Quotables
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
Dave Barry
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8045002 | Systems and methods for controlling strobe illumination Various exemplary embodiments may provide systems and methods for strobe illumination of a workpiece. The systems may include an illumination source, an image acquisition device and a control system. The illumination source may emit visible, UV, or near-IR light as ... | 10/25/2011 |
| 7433590 | Method of low intensity lighting for high speed image capture A system for synchronizing image capture and a light source has a first strobing light emitting diode (LED) array with a plurality of LEDs located to light an illumination area. The LED array has an on cycle during which the LED array is activated and an off cycle d... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7257268 | Systems and methods for image pattern recognition Systems and methods for image pattern recognition comprise digital image capture and encoding using vector quantization (“VQ”) of the image. A vocabulary of vectors is built by segmenting images into kernels and creating vectors corresponding to each kernel. Ima... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7180586 | System for detection of wafer defects Fast on-line electro-optical detection of wafer defects by illuminating with a short light pulse from a repetitively pulsed laser, a section of the wafer while it is moved across the field of view of an imaging system, and imaging the moving wafer onto a focal plane... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7127159 | Strobe illumination An illumination technique is provided that adjusts the respective light intensities of each of a plurality of light sources that are strobed at desirable consistent intensities by adjusting a respective light pulse pattern for each respective light source. All the l... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7110036 | Systems and methods for identifying a lens used in a vision system Systems and methods for identifying an interchangeable lens in a vision system having a controllable light source, a camera, and the lens to be identified. Light provided by the light source is transferred to the camera by the lens to be identified. The amount of li... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7102741 | Printing/inspection unit, method and apparatus for printing and/or inspecting and accepting/removing specified pellet-shaped articles from a conveyer mechanism A pellet-shaped article inspection unit is structured for use with a conveyer mechanism having a plurality of carrier bars, each carrier bar being structured to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The article inspection unit incl... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7075565 | Optical inspection system An automated optical inspection system includes a plurality of asynchronously triggerable cameras for providing image data of an object, such as a printed circuit board. The circuit board is divided into fields of view that are to be imaged in one or more cameras in... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7061552 | Method and apparatus to perform automatic digital convergence A method and apparatus for performing autoconvergence is described. An image having a first aspect ratio and a plurality of sides is received. The image is displayed on a display having a second aspect ratio and at least one sensor corresponding to each side of the ... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7035478 | System and method for data management in a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner A data management system and method for processing, storing, and viewing the extremely large imagery data that is rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner is provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the l... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7027639 | High speed optical image acquisition system with extended dynamic range A high-speed image acquisition system includes a source of light; a sensor for acquiring a plurality of images of the target; a system for determining relative movement between the source and the target; and an image processor for processing the acquired images to g... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6943826 | Apparatus for debugging imaging devices and method of testing imaging devices To facilitate the debugging an imaging device having a large number of pixels, a debugging apparatus has an image view display for qualitatively displaying pixel characteristics in a first range of the imaging device, and a code view displaying unit for quantitative... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6937163 | Apparatus and method for preventing a picture from being taken by flash photography An apparatus and method for preventing a photographic image from being taken has a triggering mechanism which will generate a signal when detecting a light signal indicative of a camera flash. A flash unit is coupled to the triggering mechanism for generating a coun... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6784926 | Method and arrangement for processing CCD pixel data This invention relates generally to the processing of measured data. Especially the invention applies to the binning procedure of data which is measured with a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor unit. The invention is preferably used in photometrics for measuring ra... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6621517 | Viewing and imaging systems A viewing and imaging system is provided for use in a screen printer. Light is supplied to the screen and/or the board from a number of independently controller light sources. According to one aspect of the invention, one light source provides substantial... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6618123 | Range-finder, three-dimensional measuring method and light source apparatus The invention provides a range finder capable of carrying out three-dimensional measurement stably for a long period of time. A light pattern is projected on a subject by using a light source array unit in which a plurality of light sources, such as LEDs,... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6496219 | Automatic system for detecting printing faults on metallized strips or any other printing support comprising a predominance of specular color surfaces This automatic system (1) detects printing faults on metallized strips (3) or any other printing support comprising a predominance of specular color surfaces. The said system, arranged in a blackout casing (2), comprises an arm (30) on which there can mov... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6441888 | Rangefinder A rangefinder performs highly accurate 3D measurement without being affected by any variation in intensity of projected light. A light source for projecting light onto an object is provided with a light receiver for detecting the intensity of the projecte... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6275256 | Digital camera illuminator for the imaging of specular objects An illuminator for a digital camera includes a body of transparent material defining a cone shaped cavity with an opening at the apex of the cone for a taking lens of the camera and an opening at the base of the cone for locating an object to be photograp... | 08/14/2001 |
| 5912699 | Method and apparatus for rapid capture of focused microscopic images A high speed image capture apparatus includes a camera with an integration period between consecutive flashes of an illuminating light pulse, where the camera has an image read out period and an image output. A timer for provides a strobe output represent... | 06/15/1999 |
| 5880774 | Non-invasive inspection platen A non-invasive inspection system is disclosed. The system contains light sources or source, viewing optics, an x-y table, and a platen for mounting objects to be inspected. The transparent platen contains a vacuum system that sets up a laminar flow of air... | 03/09/1999 |
| 5848188 | Shape measure device Disclosed herein is a high-resolution shape measuring device having a scanning device capable of scanning an object to be measured at a high constant rotational speed. The shape measuring device includes a laser light source for generating flashing laser ... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5838840 | Inspection device using a field mode video camera with interpolation to replace missing pixels A video inspection device using a field mode CCD camera. In order to inspect the printing on a moving web, a field mode CCD camera is provided with a zoom lens and strobe light. The image obtained is processed so that only alternate pixels of the image ar... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5825495 | Bright field illumination system A Bright Field Illumination system for inspecting a range of characteristically different kinds of defects, depressions, and ridges in a selected material surface. The system has an illumination source placed near a first focus of an elliptical reflector.... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5808744 | Apparatus for inspecting repetitive patterns An apparatus for inspecting repetitive patterns includes a signal generation device for outputting a signal every time each of repetitive patterns reaches a predetermined observation area, and a flash generation device for generating a flash in synchronis... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5752446 | Alignment systems Apparatus is provided for aligning two objects (1,2), such as a board and screen in a screen printer, each having at least one reference mark (6a,7a) on a surface thereof, whereby alignment of the objects is indicated by alignment of corresponding referen... | 05/19/1998 |
| 5701156 | Apparatus for observing the dispersion pattern of the spray plume of a spray nozzle An apparatus and method for detecting and analyzing the parameters of the dispersion pattern of the spray plume from the orifice of a spray device or nozzle utilizing an electro-optical device having at least one television camera positioned to detect the... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5636031 | Method and assembly for measuring an article's dimensions The object of the invention is to provide a solution to improve the accuracy of surface and/or profile measurements without any time-consuming manipulations for placing and orienting the object on a measurement table. In addition, this assembly aims at ov... | 06/03/1997 |
| 5581074 | Inspection apparatus with stroboscope intensity compensation features A stroboscope is employed as the lighting source for a video camera, the output of which is converted into a signal from which a fault in the object scanned is detected. The stroboscope is controlled in response to a portion of the output voltage of the v... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5537149 | Display device A display device having a display screen of 16:9 aspect ratio for displaying fully a video image of 4:3 aspect ratio without leaving a blank space and a display device having a display screen of 4:3 aspect ratio for displaying fully a video image of 16:9 ... | 07/16/1996 |
| 5457490 | Device and method for acquiring substantially centered images of moving items A device 12 acquires substantially centered images of moving items. A strobe (36) illuminates an item (16) while a camera 28 having a view (29) with a view center (39) acquires an image of that item (16). A position sensor (38) generates an indication sig... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5408104 | Apparatus and process with an annular fluorescent tube for detection in a moving mode of surface defects on long metallic products An apparatus and a process for detecting surface defects on moving long metallic products utilizing linear CCD cameras for effecting exposures at successive times t1, t2,t3 . . . Tn. A processing device calculates differences observed for each pixel or as... | 04/18/1995 |
| 5335012 | Apparatus for inspecting the seal of insulating glass panes An apparatus for conveying sealed insulating glass panes (1) includes a conveying device (3, 14) associated, in the zone of the end (10) on the inlet side and the end (11) on the outlet side, with recorders (12), preferably those with respectively two TV ... | 08/02/1994 |
| 5085510 | Pharmaceutical tablet vision inspection system A visual inspection system for inspecting pharmaceutical tablets. The system comprises a photoelectric detection means for detecting the light intensity within an inspection area on a tablet and for generating a detection signal which varies with that lig... | 02/04/1992 |
| 4976544 | Method of inspecting the ends of stacked cigarettes A method of inspecting the ends of cigarettes stacked, in particular, inside a container, with the ends aligned so as to form two opposite lateral surfaces of the mass formed by the same; whereby the ends of the cigarettes are inspected by means of an ele... | 12/11/1990 |
| 4918522 | Method of taking pictures of a quick-moving object by means of video method A method of taking pictures of a quick-moving object by means of a video apparatus, whereby the quick-moving object, e.g. a paper web, is exposed to a short light impulse and a light impulse reflected from the object is used to produce an image on an imag... | 04/17/1990 |
| 4896211 | Asynchronously triggered single field transfer video camera As an object moves along a conveyor (A), a position sensor (B) generates a trigger signal. The trigger signal causes a strobe (14) to emit a high intensity flash of light into an examination region. A lens (20) of a CCD camera (C) focuses light from the e... | 01/23/1990 |
| 4860096 | Motion analysis tool and method therefor A motion analysis tool for viewing the repetitive motion of an object having a video camera for producing images of the object as it moves, a strobe directed at the object for illuminating the object while the image is taken, a controller for capturing a ... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4853776 | Fabric inspecting method and appartus for detecting flaws An inspection method and apparatus for searching a fabric in strip form to find lump type and void type flaws on both faces of the fabric. Strobes and image pickup elements are arranged at opposite sides of the fabric in transportation. The strobes at one... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4794453 | Method and apparatus for stroboscopic video inspection of an asynchronous event Apparatus and method particularly suitable for use with the closed loop color to color registration system of a commercial web printing apparatus utilizes a CCD camera having an image sensor and a synchronization generator circuit which generates periodic... | 12/27/1988 |
