irradiated from the second light source, and a defect detection unit for detecting a defect of the glass substrate using a first image provided by the first camera and a second image provided by the second camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10823666
    Abstract: A method for determining a transmittance of light on oral tissue is provided, comprising: providing an LED; directing light from the LED onto a sample of oral tissue; measuring a first power of the light at a first surface of the sample; measuring a second power of the light at a second surface of the sample; computing surface loss of the light; and determining the transmittance of the light using the first power, the second power, and the surface loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jie Chen, Feifei Jiang
  • Patent number: 10810733
    Abstract: Provided is a defect classification apparatus classifying images of defects of a sample included in images obtained by capturing the sample, the apparatus including an image storage unit for storing the images of the sample acquired by an external image acquisition unit, a defect class storage unit for storing types of defects included in the images of the sample, an image processing unit for extracting images of defects from the images from the sample, processing the extracted images of defects and generating a plurality of defect images, a classifier learning unit for learning a defect classifier using the images of defects of the sample extracted by the image processing unit and data of the plurality of generated defect images, and a defect classification unit for processing the images of the sample by using the classifier learned by the classifier learning unit, to classify the images of defects of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoaki Kondo, Takehiro Hirai, Minoru Harada, Yuji Takagi
  • Patent number: 10734946
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to radiating light on to a front surface of a glass pane comprising a first surface and a second surface defining a thickness between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface is substantially parallel to the second surface; detecting a transmittance of the light through the glass pane; comparing the transmittance through the glass pane to a reference transmittance value corresponding to a clean reference glass pane; and determining, using the transmittance and the reference transmittance, a soiling metric of a photovoltaic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Universidad de Jaen
    Inventors: Eduardo F. Fernandez, Matthew Thomas Muller, Leonardo Micheli, Florencia Marina Almonacid Cruz
  • Patent number: 10724960
    Abstract: An inspection system of an embodiment includes: a planar illumination unit that temporally varies an intensity of light in a periodic manner by spatially moving a stripe pattern of the intensity of light; a time-correlation image generator that generates a time-correlation image with a time-correlation camera or an image capturing system that performs an operation equivalent to that of the time-correlation camera; and a calculation processor that calculates a characteristic from the time-correlation image, the characteristic corresponding to a distribution of normal vectors to an inspection target surface and serving to detect an abnormality based on at least either a difference from a surrounding area or a difference from a reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignees: The University of Tokyo, Ricoh Elemex Corporation, Kochi Prefectural Public University Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Kurihara, Shigeru Ando, Michihiko Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10701341
    Abstract: A calibration method is for a photographic device that photographs an object through a transparent body. The calibration method includes: acquiring a first photographic image by photographing the object without interposing the transparent body; acquiring a second photographic image by photographing the object through the transparent body; calculating an absolute positional deviation that indicates a deviation in coordinates of an image of the object due to the transparent body based on coordinates of an image of the object on the first photographic image and coordinates of an image of the object on the second photographic image; calculating a correction parameter for calibrating the absolute positional deviation; and storing the correction parameter in the photographic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Kishiwada, Shin Aoki, Naoki Kikuchi, Kagehiro Nagao
  • Patent number: 10598588
    Abstract: A sensing method includes sensing the target object by sensing light that is derived from emitted light and has passed the target object, in which the emitted light is circularly polarized light, sensed light is circularly polarized light, and light derived from the emitted light is incident to the target object at an angle greater than 20° and equal to or smaller than 70° that is formed with a normal line of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Majima, Kazuhiro Oki, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 10532948
    Abstract: Portable apparatus for identifying and mitigating defects in electronic devices disposed on substrates or windows are disclosed herein. Such defects can be visually perceived by the end user. The substrates or windows may include flat panel displays, photovoltaic windows, electrochromic devices, and the like, particularly electrochromic windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Rozbicki, Bruce Baxter
  • Patent number: 10356263
    Abstract: To specify the position of a crease on a document without necessitating an additional configuration, such as a new sensor and a reading angle switching mechanism. An image reading apparatus including: a light emission controlling unit controlling light emission patterns of a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit included in a image reading unit; and a determining unit performing determination relating to a crease produced on a document by comparing a first image obtained by reading the document in a first light emission pattern and a second image obtained by reading the document in a second light emission pattern; and wherein the second light emission pattern is different from the first light emission pattern in balance of a quantity of emitted light from the upstream side of a light receiving unit and a quantity of emitted light from the downstream side of the light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuhei Tada
  • Patent number: 10345632
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a worktable for testing a liquid crystal panel. In one embodiment, the worktable for testing the liquid crystal panel includes: a table body, an upper surface of which being formed with a mounting groove in order to form a light-transmittance region; wherein, the table body is further formed with a slot that has an opening in a side surface of the table body and that is configured to mount a lower polarizer therein so that the lower polarizer at least covers the light-transmittance region. The present disclosure also provides a test apparatus including the mentioned worktable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Zhang, Zheng Bian, Dongsheng Xu, Yongyong Zhang, Yujia Wang, Chong Guo
  • Patent number: 10310301
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a worktable for testing a liquid crystal panel. In one embodiment, the worktable for testing the liquid crystal panel includes: a table body, an upper surface of which being formed with a mounting groove in order to form a light-transmittance region; wherein, the table body is further formed with a slot that has an opening in a side surface of the table body and that is configured to mount a lower polarizer therein so that the lower polarizer at least covers the light-transmittance region. The present disclosure also provides a test apparatus including the mentioned worktable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Zhang, Zheng Bian, Dongsheng Xu, Yongyong Zhang, Yujia Wang, Chong Guo
  • Patent number: 10209203
    Abstract: A wafer inspection apparatus including a light emitter configured to emit light onto a to-be-inspected surface of a wafer, an imaging unit configured to obtain an image formed by the light emitted from the light emitter and reflected by the to-be-inspected surface, a moving unit configured to move a to-be-inspected position on the to-be-inspected surface by controlling a position of one of the wafer and the light emitter, and an inspecting unit configured to inspect the to-be-inspected surface by detecting a scatter image formed by the light that is emitted from the light emitter and scattered by a defect of the to-be-inspected surface, where the scatter image is formed outside an outline of the image formed by the light emitted from the light emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Hajime Fujikura
  • Patent number: 10147198
    Abstract: Provided is a measurement device that is highly accurate due to an optical configuration. The following are provided: a pattern projector that projects an optical pattern; and a pattern image receiver that receives the optical pattern which was projected. The pattern image receiver includes: a pattern image pickup unit that picks up an image of the optical pattern and converts the same to image pickup data; and a point coordinate value calculation unit that, on the basis of the converted image pickup data, calculates a 3D coordinate value for the position of the image pickup unit or a position known from the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SHINANO KENSHI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Sugihara
  • Patent number: 10025965
    Abstract: A method, device, and inspection line for optically reading portions in relief on a side wall of a container, includes using a light source to light a portion of interest with a peripheral incident light beam comprising non-parallel radial light rays and using specular reflection of the beam on the portion of interest and on the portions in relief through an optical element to form a plane image in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor. The image received by the sensor is processed in order to detect the portions in relief to cause the light source that provides the peripheral incident light beam to move relative to the optical element in translation along the direction of a theoretical central axis to modify the contrast of the image received by the sensor between zones of the image that correspond to the portions in relief and adjacent zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TIAMA
    Inventor: Lubin Fayolle
  • Patent number: 9978620
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and a method for reducing the adverse effects of exposing portions of an integrated circuit (IC) device to various forms of radiation during one or more operations found within the IC formation processing sequence by controlling the environment surrounding and temperature of an IC device during one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence. The provided energy may include the delivery of radiation to a surface of a formed or a partially formed IC device during a deposition, etching, inspection or post-processing process operation. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the temperature of the substrate on which the IC device is formed is controlled to a temperature that is below room temperature (e.g., <20° C.) during the one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gary E. Dickerson, Seng (victor) Keong Lim, Samer Banna, Gregory Kirk, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Patent number: 9958262
    Abstract: A system for measuring the profile or the refractive index of a transparent object by fringe projection techniques is provided and has an image generating device, an image capture device, and an image processor. The image generating device produces a reference image with a long depth of focus. This reference image is emitted into an inspected transparent object, and is distorted by the refractive index and the profile of the transparent object. The image capture device receives the distorted image. The image processor analyzes the difference between the distorted image and the reference image, so as to identify the profile or the refractive index of the inspected transparent object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wei-Hung Su, Chau-Jern Cheng, Guang-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 9948842
    Abstract: A high resolution image of a CCD camera subassembly is examined to determine whether dust is present inside the subassembly. By examining the size, number, and location of the dust particles it can be determined whether the dust is likely to cause issues when the camera subassembly is integrated into a fully assembled document scanner. Other contaminants and defects, such as scratches on the glass covering, can also be detected. This method can be used as the acceptance criteria of individual camera subassemblies from the manufacturer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KODAK ALARIS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Johnson, John Jamieson
  • Patent number: 9885673
    Abstract: A quantitative, high-sensitivity examination of defects in a transparent product is realized, using a low-cost and space-saving optical dimension measuring apparatus to carry out measurement in a non-contact manner to avoid damaging the object of inspection and to avoid sensory examination. A transparent body to be examined is disposed between a light emitting unit and a light-receiving unit arranged opposite each other. A change in an optical path caused by a defect in the transparent body is detected based on a change in a light ray emitted from the light emitting unit and being incident on the light-receiving unit after passing through the transparent body and a light-blocking object disposed between the transparent body and the light-receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9885803
    Abstract: In embodiments of translucent object presence and condition detection based on detected light intensity, a light is emitted and directed at a first edge of a translucent object along its thickness to pass through the translucent object, such as a lens. An intensity of the light is detected proximate an opposing, second edge of the translucent object. A presence and/or a condition of the translucent object can then be determined based on the detected intensity of the light that passes through the translucent object, where the detected intensity of the light that passes through the translucent object is relative and indicates one of: the presence of the translucent object based on a lower intensity of the light, or the translucent object is not present based on a higher intensity of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Amir A. Norton
  • Patent number: 9709507
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for measuring contamination of a filter. The filter contamination measuring apparatus includes a light-emitting unit which provides light having, a predetermined wavelength to a filter adsorbs foreign materials, a light-receiving unit which receives light reflected by the filter and convert reflected light information into a digital code to output, and a contamination calculating unit which processes the digital code provided by the light-receiving unit and calculates a degree of contamination of the filter, wherein the contamination calculating unit calculates a degree, in which a wavelength of the light reflected by the filter is shifted from the predetermined wavelength, compares intensity of light provided by the light-emitting unit with intensity of the light reflected by the filter, and calculates the degree of contamination of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: RAYTRON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hyun Young Lee, Ji Woong Jang
  • Patent number: 9646893
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and a method for reducing the adverse effects of exposing portions of an integrated circuit (IC) device to various forms of radiation during one or more operations found within the IC formation processing sequence by controlling the environment surrounding and temperature of an IC device during one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence. The provided energy may include the delivery of radiation to a surface of a formed or a partially formed IC device during a deposition, etching, inspection or post-processing process operation. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the temperature of the substrate on which the IC device is formed is controlled to a temperature that is below room temperature (e.g., <20° C.) during the one or more parts of the IC formation processing sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gary E. Dickerson, Seng (victor) Keong Lim, Samer Banna, Gregory Kirk, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Patent number: 9600748
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining a sheet height of a sheet conveyed by a sheet transportation unit. An optical sensor is used for sensing the surface geometry of the sheet, resulting in a two-dimensional height image of the sheet. The height image has pixels that have a value representing a local height of the sheet. The method comprises the steps of: a) selecting from the height image pixels that have a deviating value; b) substituting the deviating value of a selected pixel by a realistic value that is derived from not selected pixels; and c) determining a sheet height by finding a maximum value from the values of the not selected pixels and the substituted values. Furthermore, a print system is provided that comprises a control unit that is configured to apply the invented method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: OCÉ-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Catharinus Van Acquoij, Daisuke Kawaguchi, Cornelius M. F. Janssen
  • Patent number: 9574940
    Abstract: A detecting system for detecting an under-test light of an under-test object includes a light spatial distribution unit, a chromatic-dispersion light-splitting unit and a detecting unit. The light spatial distribution unit is disposed on a side of the under-test object to receive the under-test light and form a plurality of point light sources. The chromatic-dispersion light-splitting unit is disposed on a side of the light spatial distribution unit to receive the point light sources and produce a light-splitting signal. The detecting unit is disposed on a side of the chromatic-dispersion light-splitting unit to receive the light-splitting signal and produce an optical field distribution of the under-test light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ching-Cherng Sun, Yeh-Wei Yu, Ting-Wei Lin, Che-Chu Lin
  • Patent number: 9568435
    Abstract: A compact and versatile multi-spot inspection imaging system employs an objective for focusing an array of radiation beams to a surface and a second reflective or refractive objective having a large numerical aperture for collecting scattered radiation from the array of illuminated spots. The scattered radiation from each illuminated spot is focused to a corresponding optical fiber channel so that information about a scattering may be conveyed to a corresponding detector in a remote detector array for processing. In one embodiment, a one-dimensional array of illumination beams is directed at an oblique angle to the surface to illuminate a line of illuminated spots at an angle to the plane of incidence. Radiation scattered from the spots are collected along directions perpendicular to the line of spots or in a double dark field configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Lawrence Robert Miller
  • Patent number: 9335278
    Abstract: Inspection equipment for a screw part of a bottle-can having a mouth section provided with a curl portion in which an opening edge thereof is rolled up outward and the screw part for fitting a cap by threads below the curl portion for attaching the cap with a liner, the inspection equipment inspects a shape of the screw part of the mouth section by imaging an imaging area which is set so as to include a part of the mouth section while rotating the bottle-can around a can-axis, the inspection equipment including: a rotating device which holds and rotates the bottle-can around the can-axis; a thread-illumination device which irradiates illumination light toward the screw part of the bottle-can; an imaging device which continuously obtains inspection images including reflected light of the illumination light at the imaging area; and an thread-inspection device which inspects the screw part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Universal Can Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Kurosawa, Tadayuki Sota
  • Patent number: 9316600
    Abstract: An inspection method and inspection equipment for mouth section of bottle-can including: first-inspection process for eliminating the bottle-can in which existence of a low-brightness area is detected from a monochrome inspection-image which is obtained by imaging the curl portion with irradiating white light to the curl portion in an imaging area of the bottle-can which is conveyed along a main-conveyance path; and a second-inspection process for judging quality of the bottle-can while conveying the bottle-can which is eliminated by the first-inspection process along a secondary-conveyance path, by irradiating illumination lights having two colors from different directions to the curl portion in the imaging area along substantially a tangential direction of a cylindrical surface of the mouth section so as to image a color inspection-image, and distinguishing existence or not of the asperity on the curl portion from signal strengths of the light colors of the color inspection-image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Universal Can Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Kurosawa, Tadayuki Sota, Tadafumi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9221570
    Abstract: A production device of linked packaged products comprised of a first set number of packages linked in a line forms and transports a strip of linked packages, judges if the packages in the strip of linked packages are good packages or defective packages, cuts the strip of linked packages each time the first set number of the good packages are successively transported and cuts the strip of linked packages between the good package and the defective package, whereby good products which are comprised of the first set number of the good packages, fractional products which are comprised of a number of the good packages less than the first set number, and defective products which are comprised of at least one of the defective packages are formed, and transports the good products, the fractional products, and the defective products along respectively different transport routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youji Shinomori, Seiji Murakami
  • Patent number: 9151707
    Abstract: A method for checking an inspection device for a product flow, where the proper functioning of the inspection device can be checked even without using test containers specially provided for such checking, and having a radiation detector for measuring an inspection radiation after interacting with the products in order to detect a characteristic test radiation, and a further check is made as to whether the detected test radiation fulfills a target requirement characteristic of proper functioning of the inspection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Peter Lindner
  • Patent number: 9074874
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for detecting and determining a type of a coating on either surface of a transparent sheet, measuring a thickness of the transparent sheet and measuring a spacing between at least two transparent sheets. The method and device include at least three discrete light sources, a 2D image generating device, a lens, and a processor. A reflected image area from the surfaces of the transparent sheet from each of the at least three discrete light sources produces a sparse spectrometer profile used to detect the coating and to determine the type of coating on either surface of the transparent sheet. A distance between the reflected image position from the at least three discrete light sources from both surfaces of the transparent sheet is used to calculate the thickness of the transparent sheet and the spacing between at least two transparent sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: LiteSentry Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Blair
  • Patent number: 9030657
    Abstract: A device and method for subaperture stray light detection and diagnosis. A test light beam is generated. Stray light is detected. Based on the detected stray light, potential paths that light may have taken to arrive at the detection surface are determined. A testing device comprises a test light beam source whereby the cross sectional area of the test light beam is made less than the cross sectional area of the system aperture. A relative lateral positioning stage and an angular beam directing stage launch the test light beam into the aperture. A detector and a data processing system produce a data set relating the stray light to the location and directional angles of the test light beam to identify the sources of stray light. A light trap and test light beam delivery system are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: William P. Kuhn, Ph.D., LLC
    Inventors: William P. Kuhn, John C. Stover, Robert S. LeCompte
  • Patent number: 9001318
    Abstract: A method carries out a soiling check of the measurement window of a measuring device for checking sheet material. A measuring device carries out the method. A device for processing a sheet material comprises the measuring device. The soiling check uses, only areas of the measurement window which correspond, in terms of width and position in the beam path of a light, to the areas of the checked sheet material which are checked during the checking of the sheet material. As a result, fewer cleaning steps are needed for the measurement window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Steffen Schmalz
  • Patent number: 8976349
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a particle-based image display having a plurality of imaging cells is disclosed. The method includes filling the plurality of imaging cells with a plurality of first particles, identifying a defect associated with one or more of the imaging cells, and repairing the defect within a unit corresponding to part of the plurality of imaging cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jui-Yu Lin, Jen-Ming Chang, Jiunn-Jye Hwang, Jung-Yang Juang, Ming-Hai Chang, Hao-Jan Wan
  • Patent number: 8958063
    Abstract: An illumination device for providing near isotropic illumination, and particularly an illumination system for detecting the defect in a transparent substrate and a detection system including the same are presented. An illumination system includes: an illumination system for detecting the defect in a transparent substrate, including light source receptacle in bar shape; first spot light sources, each emitting a respective first light, the respective first lights being substantially parallel to each other and the first spot light sources being arranged to a first line of spot light sources along the longitudinal direction of the receptacle; and second spot light sources, each emitting a respective second light, the respective second lights being substantially parallel to each other and the second spot light sources being arranged to a second line of spot light sources along the longitudinal direction of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Guo, Huifen Li, Xiaofeng Lin, Xiaowei Sun, Wenhua Deng
  • Patent number: 8958064
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inspection device for monitoring containers, particularly bottles, comprising at least one transport path for supplying and removing the containers, a lighting unit, and optical measuring unit, and a control unit, wherein the lighting unit is surrounded by a transparent hollow body mounted in a rotatable fashion about the central axis, and the hollow body may be driven by a motor, either directly or via appropriate operative connections. Ideally, the hollow body is a tube made of a material or mixture of materials that is transparent to rays in the optically visible wavelength range, in the infrared range, and/or in the ultraviolet range, wherein the material is at least partially transparent to said rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Wiemer, Horst Böcker
  • Publication number: 20140347657
    Abstract: An illumination device for providing near isotropic illumination, and particularly an illumination system for detecting the defect in a transparent substrate and a detection system including the same are presented, An illumination system includes: an illumination system for detecting the defect in a transparent substrate, including light source receptacle in bar shape; first spot light sources, each emitting a respective first light, the respective first lights being substantially parallel to each other and the first spot light sources being arranged to a first line of spot light sources along the longitudinal direction of the receptacle; and second spot light sources, each emitting a respective second light, the respective second lights being substantially parallel to each other and the second spot light sources being arranged to a second line of spot light sources along the longitudinal direction of the receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Guo, Huifen Li, Xiaofeng Lin, Xiaowei Sun, Wenhua Deng
  • Patent number: 8896828
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inspecting a container having a mouth, and a base with a punt opposite of the container mouth. Light energy is directed into the container and through the container mouth, using at least one light source, and light energy transmitted through the container mouth is sensed. The at least one light source is disposed on at least one side of the container so that the light energy is directed through a side wall of the container and onto the punt of the container base such that at least a portion of the light energy is reflected off the punt to extend through the container mouth to the light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Ringlien
  • Patent number: 8876569
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention disclose a vacuum cell-assembling device and a cell-assembling method. The vacuum cell-assembling device comprises: an upper substrate, a signal processing apparatus, and a lower substrate provided opposite to the upper substrate, wherein the upper substrate is provided with a light-emitting apparatus thereon, and the lower substrate is provided a photosensitive receiving element array thereon, and the photosensitive receiving element array is connected with the signal processing apparatus, and the signal processing apparatus is adapted for converting the electrical signals from the photosensitive receiving element array to a liquid crystal diffusion-simulation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bingyu Chen, Huan Tang, Tingze Dong, Ying Liu
  • Publication number: 20140300893
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus comprising, a light source that emits a laser beam, a lens array on which the laser beam is illuminated, a plurality of element lenses having a diameter greater than or equal to the laser beam are arranged in the lens array, the lens array being rotatable around an optical axis of the laser beam, wherein the two lens arrays are arrayed in an optical axis direction of the laser beam, and the element lenses in each lens array are arranged such that a boundary between the element lenses adjacent to each other radiates from a rotation center of the lens array and a direction in which the element lens of one of the lens arrays traverses the optical axis of the laser beam is orthogonal to a direction in which the element lens of the other lens array traverses the optical axis of the laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Riki OGAWA, Hiroyuki NAGAHAMA, Takeshi FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 8854615
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection apparatus includes a first monochromatic body disposed behind an inspection target including a transparent member or a semitransparent member, relative to an observation position which deviates from a normal direction of the inspection target, a light source configured to illuminate the inspection target and disposed at such a position in front of the inspection target that an image of the light source is not reflected on the inspection target which is observed at the observation position, and a second monochromatic body disposed at such a position in front of the inspection target that an image of the second monochromatic body is reflected on the inspection target which is observed at the observation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8855450
    Abstract: A system for measuring properties of a thin film coated glass having a light source, a spectrometer, at least one pair of probes, a first optical fiber switch and a second optical fiber switch. The pair of probes includes a first probe located on one side of a glass sheet and a second probe located on the opposite side of the glass sheet, directly across from the first probe. The first and second optical fiber switches are adapted to couple either probe to the light source and/or the spectrometer. Because the design of the system is optically symmetrical, calibration may be performed without the use of a reference material such as a tile or mirror. Each of the first and second probes has a first leg and a second leg that are separated from each other by a distance n so that angled reflections may be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cardinal CG Company
    Inventors: Jordan B. Lagerman, Keith J. Burrows, Kyle R. Thering