Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7948632 | Method and apparatus for analysis of a sample of cells A non-destructive method and device for analyzing a sample comprising transparent living and/or dead cells, by 5 means of a digital holographic microscope, where the sample (8) is exposed to light from a laser (2). The light that travels through the ce... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7812959 | Total internal reflection holographic microscope The present invention provides for a digital holographic microscope using a holographic interferometer and incorporating a TIR sample mount and microscopic imaging optics. The microscope uses phase shifting from frustrated internal reflection within a prism to measu... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7643149 | Method of aligning an optical system A method of manufacturing an optical system having plural optical elements mounted relative to each other on a mounting structure of the optical system comprises disposing the optical system in a beam path of an interferometer apparatus having an interferometer opti... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7639365 | Confocal scanning holography microscope A confocal scanning holography microscope for use with a suitably selected detector for providing three dimensional information on the state of an object. The microscope has a coherent wavelength source for producing a coherent beam, scanning means for moving said c... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7369327 | Variable optical-property element and optical apparatus including the same A variable optical-property element includes a liquid crystal the pitch of twist is less than 60 times the wavelength of light used, so that a spatially uneven electric or magnetic field or temperature is applied to the liquid crystal to thereby form an index distri... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7365925 | Method of aligning optical elements A method of aligning an optomechanical assembly and an optomechanical assembly are described. ... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7365858 | Systems and methods for phase measurements Preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems for phase measurement which address the problem of phase noise using combinations of a number of strategies including, but not limited to, common-path interferometry, phase referencing, active st... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7330633 | Three constraint joint A precision apparatus (10) includes a constraint joint (256) having a contact (258A) and a contact engager (258B). The contact (258A) includes a contact region (268) that is rounded, and the contact engager (258B) inc... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7286696 | Method and apparatus for utilizing representational images in commercial and other activities In a method and apparatus for performing commercial and other activities using one or more two- or three-dimensional representational images, superimposing a two- or three-dimensional representational image, containing an image of the workpiece in an advanced state ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7260983 | Method and an apparatus for the inspection of the surface of a tire An apparatus for the inspection of the surface (1) of a tire (2) or the like comprises a projector (3) for the projection of a pattern onto the tire (2) and a camera (4) for the taking of an image of the pattern projected onto the ... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7225984 | Systems and methods for providing multiple object planes in an optical image scanning environment Systems and methods for optically scanning multiple object planes are provided. One embodiment is a system for optically scanning multiple object planes comprising a platen and an optical head for scanning. The optical head comprises an optical delay element, a firs... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7180844 | Holographic disc recording system A holographic disc recording system for recording, in the form of holograms, information stored on a source disc onto a target disc includes a conical beam shaper which transforms a reference beam into a conical beam having a substantially cylindrically symmetrical ... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7171035 | Alignment mark for e-beam inspection of a semiconductor wafer An alignment mark to be used in conjunction with e-beam imaging to identify specific feature locations on a chip including a unique “L” shaped pattern of geometric features, which is easily detected by the recognition system of e-beam imaging equipment, and is l... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7170612 | Scanning ultrasound detection device using two-wave mixing in photorefractive crystal interferometry This invention relates to a scanning ultrasound detection device using two-wave mixing in photorefractive crystal interferometry. An interferometer with two-wave mixing in photorefractive crystal, and cooperates with a confocal lenses module to perform a scan and in... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7148969 | Apparatus for direct-to-digital spatially-heterodyned holography An apparatus operable to record a spatially low-frequency heterodyne hologram including spatially heterodyne fringes for Fourier analysis includes: a laser; a beamsplitter optically coupled to the laser; an object optically coupled to the beamsplitter; a focusing le... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7145659 | Light interference measurement method using computer-generated hologram, and interferometer using this method The present invention makes it possible to reliably hold a computer-generated hologram 17 and a sample surface 18a in ideal design positions and to perform interference measurements on the surface shape of the sample surface 18a by... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7119905 | Spatial-heterodyne interferometry for transmission (SHIFT) measurements Systems and methods are described for spatial-heterodyne interferometry for transmission (SHIFT) measurements. A method includes digitally recording a spatially-heterodyned hologram including spatial heterodyne fringes for Fourier analysis using a reference beam, an... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7119906 | Optical remote sensor with differential Doppler motion compensation A system and a method for remotely sensing global motion of an ensemble of dynamically moving scattering sites. The system comprising a scattering medium under inspection, an optical transceiver and a detector in a double-pass geometry. ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7116425 | Faster processing of multiple spatially-heterodyned direct to digital holograms Systems and methods are described for faster processing of multiple spatially-heterodyned direct to digital holograms. A method includes of obtaining multiple spatially-heterodyned holograms, includes: digitally recording a first spatially-heterodyned hologram inclu... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7106455 | Interferometer and interferance measurement method There is provided an interferometer for measuring a surface shape of an optical element using interference, including a reference wave-front generating unit for generating a reference wave front for measuring the surface shape, which is provided in a target optical ... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7072042 | Apparatus for and method of measurement of aspheric surfaces using hologram and concave surface An aspheric surface measuring apparatus includes an interferometer which generates incident light; a test piece having an aspheric surface from which the incident light is reflected as test light; a first optical element disposed on an optical path of the incident l... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7057742 | Frequency-scanning interferometer with non-specular reference surface A frequency-scanning interferometer is modified to include a diffuse reference surface. An illuminating system produces an expanding measuring beam, portions of which reflect from a test object surface and the diffuse reference surface on converging paths to an imag... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7027145 | Reconfigurable surface finish inspection apparatus for cylinder bores and other surfaces A reconfigurable inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface finish of a cylinder bore or other machined surface. The apparatus may include a reconfigurable multi-spindle apparatus supporting a plurality of inspection probes. Each probe may include a laser that di... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7018041 | Cosmetic holographic optical diffractive contact lenses A contact lens has an inner surface adapted to be placed against the eye of a wearer and an outer surface bearing a cosmetic holographic optical diffraction grating that, when worn by a wearer, displays color to an observer of the contact lens. The holographic optic... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7002691 | Spatially-heterodyned holography A method of recording a spatially low-frequency heterodyne hologram, including spatially heterodyne fringes for Fourier analysis, includes: splitting a laser beam into a reference beam and an object beam; interacting the object beam with an object; focusing the refe... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6999178 | Spatial-heterodyne interferometry for reflection and transmission (SHIRT) measurements Systems and methods are described for spatial-heterodyne interferometry for reflection and transmission (SHIRT) measurements. A method includes digitally recording a first spatially-heterodyned hologram using a first reference beam and a first object beam; digitally... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6998195 | Device for registration of optical holograms on the amorphous molecular semiconductor films This invention relates to the field of holography, in particular to a method and a device for recording optical holograms by means of amorphous molecular semiconductor (AMS) films deposited on a glass substrate pre-covered with a transparent electric conducting sub-... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6998197 | Device for registration of optical holograms on the amorphous molecular semiconductor films This invention relates to the field of holography, in particular to a method and a device for recording optical holograms by means of amorphous molecular semiconductor (AMS) films deposited on a glass substrate pre-covered with a transparent electric conducting sub-... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6963406 | Fused off-axis object illumination direct-to-digital holography with a plurality of illumination sources Systems and methods are described for rapid acquisition of fused off-axis illumination direct-to-digital holography. A method of recording a plurality of off-axis object illuminated spatially heterodyne holograms, each of the off-axis object illuminated spatially he... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6958817 | Method of interferometry with modulated optical path-length difference and interferometer An interferometer has a source for generating a first beam and a second beam of a coherent monochromatic light having a wavelength λ, optical elements for directing the beams through two different optical paths having a path-length difference, a detector for detect... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6950179 | Shape measuring apparatus, shape measuring method, and aligning method A shape measuring method for measuring a shape of a surface of an object. The method includes a first measuring step for measuring the surface of the object by detecting light from the object, and a second measuring step for measuring the surface of the object by re... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6950182 | Functional equivalent to spatial filter in ellipsometer and the like systems Disclosed is the application of a functional equivalent to a spatial filter in ellipsometer and the like systems. Included are demonstrated multi-element converging lens systems which focus an electromagnetic beam onto a fiber optic. The purpose is to eliminate a ra... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6943897 | Method of fabricating and inspecting a transparent optical element having a parabolic optical-quality lateral surface An optical element is fabricated and inspected by forming a spherical-segment surface in a light-transparent blank at a first end thereof with a spherical-segment center on an element axis of the light-transparent blank. A trial parabolic surface is formed in a late... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6939036 | Temperature-expansion indicator for siding panels A temperature indicator for a siding panel senses panel temperature and indicates on a graphic scale the corresponding effect of thermal expansion over differences in temperature. The temperature indicator can be various forms of contact thermometer, temperature str... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6937345 | Measuring system for measuring performance of imaging optical system A measuring system, for measuring performance of an imaging optical system by use of an interferometer, includes (i) an interferometer arranged to measure transmission wavefronts separately or sequentially, in relation to at least one of plural measurement points de... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6930783 | Method of aligning optical system using a hologram and apparatus therefor A method of aligning an optical system and an optical system incorporating the method. A hologram element is installed in the optical system so that test beams diffracted by the hologram element travel along a same optical path as test beams incident on the optical ... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6922483 | Methods for measuring DMD low frequency spatial uniformity Methods for measuring the low spatial reflectivity uniformity of a DMD spatial light modulator. These methods are unique since they compensate for the non-uniformities introduced by the tilt angle of the DMD mirrors in addition to the normal system non-uniformities ... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6885449 | Optical inspection system based on spatial filtering using a refractive-index-grating An optical inspection system (10) for comparing surface structures of test and reference objects comprises a laser (12), a photorefractive crystal (24) and a detector (30). A refractive index grating corresponding to a diffraction pattern... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6870946 | Compact optical fingerprint capturing and recognition system An apparatus and method for acquiring an image of a patterned object such as a fingerprint including a light refracting device, a focusing lens, a light source, and a biometric circuit for detecting the presence of a patterned object such as a fingerprint at the lig... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6791695 | Shearographic imaging machine with archive memory for animation data and air handling system The invention relates to an apparatus for performing electronic shearography on a test object, especially a tire or retread tire. The apparatus uses a laser light source to illuminate the test object. An optical element through which electromagnetic radiation is ref... | 09/14/2004 |
