"Rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."
Dionysius Lardner, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy at University College, London ; 1830
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7440585 | Autonomous vehicle and motion control therefor There are provided an autonomous vehicle, and an apparatus and method for estimating the motion of the autonomous vehicle and detecting three-dimensional (3D) information of an object appearing in front of the moving autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle measur... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7385684 | Angular position sensor A head tracking system combines a plurality of sources of radiant energy, a plurality of sensors and at least one reflective element. As the reflective element moves, various radiant energy beams become incident thereon. The incident beams are reflected to respectiv... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7357570 | Method and device for contactless temperature monitoring and temperature adjustment A method and device for determining the temperature of a sample, wherein a probing light beam is directed onto the sample whereby at least two partial beams of the probing light pass through paths of different lengths inside the sample by backscattering or reflectin... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7359041 | Method and system for optically tracking a target using a triangulation technique An optical position-tracking system comprises a first light beam steering device for sweeping a first light beam through a first angular range to cause a reflection of the first light beam by a target. Additionally, the optical position-tracking system further compr... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7336345 | LADAR system with SAL follower A dual mode LADAR/SAL apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a gimbal capable of scanning in azimuth and in elevation and a sensor mounted on the gimbal. The sensor includes a telescope, a LADAR optical path, and a SAL optical path. The telesc... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7330246 | Tilt meter based on the field transmission through a resonator Described is a tilt meter for monitoring angle shift in an incident signal. The tilt meter includes a resonator for receiving an incident signal from a signal transmitter and outputting a resonated signal. An incident angle exists between a plane normal to the reson... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7312856 | Programmable pulse capture device with automatic gain control The invention an optical system and a method for automatically controlling the gain of a receiver in an optical system. The optical system includes an optical receiver, a pulse capture unit, and an automatic gain control. The pulse capture unit includes a capture un... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7283211 | Distance-measuring optical apparatus, distance-measuring method, distance-measuring system, in-vehicle imager, and in-vehicle driving support apparatus A distance-measuring optical apparatus for measuring a distance to an object as a target comprises an imaging optical system; an image sensor; a driving section for moving at least the imaging optical system substantially perpendicular to an optical axis; an image s... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7276681 | On-board light source based gain correction for semi-active laser seekers The invention provides a method and apparatus for correcting for gain changes in detectors in a guided vehicle. In one version of the invention, an on board light source is used to generate a reference set of detector gains, which are stored in computer memory. The ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7233887 | Method of photomask correction and its optimization using localized frequency analysis A method of level assist feature OPC layout is described using frequency model-based approach. Through low-pass spatial frequency filtering of a mask function, the local influence of zero diffraction energy can be determined. By determining isofocal intensity thresh... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228428 | Method and apparatus for embedding encrypted images of signatures and other data on checks Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a check validation scheme wherein a payor's signature is digitized, encrypted and embedded on the front of the check using glyphs. When the payor seeks to convert a blank c... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7212294 | Method for determination of the level of two or more measurement points, and an arrangement for this purpose A method and arrangement for determining the level of at least two measurement points with a light beam direct along a first direction and being deflected through 90° with respect to the first direction to a second direction, the second direction being rotated thro... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7188348 | Optical disc drive apparatus and method An optical pickup unit (OPU) includes a moveable structure that is moved by a voice coil motor component in response to an input signal. The moveable structure includes a pattern that is moved corresponding to the input signal. An encoder reads the pattern to genera... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7136172 | System and method for setting and compensating errors in AOI and POI of a beam of EM radiation System and methodology for setting, and compensating detected errors between intended and realized Angle-of-Incidence (AOI) and Plane-Of-Incidence (POI) settings in ellipsometer and the like systems during analysis of sample characterizing data. ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7110103 | Apparatus for and method of aligning a structure An apparatus for determining the orientation and/or position of a structure comprises a light source (28) for generating a light beam. A structure (31) is mounted in the optical path of the light beam such that the position and/or orientation of the st... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7030961 | Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby During device manufacturing, a beam of radiation is projected onto a substrate via a mask. The substrate is aligned with the mask using an alignment structure on the substrate, with properties of the light reflected from (or transmitted by) the alignment structure b... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7023537 | System for monitoring the movements of construction work parts The invention relates to a system for monitoring the movements, if any, of construction work parts. It comprises: a plurality of measurement taking stations (S1, S2 . . . ) able to sight targets; a pl... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6922483 | Methods for measuring DMD low frequency spatial uniformity Methods for measuring the low spatial reflectivity uniformity of a DMD spatial light modulator. These methods are unique since they compensate for the non-uniformities introduced by the tilt angle of the DMD mirrors in addition to the normal system non-uniformities ... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6756581 | Deviation detecting device, rotary laser apparatus with the same, and position determining system with deviation detecting/correcting device The present invention is directed to a deviation detecting device that detects a deviation angle of a rotary unit of a laser light projector relative to a projector body. The deviation detecting device (190) includes a light emitter (193) attached to t... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6741341 | Reentry vehicle interceptor with IR and variable FOV laser radar A dual mode seeker for intercepting a reentry vehicle or other target is disclosed. In one embodiment, the seeker is configured with an onboard 3D ladar system coordinated with an onboard IR detection system, where both systems utilize a common aperture. The IR and ... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6693272 | Light path deviation detecting apparatus and confocal microscope A light path deviation detecting apparatus has a diverging element for diverging a detection target light path into two light paths, and detects light receiving position on light receiving surfaces disposed spaced light path lengths different from each ot... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6678059 | Apparatus for measuring 6-degree-of-freedom motions of rigid body by using three-facet mirror An apparatus for measuring six-degree-of-freedom motions by using three-facet reflector, the six-degree-of-freedom motions of an object being measured by using the laser beam proceeding from a laser light source, comprising: a multiple facet reflector in ... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6587191 | In-action boresight A method for boresighting of a designation system, including a tracker responsive to a detector with reference to an indicator, including the step of directing a beam of light at a target, using a light source, so that the beam of light is reflected from ... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6445446 | Surveying instrument A photodetecting system for an automatic surveying instrument equipped with an automatic tracking system is capable of controlling the automatic surveying instrument by simple photodetecting means. A collimating optical system collimates the surveying ins... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6437859 | Device for detecting optical position A device for detecting optical position, comprising a photodetection unit 40 having a photodetection optical axis 37 and for outputting a photodetection signal corresponding to a light receiving position of a projected light beam, and a modulation grid 42... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6435008 | Apparatus and method for determining porosity The present invention is related to an apparatus and a non-destructive method for determining the porosity of an element, particularly a thin film, formed on a substrate, said substrate being positioned in a pressurized chamber, said chamber being at a pr... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6396608 | Method and device for calibrating the deviation of a received beam from its desired position in a terminal Method for calibrating the deviation of a received beam in a terminal from its desired position. The received beam reaches a receiving sensor, and an acquisition beam an acquisition sensor of the terminal. The detection range of the acquisition sensor is ... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6262800 | Dual mode semi-active laser/laser radar seeker The invention provides a method and apparatus for guiding a weapon to a target using an optical seeker having dual semi-active laser (SAL) and laser radar (LADAR) modes of operation. The dual mode seeker incorporates a laser light source, an optical packa... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6249338 | Laser survey instrument A laser survey instrument, which comprises at least a main unit for emitting a laser beam and an object reflector for reflecting the laser beam from the main unit toward the main unit, whereby said main unit comprises an emitter for emitting the laser bea... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6133988 | Device for the measurement of distances or of the angle of incidence of a light beam The device for the measurement of distances and of the angle of incidence of a light beam comprises an optical emitting system in order to project the light beam onto the object to be measured, and an optical receiving system in order to project the refle... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6097481 | Bang-bang laser spot tracker A "bang-bang", i.e. digital tracking system for a remote laser designated target having position, rate and acceleration errors. The system is responsive to the sign of the error signal (up/down, right/left) in relation to boresight as opposed to the ampli... | 08/01/2000 |
| 6075586 | Laser survey instrument A laser survey instrument, which comprises at least a main unit for emitting a laser beam and an object reflector for reflecting the laser beam from the main unit toward the main unit, whereby said main unit comprises an emitter for emitting the laser bea... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6046800 | Position detection surveying device The present invention relates to a position detection surveying device for detecting a position of a target, and more particularly to a position detection surveying device which is most suitable for an automatic surveying apparatus and, without using expe... | 04/04/2000 |
| 6011613 | Laser survey instrument A laser survey instrument, which comprises at least a main unit for emitting a laser beam and an object reflector for reflecting the laser beam from the main unit toward the main unit, whereby said main unit comprises an emitter for emitting the laser bea... | 01/04/2000 |
| 5978076 | Reference light generator A reference light generator that is capable of switching the scan plane of a laser beam between the horizontal and the vertical simply by changing the installation position of the reference light generator. A laser beam is emitted from a laser diode 1. A half ... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5669580 | Sensor device for a missile Described is a sensor device (10) for a missile (16) having a matrix detector (12) and an electronic evaluation circuit connected thereto. A ray source (20) is stationarily arranged on the missile (16). Provided between the ray source (20) and the matrix ... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5475600 | Mobile robot which utilizes inertial navigation to calculate shortest return distance A mobile robot with a navigation system using inertia includes a cylindrical reflecting plate disposed on the periphery of a compass for indicating a fixed direction regardless of the flow of the robot. A microcomputer determines the difference between th... | 12/12/1995 |
| 5313409 | Arrangement for performing position determination An arrangement for one-man surveying, including a measuring station (1) and a target unit (2). A sighting-marker arrangement is provided which can be indicated by an indicator arrangement (7) on the measuring station. The measuring station (1) automatical... | 05/17/1994 |
| 5216480 | Surveying instrument A surveying instrument comprising optical system means having an optical axis to be coincided with an object to be observed, positional deviation detecting means for detecting the deviation of said optical axis with respect to the object and either means ... | 06/01/1993 |
| 5202742 | Laser radar for a vehicle lateral guidance system A laser radar apparatus for producing a pulse modulated transmitted light beam and receiving reflected light beams from road mounted retroreflectors. In the preferred embodiment, a floodlight beam illuminates a portion of a roadway from 20 to 150 in front... | 04/13/1993 |