Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5434789 | GPS golf diagnostic system A GPS golf diagnostic system for receiving radio signals from earth orbiting GPS satellites, determining the latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal coordinates of the diagnostic system, and computing the distance between these coordinates and a plurali... | 07/18/1995 |
| 5394342 | Log scanning A log scanning system applies circumferentially spaced, traverse scans along the length of the log to provide a longitudinal density scan for each of the scans made. Each scan is made up of rows of density dependent pixels sensed by specific detector (sca... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5388059 | Computer vision system for accurate monitoring of object pose A sensing system for accurately monitoring the position and orientation of an object (28). At least 4 point light sources (26) are mounted on the surface of the object (28). A single electronic camera (20) captures images (92) of the point light sources (... | 02/07/1995 |
| 5339259 | High speed high resolution ultrasonic position and orientation tracker A continuous wave ultrasonic tracking system using an ultrasonic transmitter acoustically radiating a continuous wave ultrasonic transmitted signal and an ultrasonic receiver detecting the transmitted signal as a received signal. The system mixes the tran... | 08/16/1994 |
| 5337149 | Computerized three dimensional data acquisition apparatus and method An apparatus and method for creating a computer model of a large three dimensional object as data is acquired. The invention includes a measuring device, a computer that includes a computer aided drafting program, a data transmission device, and a viewing... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5319577 | Orientation sensing system and method for a spherical body A spherical motor (10) provides smooth isotropic motion. The spherical motor (10) has a spherical stator (12) surrounding a spherical rotor (18). A motor shaft (24) is mounted to the rotor (18), or alternatively, to the stator (12) for performing work in ... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5231470 | Scanning system for three-dimensional object digitizing A scanning system for a three-dimensional object digitizing system comprises circuitry for directing a set of sequential light beams to a plurality of points on an object. The light beams are directed by the normalizing circuitry to be normal to the surfa... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5227985 | Computer vision system for position monitoring in three dimensions using non-coplanar light sources attached to a monitored object A sensing system for monitoring the position and orientation of a rigid object (20). At least 4 point light sources (24) are mounted on the surface of the object (20) in a noncoplanar arrangement. A single electronic camera (26) captures images (59) of th... | 07/13/1993 |
| 5218427 | Ranging system for three-dimensional object digitizing An apparatus for digitally representing the surface of a three-dimensional object uses a laser beam to establish a laser line-of-sight from the laser source having a predetermined position to a surface point on the three-dimensional object. The laser beam... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5094538 | Digitizing the surface of an irregularly shaped article An optical system and method for digitizing a last or other irregularly shaped article comprises a laser device fixed on a base directing a light beam at a last supported for rotation about an axis, perpendicular to which the light beam is directed. Two c... | 03/10/1992 |
| 4991126 | Electronic-automatic orientation device for walkers and the blind The automatic orientation device according to the invention for walkers and the blind is a small light weight and easily man-carried instrument. It contains an electronic-digital-calculating for continually determining the vectorial sum of the steps made ... | 02/05/1991 |
| 4984179 | Method and apparatus for the perception of computer-generated imagery The invention relates to a 3-dimensional computer graphics system in which an operator can effectively interact with a virtual model generated and displayed by a computer. In one embodiment the operator wears a helmet fitted with means which enable both t... | 01/08/1991 |
| 4977512 | Three dimensional simultaneous machining and measuring system A three dimensional machining system includes a three dimensional measuring unit which is separate from a three dimensional machine which actually applies a machining operation upon a three dimensional object. In this manner, a teaching operation with res... | 12/11/1990 |
| 4956794 | Single camera three dimensional head position sensing system A head position detector system includes a cue definition apparatus arranged to be securely mounted on a head whose position is to be monitored, a single camera electro-optical detector arranged to view the cue definition apparatus, a cue processing appar... | 09/11/1990 |
| 4951201 | Method of automatically determining imaged body posture in medical image display A distribution of an image signal read from a stimulable phosphor sheet and bearing a transmitted radiation image of a human body is determined along a horizontal direction across the image. Signal values of the distribution along the direction are accumu... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4928175 | Method for the three-dimensional surveillance of the object space In order to register the space, there are installed two video cameras at certain angles with respect to each other. In this object space there are arranged control points, the object coordinates (Xk, Yk, Zk ; k=1, 2, 3 . .... | 05/22/1990 |
| 4884219 | Method and apparatus for the perception of computer-generated imagery The invention relates to a 3-dimensional computer graphics system in which an operator can effectively interact with a virtual model generated and displayed by a computer. In one embodiment the operator wears a helmet fitted with means which enable both t... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4873651 | Method and apparatus for reconstructing three-dimensional surfaces from two-dimensional images A method and apparatus for reconstructing the surface, i.e the third dimension, of a three-dimensional object from two-dimemsional information includes projecting radiant energy, such as light, from a substantially parallel ray source at said object at a ... | 10/10/1989 |
| 4853863 | Device to measure the relative position and attitude of two bodies A method of determining the position and attitude of a first body, e.g. a body movable in six degrees of freedom, with respect to a second body comprising establishing three or more reference points which are not colinear on the first body, establishing t... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4791482 | Object locating system The invention projects a known geometry light source onto the surface of an object. A camera with a known distance and angular orientation with respect to the light source is used to capture the light source image on the object. The normal to the surface ... | 12/13/1988 |
| 4767988 | Precision magnetometer orientation device The orientation of a moving platform with respect to a magnetic field is determined by rotating a 3-component vector magnetometer mounted on the platform about at least two axes in the magnetic field. Changes in the signals from the magnetometer are monit... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4727471 | Miniature lightweight digital camera for robotic vision system applications A robot arm with a vision system affixed thereto. A gripper acquires and object at an acquisition site and carries the object to a target site. During travel the position of the object is determined by the vision system viewing the object in two positions... | 02/23/1988 |
| 4725843 | Attitude control system for antenna on mobile body The location of a vehicle itself is detected on the vehicle in combination with an attitude control of an antenna mounted on the vehicle so that the antenna is directed toward a geostationary satellite. The antenna is driven for rotation about both a hori... | 02/16/1988 |
| 4688176 | Navigator for use aboard a vehicle A navigator for use aboard a vehicle includes means for detecting the running distance of the vehicle, means for detecting the angle of the advancing direction of the vehicle with reference to terrestrial magnetism, arithmetic operational means for calcul... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4680802 | Posture judgement system in image processing This invention relates to a system which improves an operation speed and accuracy of judgement when the posture of an object component parts is judged by an image processor. This system determines a combination of parameters used for the posture judgement... | 07/14/1987 |
| 4672564 | Method and apparatus for determining location and orientation of objects A target plane in fixed relationship to an object provides a first triad of three collinear target points which lie on a first line projection and a second triad of target points which lie on a second line projection which is in nonalignment with the firs... | 06/09/1987 |
| 4672562 | Method and apparatus for determining location and orientation of objects An orthogonally related target point array is provided in fixed relationship to an object. A photo detector image plane obtains images of the target points projected through a lens located a fixed distance from the image plane. Simple algebraic manipulati... | 06/09/1987 |
| 4649504 | Optical position and orientation measurement techniques A non-contact sensing system for monitoring the position and orientation of a rigid body in space having at least three distinct point light sources mounted on the rigid body. At least two position sensor heads are fixedly mounted within detection range o... | 03/10/1987 |
| 4642786 | Method and apparatus for position and orientation measurement using a magnetic field and retransmission Disclosed herein are method and apparatus for position and orientation measurement using a magnetic field and retransmission thereof. In a first embodiment, three coils are deployed as a three-axis antenna. A magnetic field is transmitted sequentially fro... | 02/10/1987 |
| 4639878 | Method and system for automatically determining the position and attitude of an object A method and system are provided for automatically determining the position and attitude of a three-dimensional body at a work station by utilizing three cameras each of which generates a non-overlapping plane of image data, including a single target poin... | 01/27/1987 |
| 4630225 | System for detecting orientation of articles Data relating to the distances between each of all the feature points of the article to be checked and the other feature points thereof is stored in a memory in advance. The image of the article is picked up by a camera, and the resulting image data is st... | 12/16/1986 |
| 4622644 | Magnetic position and orientation measurement system A system is disclosed which enables the measurement of the position and orientation of a permanent magnet within a three dimensional region in five degrees of freedom. In order to sense the position and orientation of the permanent magnet, three three-axi... | 11/11/1986 |
| 4611292 | Robot vision system A method and an apparatus for detecting the position and posture of an object (5, 9, 10) are characterized by two planar light beams (3a, 3b) alternately projected on the object (5, 9, 10) to be handled and intersection lines (A, B) formed between the two... | 09/09/1986 |
| 4488173 | Method of sensing the position and orientation of elements in space The invention discloses a method of determining the position and orientation of an element (such as a platform) in space by determining the intersection of a line with a plane (or with another line). Three different implementations are disclosed.... | 12/11/1984 |
| 4333154 | Device for determining the direction of a line of sight In a device for determining the direction of a line of sight, or the orientation of a sighting trihedron associated with said line of sight, defined by a magnetic azimuth angle, an elevation angle and an inclination angle determined in a reference trihedr... | 06/01/1982 |
| 4263656 | Visual sighting system A visual sighting system, in which the attitude of a person's head facing to a target object is detected, and the position of the target object is calculated so that an external servomechanism, such as an artificial arm, is directed to the target object.... | 04/21/1981 |
| 4146924 | System for visually determining position in space and/or orientation in space and apparatus employing same Visual system for determining position in space and/or orientation in three-dimensional space for purposes, for example, of directing or instructing an industrial robot to perform manipulative acts and apparatus employing the visual system. The system inc... | 03/27/1979 |
| 4136387 | Golf club impact and golf ball launching monitoring system Electro-optical sensors measure the location of a plurality of spots on the surface of a golf club head or a golf ball at a minimum of two precisely spaced points in time. The two time points for the club head are just prior to impact with the golf ball. ... | 01/23/1979 |
| 4084247 | Fluid loading arm alarm system A system for sensing the position in space of the outer end of an articulated fluid loading arm while it is connected to a marine tanker or other transport vessel, and sounding an alarm if the arm's operating envelope is exceeded. The sensing system inclu... | 04/11/1978 |
| 3934129 | Apparent wind direction indicator A system for evaluating the performance of a sailing boat wherein average boat speed, average apparent wind speed and average apparent wind direction are sensed and are utilized to determine the performance characteristics of sailing boats. The system inc... | 01/20/1976 |
