Bizarre Patents
Neuroimaging as a Marketing Tool
Neuroimaging as a means for validating whether a stimulus such as advertisement, communication, or product evokes a certain mental response such as emotion, preference, or memory, or to predict the consequences of the stimulus on later behavior such as consumption or purchasing.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8100013 | Passage detection apparatus of object A passage detection apparatus is configured to detect the change in the properties (propagation state of sound wave, dielectric constant, etc.) of a specific space, which changes according to the passage of an object in the specific space and the size of the object.... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8096183 | Method and ultrasonic sensor for determining the height of objects disposed on a conveying device The present invention relates to a method for determining the height of objects disposed on a conveying device, in which an ultrasonic sensor positioned in a specific relationship to the conveying device repetitively transmits ultrasonic pulses directed toward the c... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8061206 | Casing thickness evaluation method Evaluating casing thickness by inducing SH0 and SH1 modes of a shear wave in the casing. The SH0 group velocity and SH1 mode group velocity (Vg) are measured and the measured SH0 mode group velocity is assigned as the tubular material shear velocity (Vs). A shear wa... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8037761 | Quantitative evaluation device and method of atomic vacancy existing in silicon wafer There is provided a quantitative evaluation device or the like of atomic vacancy existing in a silicon wafer in which the atomic vacancy concentration in the silicon wafer can be quantitatively evaluated by forming a rationalized thin-film transducer on a surface of... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8006558 | Measuring a sample A sample 10 is measured by generating ultrasound at 12, for example by using a laser 22 and spatial light modulator 26. The ultrasound is detected at 16, for example by optical beam deflection techniques. A characteristic of the ge... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7966882 | Self-calibrating method for measuring the density and velocity of sound from two reflections of ultrasound at a solid-liquid interface A method for determining a velocity and density of a fluid without requiring the transmission of ultrasound through the fluid, and a system for performing such a method. The method involves the steps of delivering, receiving and analyzing ultrasound pulses sent from... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7954378 | Ultrasonic sensor and method for determining a separation of an object from an ultrasonic sensor The invention relates to a method for determining a separation, spacing or distance of an object from an ultrasonic sensor, in which ultrasonic pulses are emitted by a transducing or sensing element and in which ultrasonic pulses reflected by the object are detected... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7946177 | Method for detecting deviation in crystallographic orientation in a metal structure A method of detecting a deviation angle in a single-crystal metal structure is disclosed. The single-crystal metal structure has a crystallographic orientation, a length, a first side, a second side, and a first axis extending through the structure. The method compr... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7946176 | Methods and apparatus for extracting first arrival wave packets in a structural health monitoring system Methods and apparatus for extracting the first arrival wave packet of an acoustic signal in a structural health monitoring (SHM) system include receiving an acoustic signal transmitted between two transducers thereof. Electromagnetic cross-talk is removed from the s... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7938006 | Non-contact ultrasound materials systems and measurement techniques Apparatus for determining the speed of sound through a specimen comprises an ultrasound sending transducer, an ultrasound receiving transducer, a pair of laser distance sensors, a display device, a controller in communication with the ultrasound sending transducer, ... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7856881 | Determining average mechanical properties of constituent particles of a sample of material using ultrasound The average strength or Young's modulus of the constituent particles of a sample is determined from the measured speed of sound propagated from a source through the sample to a receiver. Other sample data, such as the porosity, Poisson's ratio and the pressure appli... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7798000 | Non-destructive imaging, characterization or measurement of thin items using laser-generated lamb waves A laser-based ultrasonic technique for the inspection of thin plates and membranes employs an amplitude-modulated laser source to excite narrow bandwidth Lamb waves. The dominant feature in the acoustic spectrum is a sharp resonance peak that occurs at the minimum f... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7784346 | Micromachines acoustic sensor for monitoring electrochemical deposition Disclosed are micromachined acoustic sensors for monitoring electrochemical deposition, methods for fabricating such sensors, and methods for in-situ monitoring of electrochemical deposition processes using such sensors. An exemplary acoustic sensor includes a defor... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7762136 | Ultrasound systems and method for measuring weld penetration depth in real time and off line Disclosed are systems and methods that permit both real-time, and off-line, measurement of weld penetration depth. Exemplary systems and methods comprise an ultrasound source, such as a pulsed Nd:Yag laser, that simultaneously generates longitudinal and shear waves ... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7716988 | Apparatus for use in controlling snoring and sensor unit particularly useful therein Apparatus for use in controlling snoring, including: a sensor system for sensing snoring by a person while sleeping, and a stimulus device effective, when actuated by the sensor system, to apply a stimulus to the person for producing a response tending to interrupt ... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7707887 | Passage detection apparatus of object A passage detection apparatus is configured to detect the change in the properties (propagation state of sound wave, dielectric constant, etc.) of a specific space, which changes according to the passage of an object in the specific space and the size of the object.... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7694565 | Acoustic method for measuring a signal propagation time in a medical liquid and device for using this method This invention relates to the field of signal transit time sensors, in particular sensors based on ultrasonic transit times. Existing electronic control circuits for such transit time sensors for measurements on medical liquids, in particular blood, are extremely co... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7677101 | Estimating propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor Techniques are described for estimating the propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor. In particular, techniques which measure and exploit a proper segment of phase frequency response of the surface acoustic wave sensor are described for use as a b... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7665362 | Systems, methods and apparatus for non-disruptive and non-destructive inspection of metallurgical furnaces and similar vessels Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and apparatus for more accurately determining the thickness of a refractory lining included in an operating metallurgical furnace. Specifically, in some embodiments a transient propagated stress wave... | 02/23/2010 |
| 7634946 | Testing of bottomhole samplers using acoustics A method for testing a hydrocarbon sample. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a sheath disposed about the hydrocarbon sample. The apparatus further comprises at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7628074 | System and method for motion capture in natural environments A system captures motion data in natural environments. A set of sources and a set of sensors are arranged on an object such as a human body. Each source emits ultrasonic signals detected by the sensors. A driver module is also arranged on the body. The driver module... | 12/08/2009 |
| 7614302 | Acoustic fluid analysis method A method of analyzing acoustic data, that includes determining fluid sound speed through connate fluid. The method involves sampling the fluid, sending an acoustic signal into the fluid between a first and a second reflective interface. Data is recorded that represe... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7614303 | Device for measuring bulk stress via insonification and method of use therefor A configuration for use with a processor that incorporates a suite of agents in a “flat” hardware architecture and superimposes thereon a self-forming, self-healing, hierarchical architecture implemented in software. Embodiments may be employed in various applic... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7603904 | Method and apparatus for assessing or predicting the characteristics of wood A method and apparatus for determining a characteristic, such as the stiffness, of a portion of a wood specimen characterised by the steps of a) producing an acoustic signal in the wood specimen part way along the length of the wood specimen, and b) sensing a respon... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7591181 | Ultrasonic testing of fitting assembly Apparatus and method for determining relative and/or absolute axial position of a conduit end within a fluid coupling includes application of input ultrasonic energy in the form of transient shear waves and analyzing the reflected energy. Application of the input en... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7591180 | Contact inspection device, and contact inspection device and method for magnetic disk device A contact inspection method and device in which a detection element which produces a detection output according to vibration of a rotating body is mounted on the rotating body to detect contact of an object with the rotating body, more particularly a method and devi... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7581444 | Method and circuit arrangement for disturbance-free examination of objects by means of ultrasonic waves A method and circuit arrangement for processing signals which are produced during disturbance-free examination of objects such as pipes or sheet metal, by reflecting ultrasonic waves at defective spots on the structure of the object. According to the method, a compl... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7581445 | Method for ultrasonic testing of fitting assembly Apparatus and method for determining relative and/or absolute axial position of a conduit end within a fluid coupling includes application of input ultrasonic energy in the form of transient shear waves and analyzing the reflected energy. Application of the input en... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7533571 | Apparatus for making high-sensitivity measurements of various parameters, and sensors particularly useful in such apparatus A sensor for sensing a predetermined parameter having a known relationship with respect to the transit time of an energy wave through a medium, includes a body of soft elastomeric material having high transmissivity and low attenuation properties with respect to the... | 05/19/2009 |
| 7530270 | Inspection method and inspection apparatus of reinforced concrete pipe Deterioration of reinforced concrete pipes is checked and the deterioration progress level is classified. Based on the inspection result, a portion to be inspected in detail in an inspection area is selected. With respect to the selected portion to be inspected in d... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7490517 | Sensor attachment structure and ultrasonic sensing device A sensor attachment structure includes a sound receiving member for receiving an ultrasound, an ultrasonic sensor attached to the sound receiving member. The ultrasonic sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second surfaces opposite to each other... | 02/17/2009 |
| 7481114 | Noninvasive measurement of fluid characteristics using reversibly deformed conduit An apparatus for determining a characteristic for a fluid in a tube, the apparatus including a force applying system to cause a change in a transverse dimension of a segment of the tube, wherein the change in the transverse dimension is reversible, and an ultrasonic... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7454972 | Method and apparatus for acoustically weighing moving loads Acoustic weight or mass sensing technology (referred to here as Acoustic Weigh In Motion (AWIN)) provides accurate weighing of any type of moving load moving over a load bearing medium. Acoustic transducers are affixed to or embedded in the load bearing medium. One ... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7434757 | Zero-backlash baitcast fishing reel A fishing reel directly measuring line travel (not velocity or acceleration) past two or more points along the line, with said data being fed back in real time to a comparative control loop which initiates a direct contact spool brake to slow or near-instantaneously... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7426865 | Method for ultrasonic elastic modulus calculation and imaging Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for generating an image of an article, wherein the image represents the articles elastic modulus. The method comprises the steps of measuring a time of flight value at a point on a test sample utilizing ultrasonic sound wav... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7426852 | Submersible meter for measuring a parameter of gas hold-up of a fluid A submersible meter is provided that measures the speed of sound propagating in an aerated fluid to determine any one of a plurality of parameters of the fluid, such as the gas holdup of the fluid (εb), the bubble size (db), the bubble surface... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7426866 | Acoustic liquid dispensing apparatus A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned a... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7428471 | Monitoring activity of a user in locomotion on foot A user in locomotion on foot during an outing may identify a grade of a surface with at least one device supported by the user. A performance parameter of the user may be determined with the device based upon the grade of the surface, which may be based upon a measu... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7428472 | Monitoring activity of a user in locomotion on foot A device supported by a user while the user is in locomotion on foot during an outing may monitor a performance parameter of the user. The performance parameter may comprise a pace and/or a speed of the user. Prior to the outing, the device may be configured to spec... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7418866 | Method and apparatus for evaluation of standing timber A method and apparatus for measuring the quality of live, standing timber employs deep-set spike probes angled to create a longitudinal compression wave. Alignment tools and isolation of the probes provide an improved signal, automated detection of probe separation ... | 09/02/2008 |
