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3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7876455 | Three-dimensional shape measuring method and apparatus for the same A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus includes a line laser light source (1) and an image capturing device (2). A three-dimensional shape measuring method and apparatus is characterized by irradiating a line laser beam to an object (3) t... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7715021 | Microscope and microscope microexamination procedure method for the measurement of the surface profile of an object The invention provides a microscope for measuring the surface profile of an object, including (1) an illumination module which directs illumination radiation with different wavelengths to different surface portions of the object in such a way that a predetermined ob... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7684054 | Profile inspection system for threaded and axial components A system and method are disclosed for inspecting a component having a length, a width, and an axis. The system includes a fixture for holding the component, a light source disposed on one side of the component, and an optical detector disposed on the other side of t... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7466430 | Method and apparatus for optically scanning a pneumatic tire of a vehicle wheel A method and apparatus for optically scanning a pneumatic tire of a vehicle wheel that is rotatably mounted on a measuring shaft of a wheel balancing machine. A light source, such as a laser beam source, is provided to emit at least one light beam onto the surface o... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7440119 | Three-dimensional shape detecting device, image capturing device, and three-dimensional shape detecting method There is provided a three-dimensional shape detecting device comprising: pattern beam projection means which projects a plurality of pattern beams including two pattern beams having different angular widths; image capturing means which captures an image of a subject... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7400414 | Hand-size structured-light three-dimensional metrology imaging system and method A hand-size structured-light three-dimensional metrology imaging system and method. Laser illumination stripes are scanned across a workpiece surface for obtaining z-height and x-coordinate information. A Scheimpflug configuration is used. Utilizing this configurati... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7379193 | Sensing device for measuring the three-dimension shape and its measuring method The present invention discloses a sensing device for measuring the three dimension shape and its measuring method. The said sensing device includes a projecting device, an observing device, a projecting localizer, an observing localizer and a computer for data proce... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7379192 | Optical metrology of single features The profile of a single feature formed on a wafer can be determined by obtaining an optical signature of the single feature using a beam of light focused on the single feature. The obtained optical signature can then be compared to a set of simulated optical signatu... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7375826 | High speed three-dimensional laser scanner with real time processing A laser scanner computes a range from a laser line to an imaging sensor. The laser line illuminates a detail within an area covered by the imaging sensor, the area having a first dimension and a second dimension. The detail has a dimension perpendicular to the area.... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7359070 | Multi-function peripheral with camera A multi-function peripheral device for producing output images. The device includes a scanning system for creating a scanned input image, a camera for creating a captured input image, a controller for receiving at least one of said scanned input image and said captu... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7336377 | Foot measuring device An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of pairs of human feet and a method for carrying out the measurements using the apparatus is described. The device is based on two light emitter/detector pairs. The emitter/detector pairs are caused to move in mutually ortho... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7324217 | Device and method for measuring components A method is disclosed for measuring components (1) using a measurement system (20) guided by a manipulator (10). In this process, reference features (9, 9a, . . . , 9i) are decentrally located at various positions nea... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7315383 | Scanning 3D measurement technique using structured lighting and high-speed CMOS imager A method for 3 dimensional scanning using a light source for projecting a source of illumination configured to be non-uniform or having a predetermined pattern is disclosed. A CMOS sensor having randomly accessible rows of pixels, and an associated lens system, is m... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7310154 | Shape measurement system An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of an object. The image capturing apparatus includes a correspondence detector which detects a correspondence of characteristic points of an object based upon captured images of the object. A motion detector detect... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7306339 | Laser projection with object feature detection A laser projection system scans an output laser light beam onto an object to detect features. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and project... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7305120 | Optimized method of scanning and measuring a three-dimensional object According to the claimed invention, a method of scanning and measuring surfaces of a three-dimensional object is disclosed. The method includes (a) scanning the object from one or more different angles with a scanning device; (b) identifying unscanned surfaces of th... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7253908 | Non-destructive inspection using laser profiling and associated method A system for non-destructive inspection using laser profiling and an associated method are provided. The system includes a support surface, and at least one laser carried by the support surface and directed towards the workpiece at an oblique angle such that at leas... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7215430 | Integrated system for quickly and accurately imaging and modeling three-dimensional objects An integrated system generates a model of a three-dimensional object. A scanning laser device scans the three-dimensional object and generates a point cloud. The points of the point cloud each indicate a location of a corresponding point on a surface of the object. ... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7202956 | Translation mechanism for opto-mechanical inspection An apparatus is disclosed for moving an optical component of an opto-mechanical inspection system relative to an object to be inspected using a linear actuator comprising a coil located in a magnetic field created by a magnet assembly. A translation stage is coupled... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7199881 | Apparatus for and method of measurements of components An arrangement for measuring components has a manipulator, at least one measuring system in operative connection with the manipulator, the at least one measuring system including at least one contour measuring device associated with the manipulator and generating an... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7190465 | Laser measurement system What is disclosed is a 3-D laser measurement system, including a mirror continuously rotatable about a rotation axis which extends, e.g., in parallel or coaxial with a measuring beam emitted by an optical emitter and impinging on the mirror. ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7180606 | Machine vision system for measuring heights of items A machine vision system (1) has two laser sources (2, 3) to illuminate a solder deposit from both sides for comprehensive coverage without occlusion. The camera (4) has an FGPA (32) programmed to define a subset of the sensor array (20... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7177014 | Light wave distance measuring apparatus A reference electrical signal oscillated by the main oscillator (11) has two kinds of frequencies (f1, f2) which are different from each other and any one of which is alternatively selected, a sampling signal is synchronized with the ref... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7164475 | High throughput brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system using advanced optical techniques The broadband brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system provided receives broadband brightfield illumination information via a defect detector, which signals for initiation of darkfield illumination. The defect detector forms a two dimensional histogram of the d... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7126628 | Screw auto-detection and selection device A screw auto-detection and selection device comprises a rotary machine table; a light source generating unit; a recording control unit; a camera detecting unit; and a time scale cam unit. The feature of device is that the camera detecting unit includes a press, an e... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7089152 | System and method for assisting shoe selection A system for assisting shoe selection can select and present a shoe type that fits a customer by estimating the anatomical characteristics of a foot from the state of the foot. The system includes the following: a measured data input portion for measuring and inputt... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7071931 | Image capture device with projected display An image capture device includes provision for projecting indicia onto an object surface. For a scanned beam image capture device, the image may be projected from the scan engine. The light source includes provision for modulating the intensity of its output. A cont... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7025454 | Extended depth of field optics for human vision The present invention provides extended depth of field to human eyes by modifying contact lenses, intraocular implants, and/or the surface of the eye itself. This may be accomplished by applying selected phase variations to these optical elements (e.g., by varying s... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7023531 | Laser distance measuring device with phase delay measurement A laser distance measuring device (1) includes a laser diode (4) for emitting a high frequency intensity modulated measurement light beam (3) and connected with a signal generating unit (SGU) that generates a high frequency measurement signal ( | 04/04/2006 |
| 7008386 | Foot orthotic A method comprises stocking a predetermined number of sets of foot orthotics, each set having a standard arch height that is unique for that set. An arch height of a sole of a foot is measured. Then, an orthotic is selected from the set for which the standard arch h... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6980302 | Three dimensional digitizer using multiple methods A method and apparatus capable of using two or more capture methods to create three-dimensional representations of a target captured. Elements of the three-dimensional digital representation generated from the plural capture method are combined to yield a single dig... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6927862 | Three-dimensional shape and color detecting apparatus A three-dimensional shape and color detecting apparatus that detects a three-dimensional shape of an object and a color thereof is provided with an illuminating system that emits light to illuminate the object, and a light receiving device that receives a reflected ... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6795199 | Method and apparatus for dispersion compensated reflected time-of-flight tomography The invention discloses a time-of-flight method and apparatus for rapid and high resolution measurement of the optical characteristics of a set of superimposed thin layers within an object, penetrated by an illuminating beam of light. The very high temporal, spectra... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6759649 | Optoelectronic detection device The invention relates to an optoelectronic detection device, in particular a laser scanner, comprising at least one transmitter unit for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation, preferably pulsed electromagnetic radiation, at least one receiver unit associated... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6574050 | 3D shape-measuring apparatus using biaxial anamorphic magnification A 3D shape-measuring apparatus using biaxial anamorphic magnification comprises a light source that projects a light onto an object surface to be sensed. Via an electrical image-grabbing device, such as CCD camera, the light reflected from the object is g... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6556945 | Measurement of grooves and long waves on rails with a longitudinal streak of light A system for measuring unevenness formed by grooves and/or long waves in a surface of an object by using a measuring platform. The system moves the object and the measuring platform relative to each other and projects from the measuring platform a light s... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6542250 | Method of three-dimensionally measuring object surfaces A method of optically measuring a three-dimensional surface by sequentially projecting predetermined patterns onto the surface to generate thereon a predetermined number of temporary images of different intensities. Each of the images is recorded by senso... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6483595 | Three dimensional optical scanner A scanner for scanning three-dimensional objects, wherein the distance between the scanner and the object for each measured location is derived by determining the phase difference between a generated light beam, and light received off of the object being ... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6480287 | Three dimensional scanning system A three-dimensional scanning system, that scans a three-dimensional object and calculates a three-dimensional coordinate data from a surface of the object. The three-dimensional scanning system has a photoelectron detector, a rotational scanning device, a... | 11/12/2002 |
| 6421132 | Method and apparatus for rapid range imaging A method of range imaging a scene includes directing a planar light beam onto a first portion of the scene, receiving a first reflected light stripe from that portion of the light beam on a row of sensors which emit responsive electrical signals. The firs... | 07/16/2002 |
