Other

Applied Materials, Inc.

Eos Vision, Inc

John H Prince

Manoocher Birang

Robert D Tolles

James C Nystrom

Tsungan Cheng

Stephen J Blumenkranz

Barclay J Tullis

Sen-Hou Ko

Syed Hasan Askari

Mohsen Salek

Allan Gleason

Alfred Abraham Goldspiel

Deane Stern

Richard V Rafloski

Hal Meyers

Suzanne Prince

Fori Owurowa

An instrument for visual examination of and operation on internal body organs includes a jacket defining an operating end and a longitudinally opposite control end, an outer tube disposed stationary inside the jacket, and an inner tube disposed for a rotation inside the outer tube. A first blade is rigidly connected to the outer tube at the operating end while a second blade is rigidly connected to the inner tube, adjacent the first blade. First fiber optic bundles with polished ends are disposed within a wall thickness of the jacket and diffusers are attached to the polished ends at the control end. Second fiber optic bundles are disposed within the wall thickness of the jacket, interspersed with the first fiber optic bundles. Lenses are attached to selective first fiber optic bundle at the control end. A mechanism is positioned at the control end and coupled to the first and second blades.

Combined ear, nose and throat inspection and operation instruments

A full depth display for use in three dimensional (3D) imaging has an array of optical emitters on a first plane, an aperture array having a plurality of apertures on a second plane separated from the first plane, and an optional set of corrective lenses which direct the image to a slightly divergent path about the z axis. The optical emitters are organized in left/right pairs. The aperture array contains periodic structures which direct optical energy from the array of apertures to an observer's left and right eyes to create the effect of a full depth image.

Image display with full-depth viewing

This invention focuses specifically on the use of epipolar lines and the use of matrix transformations to coordinate cameras. This invention organizes cameras in a manner which is intuitive and effective in perceiving perspectives which are not normally possible; to calculate range precisely; to allow redundancy; to corroborate feature recognition; and to allow perspectives from angles from which no cameras exist. By enabling remote scene reconstruction with a limited set of images, transmission bandwidth is greatly conserved.

Multiple coordinated detectors for examination and ranging

To emulate the 3D visual acuity of an individual track-walker, matched pairs of cameras (which simulate our human eyes) are mounted on a moving vehicle above the tracks. The cameras are mounted both transversely and longitudinally, to create 3D images in two orthogonal orientations, which helps to eliminate visual voids. The location and orientation of each pair of cameras is determined by its specific task, in the present case: (i) to examine each left or right rail for anomalies (two pairs), and (ii) to examine every tie for damage (at least one pair). The camera pairs enable measurements such as defect depth and track width variations. The images are compressed in real time for local storage or high-speed transmission for remote display. The basic arrangement of cameras can be amplified or modified as necessary to circumstances.

High-speed railroad inspection using coordinated 3D cameras

The present invention is an analog of a set of human eyes, capturing 3D images on a conjugate pair of foveae, with the additions that (i) there can be multiple, independent, conjugate pairs of foveae, and (ii) under computer control, certain conjugate pairs of foveae can be made to move across the detecting surfaces simultaneously to follow moving objects while the lenses remain fixed. Since foveal fields of view are very narrow&#x2014;of the order of one degree&#x2014;and little information is transmitted to the computer (or brain) outside this range&#x2014;there is almost no cross-talk between foveae. By using multiple foveae within each detector, images may be stitched together by algorithms to produce virtually ghost-free full-field 3D images for display.

Synthesis of narrow fields of view to create artifact-free 3D images

This invention relates to the recording and display three-dimensional (3D) images, notably in real-time video capture. This invention focuses on the ability to alter vergence instantaneously through software in order to amend disparities caused by differences between focal length and vergence distance. No mechanical means are necessary for amending both horizontal and vertical disparity. The ability to vary vergence allows selected images to be made to appear behind, level with, or in front of a display screen. While the invention is useful for consumer displays in television and films, the invention may also be used, for example, for visualizing weather, for mapping, for seismic surveys or for aircraft flight control. It is applicable, in real time, throughout the electro-magnetic spectrum particularly in the visible, infra-red and microwave portions.

Real time vergence control for 3D video capture and display

By defining an angular separation in a train of sequential images, and using an interlaced sequence of pairs of images matched by that defining angle, it is possible to create liveD video from a single camera mounted on a remote vehicle as though in the in the immediate vicinity of the object being viewed. Such a camera can be mounted on a moving vehicle such as a plane or a satellite In addition, computational power is provided to adaptively (and predictively) smooth out motion irregularities between these image pairs, so that smoothD video may be obtained. Continual feature-based correlation between successive frames allows corrections for various transformations so that there is a one-on-one correspondence in size, projection, orientation, etc. between matched frames, which enables capture and display of smoothD video.

Real time 3D imaging for remote surveillance

An illuminating pompon that includes a handle, a plurality of streamers extending from the handle, and at least one illuminator extending from said handle within said plurality of streamers. The illuminator being adapted to illuminate at least a portion of said plurality of streamers and is in electrical communication with a power source. In the preferred embodiment the illuminators are a plurality of light emitting diodes attached to flexible wires that are controlled with a processor within the power source such that they blink on and off in a predetermined manner.

Illuminating pompon

New methods of manufacture are disclosed for producing side-polished fiber-optic apparatuses, for use both singly and in compact arrays. These new methods involve process steps, many of which operate on many apparatus units simultaneously, with little additional manual labor over what is required to produce one unit at a time. High level assemblies of these fiber-optic apparatuses are also disclosed as compact arrays that not only save space but allow for easy interconnection. Examples of apparatuses that can be made with the disclosed integrated side-polished fiber-optic technology include, but aren't limited to, couplers, multiplexers, taps, splitters, joiners, filters, modulators and switches. By interconnecting elements within compact integrated arrays of these apparatuses, complicated photonic circuits can be readily constructed.

Integrated manufacture of side-polished fiber optics

A retaining ring is configured for use with an apparatus for polishing a substrate. The substrate has upper and lower faces and a perimeter. The apparatus has a movable polishing pad with an upper polishing surface for contacting and polishing the lower face of the substrate. The retaining ring has a retaining face for engaging and retaining the substrate against lateral movement and a bottom face for contacting the polishing surface of the polishing pad. The bottom face of the retaining ring extends downward from an inner portion adjacent the retaining face to a lowermost portion radially outboard of the retaining face.

Substrate retaining ring

A toothpaste dispensing device for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste. The toothpaste dispensing device includes a housing comprises a perimeter wall defining an interior space of the housing. The housing comprises an access aperture extending through the perimeter wall whereby the access aperture is designed for permitting access into the interior space of the housing. A delivery assembly extends through the perimeter wall of the housing. The delivery assembly is designed for being coupled to a dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste. The delivery assembly is designed for transferring toothpaste squeezed from the tube of toothpaste through the perimeter wall of the housing. A dispensing assembly extends through the perimeter wall of the housing. The dispensing assembly is designed for being coupled to a crimped end of the tube of toothpaste whereby actuation of the dispensing assembly squeezes toothpaste into the delivery assembly.

Toothpaste dispensing device

A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. A layer of conformable material is disposed in a recess of the carrier head to provide a mounting surface for a substrate. The conformable material may be elastic and undergo normal strain in response to an applied load. The carrier head may also include a support fixture detachably connected to a backing fixture, a retaining ring connected directly to the conformable material, and a shield ring which projects over a portion of the layer of conformable material.

Carrier head with layer of conformable material for a chemical mechanical polishing system

The present invention provides a retaining ring having an resilient liner for protecting the substrate edge from being damaged during chemical mechanical polishing and a method for making the same. Retainers made of wear resistant ceramics, such as alumina, provide better overall performance, including wear resistance, and reduced particle formation than other retaining ring materials. By incorporating a resilient liner, such as an epoxy, on the inner surface of the wear resistant ring, the substrate edge is protected from damage that can be easily caused by the hard surface of the ceramic alone.

Retainers and non-abrasive liners used in chemical mechanical polishing

An end effector is provided for conditioning pads used to polish semiconductor wafers. The end effector has a substrate with a matrix (preferably a polymer) disposed thereon. Abrasive particles such as diamond crystals are embedded in the matrix. Preferred particle size and number/spacing is provided for optimal conditioning. The particles are embedded by at least a predetermined amount (e.g., 75%) so as to provide uniform/repeatable conditioning while avoiding dislodged particles. The particles may be embedded such that the tips thereof are coplanar, or such that the profile of diamond tips form a plurality of curved regions. A method for checking end effector quality is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

John H Prince