Did You Know...
...Chester Carlson was a patent agent who tired of having to make multiple copies of patent applications using the only duplication method available at the time: carbon paper. In 1959 he came up with a new copying system and took it to IBM for evaluation. The "experts" at IBM determined potential sales to be only 5,000 units because people wouldn't want to use a bulky machine when they had carbon paper. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, the company founded on the system is Xerox.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8084731 | Sensor system for liquid detection with lens component having an apex A light transmitting optical fiber shines light at a side edge portion of a hemispherical lens. The light is transmitted along the outer periphery of the lens to a second side edge portion located opposite the first side edge portion. A light sensitive component det... | 12/27/2011 |
| 7855353 | Vehicle window camera arrangement having camera with camera portions handling separate image and intensity acquisition functions using same light-guiding element portion A camera arrangement includes a camera, a light source, and a light-guide which are in an inside region separated from an outside region by a window. The camera and the light source are pointed at the window. The light-guide is between the camera and the window and ... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7804055 | Optical sensor device for the windshield of a motor vehicle having Fresnel lens structures An optical sensor device has a sensor unit, which includes a light transmitter, a light receiver and a lens plate, with which a beam of light emitted by the light transmitter is coupled into the window pane, coupled out of the window pane and directed onto the light... | 09/28/2010 |
| 7605361 | Fuel property detection device A fuel property detection device for detecting a property of fuel based on a detection signal output from a photoreceptor includes a light guiding member having a reflecting surface located in direct contact with the fuel. The light guiding member includes a light e... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7485844 | System and method for controlling vehicle equipment by determining spatial composition of an image of a vehicle window A control system is disclosed for automatically detecting moisture on the windshield of a vehicle. The automatic moisture detecting system includes an optical system for imaging a portion of the windshield onto an image array sensor, such as a CMOS active pixel sens... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7429745 | Sensor device for detecting wetting on a windshield based on received reference light A sensor device for detecting wetting on a windshield includes a light emission element for emitting a light, a first light reception element for receiving the light in a first light path that includes reflective redirection by the windshield, and a second light rec... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7428051 | Device for the IR-spectrometric analysis of a solid, liquid or gaseous medium The invention relates to a device for the IR-spectrometric analysis of a solid, liquid or gaseous medium. The device includes a process probe, which has a reflection element. The device additionally includes a linear variable filter, at least one detector element, a... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7414237 | Optoelectronic sensor device for a motor vehicle A sensor for detecting moisture on a pane includes a coupler having prisms arranged in coupling areas for coupling light from a transmitter into the pane at an input angle and prisms arranged in decoupling areas for decoupling light reflected from the pane to a rece... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7402827 | Optical precipitation sensor for monitoring the accumulation of precipitation upon automotive glass The invention is a precipitation sensor adapted to detect water upon an automotive glass and a method for its use. The precipitation sensor includes an optical emitter and a first mirror surface in optical communication with the optical emitter. The first mirror sur... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7385216 | Sensor device and wiper controller having sensor device A sensor device for detecting wetting on a windshield includes a light emission element for emitting a light, a first light reception element for receiving the light in a first light path that includes reflective redirection by the windshield, and a second light rec... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7365303 | Optical sensor device to be installed on board a motor-vehicle for aid in driving and/or for automatic activation of systems provided on the motor-vehicle An optical sensor device that can be installed on board a motor vehicle for aid to driving and/or for automatic activation of one or more on-board systems according to the environmental conditions detected comprises a sensor module including an array of the CCD or C... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7348586 | Exterior element sensor An exterior element sensor can include an optical element mounted on a window. The optical element can include a cylindrical lens having both ends shaped spherically and a central portion that exerts little or no influence on exterior element detection (such as rain... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7325935 | Image sensing system for a vehicle An image sensing system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements. The system includes a logic and control circuit comprising an image processor for processing image data derived from the imagin... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7325934 | Image sensing system for a vehicle An image sensing system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor having a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, and a logic and control circuit having an image processor for processing image data derived from the imaging sensor. The logic and ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7311962 | Method of forming reflecting dielectric mirrors A mirror structure includes a plurality of features of a defined size. The features include alternating spatial units of a chalcogenide glass and a thermoplastic polymer, and are specifically arranged in an ordered form so that the structure is highly reflective. Th... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7311406 | Image sensing system for a vehicle An image sensing system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, preferably formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a logic and control circuit, preferably with at least a portion of the logi... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309873 | Raindrop sensor A raindrop sensor includes a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and a light guide body. The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element face a transparent panel. The light guide body, which is mounted on the transparent panel, includes an i... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7297932 | Vehicle optoelectronic precipitation sensor with adjustable lens holder An optoelectronic sensor for sensing wetting of a windshield includes a first circuit, and a radiation emitter and a radiation detector both arranged on the first circuit to emit radiation toward the windshield and to detect radiation reflected from the windshield. ... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7281429 | Optical hydrophone for a shock-wave field with long service life An optical hydrophone for measurement of the acoustic pressure distribution in a fluid medium has a light source that illuminates an area of a boundary region between an optically transparent body and the fluid medium. A light receiver measures the intensity of the ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7259367 | Rain sensor device for detecting the wetting and/or soiling of a windscreen surface A device for detecting the wetting and/or soiling of a windscreen surface, in particular in a vehicle, comprises a camera with a sensor having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged as an array and adapted to be illuminated according to an illumination cycle... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7253898 | System for detecting droplets on a translucent surface A system which detects droplets on a translucent surface having a camera which, upon activation, acquires an image of a portion of the surface. A radiation source, upon activation, illuminates the portion of the translucent surface while a control circuit selectivel... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7247838 | Rain/moisture and object imaging system for vehicle An image processing system includes a lamp which emits light to a glass, an imaging device which captures light which is emitted from the lamp and reflected by the glass, and an optical filter, located between the glass and the imaging device, which transmits rays w... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7247837 | Optical moisture sensor and method of making the same A soil moisture sensor uses a non-collimated light source and a photosensor, respectively, mounted at the foci of a transparent ellipsoidal plastic body. The dimensions of the body are such that emitted light rays are internally reflected toward the photosensor at t... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7236249 | Rain sensor A rain sensor, for motor vehicles in particular, having one measuring distance with at least one transmitter and at least one receiver for electromagnetic waves (light waves), a windshield being arranged in the measuring distance, and the measuring distance influenc... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7230260 | Raindrop sensor A raindrop sensor for sensing water attached to a second surface of a transparent body includes a light emitting element, a light guide body, a light receiving element, and an abnormality determining device. The light emitting element is provided in a first surface ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7224462 | Beam shifting surface plasmon resonance system and method The invention relates to a surface plasmon resonance system method. The system has at least one light source operable to generate a source beam, a prism having a rear surface at least partially coated with a metallic coating and optionally a dielectric layer. At lea... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7218401 | Surface plasmon sensor, surface plasmon resonance measurement device, and detection chip A surface plasmon sensor includes a plurality of light supply devices for irradiating a beam, a plurality of surface plasmon resonance detection surfaces where the beam irradiated from the light supply means being incident to, a plurality of light detection devices ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7214918 | Sensor device, particularly for controlling lighting devices of a motor vehicle A sensor device is proposed, particularly for controlling lighting devices of a motor vehicle, having at least one receiver for receiving radiation from at least one receiver region, and a control device which is capable of controlling peripheral devices; a diffract... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7208723 | Image processing system which processes an image captured by an imaging device through a lens having a focus which is adjusted to a point beyond the glass An image processing system that detects foreign matter on a glass window of a vehicle and objects in front of the vehicle. The system includes an image processor, a first lamp, and a second lamp. On/off control of the first and second lamps is controlled by the imag... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7199346 | Moisture sensor and windshield fog detector A control system is disclosed for automatically detecting moisture on the windshield of a vehicle. The automatic moisture detecting system includes an optical system for imaging a portion of the windshield onto an image array sensor, such as a CMOS active pixel sens... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7189960 | Optical moisture sensor A soil moisture sensor has a cylindrical body of transparent cyclic olefin polymer (COC). A pair of axially spaced cavities tapered toward each other are formed in the body. A light source is placed in one of the cavities, and a light sensor is placed in the other. ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7187440 | Holographic sensor, especially for recognition of moisture on a glass pane of a motor vehicle A holographic sensor for recognizing moisture on a glass pane of a motor vehicle is provided, having a casing, a carrier layer, a diffractive element and an adhesive layer, the diffractive element being fixed, preferably glued, on the carrier layer. The diffractive ... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7162896 | Apparatus for checking the formation of scale, and water-carrying appliance An apparatus allows monitoring the formation of scale. The apparatus makes it possible to determine the degree of water hardness or a tendency of the degree of water hardness to change over time and to take measures for adjusting the desired degree of water hardness... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7161165 | Optical transducer for continuously determining liquid level An optical transducer for determining liquid level within a container includes a sensing probe having a first elongate measurement face and a second elongate measurement face that converges toward the first measurement face. A light source is positioned for directin... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7157727 | Optical detector able to sense the presence of a container and content therein, and container and printer using the same A content detecting apparatus uses a signal from a light-receiving part receiving light projected from a light emitting part to detect ink in an ink cartridge. The light-emitting part and the light-receiving part are arranged with differing optical axes. The ink car... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7158224 | Optically active substrates A device for optical examination of biological materials using radiation of a selected wavelength includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface includes a dense array of micro-optical elements arran... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7149026 | Sensor unit for automatically switching of lighting devices and coupling medium for a sensor unit A sensor unit for automatic switching of lighting devices of motor vehicles is described. The sensor unit includes at least one light-sensitive sensor, a filter element being situated upstream from it, and the filter element filtering out infrared light. A coupling ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7139454 | Methods for signal transmission in optical fiber This disclosure concerns methods for transmitting a signal in an optical system. In one example, the method begins when an optical signal is generated. Then, the optical signal is manipulated such that the optical signal defines a substantially annular intensity pro... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7131754 | Automatic headlamp control An automatic headlamp control system includes an image sensor and a control. The image sensor captures an image of a forward exterior scene and the control processes the image to determine if any light sources in the captured image are indicative of headlamps of onc... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7129007 | Recording medium for hologram, hologram recording apparatus and hologram recording method A recording medium (1) for hologram comprises a hologram recording layer (3) comprised of photo-polymer layer is formed on a base (2) comprised of colorless and transparent resin film, etc. and a protective layer (4) comprised of colorles... | 10/31/2006 |
