Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7366375 | Optical waveguide device, manufacturing method thereof, optical information processing apparatus, and electronic equipment Disclosed herein is an optical waveguide device including a cladding having first and second surfaces opposite to each other, a core laminated to the first surface of the cladding for guiding light in a longitudinal direction thereof, the core having a pair of light... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7342375 | Automatic storm shutter control The present invention provides wireless and direct wired methods and devices for automatically closing electrically-driven roll-down storm shutters in the presence of rain on one or more rain sensors. ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7218384 | Surveying system A surveying system is provided that comprises a position relation calculating processor and a correspondence obtaining processor. The position relation calculating processor calculates a position relation between a coordinate system to which three-dimensional coordi... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7102740 | Method and system for determining surface feature characteristics using slit detectors A method and system for determining surface feature characteristics (including position and dimensions) using slit detectors provides a low-cost and high-speed measurement system for inspecting a surface. The system includes multiple slit detectors positioned so tha... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7075625 | Range finder and method Pattern projection apparatuses are placed on each other in a stack manner in a stripe pattern direction for projecting the same patterns. An image pickup apparatus (camera 1) is placed between the pattern projection apparatuses. The optical axes of the patter... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7058161 | X-ray tube and method of producing the same An X-ray tube 1 comprises of a bulb 10 joined to an envelope main body 4 at one end side thereof and having an inner cylinder portion 10a extending inwardly at the other end side thereof, a metal tube 11 having an extension ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 6995385 | Optical reflection sensor An optical reflection sensor emits light and its reflection from a target object is received. A signal processor carries out a measurement on the received reflected light such as the distance to the target object each time the reflected light is received. Repeatabil... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6980303 | Light-emitting/receiving combined unit and displacement sensors using the same The present invention provides a light emitting/receiving composite unit (1) for emitting and receiving lights, which includes a light source (3), an optical splitting unit (4) for splitting returning lights to the composite unit (1) into... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6919819 | Sunshade board The present invention provides an improved sunshade board, the sunshade board comprises: a digital radio device that comprises at least one memory card socket, operate display panel, a sense display device that comprises at least one display screen, optical coupling... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6297488 | Position sensitive light spot detector The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for detecting a position of a light spot in a light distribution that can include stray light components (e.g. from other lasers, ambient lighting etc.) The apparatus includes a continous response p... | 10/02/2001 |
| 6028606 | Camera simulation system A physical camera is modeled to render an image in a computer graphics system. When given the manufacturer's specifications of the physical camera's lenses, including the dimensions and indices of refraction of its lenses, stops, and shutter characteristi... | 02/22/2000 |
| 5995681 | Adjustment of sensor geometry model parameters using digital imagery co-registration process to reduce errors in digital imagery geolocation data A digital image processing system reduces errors in the parameters of a sensor geometry model, through which points in a captured digital image are geolocated to the surface of the earth by means of a `real time` co-registration mechanism that refines the... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5760883 | Multiple points distance measuring apparatus An apparatus for obtaining information associated with distances in a plurality of target directions by projecting light in the plurality of target directions and receiving the reflected light, includes a first light emitting portion, a second light emitt... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5488468 | Optical distance measuring apparatus having semiconductor position sensitive photodetector A light emitting element and a light receiving element are installed on a wiring board mounted in a housing case. Light emitted from the light emitting element is irradiated on an object to be detected through a first lens installed in the housing case. L... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5361217 | Position measuring/plotting apparatus A position measuring/plotting apparatus and a position indicator are used in plotting a plan view representing a situation, for example, the site of a traffic accident. The position measuring/plotting apparatus generally includes a position detector to de... | 11/01/1994 |
| 5361127 | Multi-image single sensor depth recovery system A multi-image single passive sensor depth recovery system is disclosed to determine the depth of an object in a scene, and includes a passive imaging sensor which images radiation from an object at a sensor plane. A lens having a multiplicity of facets lo... | 11/01/1994 |
| 5354981 | Switching photosensitive matrix device The disclosure describes one unit cell of a PNPN photoswitch array for an image sensor, including a PNPN light-activated thyristor (LAT), in the form of a two-terminal device, and a load FET. The FET functions as a load and as an on-off switch in series. ... | 10/11/1994 |
| 5291261 | Optical object detection system incorporating fiber optic coupling A system (4) for use in an automobile (2) for the detection of objects comprising: a light source (6); a plurality of spaced transmitter ports (10, 12) for respectively transmitting light to a plurality of fields of illumination (18, 20); an optical fiber... | 03/01/1994 |
| 5159378 | Light projector for range finding device A range finding device having a light projector and a light receiver. The light projector has a mirror for reflecting toward a subject near-infrared light emitted laterally from an IRED. The mirror has a reflection surface extending farther in a direction... | 10/27/1992 |
| 5151608 | Optical distance sensor using a laser beam and processing means An optical distance sensor superior in measuring accuracy and simple in construction is mounted to, e.g., a welding torch of an arc welding robot. A laser beam from a laser oscillator (1) is moved on a workpiece (100) in a direction perpendicular to a wel... | 09/29/1992 |
| 4983043 | High accuracy structured light profiler An optical gauging system for evaluating the surface shape of a workpiece along a particular cross section. The gauging system includes an illumination system which projects a line of light onto the workpiece surface. A viewing system is focused along a l... | 01/08/1991 |
| 4846576 | Method for measuring a three-dimensional position of an object A method for measuring a three-dimensional position of an object with a single camera and a multislit light, i.e., a source of multiplanar light beams. A surface of the object is irradiated with multislit lights, i.e., multiplanar light beams, having a pl... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4709142 | Target detection in aerosols using active optical sensors and method of use thereof An active optical sensing device and method which uses a transmitter to transmit directional electromagnetic radiation and a plurality of detecting devices for receiving radiation reflected off of a target and for providing output signals in response ther... | 11/24/1987 |
| 4698513 | Position detector by vibrating a light beam for averaging the reflected light A device for measuring the position of an object has a light radiation mechanism for causing light to be obliquely incident on a surface of the object, a vibrating mechanism for vibrating the light incident on the surface of the object at a predetermined ... | 10/06/1987 |
| 4645917 | Swept aperture flying spot profiler A flying spot system uses a laser beam scanned in X and Y directions to provide surface profile information. The beam is applied to a surface under test and the time interval between the beginning of the sweep and the appearance of the beam image through ... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4594001 | Detection of three-dimensional information with a projected plane of light An object is scanned first with a light plane from a variable-intensity light-plane projector, and the reflected light is used as signals to modify point by point the output of the projector in accordance with the intensity of the respective reflective-li... | 06/10/1986 |
| 4575211 | Distance measuring device The disclosed distance measuring device is arranged to project light on an object. Reflected light from the object is received by a photo-electric converter to shift the position of a photo-taking lens to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal prod... | 03/11/1986 |
| 4541723 | Monitoring the planarity of metal sheet Optical beams from lasers are directed towards the middle and edges of a hot rolled steel sheet by fixed mirrors and rotatable mirrors which allow for different sheet widths. The points of incidence of the beams are observed by photodiode cameras whose re... | 09/17/1985 |
| 4533241 | Distance measuring device and automatic focusing system using same In the disclosed measuring device, a projecting arrangement projects radiation modulated at a predetermined frequency toward an object and a sensing arrangement senses the radiation reflected by and coming from the object for producing an output signal in... | 08/06/1985 |
| 4524282 | Electro-optical level detector Level detection apparatus for determining the depth of a variable surface with respect to the apparatus is disclosed. The device includes a scanning source which causes an intense, collimated beam of light to move across the surface to be detected. First ... | 06/18/1985 |
| 4522492 | Distance measuring device A distance measuring device comprised of a system which projects infrared rays on a distant object, a light receiving optical system positioned at a prescribed base length from the infrared ray projecting system; a sensor of the signal storage type includ... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4494847 | Distance measuring system In the disclosed distance measuring system, a light measuring circuit measures light reflected from an object whose distance is to be measured. An output arrangement responds to the light measuring circuit by producing an output in the form of a signal re... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4494848 | Distance measuring device A distance measuring device having a light projecting element and a light receiving or sensitive element normally brings a photo-taking lens into an in-focus position in accordance with a signal produced from the light receiving element. When the quantity... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4484069 | Apparatus and method for sensing distance Apparatus for sensing the distance from a reference point to a remote object comprises a light source and optics to project light from the light source onto the remote object. One component of the optics is a movable mirror which is used to position the p... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4483613 | Range detecting device The disclosed range detecting device includes a light emitting source and a first lens system including a number of lens surfaces for projecting a light beam from the source toward an object whose distance from the device is to be measured. A second lens ... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4464053 | Method for correcting a measuring signal A method for correcting a measuring signal which has been generated by an apparatus measuring in contact-free fashion. The apparatus scans a surface to be measured with a light beam, measures the light reflected by the surface by means of an opto-electric... | 08/07/1984 |
| 4391514 | Sidelooking laser altimeter for a flight simulator The object of the invention is to provide an improved laser altimeter for a flight simulator which will allow measurement of the height of the simulator probe above the terrain directly below the probe tip. A laser beam 22 is directed from the probe 13 at an a... | 07/05/1983 |
| 4371261 | Range finder An active type of range finder includes a beam projection lens which is formed by a number of parts each having a different optical axis for use in a beam projection optical system, and a beam receiving optical system for widening the range finding angula... | 02/01/1983 |
| 4346988 | Distance measuring device A distance measuring device having a light projector and a light receptor, at least one of which is caused to move so that when the intersection of their optical paths is disposed at an object, its coincidence is detected by the signal generated in the li... | 08/31/1982 |
| 4330202 | Range detecting device The disclosed range detecting device includes a light emitting source and a first lens system including a number of lens surfaces for projecting a light beam from the source toward an object whose distance from the device is to be measured. A second lens ... | 05/18/1982 |
