2994results about "Photometry using reference value" patented technology

A system and method for servoing robot marks using fiducial marks and machine vision provides a machine vision system having a machine vision search tool that is adapted to register a pattern, namely a trained fiducial mark, that is transformed by at least two translational degrees and at least one mon-translational degree of freedom. The fiducial is provided to workpiece carried by an end effector of a robot operating within a work area. When the workpiece enters an area of interest within a field of view of a camera of the machine vision system, the fiducial is recognized by the tool based upon a previously trained and calibrated stored image within the tool. The location of the work-piece is derived by the machine vision system based upon the viewed location of the fiducial. The location of the found fiducial is compared with that of a desired location for the fiducial. The desired location can be based upon a standard or desired position of the workpiece. If a difference between location of the found fiducial and the desired location exists, the difference is calculated with respect to each of the translational axes and the rotation. The difference can then be further transformed into robot-based coordinates to the robot controller, and workpiece movement is adjusted based upon the difference. Fiducial location and adjustment continues until the workpiece is located the desired position with minimum error.

A ceramic reference in conjunction with a spectrometer, a metallized ceramic material, and a method of utilizing a ceramic material as a reference in the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, or infrared spectral regions are presented. The preferred embodiments utilize a ceramic reference material to diffusely reflect incident source light toward a detector element for quantification in a reproducible fashion. Alternative embodiments metallize either the incident surface or back surface of to form a surface diffuse reflectance standard. Optional wavelength reference layers or protective layers may be added to the ceramic or to the metallized layer. The reference ceramic is used to provide a measure of optical signal of an analyzer as a function of the analyzers spatial, temporal, and environmental state.

A holographic planar concentrator (HPC) for collecting and concentrating optical radiation is provided. The holographic planar concentrator comprises a planar highly transparent plate and at least one multiplexed holographic optical film mounted on a surface thereof. The multiplexed holographic optical film has recorded therein a plurality of diffractive structures having one or more regions which are angularly and spectrally multiplexed. Two or more of the regions may be configured to provide spatial multiplexing. The HPC is fabricated by: (a) recording the plurality of diffractive structures in the multiplexed holographic optical film employing angular, spectral, and, optionally, spatial multiplexing techniques; and (b) mounting the multiplexed holographic optical film on one surface of the highly transparent plate. The recording of the plurality of diffractive structures is tailored to the intended orientation of the holographic planar concentrator to solar energy. The HPC is mounted in the intended orientation for collecting solar energy and at least one solar energy-collecting device is mounted along at least one edge of the holographic planar concentrator. Examples of suitable solar energy-collecting devices include photovoltaic cells and fiber optic light guides for transmitting collected light into an interior of a building for illumination purposes and for transmitting collected solar radiation into a hot water tank for heating. The HPC permits efficient collection of solar energy without expensive requirements, while minimizing energy losses.

An illumination system comprises at least two light sources (101,102,103) having different emission spectra to one another; a detection circuit (131,132,133) for sensing a light intensity using at least one of the light sources as a photosensor; and driving means (161,162,163) for driving the light source in dependence on the sensed spectral distribution of light. The emission spectrum of a light source with the smallest bandgap overlaps the emission spectrum of a light source with the second-smallest bandgap. The illumination system is possible to measure the intensity of light emitted by the light source with the smallest bandgap by putting the light source with the second-smallest bandgap in detection mode. The illumination system may also sense the spectral distribution of ambient light, to allow the output from the illumination system to be adjusted in dependence on the ambient light.

A wireless lighting control system comprises a daylight sensor for measuring a light intensity in a space and a dimmer switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to a lighting load in response to the daylight sensor. For example, the daylight sensor may be able to transmit radio-frequency (RF) signals to the dimmer switch. The system provides methods of calibrating the daylight sensor that allow for automatically measuring and/or calculating one or more operational characteristics of the daylight sensor. One method of calibrating the daylight sensor comprises a “single-button-press” calibration procedure during which a user is only required to actuate a calibration button of the daylight sensor once. In addition, the daylight sensor is operable to automatically measure the total light intensity in the space at night to determine the light intensity of only the electrical light generated by the lighting load.

A method in a computerized system including an image sensor mounted in a moving vehicle. The image sensor captures image frames consecutively in real time. In one of the image flames, a spot is detected of measurable brightness; the spot is matched in subsequent image frames. The image frames are available for sharing between the computerized system and another vehicle control system. The spot and the corresponding spot are images of the same object. The object is typically one or more of headlights from an oncoming vehicle, taillights of a leading vehicle, streetlights, street signs and/or traffic signs. Data is acquired from the spot and from the corresponding spot. By processing the data, the object (or spot) is classified. producing an object classification. The vehicle control system controls preferably headlights of the moving vehicle based on the object classification. The other vehicle control system using the image frames is one or more of: lane departure warning system, collision warning system and/or ego-motion estimation system.

A display device includes a pixel which includes a first photosensor portion having a first photodiode for detecting visible light, which is provided together with a display element portion; and a pixel which includes a second photosensor portion having a second photodiode for detecting infrared rays, which is provided together with another display element portion. The second photosensor portion detects infrared rays included in external light, and selects an imaging element and adjusts sensitivity in accordance with the amount of infrared rays detected by the second photosensor portion.

A vehicle headlamp control method and apparatus includes providing an imaging sensor that senses light in spatially separated regions of a field of view forward of the vehicle. Light levels sensed in individual regions of the field of view are evaluated in order to identify light sources of interest, such as oncoming headlights and leading taillights. The vehicle's headlights are controlled in response to identifying such particular light sources or absence of such light sources. Spectral signatures of light sources may be examined in order to determine if the spectral signature matches that of particular light sources such as the spectral signatures of headlights or taillights. Sensed light levels may also be evaluated for their spatial distribution in order to identify light sources of interest.

Apparatuses and methods include a solar array having one or more strings of series-connected local management units (LMUs). Each LMU is parallel-connected to one of a plurality of solar modules. The strings are connected in parallel via a parallel bus. Local string management units (LSMUs) can increase or decrease an output voltage of the solar array by upconverting or downconverting string output voltages from each string. LSMUs can also operate in a bypass mode to increase overall power output.

A new way of mixing instrumental and digital means is described for the general field of wave front sensing. The present invention describes the use, the definition and the utility of digital operators, called digital wave front operators (DWFO) or digital lenses (DL), specifically designed for the digital processing of wave fronts defined in amplitude and phase. DWFO are of particular interest for correcting undesired wave front deformations induced by instrumental defects or experimental errors. DWFO may be defined using a mathematical model, e.g. a polynomial function, which involves coefficients. The present invention describes automated and semi-automated procedures for calibrating or adjusting the values of these coefficients. These procedures are based on the fitting of mathematical models on reference data extracted from specific regions of a wave front called reference areas, which are characterized by the fact that specimen contributions are a priori known in reference areas. For example, reference areas can be defined in regions where flat surfaces of a specimen produce a constant phase function. The present invention describes also how DWFO can be defined by extracting reference data along one-dimensional (1D) profiles. DWFO can also be defined in order to obtain a flattened representation of non-flat area of a specimen. Several DWFO or DL can be combined, possibly in addition with procedures for calculating numerically the propagation of wave fronts. A DWFO may also be defined experimentally, e.g. by calibration procedures using reference specimens. A method for generating a DWFO by filtering in the Fourier plane is also described. All wave front sensing techniques may benefit from the present invention. The case of a wave front sensor based on digital holography, e.g. a digital holographic microscope (DHM), is described in more details. The use of DWFO improves the performance, in particular speed and precision, and the ease of use of instruments for wave front sensing. The use of DWFO results in instrumental simplifications, costs reductions, and enlarged the field of applications. The present invention defines a new technique for imaging and metrology with a large field of applications in material and life sciences, for research and industrial applications.

Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting overheating in an optical device before harmful consequences, such as severe local heating, can result. In one embodiment of the invention, a blackbody emitter is disposed in close proximity to a therapeutic optical fiber to absorb therapeutic radiation at a fault and re-emit blackbody (infrared) radiation. The emitter can be coupled to the fiber but, during normal operation, lies outside the optical path between the output of the laser radiation and the site of treatment. Systems and catheters incorporating such emitters are also described for effective monitoring of the laser power transmitted along the optical fiber within the phototherapy device.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for calibrating a lighting control system. The lighting control system is a daylight-harvesting system that controls the output of the lighting system based on available daylight and/or other light sources to reduce energy usage while providing lighting for an area. The lighting system includes multi-level lighting capabilities for one or more light sources. First, the system measures the light levels for the area when the lighting system: is turned on at a high energy-level; is turned on at an intermediate energy-level; and is turned off. The system determines from these measured light levels the light output of the lighting system in the different states. Then, during operation, the system measures a present light level for the area. The system then adjusts the light output of the lighting system for the area based on a lighting control parameter (e.g an on set-point and an off set-point pair), the present light output of the lighting system, and the present light level for the area.

An apparatus is described for assessing plant status using biophysical and biochemical properties of the plant remotely sensed by the invention thereby allowing selective monitoring, elimination or treatment of individual plants. In a preferred embodiment, a single polychromatic emitter provides coincident light beams; one beam substantially in the visible portion of the spectrum (400 nm to 700 nm) and the other in the near infrared (NIR) portion of the spectrum (700 nm to 1100 nm). This light beam illuminates a small surface area on the ground, which may be bare ground, desired plants or undesired weeds. The beam of light may be focused, collimated or non-focused. A detector array, usually composed of a visible detector and a NIR detector, detects portions of this polychromatic light beam reflected by the surface area and provides a signal indicative of whether the detected light was reflected by a plant or by some non-plant object such as soil. A controller analyzes this signal and, assuming a plant is detected, responds by activating a device to take some action with respect to the plant or stores the analyzed signal with corresponding DGPS position in the controller's memory for later analysis. A number of actions may be taken by the controller. For instance, if the plant is a weed, the desired action might be to spray herbicide on the weed. Or, if the plant is a crop that is determined to be lacking in nutrient, the desired action may be to apply fertilizer. Additionally, if the plant under test is a turf landscape, such as found on golf courses and sporting fields, plant biomass may be mapped and geo-located using GPS for later, comparative analysis.

A light sensor system includes at least one light emitter, a light sensor unit and a processing unit. The light sensor unit is arranged to receive reflected light from an object in accordance with a time sequence in which the at least one light emitter is activated, and accordingly output a plurality of reflected signals. The processing unit is arranged to receive the reflected signals, identify a signal function of time by referring to occurrence sequence of local peak levels of the reflected signals, and determine motion of the object according to the signal function of time. Another light sensor system is proposed. The major difference between the two light sensor systems is that the processing unit of the another light sensor system is arranged to identify the signal function of time by comparing a predetermined threshold with signal levels of the reflected signals.

The present invention includes a sun sensor assembly having an aperture that defines an area that is less than the area of the photo-detecting surface of a corresponding first photo-detector. According to another aspect, the present invention also includes a solar concentrator includes at least two sun sensor assemblies mounted on the concentrator in a manner to help the solar concentrator track the sun. According to another aspect, the present invention also includes a method of processing electrical signals from two or more photo-detectors. According to yet another aspect, the present invention includes a sun tracking system that includes a solar panel that includes a solar concentrator and control system.

The present invention provides a method, system and structure for maintaining light characteristics from a multi-chip LED package. This may be done by selecting a desired light output and restricting light from a plurality of light emitting diodes in the multi-chip LED package. It may also be done by measuring the restricted light, comparing the measured output light to the desired light and by adjusting current to LEDs in the multi-chip LED package based on the measured light.

There is provided a lighting device, comprising at least one light emitter, at least one reflector and at least one sensor. The sensor is positioned within a region which receives direct light from the light emitter when the light emitter is emitting light. In some embodiments, the light emitter comprises one or more light emitting diode. In some embodiments, the sensor is positioned between the light emitter and a power supply. In some embodiments, the reflector comprises at least one opening, and light emitted by the light emitter passes through the opening to the sensor. In some embodiments, the sensor is sensitive to only some wavelengths of visible light. Some embodiments are back-reflecting lamps, and some are forward-reflecting lamps.