William F. Semple, a dentist, was awarded the first US Patent on chewing gum in 1869. His recipe contained powdered chalk.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8169622 | Optical sensor for mounting to a washing machine or dish washer An optical sensor (10) for fitting to a washing machine or dishwasher is proposed, comprising: a housing (16), an arrangement, which is housed in the housing, of optical components, the optical components comprising a controllable light emitter (26 | 05/01/2012 |
| 8169621 | 3-dimensional imaging by acoustic warping and defocusing The present invention relates to a system for three-dimensional (3-D) acoustic imaging of a scattering structure using information from a two-dimensional (2-D) image. The system uses a characterized sensor array to emit a signal from the sensor array into an object ... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8164758 | Internal inspection system and method In some embodiments, an inspection system for measuring at least a portion of the threaded surface of an internally threaded component includes at least one measuring probe, a component retention device that allows positioning of the internally threaded component re... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8159680 | Single-transducer, three-dimensional laser imaging system and method Disclosed herein are a system and method for three-dimensional imaging using a single transducer. A laser in a transmitter emits a sequence of short pulses, each of which is at a different center wavelength (frequency). A dispersive element in the transmitter spatia... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8139230 | Acquisition of topographies of objects having arbitrary geometries There is described a method for positioning an object on an optical sensor system for acquiring a surface thereof, the sensor system having a set of motors for rotating the object around a motor axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the sensor system and for tran... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8139229 | Calibrating jig, profile measuring device, and method of offset calculation A calibrating jig comprises a reference sphere, and a reflecting plate configured to support the reference sphere from a lower side thereof and mirror-reflect light in a case that the reference sphere is illuminated from an upper side thereof. ... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8120784 | Optical device for analyzing a scattering medium held by a support An optical device intended for the analysis of a scattering medium, including at least one light source distant from the scattering medium and capable of providing an incident light beam intended to illuminate the scattering medium; at least one sensor capable of de... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8120785 | System and method for inspecting three-dimensional sensor The invention provides a system and method for inspecting a three-dimensional sensor. According to the invention, a light source is controlled to emit a light of a known phase, and the known phase of the emitted light is altered by at least two known phase values. T... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8107086 | Three-dimensional imaging using absorption The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture t... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8102538 | Method and apparatus for colour imaging a three-dimensional structure Provided is a device for determining the surface topology and associated color of a structure, such as a teeth segment, including a scanner for providing depth data for points along a two-dimensional array substantially orthogonal to the depth direction, and an imag... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8098382 | Beam scanner and surface measurement apparatus Disclosed are a beam scanner and a surface measurement apparatus. The beam scanner includes a spinning mirror having top and bottom reflective surfaces and a plurality of side reflective surfaces between the top and bottom reflective surfaces, and rotating about a r... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8089635 | Method and system for fast three-dimensional imaging using defocusing and feature recognition Described is a method and system for fast three-dimensional imaging using defocusing and feature recognition is disclosed. The method comprises acts of capturing a plurality of defocused images of an object on a sensor, identifying segments of interest in each of th... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8085409 | Surface profile measuring apparatus A surface profile measuring apparatus of the invention has a changing section for changing the cross section of a flux of light to be projected onto a sample by a light projecting section in measuring a surface profile of the sample. The surface profile measuring ap... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8072612 | Method and apparatus for detecting a feature of an input pattern using a plurality of feature detectors, each of which corresponds to a respective specific variation type and outputs a higher value when variation received by the input pattern roughly matches the respective specific variation type A method includes detecting a feature of an input pattern using a plurality of feature detectors, selecting at least one of the feature detectors based on their output values, and calculating a feature quantity of the input pattern based on an output value from at l... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8059279 | Method and system for inspecting tire surface Disclosed is a tire surface inspecting technique capable of surely discriminating rubber pieces of a quality different from that of a tire embedded in the surface of the tire by vulcanization from the tire. A first illuminating unit 11 include paired first li... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8049901 | Measuring device and measuring method A measuring device includes a light-sending part sending light in a first direction which is a depth direction of a hollow shape, a conversion part converting a direction of the light into a circumference direction approximately orthogonal to the first direction, a ... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8045180 | Device for flexible detection of the geometric shape of objects by means of optical 3D measuring technology A device for detecting the geometrical shape of measurement objects with a computer, a 3D sensor and an object carrier for fixing the measurement object. The computer combines the measurements recorded by a 3D sensor. The image registration is improved by using an a... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8045181 | Inspection system and method with multi-image phase shift analysis An inspection system is provided. The inspection system comprises a light source, a grating, a phase shifting unit, an imager, and a processor. The light source is configured to generate light. The grating is in a path of the generated light and is configured to pro... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8023121 | Method for optically collecting numismatic data and associated algorithms for unique identification of coins A method to generate an optical signature of a coin is disclosed. A plurality of parameters are generated and recorded related to rotational positions around the circumference of a coin. The data from these parameters are combined to produce a searchable value. ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8023122 | Method and system for measuring patterned structures A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8004693 | Lens holder and lens shape measuring apparatus A lens holder includes a lens holding member having a mounting shaft portion and is configured to hold a lens provided with at least one hole mounting a fitting for a rimless frame or a dummy lens provided with at least one hole, a main body including an opened bott... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7999949 | Spectroscopic ellipsometers The present invention discloses an optical measurement and/or inspection device that, in one application, may be used for inspection of semiconductor devices. A method is disclosed for extracting information of a device-under-test for an ellipsometer, comprising the... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7995214 | Apparatus and method for recording the shape of an ear section An apparatus for recording a shape of a section of the human ear is provided. The apparatus has a recording device for recording a spatial shape of a first and a second subsection of the section and for recording a position or a variable representing the position of... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7990546 | High throughput across-wafer-variation mapping A method for characterizing a surface of a sample object, the method including dividing the surface into pixels which are characterized by a parameter variation, and defining blocks of the surface as respective groups of the pixels. The method further includes irrad... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7990545 | Surface measurement of in-vivo subjects using spot projector The invention provides for surface mapping of in-vivo imaging subjects using a single camera and an illuminator that projects a plurality of targets such as spots on the subject. By limiting the depth-of-field of the camera lens, or of the illuminator optics, or bot... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7990547 | Apparatus and a method of measuring erosion of an edge of a turbomachine aerofoil An apparatus for measuring erosion of an edge of an aerofoil portion of a fan blade includes a laser source to direct light at a position on the edge of the fan blade. A detector detects light reflected from the position on the edge of the fan blade. A computer meas... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7978343 | Nanoscale optical tomography based on volume-scanning near-field microscopy An apparatus and methods for nanoscale optical tomography based on back-scattering mode near-field scanning optical microscopy with a volumetric scan of the probe. The back-scattered data collected by a volumetric scan of the probe contains three-dimensional structu... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7969582 | Laser scanning microscope apparatus, and surface shape measuring method thereof A laser scanning microscope apparatus comprising, a controlling unit for obtaining height information at each scanning point of a sample to be examined by obtaining a relative distance that maximizes an intensity output from a photo-detecting unit, which is obtained... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7952727 | Compact optical contour digitizer An optical contour digitizer including a radiation source for emitting radiation therefrom, a first mirror for folding the radiation emitted from the radiation source towards an object being measured, a second mirror for folding a reflection of the radiation from th... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7929152 | Apparatus for detecting press-bonded ball at bonding portion in bonding apparatus and method for detecting press-bonded ball at bonding portion A detecting apparatus used in a bonding apparatus including a capillary and a detection camera disposed with a certain amount of offset from the capillary and capable of detecting a press-bonded ball at a bonding portion after bonding. For a pad in which two edges o... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7929151 | Intra-oral camera for diagnostic and cosmetic imaging An apparatus for obtaining images of a tooth comprises at least one image sensor disposed along an optical axis to take polarized reflectance image and fluorescence image, at least one broadband illumination apparatus for reflectance imaging, and a narrow-band ultra... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7924439 | Method and system for parameter extraction of a cutting tool A method for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing one or more rotary scans of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a scanning point cloud, indexing a plurali... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7924438 | Method for measuring wear in the refractory lining of a metallurgical melting vessel A method of a method for measuring wear in the lining of a metallurgical melting vessel such as a steel converter (1), by a laser scanner (2) A laser having a contouring system on a cart can be moved between measurements The laser contouring system ref... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7916308 | Method and optical profiler An optical profiler for an ultra-smooth surface, such as a magnetic recording disk, provides for a normally incident beam deflection against the target surface to be profiled. A linearly polarized laser light of a first polarization is focused on the target surface ... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7916309 | Single-lens, single-aperture, single-sensor 3-D imaging device A device and method for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging using a defocusing technique is disclosed. The device comprises a lens having a substantially oblong aperture, a sensor operable for capturing light transmitted from an object through the lens and the substanti... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7903260 | Scatterometry metrology using inelastic scattering A system for characterizing material properties in miniature semiconductor structures performs a scatterometry analysis on inelastically scattered light. The system can include a narrowband probe beam generator and a detector. A single wavelength probe beam from the... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7898673 | Systems and methods for focusing optics Systems and methods for focusing optics are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, methods are disclosed for focusing an optical device, wherein the methods can include: collecting light from a region of an object to be imaged with an objective lens, said region hav... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7894078 | Single-lens 3-D imaging device using a polarization-coded aperture masks combined with a polarization-sensitive sensor A device and method for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging using a defocusing technique is disclosed. The device comprises a lens, at least one polarization-coded aperture obstructing the lens, a polarization-sensitive sensor operable for capturing electromagnetic radi... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7880898 | Method for measuring three-dimensional objects by single-view optical shadowgraphy, using the optical laws of light propagation According to the invention, to measure an object (32), for example a hollow, translucent or transparent sphere with respect to a visible light, using Snell-Descartes laws, relating to the propagation of light through the object, an equation is established whi... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7876454 | Method and system for measurement of a cutting tool A method for measurement of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing a first rotary scan of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a first scanning point cloud, segmenting the first scanni... | 01/25/2011 |