Optics: measuring and testing inventions 09/07

20070222969 - Aircraft docking system: An aircraft docking system (115, 117) is configured to be located at a docking site (103, 105). The system comprises distance determining means configured to determine, using electromagnetic radiation signal reception means, at least a distance between the system and an aircraft (111, 113). The distance determining means are further... Agent: Blank Rome LLP

20070222971 - Apparatus to measure absolute velocity and acceleration: A three-dimensional (x′-axis, y′-axis and z′-axis based) combined light-based apparatus for measuring the absolute velocity and acceleration of a material object in space. The apparatus has for each axis, while each axis is perpendicular to each other axis, an identical set-up of: a photon (light) emitting source; zero to multiple... Agent: Etienne Brauns

20070222968 - Laser-based system with ladar and sal capabilities: A laser-based system with laser detection and ranging (“LADAR”) and semi-active laser (“SAL”) system capabilities is disclosed. In a first aspect, an apparatus includes a gimbal capable of scanning in azimuth and in elevation and a sensor mounted on the gimbal capable of LADAR acquisition and laser designation. In a... Agent: Williams, Morgan & Amerson

20070222970 - Apparatus and method for detection of optical systems in a terrain area: Abstract An apparatus for detection of optical systems in a terrain area, has at least: a laser arrangement with a laser light source, a moving mirror for scanning the terrain area and a photoelement for detection of retroreflected laser radiation from the laser light source, a scan position sensor for... Agent: Gray Robinson, P.A.

20070222972 - Systems and methods for evaluating and displaying the dispersion of a diamond or other gemstone: Systems and methods for evaluating and displaying a diamond's dispersion or fire potential. These systems and methods can be used to determine the dispersion of a diamond relative to an observation point, which can then be used to provide for a map or other indicator of a diamond's fire potential... Agent: Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, Lc Attn: BoxIPDept.

20070222973 - Sample analyzer: A sample analyzer comprising: a measuring part for measuring optical information of a sample at first wavelength, second wavelength, and third wavelength, first light of the first wavelength and second light of the second wavelength being absorbed by a second substance but substantially not absorbed by a first substance, and... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070222974 - Method and system for inspecting surfaces with improved light efficiency: The radiation beam of discrete light source such as LEDs is shaped by a cylindrical lens and a spherical lens to form two perpendicular narrow lines to illuminate a surface. The first line is projected onto a sample surface to improve illumination efficiency, and the second line is projected onto... Agent: Silicon Valley Patent Agency

20070222977 - Surface inspection apparatus and surface inspection method: A surface inspection apparatus, for inspecting a plurality of surfaces formed in a peripheral edge portion of a plate-like object, includes a image pickup mechanism, which photographs the peripheral edge portion of the plate-like object having a plurality of surfaces, and an image processing device, which processes an image obtained... Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C.

20070222975 - Testing method for surface defects on disc and testing apparatus for the same: A testing method and a testing apparatus for surface detects on a disc, wherein a testing position is provided within an outside of a front surface disc cassette, the disc, which is stored in said disc cassette, is pushed out in front of the disc cassette from a bottom surface... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070222976 - Visual inspection apparatus: A visual inspection apparatus includes: at least two inspection object transfer portions that transfer inspection objects to and from storage cassettes; at least two inspection portions that are located in different inspection positions from each other in order to inspect the inspection objects; an inspection object moving portion that moves... Agent: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, PC

20070222978 - Multiple optical head inspection system and a method for imaging an article: A method for imaging an article, the method includes: (i) providing short duration light pulses; (ii) directing the light pulses, by multiple optical heads, to illuminate multiple spaced apart areas of an article; and (iii) directing light from the multiple areas towards multiple two-dimensional light sensors; whereas (iv) imparting motion... Agent: Applied Materials, Inc. C/o Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP

20070222980 - Self calibrating measurement system: A measurement system that can self calibrate is disclosed. The measurement system comprising a first light source directed along a first axis and configured to illuminate a sample volume. The measurement system has a sensor aligned along a second axis and is configured to detect scattered light in the sample... Agent: The Ollila Law Group LLC

20070222979 - Method to determine the value of process parameters based on scatterometry data: A method according to an embodiment includes obtaining calibration measurement data, with an optical detection apparatus, from a plurality of marker structure sets provided on a calibration substrate. Each marker structure set includes at least one calibration marker structure created using different known values of the process parameter. The method... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070222981 - Method, apparatus and system for rapid and sensitive standoff detection of surface contaminants: Systems and methods for fast and sensitive standoff surface-hazard detection with high data throughput, high spatial resolution and high degree of pointing flexibility. The system comprises a first hand-held unit that directs an excitation beam onto a surface that is located a distance away from the first unit and an... Agent: Edell, Shapiro & Finnan, LLC

20070222982 - System and method to perform raman imaging without luminescence: A system and method for collecting Raman data sets without the “contaminating” effect of luminescence emitted photons. Using a frame transfer CCD for time resolved data collection, Raman imaging may be performed without photobleaching the sample. The system may include a light source, a frame transfer CCD, an optical lens... Agent: Daniel H. Golub

20070222983 - Signal noise reduction for imaging in biological analysis: A system and method for characterizing contributions to signal noise associated with charge-coupled devices adapted for use in biological analysis. Dark current contribution, readout offset contribution, photo response non-uniformity, and spurious charge contribution can be determined by the methods of the present teachings and used for signal correction by systems... Agent: Kilyk & Bowersox, P.l.l.c.

20070222985 - Dual function measurement system: A measurement system having dual measurements capabilities is disclosed. The measurement system has a light source configured to provide light along a first axis that illuminates a sample media. The measurement system has a first sensor configured to measure scattered light in a sample media. The measurement system has a... Agent: The Ollila Law Group LLC

20070222986 - Measurement of light from a predefined scatter angle from particulate matter in a media: A measurement system that can measure scattered light across a predetermined scatter angle is disclosed. The measurement system has a light source configured to provide light along a first axis. The measurement system has a lens system aligned along a second axis that has a first focus near the first... Agent: The Ollila Law Group LLC

20070222984 - Optical design of a measurement system having mulitiple sensor or multiple light source paths: A measurement system that has multiple sensors or multiple light sources is disclosed. The measurement system comprising a light source directed along a first axis and configured to illuminate a sample volume. The measurement system has a first sensor aligned along a second axis and is configured to detect scattered... Agent: The Ollila Law Group LLC

20070222987 - Optical design of a particulate measurement system: The optical design of a measurement system is disclosed. The measurement system comprising a light source configured to provide light along a first axis. The measurement system has a reflecting lens aligned along a second axis where the reflecting lens has a first focus on the second axis and a... Agent: The Ollila Law Group LLC

20070222988 - Vibrational circular dichroism spectrometer using reflective optics: A spectrometer generates Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) measurements having an exceedingly high signal-to-noise ratio, as well as a greater wavelength range over which measurements may be accurately provided. This is achieved by utilizing reflective optics (preferably solely reflective optics, i.e., no refractive elements) to supply a concentrated and collimated input... Agent: Thermo Finnigan LLC

20070222989 - Semiconductor integrated circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit arrangement device and process: A semiconductor integrated circuit which includes an optical device for performing optical communication and which exhibits a predetermined function. This semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first electricity supply portion, which is connected to the optical device, and a second electricity supply portion, which differs from the first electricity supply portion... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070222990 - Alignment tool for a lithographic apparatus: An alignment tool for a lithographic apparatus illuminates an alignment mark on a substrate with an alignment beam and measures the reflected spectrum. The reflected spectrum is compared with a reference mark to determine any misalignment. A blazed sub-wavelength grating is used to deflect the sub-beams created by diffracting the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070222991 - Image control in a metrology/inspection positioning system: A metrology system includes a positioning system that produces linear and rotational motion between an imaging system and the wafer. The imaging system produces signals representing the image of the wafer in the field of view of the imaging system. A control system receives and processes the image signals, and... Agent: Silicon Valley Patent Group LLP

20070222992 - Color identifying device for identifying colors of reaction surfaces produced by chemical reaction and gas identifying device: A color identifying device includes a mount block, a color detector, a lens and a color identifier. A reactive board having a plurality of surfaces to be measured in respective predetermined positions is mounted in the mount block. The color detector has a plurality of color measuring areas corresponding respectively... Agent: Mcginn Intellectual Property Law Group, PLLC

20070222993 - Filter unit having a tunable wavelength, and an arrangement with the filter unit: A filter unit (10) for filtering light comprising a first mask (3) with first cavities, a prism unit (7) and a second mask (8) with second cavities. The prism unit (7) is located between the two masks (3, 8), the first (3) and the second mask (8) having corresponding first... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070222994 - Optical channel analyzer with variable filter: An optical analyzer (14) for performing spectral analysis on an optical beam (18) includes an optical filter (28), a mover (30), an optical launcher (36), and an optical receiver (38). The optical filter (28) includes a filter area (46) that is a narrow band pass type filter having multiple alternative... Agent: The Law Office Of Steven G Roeder

20070222997 - Raindrop detection device: A raindrop detection device includes a first fixing member which is fixed to a windshield and has a first engagement portion, an inner housing in which a detection unit is accommodated, an outer housing in which the inner housing is accommodated and which is fixed to the inner housing, a... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070222995 - Artifact having a textured metal surface with nanometer-scale features and method for fabricating same: An artifact having a textured metal surface with nanometer-scale features includes a substrate, a substructure over the substrate, the substructure comprising a periodic array of nanometer-scale structural elements comprising an inorganic oxide, and a metal film over the substructure.... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070222998 - Optical component, optical sensor, surface plasmon sensor and fingerprint recognition device: A surface plasmon sensor includes a light guide reflection plate, a surface plasmon resonance layer formed on a first surface of the light guide reflection plate, a light emitting unit having a light source disposed on an end surface of the light guide reflection plate, and a light receiving element.... Agent: Osha Liang L.L.P.

20070222996 - Surface plasmon resonance spectrometer with an actuator driven angle scanning mechanism: Instruments and methods relating to surface plasmon imaging are described. An instrument comprises a semi-circular rail and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is attached to a light source mount and a detector mount, and both the light source mount and the detector mount are attached to the semi-circular rail... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070222999 - Apparatus for monitoring a density profile of impurities: A method of monitoring a density profile of impurities, the method including presetting a monitoring position of a thin layer coated on a substrate, the density profile of impurities being monitored from the monitoring position in a direction of thickness of the thin layer, moving an exposer for exposing a... Agent: Lee & Morse, P.C.

20070223000 - Optical sensor: An optical sensor having a sapphire body is disclosed. A hollow in the sapphire body defines a surface which is used as a surface of a Fabry-Perot cavity. Interferometry is used to detect changes in the length of the Fabry-Perot cavity, and hence changes in, for example, the temperature or... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070223001 - Stabilized solid-state laser gyro and anisotropic lasing medium: The field of the invention is that of solid-state laser gyros. One of the major inherent problems in this technology is that the optical emission of this type of laser is by nature highly unstable in terms of power. To reduce this instability, the invention proposes to introduce, into the... Agent: Lowe Hauptman & Berner, LLP

20070223002 - High current measurement with temperature compensation: A non-contact device for measuring current in a conductor. The device includes an interferometer with an optical fiber that extends around the conductor and through which light beams pass. The magnetic field around the conductor, caused by the current conducted through the conductor, causes a phase shift in the light... Agent: Kremblas, Foster, Phillips & Pollick

20070223003 - System and method for optical sensor interrogation: An optical sensor interrogation system comprises: a multi-frequency optical source configured to generate an optical interrogation signal, at least one optical sensor configured to filter light at a wavelength corresponding to a value of a sensed parameter and generate an optical sensor data signal, a photodetector configured to detect a... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070223004 - Optical device for measuring a doppler frequency shift:

20070223005 - Polarising interferometer: A polarising double-passed interferometer comprises a polarising beamsplitter (16), a reference mirror (20) in the path of a reference beam (14) and a movable measurement mirror (26) in the path of a measurement beam (12). The reference and measurement beams have different polarisations. An angular beam deflection device such a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070223006 - Systems and methods for performing rapid fluorescence lifetime, excitation and emission spectral measurements: Exemplary systems and methods for obtaining information associated with at least one portion of a sample can be provided. For example, a first radiation can be received and at least one second radiation and at least one third radiation can be provided as a function of the first radiation. Respective... Agent: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070223007 - Displacement measurement systems lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A displacement measurement system configured to provide measurement of the relative displacement of two components in six degrees of freedom with improved consistency and without requiring excessive space.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070223008 - Wavelength determining apparatus, method and program for thin film thickness monitoring light: A multi-layer optical thin film filter comprising plural deposited optical thin films, wherein optical thin film thickness for each of said optical thin films has a predetermined wavelength spectrum in a predetermined gain equalization band and a predetermined wavelength spectrum in a pumping light transmission band other than said gain... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070223009 - Apparatus and method for measuring structural parts: This present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring structural parts which comprises a measuring system having at least two sensors for optoelectronic scanning of such a structural part wherein said part and said sensors are movable relatively to each other along a shifting path and wherein said sensors are... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070223010 - Apparatus for optically determining the profile and/or upper surface properties of flat workpieces in a wide belt abrading machine: An elongated bar shaped housing contains an optical sensing apparatus with at least one light source to create a sensing beam and a deflecting arrangement which moves the sensing beam back and forth between the longitudinal ends of the housing. One of the walls of the housing has an output... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070223011 - Optimization of diffraction order selection for two-dimensional structures: The number of diffraction orders to use in generating simulated diffraction signals for a two-dimensional structure in optical metrology is selected by generating a first simulated diffraction signal using a first number of diffraction orders and a hypothetical profile of the two-dimensional structure. A second simulated diffraction signal is generated... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070216895 - Fine particle measurement apparatus with exhaust purification function: To provide a fine particle measurement apparatus with an exhaust purification function, which is capable of suppressing an exhaust from having an adverse effect on an environment without degrading the reliability of fine particle measurement. A fine particle measurement apparatus with an exhaust purification function includes a condensation nucleus counter... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20070216894 - Range mapping using speckle decorrelation: A method for mapping includes projecting a primary speckle pattern from an illumination assembly into a target region. A plurality of reference images of the primary speckle pattern are captured at different, respective distances from the illumination assembly in the target region. A test image of the primary speckle pattern... Agent: Abelman, Frayne & Schwab

20070216896 - Defect inspecting apparatus: A defect inspecting apparatus of the invention solves a problem that in a defect inspecting apparatus, because of improving detection sensitivity of a microscopic defect by reducing a detection pixel size, a focal depth becomes shallow, a height of imaging is varied due to environmental change and the detection sensitivity... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070216897 - Defect inspection method and apparatus for transparent plate-like members: Included are the step of capturing an image (hereinafter called a first image) of a main surface of a transparent plate material 1 by using a first reflective bright-field optical system disposed at a main surface side of the transparent plate material 1, the first optical system including a linear... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070216898 - Sample container and system for a handheld spectrometer and method for using therefor: A container for holding a sample and a system and method for a handheld spectrometer using the container is disclosed. In one embodiment, the container includes a vial with an optical window at the base of the vial. A sample may be placed in the vial. A hollow plunger may... Agent: Duane Morris LLP

20070216899 - Spectrometer signal quality improvement via background subtraction: A spectrometer collects background spectra during the idle time in which it is not collecting spectra from a sample. These spectra are collected over a range of exposure times, allowing the background reading on each pixel to be modeled as a function of exposure time. When sample spectra are then... Agent: Thermo Finnigan LLC

20070216900 - Spectrometer signal quality improvement via exposure time optimization: A spectrometer operator may specify a desired signal to noise ratio (SNR) to be attained when collecting spectra from a sample. The SNR from a single brief sample exposure is used to determine the maximum exposure time achievable without overloading the spectrometer. If the desired SNR is greater than the... Agent: Thermo Finnigan LLC

20070216901 - Ellipsometry device provided with a resonance platform: The invention relates to a useful improvement of an ellipsometer-type device. For this purpose, an existing ellipsometer is supplemented by a so-called resonance platform on which surface modes are excitable. Contrary to state of the art of known surface plasmons, the inventive modes are laterally localized. In addition, the resonance... Agent: Pearne & Gordon LLP

20070216902 - Reference wafer and process for manufacturing same: An apparatus and method for manufacturing and using a calibrated registration reference wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing facility where an archive media includes etched alignment attributes. Exposing a pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock with the... Agent: Heller Ehrman LLP

20070216903 - Cavity ring-down spectrometer for semiconductor processing: An apparatus is provided for measuring a gas within a semiconductor thin film process. The apparatus includes an optical resonator disposed within an environment of the thin-film process, a tunable laser that excites the optical resonator at a characteristic frequency of the gas and a detector that detects an energy... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070216904 - System for automated determination of retroreflectivity of road signs and other reflective objects: A system for the automated determination of retroreflectivity values for reflective surfaces disposed along a roadway repeatedly illuminates an area along the roadway that includes at least one reflective surface using a strobing light source. Multiple light intensity values are measured over a field of view which includes at least... Agent: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.

20070216905 - Method and apparatus for determining reflectance data of a subject: An apparatus for obtaining reflectance data of an object includes a diffuser having a surface. The apparatus includes a mapping portion that effects a mapping between a light field at the object's surface and a light field at the diffuser surface for BRDF capture of the object. A method for... Agent: Ansel M. Schwartz

20070216906 - Method and apparatus for recognition of microorganisms using holographic microscopy: Disclosed herein is a method that relates to identifying a microorganism. The method comprising, diffracting laser light through a microorganism, combining a reference beam with the diffracted light on a single axis, and recording the combined light holographically as a three-dimensional image with a single exposure on a detector array.... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070216907 - Jewelry inner structure detecting method and apparatus thereof: A method for the jewelry inner structure detection comprising steps of dividing the light emitted from a low coherence light source into two beams by means of a light splitter, one beams is then directed to a sample arm on which a gem to be detected is fixed and the... Agent: King & Schickli, PLLC

20070216908 - Clutter rejection filters for optical doppler tomography: In Optical Doppler tomography (ODT), or color Doppler optical coherence tomography, the signal component of primary interest arises from moving scatterers, such as flowing blood cells in blood vessels. Clutter rejection filters are provided and used to remove undesired components from the ODT signal, such as clutter induced by stationary... Agent: Law Offices Of Ronald M Anderson

20070216909 - Methods for mapping tissue with optical coherence tomography data: Various methods are disclosed for mapping optical coherence tomography (OCT) data to facilitate review and diagnosis. In one aspect, high resolution 2D line scans are obtained along with lower density 3D cube scans and displayed in a manner to provide context to the clinician. In another aspect, OCT data is... Agent: Stallman & Pollock LLP

20070216910 - Method and device for hyperacute detection of an essentially rectilinear contrast edge and system for fine following and fixing of said contrast edge: Method and device for the detection of an essentially rectilinear contrast edge (E) in a direction, whereby a periodic sweep (Ω) of global visual angle (Δψ) of the optical sensors, by translation (S) in another direction transverse to the first direction, is carried out. The translation provides a periodic sweep... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070216911 - Curved surface shape inspection method, fiber optical block, and curved surface shape inspection device: In a fiber optic block 10 formed by bundling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers 11 each composed of a core region 12 and a clad region 13, an at least partially curved input end face 14 composed of one end of each optical fiber and a measurement surface... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070216912 - Medium transport apparatus: A belt-like pattern reading unit reads a belt-like pattern given to the media storage cell using an image unit provided in a hold unit. A deflection amount calculating unit measures a deviation from a reference position of a horizontal pattern borderline corresponding to a position of the hold unit on... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070211238 - Security element and methods for the production thereof: The present invention relates to a transfer material for transfer to a target substrate, and methods for manufacturing such a transfer material. In a method according to the present invention, a plastic substrate foil (32) is provided, an effect layer (34) is applied to the substrate foil (32), a transfer... Agent: Greenlee Winner And Sullivan P C

20070211239 - Optical navigation apparatus using fixed beacons and a centroid sensing device: The present invention relates to an optical navigation system for determining at least one parameter of a pose, which includes the position and orientation of an object in an environment. The optical navigation system uses a number of beacons affixed at known locations in the environment to provide electromagnetic radiation... Agent: Lumen Intellectual Property Services, Inc.

20070211240 - Device for and method of inspecting surface condition: A target surface of a target object including portions having different curvatures is inspected by using an illuminating device and a camera that are fixed, a supporting device for supporting the target object such that its position and orientation are variable. The position and orientation of the target object are... Agent: Beyer Weaver LLP

20070211242 - Defect inspection apparatus and defect inspection method: Light sources emit irradiation lights respectively, so that edge parts of mutual irradiation areas (inspection areas) are superposed one another. The imaging apparatus receives regular reflection lights and generates two images corresponding to each of the light sources. A main control part combines two images and determines presence/absence of a... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070211241 - Optical defect inspection apparatus: A laser beam oscillated from a laser source is folded in its path by first and second plane mirrors and enters a beam expander. The surface of each plane mirror is deteriorated with illumination by the laser beam and the reflectance is reduced. To avoid a light quantity of the... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070211243 - System and method for automatic measurements and calibration of computerized magnifying instruments: The present invention relates to a system and method for automatic measurements and calibration of computerized magnifying instruments. More particularly, the method includes an automatic calibration aspect, which includes obtaining an optimized digital image of a reference object including at least one standardized landmark feature, and establishing calibration parameters based... Agent: Bereskin And Parr

20070211245 - Reference microplates and methods for making and using the reference microplates: A reference microplate is described herein which can be used to help calibrate and troubleshoot an optical interrogation system. In one embodiment, the reference microplate has a frame with an array of wells each of which contains an optical biosensor and each optical biosensor is at least partially coated with... Agent: Corning Incorporated

20070211244 - Flow cell for optical detector and methods of forming and using same: A flow cell for optical detector includes a flow cell body, a face-seal window, and a pressed illumination window. The flow cell body is formed of an inert material and includes large and small bores, and inlet and outlet passageways in fluid communication with the small bore. The face-seal window... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

20070211246 - Polarization-modulating optical element and method for manufacturing thereof: The disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a polarization-modulating optical element, wherein the element causes, for light passing through the element and due to stress-induced birefringence, a distribution of retardation between orthogonal states of polarization, the method comprising joining a first component and a second component, wherein a non-plane... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070211247 - Visible/near-infrared spectrometry and its device: A visible/near-infrared spectrometry and its device for determining the components of a sample and the characteristics of the components of the sample by using visible light and/or near-infrared light in the wavelength range from 400 nm to 2500 nm. This spectrometry and device enable measurement that has been conventionally difficult,... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070211248 - Advanced pattern recognition systems for spectral analysis: A process of rapid and highly accurate analysis of spectral data, includes both a linear scanning (LINSCAN) method and an advanced peak detection method for pattern recognition. One or both of the methods are used to support the detection and identification of chemical, biological, radiation, nuclear and explosive materials. The... Agent: Fleit, Kain, Gibbons, Gutman, Bongini & Bianco P.l.

20070211249 - Optical sensor for monitoring electrical current or power: The present invention provides an optical sensor for monitoring current or power in a monitored element of a device such as a bridge-wire or hot-wire of electro-explosive devices. The optical sensor comprises an optical sensor made of semiconductor material. The semiconductor material comprises an absorption edge which is sensitive to... Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP

20070211250 - Spectrometer: A spectrometer 1A is made up of: an optical body 10 within which a light separation path is set along which an object light to be separated propagates; a light entry slit 16 through which the object light enters; a diffraction grating 17 for spectrally separating the incident object light;... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070211251 - Detecting bacteria in fluids: A method for the detection of bacteria in aqueous fluids in the form of solutions, emulsions and or suspensions, such as drinking water, liquid food and drinks and biological fluids such as urine, spinal and/or amniotic fluids and serums by measurement of light scattering The fluid suspected of containing bacteria... Agent: Yoram Tsivion

20070211252 - Optical waveform measurement apparatus and optical waveform measurement method: A first polarization controller controls a polarization state of measured light. A second polarization controller controls a polarization state of an optical sampling pulse. The measured light and the optical sampling pulse having the polarization states controlled are input to an optical fiber. An optical signal output from the optical... Agent: Bingham Mccutchen LLP

20070211253 - Method of measuring a physical function using a composite function which includes the physical function and an arbitrary reference function: A method for measuring a physical function forms a symmetric composite function by combining the physical function with a reference function. The method obtains a Fourier transform of the symmetric composite function. The method calculates an inverse Fourier transform of the obtained Fourier transform, wherein the calculated inverse Fourier transform... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070211254 - Optical analyzing unit and optical analyzing device: At both ends of a waveguide 43 having a plurality of cores 51, light emitting elements 47 and light receiving elements 49 are disposed so as to face end faces of the cores 51. A switch 44 is overlapped over the waveguide 43. In the switch 44, switching windows 52... Agent: Osha Liang L.L.P.

20070211255 - Optical tomography system: In an optical tomography system, an interference light obtained by multiplexing the reflected light from the object and the reference light is guided to an interference light detecting means by a waveguide means. The interference light detecting means has a spectrometer spectrally dividing the interference light. A polarization setting means... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070211256 - Linear-carrier phase-mask interferometer: A phase-difference sensor measures the spatially resolved difference in phase between orthogonally polarized reference and test wavefronts. The sensor is constructed as a linear-carrier phase-mask aligned to and imaged on a linear-carrier detector array. Each adjacent element of the phase-mask measures a predetermined relative phase shift between the orthogonally polarized... Agent: Antonio R. Durando

20070211257 - Fabry-perot interferometer composite and method: A composite partially reflecting element of a Fabry-Perot interferometer includes a transparent plate having a surface facing toward the optical gap of the interferometer, a partially reflecting layer disposed on the surface of the transparent plate facing toward the optical gap, and at least one protective layer on at least... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070211258 - Three-dimensional shape measurement apparatus and method for eliminating2pi ambiguity of moire principle and omitting phase shifting means: A three-dimensional (3-D) shape measurement method using a Moire measurement principle and a Stereo vision measurement principle is provided. The method comprises; a first step to detect candidate points and 3D positions of the candidate points in world coordinates which are identical results from typical Moiré technique by using a... Agent: John M. Janeway Graybeal Jackson Halley LLP

20070211259 - Three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus using shadow moire: A 3D shape measuring apparatus using a shadow moire, which can measure a 3D shape of a test object by selectively switching on/off a plurality of illuminating parts irrespective of a form of the test object is provided. The 3D shape measuring apparatus using the shadow moire includes a grating... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070211261 - Method for evaluating microstructures on a workpiece based on the orientation of a grating on the workpiece: In a measuring system, a method for evaluating parameters of a workpiece includes measuring a periodic structure, such as a grating, on the workpiece to produce image data. An orientation of features in the image data, produced by higher order diffractions from the periodic structure, is identified. An orientation of... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP

20070211260 - Weighting function to enhance measured diffraction signals in optical metrology: A weighting function is obtained to enhance measured diffraction signals used in optical metrology. To obtain the weighting function, a measured diffraction signal is obtained. The measured diffraction signal was measured from a site on a wafer using a photometric device. A first weighting function is defined based on noise... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070206176 - Phase measurement method and application thereof: A phase measurement method is disclosed, which includes inputting a predetermined voltage to the photodiode; receiving an optical signal and transforming into an electrical signal; generating a sampled signal with a signal transforming process; determining whether the amplitude value of the sampled signal in a predetermined range or not; if... Agent: The Webb Law Firm, P.C.

20070206174 - Hand-held device for measuring distances: A device for hand-held measurement of distances (d) to a surface region of an object (22), including a housing (2) and a lens system (3) for the optical measurement of distances (d). Transmission beams are transmitted via the lens system against the surface region and the beams (5) reflected there... Agent: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.

20070206175 - Range finder integrated digital camera: A method for determining a distance to an object is described. In the method, a size of the object is determined, and an electronic image of the object is captured and displayed on a display device. The size of the image of the object is determined. The distance to the... Agent: Epson Research And Development Inc Intellectual Property Dept

20070206177 - Fiber laser based directional infrared countermeasure (dircm) system: A DIRCM (Direct IR Counter Measures) system includes a detection and warning apparatus for detecting a missile that might pose a threat on the platform to which said system is allocated, and for generating a warning of its existence. The warning may include data that enable the calculation of the... Agent: Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti PC

20070206179 - Method and apparatus for fluid velocity measurement based on photobleaching: Methods and apparatus for fluid flow velocity and flow rate measurement are provided. Fluid velocity is measured in optical method based on fluorescence photobleaching of a fluorescent dye. The invented method and apparatus requires a calibration relation between flow velocity and fluorescence signal and is easy to use. The invented... Agent: Guiren Wang

20070206180 - Movement sensor: In an apparatus for handling sheet material or an optical input device, for example, which employs a relative movement sensor (108 ) utilizing the so-called “self-mixing” effect of a laser diode, a band pass filter (100) is provided for filtering the electric signal resulting from measurement of the electric signal... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20070206178 - Speed measuring device: A speed measuring device provided by the present invention comprises a base, a speed measuring circuit, and two speed measuring units. The two speed measuring units are installed on the base and located a distance away from each other. The microprocessor outputs a signal to the pulse generator, the pulse... Agent: Charles E. Baxley, Esq.

20070206181 - Method and apparatus for chromatic correction of fresnel lenses: Chromatic correction of a Fresnel lens is effected by collecting data at multiple detectors arrayed along the optical axis of the lens and then digitally processing data from each detector to obtain multiple sets of image data corresponding to selected tuned wavelengths associated with the multiple detectors, or to obtain... Agent: Patti, Hewitt & Arezina LLC

20070206184 - Defect inspection method and system: An inspection system includes: a facility that uses wide-band illumination light having different wavelengths and single-wavelength light to perform dark-field illumination on an object of inspection, which has the surface thereof coated with a transparent film, in a plurality of illuminating directions at a plurality of illuminating angles; a facility... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070206183 - Method and apparatus for auto-adjusting illumination: A machine-vision system that provides changing and/or automatic adjustment of illumination angle, dispersion, intensity, and/or color of illumination. One such system includes a light source emitting polarized light, a machine-vision imager, an image processor operative to generate a quality parameter based on the image, and one or more of the... Agent: Lemaire Patent Law Firm, P.l.l.c.

20070206182 - Surface defect inspecting method and device: A method of inspecting an inspection target surface comprises: irradiating an irradiation light having a predetermined pattern on the inspection target surface; imaging the surface irradiated with the irradiation light; and inspecting the inspection target surface based on an obtained image of the inspection target surface. The irradiation light irradiated... Agent: The Webb Law Firm, P.C.

20070206185 - System and method for fiber array spectral translator based polymorph screening: The present disclosure describes methods and systems that combine Raman spectroscopy performed in a manner that utilizes one or more of widefield illumination, simultaneous multipoint Raman spectral acquisition, and spectral unmixing for the purpose of high throughput polymorph screening. Features of this methodology include: (a) high throughput polymorph screening to... Agent: Duane Morris LLP

20070206186 - Capillary based optical measurement system: Provided is a system for characterizing biological/chemical test specimens. In particular, a container such as a tube or capillary for containing a test specimen is interconnected at one end to a light source via a fiber optic. A second end of the tube is connected to a detector via a... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070206187 - Methods and systems for simultaneous real-time monitoring of optical signals from multiple sources: Methods and systems for real-time monitoring of optical signals from arrays of signal sources, and particularly optical signal sources that have spectrally different signal components. Systems include signal source arrays in optical communication with optical trains that direct excitation radiation to and emitted signals from such arrays and image the... Agent: Quine Intellectual Property Law Group, P.C.

20070206188 - Cyclops a 4-dimensional planetary scanning laser imaging telescope: Similar to a laser copier and fiber optics this system scans planetary objects in deep space this 940 mm invisible laser system is programmable multitasking and moves at light speed to its destination the only down time is the travel time between the two points in space it then scans... Agent: Todd J. Tocco

20070206189 - Optical analysis of molecules: The present invention relates to optical confinements, methods of preparing and methods of using them for analyzing molecules and/or monitoring chemical reactions. The apparatus and methods embodied in the present invention are particularly useful for high-throughout and low-cost single-molecular analysis.... Agent: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

20070206190 - Frequency shifter in an optical path containing a continous laser source: The present invention relates to a frequency shifter in an optical path containing a continuous laser source, and it comprises at least two frequency shift modules placed in parallel and each containing an optical propagation medium, the optical path length of which is modified according to the desired frequency shift,... Agent: Lowe Hauptman & Berner, LLP

20070206191 - Optical targets: An optical target is provided. In one embodiment, the target is formed on a substrate. The target includes a first layer deposited below a second layer on the substrate. The second layer is deposited below a third layer on the substrate. The first layer has a topographic contour formed thereon,... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070206192 - System and method for multimode imaging: A system and method for multimode imaging of at least one sample is disclosed. The system includes at least one light source; an optical system selected responsive to a mode of operation of the imaging system; and a detector capable of selective reading of pixels. The at least one sample... Agent: Ge Healthcare Bio-sciences Corp. Patent Department

20070206193 - Photoacoustic sensor: Apparatus for stimulating photoacoustic waves in a region of a body and generating signals responsive to the stimulated waves comprising: a light source (27) that provides light that stimulates photoacoustic waves (54) in the region; a light pipe (26) having an output aperture (80) and at least one input aperture,... Agent: Martin D Moynihan Prtsi Inc

20070206194 - Sensor element structure, sensor element array, and manufacturing method of sensor element array: Even when only a few antigens exist in a specimen, a change in a dielectric constant and a change in an optical spectrum accompanied thereto in the periphery of a conductive member are made larger, so that sensing at high sensitivity can be performed. A structure including a protrusion including... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070206195 - Apparatus for the determination of surface properties: A device for determining properties of surfaces having at least one first radiation device having at least one radiation source emitting radiation, having at least one first radiation detector having a first radiation detector element which captures at least a portion of the radiation emitted from the radiation device and... Agent: Greer, Burns & Crain

20070206196 - Fiber optic sensor coil including a restraining ring and method of forming: A fiber optic sensor coil and method of forming a fiber optic sensor coil including a plurality of turns of a first segment of optical fiber wound in a clockwise direction and a plurality of turns of a second segment of optical fiber wound in the counterclockwise direction. The turns... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070206197 - Spectral domain phase microscopy (sdpm) dual mode imaging systems and related methods and computer program products: Some embodiments of the present invention provide optical coherence tomography systems including an OCT engine and a processor. The OCT engine is configured to provide both standard OCT imaging and spectral domain phase microscopy (SDPM) imaging. The processor is coupled to the OCT engine and is configured to use a... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20070206198 - Measuring method of optical heterodyne interference and a measuring apparatus thereof: A method and an apparatus, for measuring an optical heterodyne interference, comprising the following steps of: generating a reference light and a measurement light, differing from each other in frequency thereof; irradiating the measurement light on a target to be measured through a beam splitter; reflecting the reference light upon... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070206199 - Optical inspection of optical specimens supported by a work holder: An optical inspection system includes an optical inspection device and an interface. The optical inspection device houses optical imaging components that acquire microscope visual images and acquire interference fringe images of a plurality of optical specimens along an optical path. The optical path is located along an optical axis of... Agent: Westman Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20070206200 - Interferometric measuring device: An interferometric measuring device for the three-dimensional measurement of shapes on objects to be measured having a beam splitter receiving light from a light source via an input light path and splitting it into a measuring light path and a reference light path, having an image pick-up, to which light... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070206201 - Phase shifting interferometry with multiple accumulation: An interferometer system is disclosed which is configured to combine measurement light with reference light to form an optical interference pattern, where the interferometer system includes a modulator configured to repetitively introduce a sequence of phase shifts between the measurement and reference light; and a camera system positioned to measure... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070206202 - Apparatus comprising a high-signal-to-noise displacement sensor and method therefore: An optical displacement sensor is disclosed that provides a high signal-to-noise ratio output signal without some of the disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. An embodiment of the present invention directs a light beam toward a Fabry-Perot interferometer and detects both the reflected and transmitted optical beams that... Agent: Demont & Breyer, LLC

20070206203 - Methods and apparatus for determining particle characteristics by measuring scattered light: An instrument for measuring the size and characteristics of a particle contained in a sample of particles. A particle sample is introduced into a sample chamber. The sample particles are subjected to centrifugal forces so that large particles travel in the sample chamber at velocities greater than small particles. Light... Agent: William H. Eilberg

20070206204 - Full-field three-dimensional measurement method: A method and system for full-field fringe-projection for 3-D surface-geometry measurement, referred to as “triangular-pattern phase-shifting” is disclosed. A triangular grey-scale-level-coded fringe pattern is computer generated, projected along a first direction onto an object or scene surface and distorted according to the surface geometry. The 3-D coordinates of points on... Agent: Welsh & Katz, Ltd