Motorola Corporation

Trimble Inc.

Trimble Navigation Limited

Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.

Bookham Technology Limited

James Gerard Quaderer

Victor Allen Vega

Noel H Eberhardt

Kenneth S Bradley

Kenneth R Agur

Chao Y Lee

Xin Zhao

Joel Christopher Kent

Timothy J Collins

John Howard Rolin

Patrick Lee Rakers

Michael Cash

Richard Stanley Rachwalski

Francis Lau

Ricardo R Salaverry

Sebastian Thomas Kakkanad

Melissa Ruzzi

Daniel Rodriguez

Aubrey Jason Calder

A system for detecting the presence of a plant on the ground includes a light module configured to emit a light beam having a shape with a length longer than a width. The system may include one or more lenses each having one or more photodetectors. The photodetectors may be arranged in a side-by-side configuration and are configured to receive reflected portions of the light beam. The lenses may be configured to direct the reflected portions of the light beam onto the photodetectors.

Detecting the presence of plants on the ground

A plant detection system includes a radiation module and a photodetector system. The photodetector system includes a photodetector housing, one or more photodetectors, a detector lens, and an aperture plate. The aperture plate is disposed within the photodetector housing between the detector lens and the one or more photodetectors and has an aperture extending therethrough. The detector lens and the aperture plate are configured so that stray radiation received by the detector lens is directed through the aperture in the aperture plate or onto a surface of the aperture plate without being directed onto sidewalls of the photodetector housing.

Plant detection systems comprising a photodetector housing with a detector lens and an aperture plate

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is added to a weed control system for calibrating the weed control system. A detector generates an electrical signal based on receiving light emitted by the LED. An electronically-tunable capacitor of a bandpass filter is adjusted based the signal received from the detector to adjust a center frequency of the bandpass filter so that light from an optical source, different from the LED, can more efficiently be detected by the weed control system.

Optical tuning for plant detection

Plant detector

Methods for controlling a plant detection system include determining a target phase delay based on a first phase delay of reflected portions of a first light beam and a second phase delay of reflected portions of a second light beam. A composite light beam comprising the first light beam and the second light beam is emitter towards bare soil, and reflected portions of the composite light beam are detected. An intensity of at least one of the first light beam or the second light beam is adjusted so that a phase delay of the composite light beam is approximately equal to the target phase delay.

Controlling plant detection systems using phase delay analysis

A projected capacitive touch sensor system includes a substrate that defines a plurality of non-overlapping areas. Each non-overlapping area includes a plurality of detection electrodes arranged in non-overlapping columns. The columns include a horizontal detection electrode that extends along substantially an entire height of a first column, and at least a second column of at least two vertical detection electrodes that are electrically isolated from one another. The system further includes a measuring circuit configured to measure a mutual capacitance between the horizontal detection electrode and each of the at least two vertical detection electrodes in a given area. A processing logic circuit of the system is configured to determine horizontal detection electrode and vertical detection electrode combinations that have a changed mutual capacitance. The processing logic is also configured to determine the touch location based on a location of the determined horizontal detection electrode and vertical electrode combinations.

System and method for detecting locations of touches on a touch sensor

Sugar cane yield mapping improves the efficiency of sugar cane farming with benefits to both sugar producers and consumers.

Sugar cane yield mapping

A printed circuit board () for electrically connecting to an optical subassembly () includes a board base (), a conductive trace (), and a board conductor (). The optical subassembly () includes at least one component pad (). The board base () is made of a substantially nonconductive material. Further, the board base () defines a recessed region () that is sized and shaped to receive a portion of the optical subassembly (). The conductive trace () is secured to the board base (). The board conductor () is positioned near the receiver region (). Further, the board conductor () is positioned near the component pad () when the optical subassembly () is positioned in the receiver region (). Moreover, the board conductor () is electrically connected to the conductive trace ().

Printed circuit board with recessed region

A radio frequency identification exciter ( ) includes a plurality of antenna elements ( ) that are spaced to define active areas ( ). A matrix switch ( ) flexibly connects the plurality of antenna elements to an exciter circuit ( ). Independent switches ( ) are selectively switched such that an electric field is generated between at least two antenna elements whereby radio frequency identification tags ( ) in the vicinity of the two antenna elements are capacitively powered to exchange data with the exciter. Antenna elements other than the at least two antenna elements may be selectively coupled to a signal from the exciter circuit that inhibits activation of radio frequency identification tags in the vicinity of those antenna elements. The matrix switch preferably comprises polymer-based circuits.

Method and apparatus for selectively activating radio frequency identification tags that are in close proximity

Identification tags (,) are secured to objects (,) moving upon a transport band (,). The identification tags (,) each contain a transponder circuit (,) in electrical communication with transponder antennae (,). The transponder circuit (,) contains a unique digital code containing data relating to the object (,). When the identification tag (,) is located beneath the object (,), at least one reader antenna (,) is positioned beneath the transport band (,) and in alignment with a selected aperture (,) extending through a support plate (,). One or more apertures (,) in alignment with the reader antenna (,) provide capacitive coupling between the transponder antennae (,) and the reader antenna (,). The reader circuit (,) generates a signal in the presence of an identification tag (,), which is transmitted to the transponder antenna (,) located on the identification tag (,). The signal energizes the transponder circuit (,), which sends a transponder signal via the transponder antenna (,) back to the reader antenna (,). The reader circuit (,) demodulates the transponder signal to identify the data.

Transport device with openings for capacitive coupled readers

A radio frequency identification (RFID) device (,) having displacement current control. The RFID device (,) comprises a voltage source (,), and exciter electrode, electronic circuitry, a displacement current control surface (,) and a dielectric. The voltage source has a current return node. The exciter electrode is coupled to the voltage source. The displacement current control surface (,) is placed between the exciter electrode and the electronic circuitry. The dielectric is positioned between the displacement current control surface and the electronic circuitry, wherein the displacement current control surface is electrically terminated to the current return node of the voltage source.

Radio frequency identification device having displacement current control and method thereof

Flexible tags are secured to parcels moving upon a conveyor belt. The flexible tags each contain a transponder circuit in electrical communication with a transponder antenna. The transponder circuit contains a unique digital code containing data relating to the parcel. A reader circuit located in proximity to the conveyor is in electrical communication with a reader antenna. The reader circuit generates a signal in the presence of a flexible tag, which is transmitted to the transponder antenna located on the flexible tag. The signal energizes the transponder circuit in the flexible tag, which sends a unique digital code via the transponder antenna back to the reader antenna. The digital code is transmitted from the reader antenna to the reader circuit, where the digital code is analyzed to identify the contents of the parcel. The flexible tags are agitated by forced air from a fan to orient the flexible tags in non-parallel alignment in relation to the reader antenna as they move along a conveyor.

Flexible tag agitator

Identification tags are secured to parcels moving upon a conveyor belt. The identification tags each contain a transponder circuit in electrical communication with a transponder antenna. The transponder circuit contains a unique digital code containing data relating to the parcel. When the identification tag is located beneath a parcel, at least one reader circuit is positioned beneath the conveyor belt in alignment with a selected aperture extending through the. One or more apertures in alignment with the reader antenna provide electrical communication with the reader antenna. The reader circuit generates a signal in the presence of an identification tag, which is transmitted to the transponder antenna located on the identification tag. The signal energizes the transponder circuit in the identification tag, which sends a unique digital code via the transponder antenna back to the reader antenna. The digital code is transmitted from the reader antenna to the reader circuit, where the digital code is analyzed to identify the contents of the parcel.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

James Gerard Quaderer