"I hate what they've done to my child...I would never let my own children watch it. "
Vladimir Zworykin, television pioneer ; Talking about an invention in which he played a critical role.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8144193 | Work piece tracking system and method A system and method of visual monitoring of a work implement (e.g., a welding torch) while a task is being performed (e.g., forming a welding joint) to train workers (e.g., apprentices, inexperienced workers) in proper welding technique, for example) and/or to evalu... | 03/27/2012 |
| 7369075 | Output circuit, digital/analog circuit and display apparatus An output circuit, a digital/analog conversion circuit and a display apparatus can reduce the number of required input voltages and the number of transistors to save the necessary area. The output circuit and the digital/analog conversion circuit comprise a selectio... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7228049 | Optical fixed attenuator and process and apparatus for producing the same A technique for manufacturing optical fixed attenuators in which two fibers are axially cojoined using fusion splicing. The spliced fibers are then captured in either a splice protection splint or cylindrical ferrule that can be housed in an optical adapter. In this... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7088880 | Optical fiber coupling and inline fault monitor device and method An optical fiber connection arrangement includes an alignment sleeve for coaxially aligning optical fibers mounted in ferrules. A gap between the ends of the optical fibers allows some light to escape. A sensor responds to the leaked light, and the resulting signal ... | 08/08/2006 |
| 6980248 | Image pickup apparatus An image pickup apparatus comprising first and second image pickup portions for receiving at least a first wavelength component of an object light and a second wavelength component of the object light different from the first wavelength component, respectively, a fi... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6970190 | Event synchronization for detector systems An event synchronizing apparatus E for an image intensification camera system C for gathering image data includes an image intensifier 348 for amplifying received light 312. A relay optic assembly 316 is coupled between the image intensifier ... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6906281 | Method for laser welding of metal A method of welding at least two metal sheets protected by a zinc coating that has a low vaporizing temperature. The metal sheets are placed on top of each other and a head of a welding machine is passed over the sheets. The head of the welding machine is configured... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6657799 | Wire bonding apparatus A wire bonding apparatus including a bonding tool that performs bonding on a bonding part, a position detection camera which has a lens barrel and images the bonding part, a light source which emits illuminating light downward through the lens barrel, and... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6563511 | Anti-flickering for video display based on pixel luminance The present invention is a method and apparatus to generate an anti-flickered pixel from a source pixel having a source pixel value in a display memory. The apparatus comprises a plurality of storage elements, a filter, a comparator, and an output selecto... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6518995 | System and process for remote, in situ metal work Oil and gas industry employs a large quantity of hardware in its operations. They require periodic repair, maintenance and modification. Many of these hardware are located beyond direct human access and in inhospitable environment. The traditional solutio... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6414711 | Apparatus for correcting movement path of a robot and a method therefor A tool mounted on the wrist end of a robot is placed in a predetermined photographing position, and the front and side faces of the tool are photographed by cameras to obtain three-dimensional shape data of the tool. The extent of deformation of the tool ... | 07/02/2002 |
| 6226395 | Method and apparatus for determining the configuration of a workpiece The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for scanning an object to obtain data on the object and determine the configuration of the object. A gantry (12) allows movement along a first direction (A-A'). A set of platforms (14A, 14B) allows ... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6118477 | Picture reading apparatus In a picture reading apparatus, in the pre-scan, an approach is employed to control a CCD line sensor 5 and a film carrying roller 103 so that plural pictures recorded on an optical film 1 are read at a predetermined sampling rate in order from the latest... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6097426 | Temperature control by means of a CCD-camera in welding fiber ribbon cables In welding optical fiber ribbons [by means of] using an electric arc formed between electrodes the region heated by the electric arc is mapped on CCD-elements in a camera. In the obtained picture the light intensity of those portions of the picture is det... | 08/01/2000 |
| 5999642 | Method and apparatus for determining the configuration of a workpiece The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for scanning an object to obtain data on the object and determine the configuration of the object. A gantry (12) allows movement along a first direction (A-A'). A set of platforms (14A, 14B) allows ... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5923555 | Welding system A welding system for automatically welding two workpieces together at a joint. The system includes a welding box having an electrode for welding the workpieces together; a camera assembly for viewing selected regions of the workpieces including a first ed... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5555316 | Inspecting apparatus of mounting state of component or printing state of cream solder in mounting line of electronic component An inspecting apparatus is arranged on an electronic component mounting line for inspecting whether a mounting state of the component mounted by a mounting apparatus in a precedent process or a printing state of a cream solder by a cream solder printing a... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5533146 | Weld bead quality determining apparatus An apparatus for determining quality of a weld bead of an welded assembly of different metal sheets, wherein a slit beam of light is obliquely thrown on the weld bead to make an illuminated band on an upper surface of the welded assembly. A CCD camera dis... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5255088 | System and process for video monitoring a welding operation A configuration or system of lenses for use in an arc welding environment variably filters light so that the dramatic contrasts of light present in the welding area are reduced for better remote viewing. A photochromic lens forms a negative image of the w... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5245409 | Tube seam weld inspection device The invention provides a method and apparatus for on-line, real-time imaging and inspecting a seam weld on a moving tube in a conventional tube forming environment. The apparatus is in a compact container sealed from workplace contaminants. A planar light... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5189514 | Guidance system for automatic riveters An optical edge guidance system for automatic riveters. The guidance system utilizes a light source which directs light toward the material to be drilled/riveted, a video camera is also directed toward the portion of an object to be drilled/riveted and de... | 02/23/1993 |
| 5182775 | Method of processing radiographic image data for detecting a welding defect A radiographic test is conducted on a welded portion of a pipe or the like to form a radiographic image, which is introduced into a computer. Volumetric defects and planar defects in the radiographic image are emphasized and extracted by separate methods ... | 01/26/1993 |
| 5038292 | Positional information detecting method in arc welding A method of detecting information on an arc welding position by monitoring the shape and/or position of an welding arc. When in the arc welding along a welding groove position while locating the same, the shape of the arc is picked up from above the joint... | 08/06/1991 |
| 4988201 | Apparatus for detecting a shape of a groove An apparatus for detecting a shape of a groove, comprises: a device for forming picture images of a groove and a groove face of a work piece of metal to be welded with the use of a welding arc as illuminating light; a storage device for storing informatio... | 01/29/1991 |
| 4918517 | System and process for video monitoring a welding operation The invention is both a system and method for video monitoring a metal working process which involves the generation of an intense point source of light near or on a workpiece, such as an electric arc welding process. The system comprises a lens assembly ... | 04/17/1990 |
| 4907169 | Adaptive tracking vision and guidance system An adaptive tracking vision and guidance system for use with robot systems includes a structured light vision system and an expert system based look ahead feature tracker. The adaptive tracking vision system may be used to track a feature on which the rob... | 03/06/1990 |
| 4868649 | Apparatus for the televisual monitoring of an arc welding operation The televisual monitoring apparatus incorporates at least one camera (10) fastened to the support of the welding machine. The camera (10) incorporates, interposed on the path of the light rays coming from the welding zone and upstream of a device (22) for... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4764669 | Photoelectric apparatus for tracing a scanning head along a pattern track with selectable sampling In a photoelectric apparatus for tracing a scanning head (8) along a pattern track (13), a constant arrangement (17) of tightly spaced light-sensitive elements (16) is provided in the scanning head forming together with an addressing device (25) scanning ... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4739404 | Apparatus and methods for controlling a welding process A monitoring method and apparatus for storing video data is provided comprising storing at a video-computer interface location data defining a selected area of a video frame to be stored, supplying video data to the interface, identifying the beginning of... | 04/19/1988 |
| 4737614 | Optical image control for automated arc welding system vision system An improved optical portion of a vision system for controlling an automated arc welding system. Collimated, image bearing light is rotated through an angle to maintain the weld scene at the identical orientation upon the video camera regardless of actual ... | 04/12/1988 |
| 4683493 | Compact optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a tool along a line of travel on a workpiece A compact optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a tool along a line of travel on a workpiece, includes a light source for providing a collimated light beam, wherein the light source is mounted on the tool adjacent the rear of the tool. A cy... | 07/28/1987 |
| 4649426 | Electronic imaging system and technique A method and system for viewing objects obscurred by intense plasmas or flames (such as a welding arc) includes a pulsed light source to illuminate the object, the peak brightness of the light reflected from the object being greater than the brightness of... | 03/10/1987 |
| 4578561 | Method of enhancing weld pool boundary definition The surface of the molten weld pool and surrounding workpiece area are floodlighted during an arc welding operation by a narrowband light source such as a laser in order to highlight the pool boundary and yield an image which is easily computer processed ... | 03/25/1986 |
| 4547800 | Position detecting method and apparatus There is provided a method of detecting any positional deviation of a workpiece from a reference position with the aid of an image sensor. First, a sample workpiece is put at the predetermined position, and is detected by the image sensor to provide refer... | 10/15/1985 |
| 4493968 | Adaptive welder with laser TV-scanner The invention pertains to a welding system having automatic groove tracking and adaptive groove filling capabilities. Data produced by a coordinated laser spot projector (10) and TV-scanner (12) combination is determined to an Intel 8085 computer (28) to ... | 01/15/1985 |
| 4492847 | Manipulator welding apparatus with sensing arrangements for weld slam tracking Manipulator apparatus with weld seam tracking capabilities is provided with a sensing hand attached to the manipulator arm. The manipulator apparatus traverses a taught welding path on a workpiece to determine any deviation between the workpiece path and ... | 01/08/1985 |
| 4488032 | Arc welding torch with integral vision sensor A gas tungsten arc welding torch has an integral optical system which images the weld puddle on the face of a fiber optic cable, and is suitable for industrial welding. The copper torch body has cover gas, electrical power, and coolant connections and an ... | 12/11/1984 |
| 4412121 | Implement positioning apparatus and process An apparatus for controlling positioning of an implement relative to a workpiece, such as a welding head with respect to members to be welded, projects light patterns including an array of light elements each having a known shape and spacing relative to o... | 10/25/1983 |
| 4410787 | Image acquisition apparatus and process As apparatus for sensing reflected light patterns in the presence of a welding arc has an image-sensing means. Means is provided for directing one or more pulses of light of short duration at a workpiece. Each pulse has a peak intensity greater than that ... | 10/18/1983 |
| 4305096 | Method of detecting weld lines In a method of detecting a weld line, the positions of the weld line and the welding wire are detected from the video signal of the weld, which is provided by an industrial television camera. The video signal of the weld is compared with a predetermined t... | 12/08/1981 |