Quotables
"The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys."
Sir William Preece, chief engineer, British Post Office ; 1878
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 |
| 7570408 | Surgical microscope apparatus A drive unit 5 of a surgical microscope apparatus 1 moves an entire optical system horizontally. A driver 175 moves a head lens 13 vertically. An imaging device 56a detects reflected light (observation light) of illumination... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7369288 | Micromechanical optical element having a reflective surface as well as its use By way of example, it would also be possible to dispense in a manner which is not illustrated with the spring elements 2, and then for the element 1 to carry out an oscillating translational deflection. Micromechanical optical elements have a reflectiv... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7362493 | Micromirror and post arrangements on substrates A micromirror of a micromirror array of a spatial light modulator used in display systems comprises a mirror plate attached to a hinge that is supported by two posts formed on a substrate. Also the mirror plate is operable to rotate along a rotation axis that is par... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7324271 | Laser-scanning microscope with collimator and/or pinhole optics Laser-scanning microscope with at least one detection radiation input, in which an aperture plate is installed in front of the detector, whereby optics with variable transmission lengths and a fixed focal distance is provided for focusing varying wavelengths of the ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7316356 | Optical scanner having a balanced mirrored spinner An optical scanner having a balanced mirrored spinner. The optical scanner includes a laser for producing a laser beam, a mirrored spinner for directing the laser beam to produce scanning light beams, and an apparatus for rotating the mirrored spinner including a mo... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7255280 | Electronically-controlled mechanically-damped off-resonant light beam scanning mechanism and code symbol readers employing the same Apparatus for deflecting a light beam, comprising: a scanning element having a base portion, a light beam deflecting portion, and a gap region disposed therebetween. The base portion is anchored with respect to an optical bench to permit the light beam deflecting po... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7221486 | Method and apparatus for picking up 2D image of an object to be sensed A method and apparatus for sensing by a linear image sensor a two-dimensional image of an object to be sensed includes detecting a position of the object by a position sensor having a first resolution, picking up an image of the object being projected in a direction... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7173745 | Optical beam delivery configuration An optical beam delivery configuration includes zoom lens means (30) and beam scanning means (44) defining an optical path (20) for a light beam. The beam scanning means is disposed after the zoom lens means in the direction of beam delivery. Th... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7167297 | Micromirror array In order to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of the collection optics, in the present invention, micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular. Also, in order to minimi... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7136215 | Piezoelectrically-activated cantilevered spatial light modulator A piezoelectric spatial light modulator including a substrate having an array of cavities and piezoelectric cantilevers is arranged on the substrate. Each of the piezoelectric cantilevers includes a base portion on the substrate and a beam portion extending over a r... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7113321 | Optical deflection apparatus and manufacturing method thereof, optical deflection array, imaging apparatus, and image projection display apparatus A miniaturized and highly integrated optical deflection apparatus is realized in which the number of electrodes for driving the optical deflection apparatus is reduced. The optical deflection apparatus implements a sheet member that is electrically floating and plur... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7088382 | Imaging optical system, image forming apparatus having the same, and a method therefor An image forming apparatus includes a semiconductor laser array to emit a plurality of laser beams through a plurality of independently controllable laser elements according to an image signal, an imaging optical system to magnify the laser beams emitted from the la... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7075702 | Micromirror and post arrangements on substrates A micromirror of a micromirror array of a spatial light modulator used in display systems comprises a mirror plate attached to a hinge that is supported by two posts formed on a substrate. Also the mirror plate is operable to rotate along a rotation axis that is par... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7048394 | Mechanism for adjustable installation of band plate-like member A mechanism for adjustable installation of band plate-like members facilitates the separate adjustment of a cylindrical mirror in the normal direction of the reflecting face of the mirror, in a direction intersecting the normal direction, and the orientation of the ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7046266 | Scanner system A method of scanning for writing a pattern on a surface, including providing a scanning beam comprised of a plurality of independently addressable sub-beams, scanning the surface with the scanning beam a plurality of times, the sub-beams scanning the surface side-by... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7023606 | Micromirror array for projection TV In order to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of the collection optics, in the present invention, micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular. Also, in order to minimi... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7012731 | Packaged micromirror array for a projection display In order to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of the collection optics, in the present invention, micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular. Also, in order to minimi... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7006275 | Packaged micromirror array for a projection display In order to minimize light diffraction along the direction of switching and more particularly light diffraction into the acceptance cone of the collection optics, in the present invention, micromirrors are provided which are not rectangular. Also, in order to minimi... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6970280 | High angle micro-mirrors and processes A micro-mirror that comprises a substrate, a hinge structure formed on the substrate and a mirror plate attached to the hinge structure is provided for use in display systems. The mirror plate is capable of rotating from a non-deflected resting state to a state that... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6970275 | Stationary coil oscillator scanning system An image scanning apparatus and a torsion oscillator are capable of operating across a dynamic range of possible operating frequencies. The image scanning apparatus uses a light source to produce a light beam, and the oscillator scans the light beam through a scanni... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6968258 | Residual feedback to improve estimator prediction A system and method 100 of using residual feedback in a control loop in a manner that substantially eliminates the steady state error in the predicted states that results from the mismatch in gain between the plant and the model. The control effort used by th... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6947196 | Trench-embedded mirror structure for double substrate spatial light modulator A double substrate spatial light modulator with an enlarged tilt angle is achieved. The device comprises a mirror attached on one end to a hinge wherein the hinge is attached to support posts adjacent to the mirror and attached to an underlying glass substrate, a tr... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6888470 | Sensing of mirror position in an optical switch A MEMS device employed in an optical switch has a position sensor configured to determine mirror orientation in the device. The position sensor includes at least one light sensor located under an etch gap defining the mirror in the switch. Change of light intensity ... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6846088 | Shock protectors for micro-mechanical systems The present invention is directed towards shock protectors for a pedestal suspended over a lower surface by a plurality of gimbal springs. Each gimbal spring is connected to a linkage arm that attaches to an actuator. A stop located below the bottom of the pedestal ... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6843576 | Continuously variable analog micro-mirror device A micro-mirror device includes a substrate, a reflective element spaced from the surface of the substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent to the surface of the substrate, spaced apart from each other, and disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the reflective ... | 01/18/2005 |
| 6785038 | Optical cross-connect with magnetic micro-electro-mechanical actuator cells An optical cross-connect is fabricated on a substrate using individual MEMs dice with mirrors that rotate into and out of an optical beam path. Each die can be aligned to a single (input-output) pair of collimators in a fiber-optic switching system. An individually ... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6760145 | Actuator for dual-axis rotation micromirror An array of movable MEMS mirror devices is provided being electromagnetically actuated in one axis and using an additional set of coils, or a single coil, positioned off of the main axis of rotation to achieve a second axis of rotation while allowing for a very high... | 07/06/2004 |
| 6749308 | Micromirror A micromirror (5), a micro-oscillating mirror in particular, having an at least largely cantilevered mirror surface (10) which may be displaced from the rest position about at least one torsional axis (17) is described. The mirror surface (10... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6735003 | Method and apparatus for reducing artifacts in an imaging system A method and apparatus for reducing artifacts in an imaging system by directing a stream of air onto the beam deflection assembly of the imaging system. An air displacement system, such as a fan assembly or the like, is oriented to direct, a stream of air onto the r... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6733144 | Shock protectors for micro-mechanical systems The present invention is directed towards shock protectors for a pedestal suspended over a lower surface by a plurality of gimbal springs. Each gimbal spring is connected to a linkage arm that attaches to an actuator. A stop located below the bottom of the pedestal ... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6687034 | Active tuning of a torsional resonant structure A MEM s scanning device has a variable resonant frequency. In one embodiment, the MEMs device includes a flexible arm that extends from a oscillatory body. An electrical field applies a force to the flexible arm, thereby bending the flexible arm to shift ... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6672732 | Micromechanical oscillating device A vibrating microdevice, such as a vibrating micromirror, includes a vibrating structure which is connected to a supporting body via at least one spring structure in an at least a largely floating manner, the spring structure including at least one torsio... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6666561 | Continuously variable analog micro-mirror device A micro-mirror device includes a substrate, a reflective element spaced from the surface of the substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent to the surface of the substrate, spaced apart from each other, and disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the ... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6650407 | Wide field scanning laser obstacle awareness system A wide field scanning laser obstacle awareness system (LOAS) comprises: a plurality of first optical elements configured to direct a portion of a pulsed laser beam generated by a light source to a light detector, and to direct the pulsed laser beam to a b... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6585383 | Micromachined apparatus for improved reflection of light A micromachined apparatus for reflecting light is described that is designed to reduce losses in quality or intensity of light. Mirrors are used having lengths that are longer than their widths to reduce clipping of light when a mirror is located at an an... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6583920 | Method of manufacturing a microstructure A method of manufacturing a micromirror actuator includes forming a trench on a substrate by etching, laminating a film-type organic layer on the substrate to cover but not fill the trench so that the trench is maintained hollow, and depositing and patter... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6522452 | Latchable microelectromechanical structures using non-newtonian fluids, and methods of operating same Mounting systems for micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) structures are provided including a non-Newtonian fluid having a threshold viscosity that is positioned between a MEMS base member and the MEMS structure so as to position the MEMS structure relat... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6512622 | Active tuning of a torsional resonant structure A MEMs scanning device has a variable resonant frequency. In one embodiment, the MEMs device includes a flexible arm that extends from a oscillatory body. An electrical field applies a force to the flexible arm, thereby bending the flexible arm to shift t... | 01/28/2003 |
| 6511186 | Focus and aim device and method for image projection An image projection system includes an image generator, a screen and a focus and aim component. The focus and aim component receives modulated light from the image generator and focuses and deflects the light as a function of a position on the screen. The... | 01/28/2003 |
| 6473221 | Galvano-mirror and method of making the same A method of making a galvano-mirror is provided. It includes the following steps. First, a first material substrate formed with a plurality of mirror plate regions is prepared. The mirror plate regions correspond in arrangement to the mirror plate of the ... | 10/29/2002 |
