Did You Know...
...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8079261 | Accelerometers A fibre optic accelerometer particularly intended for use with an interferometer using the compliant cylinder approach but further providing a seismic mass at the core of the cylinder resulting in improved sensitivity and rejection of out-of-axis inputs. ... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8061204 | Accelerometer An accelerometer includes a substrate having a surface and a movable electrode. The movable electrode is mounted on the surface of the substrate and movable along an axis substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate in response to acceleration. A light-per... | 11/22/2011 |
| 7503215 | Highly sensitive accelerometer Accelerometers for determining acceleration and methods of fabricating an accelerometer are disclosed. In one embodiment, the accelerometer includes a frame, a mass movably suspended on the frame, a fixed element having a rounded surface that does not move with resp... | 03/17/2009 |
| 7406868 | Compensating accelerometer with optical angle sensing A compensating accelerometer includes a housing, and a sensing element mounted in the housing. The sensing element includes a pendulum flexibly mounted on a base. The sensing element includes a coil mounted on a movable plate, a curtain having a slit, and a load mas... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7349591 | Pressure compensated optical accelerometer, optical inclinometer and seismic sensor system An optical accelerometer includes means for changing the length of at least one optical fiber in response to acceleration functionally coupled to the at least one optical fiber. The fiber and the means for changing length are enclosed in a pressure compensated housi... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7336290 | Method and apparatus for increasing a perceived resolution of a display According to one embodiment, a method of increasing a perceived resolution of a display includes directing light at a optical dithering element and repeatedly transitioning the optical dithering element from a first position to a second position and then back to the... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7322250 | System and method for sensing torque on a rotating shaft A system and method relating to the measuring of torque in a rotating shaft is provided. An optical torque sensing system comprises a rotating shaft, wherein a sleeve of photo-elastic material overlays a portion of the shaft. A light emitting component delivers ligh... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7322236 | Process for manufacturing a triaxial piezoresistive accelerometer and relative pressure-monitoring device A manufacturing process of a semiconductor piezoresistive accelerometer includes the steps of: providing a wafer of semiconductor material; providing a membrane in the wafer over a cavity; rigidly coupling an inertial mass to the membrane; and providing, in the wafe... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7293459 | Image-based sensing of acceleration A system includes a support, a pendular element, an elastic restraint, an image sensor, and a processing system. The elastic restraint couples the pendular element to the support and applies to the pendular element a restraining force that opposes movement of the pe... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7282697 | High sensitivity fibre optic vibration sensing device A vibration sensing device, an acceleration sensing system and a method of manufacturing a vibration sensing device wherein the vibration sensing device comprises a flexible disk that is mounted symmetrically about a radial plane and has a mass located on the disk s... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7274835 | Optical waveguide displacement sensor A substrate incorporates a mechanical cantilever resonator with passive integrated optics for motion detection. The resonator acts as a waveguide, and enables optical detection of deflection/displacement amplitude, including oscillations. In one embodiment, the cant... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7254999 | Permanently installed in-well fiber optic accelerometer-based seismic sensing apparatus and associated method Embodiments of the present invention include a fiber optic seismic sensing system for permanent downhole installation. In one aspect, the present invention includes a multi-station, multi-component system for conducting seismic reservoir imaging and monitoring in a ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7243544 | Passive and wireless acoustic wave accelerometer An acoustic wave acceleration sensor comprises an acoustic wave device including a plate that functions as a propagation medium and at least one interdigital transducer configured upon the plate. One or more antennas can be integrated with the acoustic wave device, ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7243543 | Highly sensitive accelerometer Accelerometers for determining acceleration and methods of fabricating an accelerometer are disclosed. In one embodiment, the accelerometer includes a frame, a mass movably suspended on the frame, a fixed element having a rounded surface that does not move with resp... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7222534 | Optical accelerometer, optical inclinometer and seismic sensor system using such accelerometer and inclinometer An optical accelerometer includes a beam and at least one optical fiber affixed to one side of the beam such that deflection of the beam changes a length of the optical fiber. A device for sensing the change in length of the optical fiber is functionally coupled to ... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7197931 | Sensors for monitoring structural health conditions Sensors and systems for monitoring structural health conditions. The present invention provides a device for monitoring structural health conditions including a dielectric substrate, a piezoelectric device for actuating and/or sensing Lamb waves, a molding layer dep... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7196599 | Electrostatic device An electrostatic device (10) includes a first flexible electrode (1) on which a plurality of second electrodes (2) are mounted so as to move with the first electrode (1). Upon the application of an electrical charge, the or each second el... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7171306 | Route searching system, route searching method, navigation system and computer program product A route searching system is provided with: a road map database for storing a road map data; a searching device for performing a link cost calculation on the basis of the road map data and thereby searching an optimal route. The searching device increases or decrease... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7155101 | Manufacturing method for high temperature fiber optic accelerometer A method of making a fiber optic accelerometer includes (a) drawing an optical fiber through a resin; (b) winding the resin coated fiber onto a disc mounted on an assembly having a central shaft; and (c) curing the resin-coated fiber. The optical fiber may be drawn ... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7137299 | Fiber optic accelerometer A proof mass is suspended in a cavity in a housing. The proof mass moves along a sensing axis in response to linear acceleration. Elastic support members are connected between the proof mass and the housing and are arranged to exert a reaction force on the proof mas... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7139446 | Compact fiber optic geometry for a counter-chirp FMCW coherent laser radar This disclosure presents a non-contact precision optical device, including methods for measuring distances to an arbitrary target and various configuration geometries, for using polarization maintaining (PM) optical fiber components in a polarization diplexing schem... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7129470 | Optical sensor using a long period grating suitable for dynamic interrogation Disclosed herein is an optical sensor design and method for continually interrogating that sensor to produce an accurate representation of a dynamic event (such as a change in strain, pressure or temperature) being monitored by the sensor. The sensor design preferab... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7091715 | Method and apparatus for micro-machined sensors using enhanced modulated integrative differential optical sensing Method and apparatus for sensing the displacements of micromachined devices and sensors. The method is referred to as the enhanced modulated integrative differential optical sensing (EMIDOS). The target micromachined proof-mass, for which displacements are measured,... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7054525 | Device for tuning a Bragg grating by means of compression using a piezoelectric actuator A device for tuning a Bragg grating, by compression by a piezoelectric actuator. The device is particularly applicable to optical telecommunications and for example includes a mechanism to compress an optical fiber portion, containing a Bragg grating, and a mechanis... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7035698 | System for controlling medical imaging equipment motion A system including a user input device for controlling a position of medical equipment is described. In an example embodiment, the user input device is configured to be coupled to the medical equipment and is responsive to an operator input representation of a desir... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7027207 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual m... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7023607 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator including first and second substrate, and an array of deflectable elements disposed within a gap between the first and second substrates is disclosed herein. For electrostatically actuating the deflectable elements, an array of electrodes a... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7021146 | Attitude sensor The present invention provides an attitude sensing device and method for determining an attitude of a reference axis of a package containing a fiber optic sensor sensor. The attitude sensing device comprises an electro-mechanical attitude sensor for generating an el... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7013729 | Highly sensitive accelerometer A highly sensitive accelerometer for determining the acceleration of a structure includes a mass within a housing suspended by opposing support members. The support members are alternately wound around a pair of fixed mandrels and the mass in a push pull arrangement... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7012733 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator including first and second substrate, and an array of deflectable elements disposed within a gap between the first and second substrates is disclosed herein. For electrostatically actuating the deflectable elements, an array of electrodes a... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7009754 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual m... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6975444 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual m... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6955085 | Optical accelerometer or displacement device using a flexure system Disclosed herein is an accelerometer and/or displacement device that uses a mass coupled to a rhomboidal flexure to provide compression to an optical sensing element preferably having a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The transducer includes a precompressed optical senso... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6953702 | Fixed wavelength vertical cavity optical devices and method of manufacture therefor Vertical cavity optical devices, and a method of manufacturing therefor, are provided where the method includes partially forming a first vertical cavity optical device on a wafer, adjusting the lasing wavelength of the first vertical cavity optical device, and fixi... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6947200 | Double substrate reflective spatial light modulator with self-limiting micro-mechanical elements A spatial light modulator includes an upper optically transmissive substrate held above a lower substrate containing addressing circuitry. One or more electrostatically deflectable elements are suspended by hinges from the upper substrate. In operation, individual m... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6921894 | Fiber optic micro accelerometer An accelerometer includes a wafer, a proof mass integrated into the wafer, at least one spring member connected to the proof mass, and an optical fiber. A Fabry-Perot cavity is formed by a partially reflective surface on the proof mass and a partially reflective sur... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6919559 | High-temperature optical rotary and linear position sensor A device and method capable of measuring the optical rotary and linear position of items, that is reliable, accurate and capable of operating in harsh environments. The present invention utilizes optics to measure rotary and linear position. Unlike the prior art the... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6904805 | Accelerometer An accelerometer is limited to a very small displacement range, and within that range, is useful for detecting motion and change of rate of motion by optical, magnetic, or electrical means. A unique spring suspends a planar mass that is very sensitive to motion of a... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6888972 | Multiple component sensor mechanism A multiple component mechanism for housing one or more fiber optic based sensors and one or more fiber organizers and other devices for the sensors is disclosed. The mechanism includes a splice component and a sensor component, which are hermetically sealed. The sen... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6858835 | Electronic tilt switch and integrated light module An electronic tilt switch for controlling an electrical circuit such as a vehicle hood lamp circuit according to the angle of inclination of the tilt switch. The tilt switch includes a housing, a sliding element, and a solid state electronic sensor, which can compri... | 02/22/2005 |
