Manufacturing Or Product Inspection Patents (Class 382/141)
  • Patent number: 11449980
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a part in a manufacturing environment, the method including: acquiring at least one image of the part; optionally enhancing the at least one image; automatically analyzing the enhanced image to determine if the part has a potential defect; if it is determined that there is a potential defect: displaying the at least one image to an operator; and receiving operator input of a part status, wherein the part status may be defect or no defect; and storing the part status in association with the at least one image. The automatic analysis may include a confidence level and only images having a confidence level that does not meet a threshold will be displayed to an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventors: Steven Donald Wardell, Daniel Blair De Verteuil
  • Patent number: 11442045
    Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for characterizing and quantifying composite laminate structures. The method and system take a composite laminate of unknown ply stack composition and sequence and determine various information about the individual plies, such as ply stack, orientation, microstructure, and type. The method and system can distinguish between weave types that may exhibit similar planar stiffness behaviors, but would produce different failure mechanisms. Individual ply information may then be used to derive the laminate bulk properties from externally provided constitutive properties of the fiber and matrix, including extensional stiffness, bending-extension coupling stiffness, bending stiffness, and the like. The laminate bulk properties may then be used to generate a probabilistic failure envelope for the composite laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: VERIFI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Jack, John E. Fitch, Theresa Vo
  • Patent number: 11436458
    Abstract: An ingredient data system that ingests text and graphics of product labels associated with consumer products to check compliance with rules pertaining to what can be included on the product labels generally includes a memory having instructions stored thereon, and at least one processor to execute the instructions to transmit via a network a representation of a label view to a user interface on a client computing device that displays one or more of the base attributes associated with the first request, at least a portion of each of the images of one or more of the product labels of the consumer products designated under one or more of the base attributes associated with the first request, and at least a portion of details of noncompliance when one or more of the pieces of the constituent information are identified as impermissible according to the compliance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC
    Inventors: Ronak Sheth, Anton Xavier, Dagan Xavier, Dheeraj Patri, Tyler Trollinger, Harrison Nguyen, John Castaldo, Jeffrey Williams, Abbie Bys, Paul Hutchinson, James Shedlick, Jack Mallers
  • Patent number: 11415260
    Abstract: Robotic inspection device for tank and pipe inspections includes a housing configured to be positioned on a portion within a flow apparatus. The portion has a wall with a coating on the wall. The coating has a coating thickness. The device has a magnetic transducer mounted to the housing. The magnetic transducer is configured to measure a magnetic flux permeability through the coating on the wall. A computer system is mounted to the housing. The computer system is operatively coupled to the magnetic transducer. The computer system includes one or more processors and a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include receiving magnetic flux permeability measured by the magnetic transducer at a location on the portion and determining a coating thickness at the location based on the magnetic flux permeability measured at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Amer D. Hajri, Rashid D. Al Hajri, Fikri A. Suwailah, Kazem H. Al Musabbeh
  • Patent number: 11392106
    Abstract: To improve the usability so that the result of adjustment of a plurality of axes operating in cooperation is easily evaluated. An adjustment apparatus displays a graph indicating a temporal change of measurement data for each control axis and a control instruction on the same time base in a first area in a screen, and displays a control trajectory of a control position of each control axis, the control instruction, and a target trajectory of a target position in the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Nakajima, Mamoru Egi
  • Patent number: 11386540
    Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating material samples are provided. Digital images of the samples are processed to extract computer-vision features, which are used to train a classification algorithm. The computer-vision features of a test sample are evaluated by the trained classification algorithm to identify the test sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jennifer F. Schumacher, James B. Snyder, Nicholas A. Asendorf
  • Patent number: 11373300
    Abstract: Within a first image in a set of images comprising a panoramic view of a scene, a first boundary feature is identified using a model. Within the first boundary feature, a first set of points is selected. Within a second image in the set of images, a second boundary feature is identified using the model. Within the second boundary feature, a second set of points is selected. A set of parameters of a geometrical shape including the first set of points and the second set of points is determined. From the first image and the second image, a panoramic image is formed, the first image placed within the panoramic image according to the position of the first image on the geometrical shape, the second image placed in the panoramic image according to the position of the second image on the geometrical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakano, Yoshinori Kabeya, Sho Yonezawa, Haruka Ichimura, Tomoko Murayama
  • Patent number: 11373294
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more images of bitmap data applied to a print medium as print medium image data, register the print medium image data to the bitmap data, detecting one or more candidate defects based on whether a difference between the print medium image data at a location and the bitmap data at the location exceeds a predetermined threshold, detecting one or more defects among the candidate defects and transmitting information about the one or more candidate defects classified as defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Walter F. Kailey, Carl M. Dennison
  • Patent number: 11357615
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for making an implant for an eye comprises a printer, a camera, and a computer. The printer prints material onto a target and has a printer head and printer controller. The printer head deposits the material onto the target, and the printer controller moves the printer head to deposit the material onto a specific location of the target. The camera generates an image to monitor the printing of the material. The computer stores a pattern for the implant, which is designed to provide refractive treatment for the eye; sends instructions to the printer controller to move the printer head to print the material onto the target according to the pattern; assesses the image from the camera according to the pattern; and adjusts the instructions in response to the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Schmid, Stefan Bornemann, Thomas Deisinger
  • Patent number: 11354814
    Abstract: A computer vision-based fastener loosening detection approach is described. A first image is captured at a first time and a second image is captured at a second time. A feature-based image registration is performed to create a third image. An intensity-based image registration is performed to create a fourth image. Registration errors are determined based on a comparison of the first and fourth images. A feature enhancement process is performed on the registration errors to determine whether the fastener has loosened between the first time and the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: University of Kansas
    Inventors: Xiangxiong Kong, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 11349908
    Abstract: A system uses templates to generate data structures, for example, pipelines for deploying services in cloud based system. A template contains templating expressions used as placeholders for actual values. The generated data structure may be modified, for example, using an application. The system generates a reverse substitution map that associates actual values used in a data structure instance with a corresponding templating expression used as placeholders for the actual values. The system generates a modified version of the template for a modified version of the data structure by replacing actual values with the corresponding templating expressions from the reverse substitution map. The system can use the modified template to generate other instances of data structure that include the modifications made to the data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Aleksey Pershin
  • Patent number: 11334984
    Abstract: Provided is an analysis method for a crack rate of an electrode active material of an electrode, comprising the steps of: forming an electrode including an electrode active material, a binder, and a conductive material; impregnating the electrode with a resin and visualizing material regions including the electrode active material, the binder, and the conductive material which are included in the electrode, and a pore region; cutting the electrode and forming an electrode cross-section sample; photographing a cross section of the electrode cross-section sample using a scanning electron microscope and obtaining a cross-sectional image; performing primary image processing on the cross-sectional image and extracting total surface area pixels of the electrode active material; performing secondary image processing on the cross-sectional image and extracting total boundary pixels of the electrode active material; and calculating a crack rate of the electrode active material of the electrode in the cross-sectional i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Hoon Han, Joo Yul Baek
  • Patent number: 11334996
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing and analyzing a quality of an orthodontic aligner is described. An orthodontic aligner is manufactured by printing a mold associated with a dental arch of a patient based on a digital model of the mold, forming an orthodontic aligner over the mold, and trimming the orthodontic aligner. A quality of the orthodontic aligner is then assessed by imaging the orthodontic aligner to generate a first digital representation of the orthodontic aligner, comparing the first digital representation of the orthodontic aligner to a digital file associated with the orthodontic aligner, determining whether a cutline variation is detected between the orthodontic aligner and the digital file, and determining whether there is a manufacturing defect of the orthodontic aligner based on whether the cutline variation exceeds a cutline variation threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anatoliy Parpara, Ivan Kharpalev, Stephan Albert Alexandre Dumothier, Andrey Cherkas, Alexey Kalinichenko, Jack Shaw, Israel Velazquez
  • Patent number: 11330169
    Abstract: A spot detecting apparatus includes a photographing part and a spot detecting part. The photographing part photographs, in a first resolution, an image displayed on a display panel to output first resolution image data, and photograph, in a second resolution, the image displayed on the display panel to output second resolution image data, where the second resolution is higher than the first resolution, and the image displayed on the display panel includes a first spot greater than or equal to a reference size and a second spot less than the reference size. The spot detecting part receives the first resolution image data and the second resolution image data, and subtracts the first resolution image data from the second resolution image data to detect the second spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Se-Yun Kim, Hoi-Sik Moon
  • Patent number: 11328435
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining one or more alignment parameters for use in a process performed on a specimen are provided. One method includes determining measures of similarity between images generated by an imaging system for corresponding locations in each of two or more pairs of dies on a specimen and performing cluster analysis based on the determined measures of similarity to identify the images that are most similar to each other and to assign different subsets of the images that are most similar to each other to different die clusters, respectively. The method also includes separately determining one or more alignment parameters for two or more of the different die clusters. The one or more alignment parameters are used for aligning images generated by the imaging system for the specimen or another specimen to a common reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: KLA Corp.
    Inventors: Bjorn Brauer, Huan Jin, Xiaochun Li
  • Patent number: 11327028
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a ceramic ball automatic sorting system and method. The system automatically sucks a ceramic ball on a ceramic ball feeding track for image acquisition, identifies whether the ceramic ball is defective according to the acquired image information, and determines a ball storage device into which the ceramic ball is placed, and the whole process does not require manual participation, which achieves the automation of ceramic ball defect identification and sorting and improves the ceramic ball defect identification accuracy and sorting efficiency. According to the method, images of the ball surface shot at each angle are automatically spliced by using an automatic image splicing technology to achieve full coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SINOMA ADVANCED NITRIDE CERAMICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jian Song, Feng Sun, Weiru Zhang, Tingxia Dong, Xuemin Xu, Baocun Zhang, Shangjin Si
  • Patent number: 11321811
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus an image sensor which generates a reference image data of a reference area that includes a measuring area in which a display panel is positioned and an image processor which determines the measuring area by analyzing luminance of the reference image data and generates a crop image data that includes a measuring image data of the measuring area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jonguk Bang, Joo-Young Lee, Jinwon Kim, Sun Hyang Song, Myoung Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11321846
    Abstract: Some embodiments of devices, systems, and methods obtain at least one first image, wherein the at least one first image is defined in an image space; select at least one feature in the at least one first image; define a topology based on the at least one feature; generate a topology mapping between the topology and the image-space topology; obtain a plurality of anomaly scores, wherein each anomaly score of the plurality of anomaly scores was generated based on a respective detection area in a second image; map the plurality of anomaly scores to the topology based on the topology mapping; and normalize each anomaly score in the plurality of anomaly scores based on the respective neighboring anomaly scores in the topology, thereby generating normalized anomaly scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Virginia, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiwu Cao, Bradley Scott Denney
  • Patent number: 11282089
    Abstract: A recalled product detection and notification system may include a camera device positioned to capture image data of consumable products and communicate associated image data via the cloud. The system may also include a recalled products server that may include a memory for storing product category data associated with recalled products and product identifier data associated with the recalled products, and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to communicate via the cloud with the camera device and download image data therefrom, and determine if the image data corresponds to a product category of recalled products based upon the product category data, and when so, generate a first user notification. The processor may also be configured to determine if the image data corresponds to a recalled product based upon the product identifier data, and when so, generate a second user notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: INMAR SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Andreas Marc Benamou
  • Patent number: 11276163
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to autonomous control of an imaging system. In some embodiments, training information including at least a plurality of images and action information are received. The plurality of images and action information are provided to a prediction model to train the prediction model. Further, an image capturing device is controlled to capture an image of a portion of a living organism, the image is processed, via the prediction model, to determine an action to be taken with respect to the image, and the determined action is taken with respect to the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Alvitae LLC
    Inventor: Bob Sueh-chien Hu
  • Patent number: 11270429
    Abstract: The disclosure herein generally relates to image processing, and, more particularly, to a method and system for impurity detection using multi-modal image processing. This system uses a combination of polarization data, and at least one of a depth data and an RGB image data to perform the impurity material detection. The system uses a graph fusion based approach while processing the captured images to detect presence of the impurity material, and accordingly alert the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Achanna Anil Kumar, Rishab Khawad, Riddhi Panse, Andrew Gigie, Tapas Chakravarty, Kriti Kumar, Saurabh Sahu, Mariswamy Girish Chandra
  • Patent number: 11268881
    Abstract: A system for component inspection comprising at least one sensor configured to capture sensor data of the component; and a processor coupled to the at least one sensor, the processor comprising at least one model configured to separate the sensor data into a normal category and an abnormal category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Matthew Finn, Ziyou Xiong, Richard W. Osborne, III, Ozgur Erdinc
  • Patent number: 11270524
    Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) analyze media content captured at a construction site (e.g., an audio or audiovisual recording) that is descriptive of at least one given on-site item identified by a user while at the construction site, (ii) extract, from the captured media content, a set of information for the given on-site item, (iii) based on the extracted set of information for the given on-site item, generate a data record for the given on-site item, and (iv) cause the generated data record for the given on-site item to be presented to the user for review.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Procore Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Florian Winterstein, Raf Colasante
  • Patent number: 11255716
    Abstract: An analysis support apparatus includes: a feature interpreting section extracting a feature from a target analysis model generated from vibration data and classifying the feature into an abnormality determination feature, or a feature representing a vibration and enabling determining whether abnormality occurs; an abnormality determination range creating section identifying a range being determined to be abnormal of the abnormality determination feature of the target analysis model as an abnormality determination range; a similar model selecting section calculating an overlapping degree indicating how much the abnormality determination ranges of the target analysis model and one or more predetermined reference analysis models overlap and selecting, based on the overlapping degree, a similar analysis model similar to the target analysis model from the reference analysis models; and an abnormality range difference calculating section extracting a difference between the abnormality determination ranges of the ta
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Komatsuda, Takuya Oda
  • Patent number: 11227383
    Abstract: A system, device, and method for inspecting the cosmetic and operational features of electronic devices, including computing and telecommunications devices. The cosmetic inspection system includes an image capture unit for capturing the images of the electronic devices, and a user interface for processing the captured images and providing relevant information to the user of the system. Images of the external components such as external casing materials or touch screens of electronic devices are captured and the cosmetic inspection system uses baseline images to make determinations to identify defective components of the electronic devices. Based on these determinations, the system may conclude which, if any, replacement components of the devices are needed to restore the electronic device. In one embodiment, a user of the system may then be provided with information through a user interface about defective components and options for ordering replacement components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FEDEX SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS & ELECTRONICS, INC
    Inventors: Clark Humphrey, Brian Morris
  • Patent number: 11216980
    Abstract: Method and device configured for color similarity evaluation between a first and a second color, comprising the steps of: calculating one or more filters from said first and second colors; determining that the first and second colors are dissimilar if at least one of the calculated filters is above a threshold predetermined for each filter; otherwise, calculating the CIEDE2000 color-difference and determining that the first and second colors are dissimilar if the calculated CIEDE2000 color-difference is above a predetermined threshold; otherwise, determining that they are similar. A module filter may calculate the module of the difference vector between the first and second colors represented as 3D coordinates in the RGB color space, the angle between the two vectors of the first and second colors represented as 3D coordinates in the RGB color space, or the lightness difference between the first and second colors in the CIELAB color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: INESC TEC—INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIA DE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES, TECNOLOGIA E CIÊNCIA
    Inventors: Américo José Rodrigues Pereira, Pedro Miguel Machado Soares Carvalho, Luís António Pereira Meneses Corte Real
  • Patent number: 11216932
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus detecting defects in a substrate. An image of the substrate is compared with a reference image to identify potential defects. Images corresponding to the potential defects are processed sequentially by a set of classifiers to generate a set of images that include a defect. The set of classifiers can be arranged to have increasing accuracy. A subset of the images corresponding to the potential defects is processed by a type classifier that can determine the type, size, and location of the defect in the images. The defects can be further processed to determine the severity of the defects based on the location of the defects on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Minds AI Technologies Ltd
    Inventors: Neal Checka, Christos Mario Christoudias
  • Patent number: 11216940
    Abstract: Some embodiments of systems, devices, and methods obtain a plurality of training images; obtain one or more target regions; generate one or more respective statistical characterizations of the one or more target regions; obtain a test image; locate the one or more target regions on the test image; compare the one or more target regions in the test image to the one or more respective statistical characterizations of the one or more target regions; and detect anomalies in the one or more target regions in the test image based at least in part on the comparison of the one or more target regions in the test image to the one or more respective statistical characterizations of the one or more target regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Virginia, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Scott Denney, Yunzhe Zhao
  • Patent number: 11216930
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a processor configured to: partition an image of a structure into regions; detect, for target regions each including crack points among the regions, a representative line segment representing the crack points included in each target region as a basic line segment for each target region; generate, based on basic line segments whose end points are close to each other among the detected basic line segments, a tree structure having an end point of a specific basic line segment as a root; and detect, among routes in the generated tree structure, routes from a top to a bottom of the tree structure corresponding to a basic line segment group in which values indicating degrees of coupling probability between the basic line segments are highest and a total length of the basic line segments coupled is longest, as a stroke corresponding to crack lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yutaka Katsuyama, Eigo Segawa
  • Patent number: 11207852
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow performing an additive manufacturing process using a base object. Some embodiments enable placement of a three-dimensional base object inside a three-dimensional printer and print on the base object to produce a three-dimensional product. One exemplary embodiment is a method including: obtaining a representation of a three-dimensional physical object as a base object; obtaining a representation of a three-dimensional physical object as a product producible by adding layers of material on the base object. A representation of a support structure configured to retain the base object position within an additive manufacturing apparatus is determined, and the support structure is produced using an additive manufacturing process. Alternatively, a representation of an on-object structure determined and the on-object structure is produced using an additive manufacturing process by adding one or more layers of material on the base object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Shmuel Ur Innovation LTD
    Inventor: Shmuel Ur
  • Patent number: 11199558
    Abstract: A method of establishing a sample tube set which is adapted to be processed by a laboratory automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventor: Sebastian Streibl
  • Patent number: 11202057
    Abstract: An adaptable sorter unit includes an attachment mechanism, a device that is capable of moving a first sample by use of a vacuum, a pressurized air inlet, and a valve. The pressurized air inlet is connected to the valve that controls a flow of pressurized air through the device. The valve may be electronically controlled or pneumatically controlled. The location of the adaptable sorter unit may be adjustable based, at least in part, on data captured by an optical inspector. An array of adaptable sorter units may be configured side-by-side to cover the width of the processing line. The device may be a venturi vacuum. The adaptable sorter unit may include a baseline vacuum control valve that causes a baseline vacuum force to be applied. An electrical control signal may be used to open the valve, the frequency of which may control the amount of time the valve is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Qcify Inc.
    Inventors: Raf Peeters, Pieter Boogaerts, Joachim Van der Perre
  • Patent number: 11196942
    Abstract: An image processing device (100) for a medical observation device (102), such as a microscope (104) or endoscope, is disclosed. The image processing device (100) comprises an image processor (106). The image processor (106) is configured to obtain a digital pseudocolor pattern (116), which has a pattern characteristic (118) and comprises a pseudocolor (120). The image processor (106) is further adapted to combine the digital pseudocolor pattern (116) with an input area (122) of retrieved digital input image (108, 110), thus forming a patterned region (124). Moreover, the image processor (106) is adapted to vary the pattern characteristic at a location (126) in the patterned region (124) depending on one of the intensity (I) and brightness (B) at a corresponding location (128) in the input area (122) of at least one of the digital input images (108, 110) and retrieved digital input image (108, 110); and to output at least one digital output image (130) comprising the patterned region (124).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: George Themelis
  • Patent number: 11182650
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is configured to execute generation processing for generating candidates of second image processing program based on an image processing program, the second image processing program being a next generation image processing program in genetic programming, (b): execute first evaluation processing for evaluating fitness of the candidates of the second image processing program by using low-resolution learning data including an input image and a target processing result, the low-resolution learning data being obtained by reducing the resolution of at least the input image, (c): execute second evaluation processing for narrowing down the candidates of the second image processing program based on an evaluation result in the first evaluation processing, and evaluating the fitness of the narrowed-down candidates by using the learning data, and (d): execute determination processing for determining the second image processing program based on an evaluation result in the second evaluat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagato, Hiroaki Okamoto, Tetsuo Koezuka
  • Patent number: 11172700
    Abstract: A technique relates to tracking a foodstuff. A device images human consumable code formed on the foodstuff, the human consumable code being part of the foodstuff, the foodstuff being unpackaged. A coding associated with the human consumable code is determined. Product information of the foodstuff is retrieved from a computer system by using the coding. The product information of the foodstuff is provided on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vagner Figueredo De Santana, Priscilla Barreira Avegliano, Carlos Henrique Cardonha, Andrea Britto Mattos Lima, Lucas Correia Villa Real
  • Patent number: 11170491
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing a physical structure are provided. Information indicative of an infrared image that includes a portion of the physical structure is received, and one or more indicators within the infrared image exceeding a heat threshold are determined. A plurality of characteristics of the one or more indicators are determined. One or more edges of the portion of the physical structure are detected, and an area associated with an intended use of one or more fasteners associated with the physical structure is determined according to the detected edges. An amount of the one or more indicators corresponding to the area is determined, and the one or more indicators are classified as fasteners according to the determined amount. Based on the classification of the one or more indicators, a condition of the physical structure is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Freeman, Patrick H. Boyer, Nicholas U. Christopulos, Jonathan D. Maurer, Nathan L. Tofte, Jackie O. Jordan, II
  • Patent number: 11164035
    Abstract: Systems and methods for neural-network-based optical character recognition using specialized confidence functions. An example method comprises: receiving a grapheme image; computing, by a neural network, a feature vector representing the grapheme image in a space of image features; and computing a confidence vector associated with the grapheme image, wherein each element of the confidence vector reflects a distance, in the space of image features, between the feature vector and a center of a class of a set of classes, wherein the class is identified by an index of the element of the confidence vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ABBYY Production LLC
    Inventor: Aleksey Zhuravlev
  • Patent number: 11164333
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring of icon in an external display device are disclosed. Images of an icon displayed in a display device may be continually captured as video frames by a video camera of an icon monitoring system. While operating in a first mode, video frames may be continually analyzed to determine if the captured image matches an active template icon known to match the captured image of the icon. While the captured image matches the active template icon, operating in the first mode continues. Upon detecting a failed match to the active template icon, the system starts operating in a second to search among known template icons for a new match. Upon finding a new match, the active template icon may be updated to the new match, and operation switches back to the first mode. Times of transitions between the first and second modes may be recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventor: Konstantinos Antonio Dimitriou
  • Patent number: 11158041
    Abstract: An inspection device is a device that inspects the appearance of a target, including: an imaging device configured to image the target from a first direction; an illuminating unit configured to apply light to the target; and a controller configured to acquire a first inspection image by causing the imaging device to image the target to which light is applied from a first position, to acquire a second inspection image by causing the imaging device to image the target to which light is applied from a second position, and to inspect an appearance of the target based on the first inspection image, the second inspection image, and a reference image. The first position and the second position overlap each other when viewed from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SINTOKOGIO, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ota, Tsutomu Seki, Yoshimitsu Ichino, Junichi Iwasaki, Takeshi Sonohara, Ryuichi Kawakami, Tatsuya Aoki
  • Patent number: 11148232
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a laser machining system includes first deflection optics, second deflection optics, and a coupling device. The first deflection optics deflect a machining laser beam in two directions in space. The second deflection optics deflect a measuring beam in two directions in space independently of the machining laser beam. The coupling device is arranged in a beam path of the machining laser beam and couples the measuring beam into the beam path of the machining laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: PRECITEC GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Matthias Strebel
  • Patent number: 11151655
    Abstract: A structural analysis computing device may generate a proposed insurance claim for an object pictured in a three-dimensional (3D) image. The structural analysis computing device may include a memory, a user interface, an object sensor configured to capture the 3D image, and a processor in communication with the memory and the object sensor. The processor may access the 3D image including the object, and analyze the 3D images to identify features of the object. The processor may also determine a nature and an extent of damage to a damaged feature of the object, and a cost of repair based upon the nature and extent of the damage—such as by inputting the 3D image into a trained machine learning or pattern recognition program. The processor may generate a proposed claim form including the cost of repair, and display the claim form to a user for their review and/or approval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Spader, George T. Dulee, Jr., Donald Yuhas, Aaron Brucker, Chris Stroh, Jeffrey Mousty
  • Patent number: 11150200
    Abstract: A workpiece inspection and defect detection system includes a light source, a lens that inputs image light arising from a surface of a workpiece, and a camera that receives imaging light transmitted along an imaging optical path. The system utilizes images of workpieces acquired with the camera as training images to train a defect detection portion to detect defect images that include workpieces with defects, and determines a performance of the defect detection portion as trained with the training images. Based on the performance of the defect detection portion, an indication is provided as to whether additional defect images should be provided for training. After training is complete, the camera is utilized to acquire new images of workpieces which are analyzed to determine defect images that include workpieces with defects, and for which additional operations may be performed (e.g., metrology operations for measuring dimensions of the defects, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: William Todd Watson, Shannon Roy Campbell, Robert Kamil Bryll
  • Patent number: 11145049
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a polymer membrane, which can improve accuracy of structural analysis of the polymer membrane and shorten the analysis time by effectively removing noise is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Hyung Ju Ryu, Se Jin Ku, Mi Sook Lee, Sung Soo Yoon
  • Patent number: 11145050
    Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes an optical image acquisition mechanism to acquire optical image data of a plurality of regions from a substrate where a plurality of figure patterns are formed, a plurality of comparison circuits each of which performs one of die-to-die inspection processing for comparing the optical image data with each other and die-to-database inspection processing for comparing the optical image data with reference image data generated from design pattern data, and an inspection circuit to individually output, for each region of the plurality of regions, the optical image data of a region concerned to comparison circuits, whose number is variably set for each region, in the plurality of comparison circuits, and to control each comparison circuit, serving as an output destination of the optical image data in the plurality of comparison circuits, to perform one of the die-to-die inspection processing and the die-to-database inspection processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takafumi Inoue, Kazuhiro Nakashima, Manabu Isobe, Hiroteru Akiyama
  • Patent number: 11138901
    Abstract: Systems and methods for item recognition and analysis are disclosed. One or more items are recognized utilizing, for example, image data, and a quantity of the one or more items is determined based at least in part on data representing a weight of the items. Nutritional information associated with the items is determined and utilized for one or more purposes, including, for example, nutrition tracking, meal apportionment, label generation, and recipe creation and modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin-Josef Angel, Animesh Mishra, Robert Steven Murdock, Eric Alan Breitbard, Cressida Magdalen Harding, Vlastimil Pis, Milena Sadee, Gordon Lee, Christopher Mark Stevens Adcock
  • Patent number: 11138718
    Abstract: A method for determining part wear, such as using a wear metric, includes receiving, from a sensor, sensor data representing a surface of a wear part. The method further includes determining distances between measured points in the sensor data and points on one or more part models, which part models may include new part models and/or worn or wear limit part models. The method further includes using a bounding model that at least partially envelopes the part model(s) and the measured points to determine a direction along which the distances are measured. The method may also include quantifying wear using the measured distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Simon Campomanes, Graham Ray Hartoonian, Brandon Hammig McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 11127118
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions to: acquire a plurality of images having angles of view that at least partially overlap each other and varying in in-focus positions, and information corresponding to each of the plurality of images; determine a rearrangement method for rearranging the plurality of images in order of the in-focus positions based on the information; rearrange the plurality of images using the rearrangement method; and generate a combined image by extracting areas in focus from the plurality of images and performing the combining based on the extracted areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Marina Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11102920
    Abstract: A component mounting device capable of selectively performing a tolerance check mode that recognizes a position of a lead after determining whether the size of a lead region is within a tolerance range, and a non-tolerance check mode that recognizes a position of the lead without performing determination of whether the size of the lead region is within the tolerance range. Therefore, even in cases in which it is difficult to set a tolerance range due to the tip of the lead being covered with a viscous fluid such as solder or plating, the position of the lead is appropriately recognized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Inaura
  • Patent number: 11102455
    Abstract: A machine-vision system for monitoring a quality metric for a product. The system includes a controller configured to receive a digital image from an image acquisition device. The controller is also configured to analyze the digital image using a first machine-vision algorithm to compute a measurement of the product. The system also includes a vision server connected to the controller, and configured to compute a quality metric and store the digital image and the measurement in a database storage. The system also includes a remote terminal connected to the vision server, and configured to display the digital image and the quality metric on the remote terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Sight Machine, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Oostendorp, Kurtis Alan Demaagd, Anthony Michael Oliver
  • Patent number: 11073824
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes one or more processors configured to determine one or more geometrical characteristics of each of multiple segments of a build part at a candidate position of the build part relative to a platform. The one or more processors are configured to generate a quality score for each of the segments at the candidate position based on the one or more geometrical characteristics, The one or more processors are also configured to generate a simulation model of the build part at the candidate position for display. The simulation model includes graphic indicators corresponding to each of the segments. The graphic indicators are representative of the quality scores of the corresponding segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric M. Chapman, Dana A. Henshaw