The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 07, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1996
Dale Thomas Bowen, Timberlake, NC (US);
Timothy Gladstone Clapp, New Hill, NC (US);
Douglas Martin Pendergraph, Jr, Bahama, NC (US);
Frank Warren Taylor, II, Cary, NC (US);
Albani Bayeux, Inc., Henderson, NC (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for correctively guiding an item on a desired path along a material is provided wherein a guide path matching a desired path for an item to be guided along a material and a plurality of templates containing images of the material are inputted into a computer. The item is guided along the material in a path following the inputted guide path, and a need for correction of the actual path of the item along the material is checked and, where necessary, correction is made at predetermined, inputted intervals. Self-correction of the path the item follows along material is accomplished by visual recognition of templates containing images of the material matching previously inputted templates.