"That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"
President Rutherford B. Hayes ; Said in 1876, after Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone to him at the White House
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6293152 | Method for determining twist potential in wood A method for determining twist potential of wood is described. One embodiment of the method comprises nondestructively obtaining a grain angle of wood, such as trees or lumber, and then determining twist potential of the wood based on the grain angle. Whe... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6291829 | Identification of recording medium in a printer The present invention is a method and device for identifying recording media in a printer. The invention utilizes fine structure of the media revealed by illumination from one or more directions to distinguish among different kinds of plain papers, coated... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6285454 | Optics alignment and calibration system A multi-use assay system accurately docks a removable test strip supporting a reagent-analyte reaction with an optics system including an LED, photodetector, and lenses or light pipes for directing light to and from the test strip. Docking is achieved usi... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6278517 | Device for visually inspecting the surface condition of large-dimension surfaces to be matched This invention concerns a device for visually inspecting the surface condition of large-dimension surfaces to be matched, in particular painted bodywork, with substantially vertical and horizontal surfaces to be matched or painted surfaces. Provided at a ... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6275295 | Optical system for determining physical characteristics of a solar cell The invention provides an improved optical system for determining the physical characteristics of a solar cell. The system comprises a lamp means for projecting light in a wide solid-angle onto the surface of the cell; a chamber for receiving the light th... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6271913 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth comprising a probe body (2) wherein the probe provides light to the surface of the object/tooth (20). Perimeter receiver fiber optics ... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6271941 | Illuminant head assembly for a photographic film image scanner An illuminant head assembly for a photographic film image scanner includes a linear light source, preferably a linear array of spectrally distinct illuminant elements combined with a main body having an elongate light conducting channel aligned with the l... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6261522 | Spectrophotometric apparatus with reagent strip detection An apparatus for automatically detecting the presence of a reagent strip (14) having a body fluid sample disposed thereon and for inspecting the reagent strip (14) after the presence of the reagent strip (14) is detected is provided with a detection syste... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6249340 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface o... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6239868 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface o... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6233047 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Color/optical characteristics measuring systems and methods are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics/elements (7) are spaced apart from a central source fiber optic/element (5) and received light reflected from the surface of the object (20) is meas... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6226085 | Method and apparatus for surface effect characterization A method and system to measure surface characteristics of a specimen. One implementation involves receiving at a receiver optical radiation reflected or scattered from a specimen, the optical radiation including specular components that are spatially enco... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6222620 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface o... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6215554 | Laser diagnostic unit for detecting carcinosis A laser diagnostic unit for detection of carcinosis and method of detecting carcinosis in a patient by examining a specimen taken from the patient. The laser diagnostic unit includes a specimen well for retaining the specimen therein and a laser for irrad... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6208423 | Arrangement at measurement of PH or another chemical property detectable by dye indicators The invention relates to an arrangement at measurement of pH or another chemical property detectable by dye indicators. To provide a simple and safe solution, the measuring part is formed of a glass sheet or a similar substrate, the substrate being coated... | 03/27/2001 |
| 6191849 | Wafer inspecting apparatus Disclosed is a wafer inspecting apparatus suitable to determine whether a scattering substance is a surface foreign matter or an internal defect even if the particle size of the scattering substance is smaller than the wavelength of irradiation rays used ... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6191430 | Gel point sensor A comparison of the specular and diffused radiation reflected from a coating can be used in ratio to locate the gel point of the coating, and to monitor coating drying characteristics. This same system may be used to monitor the drying process of the coat... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6188471 | Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface o... | 02/13/2001 |
| 6184991 | Apparatus and method of measuring dry time of printing composition A detection system for measuring a dry time of a printing composition used by a printing device is disclosed. An embodiment of the detection system includes a source, a sensor, and a controller. The source is configured to transmit a first light signal to... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6172760 | Apparatus for measuring characteristics of a reflection-type holographic optical element An apparatus for simultaneously measuring in real time for a reflection-type holographic optical element the wavelength of maximum diffraction efficiency, the angular and spectral selectivities, and the direction of the grating vector by analyzing the cha... | 01/09/2001 |
| 6157444 | Defect inspection apparatus for silicon wafer In order to easily evaluate defects of the silicon wafer affecting the characteristic of a device, the present invention provides a defect inspection apparatus for detecting defects existing on a surface of a sample and/or inside the sample, which compris... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6148226 | Optical imaging through scattering media: fit to an inhomogeneous diffusion model for differentiation A method of optical imaging through a scattering medium is provided in which a fit is made to an inhomogeneous diffusion model. The method facilitates good differentiation between scattering and absorption. The variation of the diffusion curve associated ... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6130754 | Eyesafe transmission of hazardous laser beams An apparatus and method for transmitting a hazardous electromagnetic beam (10). A hazardous beam (10) and a non-hazardous beam (12) are generated and directed along respective paths which are substantially parallel and either at least partially coincident... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6127673 | Apparatus and method for detecting curvature An apparatus and method for detecting, determining and/or quantifying cable flexing for use in optical instruments or in other instruments such as strain gauges, seismometers, and other instruments in which it is desired to detect, determine and/or quanti... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6111653 | Translucency measurement The translucency of a material is determined by illuminating the material and detecting the intensity of radiation leaving the material as a function of distance from the radiation source. The resulting measurements may be used to determine a "translucenc... | 08/29/2000 |
| 6088104 | Surface characterization apparatus A hand-held instrument provides a simple and elegant approach to determining the presence or absence of a surface condition such as roughening. A light source such as a laser diode illuminates a localized area of the surface to be characterized, and a lig... | 07/11/2000 |
| 6084683 | Optical detection apparatus for chemical analyses of small volumes of samples Optical detection apparatus for chemical analyses of small volumes of samples has light sources (21) to emit induction light, a measuring cell (7) for the sample, photoelectric sensing elements (22) to receive light coming form the sample in the measuring... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6075613 | Optical scanner calibration device An optical scanning system includes a power meter that during calibration operations is illuminated by an attenuated excitation beam. The power meter measures optical power in the attenuated excitation beam at various index settings of a variable optical ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6055060 | Analytical system with means for detecting too small sample volumes Analytical system for evaluating test elements having means of determining whether a sufficient amount of sample liquid was evenly applied to an application zone comprising in a first embodiment of the invention at least two sources of light which illumin... | 04/25/2000 |
| 6055047 | Device for determining the degree of wear of a paper transport roller The degree of wear of the paper transport roller (10) is checked by means of a reflected light barrier (40). To that end, the paper transport roller (10) comprises two layers (13 and 15) applied to the core of the paper transport roller (10). The two laye... | 04/25/2000 |
| 6043896 | Wavelength independent optical probe A wavelength independent optical probe comprises an optical waveguide, a arizing beamsplitter, an optical detector, a quarter-wave plate, a focusing mirror, and a probe enclosure.... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6040904 | Diffuse optical transmission density measurement system An apparatus for measuring diffuse optical transmission density of a photographic films sample uses two integrating spheres and a diffuse light source. Light from the light source is transmitted through a first light modulation system into the first integ... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6040902 | Apparatus and method for measuring color Color measuring systems and methods are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a central source fiber optic and receive light reflected from the surface of the object being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to ... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6034776 | Microroughness-blind optical scattering instrument A microroughness-blind optical scanner focuses p-polarized light onto the rface of a sample. Scattered light is collected through independently rotatable polarizers by one or more collection systems uniformly distributed over a hemispherical shell centere... | 03/07/2000 |
| 6023341 | Device for and method of forming an image of a turbid medium A device for imaging a turbid medium, for example a breast of a female, includes a holder for receiving the medium, a light source, a photodetector and a processing unit for deriving the image from the intensities measured. The holder is adapted to receiv... | 02/08/2000 |
| 6018396 | Glossmeter A glossmeter for the determination of the gloss of regular and irregular shaped objects, including objects with curved surfaces. Illumination is at any desired angle of incidence on the object, which angle can be varied at will. Photosensitive elements (1... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6014204 | Multiple diameter fiber optic device and process of using the same A multiple diameter fiber optic device comprises one or more optical fibers that are used to irradiate light onto a tissue and to detect light back-scattered by the tissue wherein each fiber is used for both irradiation and detection. In the case of multi... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6014223 | Method of determining the impurity concentration of impurity-doped polysilicon in semiconductor wafers A method for determining the impurity concentration of impurity-doped polysilicon layers in semiconductor wafers is provided. Through experiments, it is found that the reflectivity of an impurity-doped polysilicon layer is nearly a regular function of the... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5991022 | Reflectance spectrophotometric apparatus with toroidal mirrors An apparatus uses reflectance spectrophotometry to characterize a sample having any number of thin films. The apparatus uses two toroidal mirrors in an optical relay to direct light reflected by the sample to a spectrophotometer. A computer then analyzes ... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5991038 | Surface pattern unevenness detecting method and apparatus The present invention provides an apparatus and associated method of detecting pattern unevenness in the surface of an object. The apparatus includes a light source for irradiating surfaces of an object and a line sensor camera for detecting unevenness in... | 11/23/1999 |