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1970 results about "Flash light" patented technology

Semiconductor thin film forming method, production methods for semiconductor device and electrooptical device, devices used for these methods, and semiconductor device and electrooptical device

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily forming a polycrystalline semiconductor thin-film, such as polycrystalline silicon having high crystallinity and high quality, or a single crystalline semiconductor thin-film at inexpensive cost, the crystalline semiconductor thin-film having a large area, and to provide an apparatus for processing the method described above. In forming a polycrystalline (or single crystalline) semiconductor thin-film (7), such as a polycrystalline silicon thin-film, having high crystallinity and a large grain size on a substrate (1), or in forming a semiconductor device having the polycrystalline (or single crystalline) semiconductor thin-film (7) on the substrate (1), a method comprises forming a low-crystallization semiconductor thin-film (7A) on the substrate (1), and subsequently heating and cooling this low-crystallization semiconductor thin-film (7A) to a fusion, a semi-fusion, or a non-fusion state by flash lamp annealing to facilitate the crystallization of the low-crystallization semiconductor thin-film, whereby a polycrystalline (single crystalline) semiconductor thin-film (7) is obtained. A method for forming the semiconductor device and an apparatus for processing the methods are also disclosed.
Owner:SONY CORP

Digital photography with flash/no flash extension

A system and method for improving digital flash photographs. The present invention is a technique that significantly improves low-light imaging by giving the end-user all the advantages of flash photography without producing the jarring look. The invention uses an image pair—one taken with flash the other without—to remove noise from the ambient image, sharpen the ambient image using detail from the flash image, correct for color, and remove red-eye.
Owner:MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC

Optimized Performance and Performance for Red-Eye Filter Method and Apparatus

A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. A digital apparatus has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject. The detection and correction can be optimized for performance and quality by operating on subsample versions of the image when appropriate.
Owner:TESSERA TECH IRELAND LTD

Optimized performance and performance for red-eye filter method and apparatus

A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. A digital apparatus has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject. The detection and correction can be optimized for performance and quality by operating on subsample versions of the image when appropriate.
Owner:DIGITALPTICS EURO

Microcomputer-controlled AC power switch controller and DC power supply method and apparatus

An AC controller which provides programmable switching of AC power flow, together with producing a source of DC power for operating the AC controller. The AC controller is connected in series with only one side of the AC power source and the AC load. The AC controller utilizes a thyristor for AC power control switching. During the operation, the AC controller steals a small portion of each half-cycle of the AC power to provide DC power to the AC controller. The AC controller enables the flow of AC current by providing a gate current pulse at any predetermined time during the half cycle. Once the thyristor is ON, the AC current flows through the thyristor until the AC cycle is at or near zero. To provide an OFF state, the AC controller does not provide a gate current pulse. The AC controller uses an microcontroller for the programmable capability. The AC controller can be programmed to provide a flashing light function, a time delay off mode, an automatic fade mode, a dimming function, a burglar deterrent function, and a time delay dim function. With a three-position switch which can replace existing types of wall switches, three modes of operation are achieved: ON, OFF, and MODE. The mode position initiates operation of the special function of the controller.
Owner:BISHEL RICHARD A

Light-emitting diode arrangement

An LED array surface-mounted on a circuit board and applied to a cooling member, such that any generated heat is optimally eliminated. The cooling member can be in any desired shape so that motor vehicle lights, such as blinkers, can be adapted to the outside contour of the vehicle. For a rotating light, the circuit board can be applied around a cooling member fashioned as a hollow cylindrical member which is adapted to rotate.
Owner:OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH

Cleaning tools with UV flash unit

A combination tool for cleaning and sanitizing a surface is disclosed. The tool includes a cleaning device and at least one UV flash unit. The cleaning device can be adapted for either wet or dry cleaning. The combination tool can also include a dispensing unit that can dispense a treatment agent. The tool can also include a sensor that can detect surface properties. In some arrangements, the tool includes a motive component that can propel the tool robotically.
Owner:THE CLOROX CO

Distortion free image capture system and method

A system and method for correcting distortions that occur in image capture systems is disclosed. The present invention in some preferred embodiments includes provisions to correct or change magnification differences for all causes including position errors in zoom lens positioning mechanisms as well as those caused by chromatic aberration, CCD alignment errors, lens distortion off center variations, pincushion / barrel lens distortion, magnification distortions, camera and lens misalignment errors, and lighting variations (including flash-to-flash illumination variations). A significant feature of the present invention in contrast with the prior art is that with the use of a movable calibration plate in the present invention it is possible to image capture both the calibration plate and the input object image in a single image capture, thus permitting simultaneous compensation for a variety of lighting and illumination variations not possible with the prior art.
Owner:LEWIS JR CLARENCE A +1

Programmable AC power switch

An AC controller provides programmable switching of AC power flow, together with producing a source of DC power for the AC controller. The AC controller is connected in series with only one side of the AC power source and the AC load, and uses a microcontroller or a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) for the programmable capability. The AC controller can be programmed to provide a light flasher function, a time delay off function, an automatic fade function, a dimming function, a burglar deterrent function, and a time delay dim function. With a multiple-position switch replacing a current wall switch, the operator can easily select many pre-programmed functions.
Owner:BISHEL RICHARD A

Flash lighting for image acquisition

A light module associated with the camera provides flash light having a spectral content that is adjustable according to one or more drive signals. The light module includes one or more emitters of light of at least two different colors that are individually accessible to the one or more drive signals. The flash light is a mixture of the light from the one or more emitters.
Owner:EPISTAR CORP

Solid-state imaging device

A photoelectric conversion device suitable for use as an element of a photodetector array includes a photodiode for generating a first signal charge in response to incident light, an output unit including a JFET, and at least one transistor having an electrode that generates a second signal charge in response to incident light. The first and second signal charges may be output separately or combined. The second signal charge, or the first and second signal charges combined, may be monitored during an exposure time to determine the desired end of the exposure. An image sensor array may have one or more pixels with such light monitoring capability. The output signal for monitoring the light may be output over a reset drain interconnection, directly from the monitoring pixel or through other pixels via inter-pixel MOSFETS. Exposure time may be controlled, by timing a shutter or a strobe or the like, based on the monitored accumulation of signal charge during exposure. Microlenses may be provided on-chip to increase the effective aperture ratio of the array. The microlenses are designed to avoid interfering with the incident light used for monitoring. Resulting pixel-to-pixel variations in effective aperture ratio, if any, may be electronically compensated.
Owner:NIKON CORP

Perfecting the effect of flash within an image acquisition devices using face detection

Within a digital acquisition device with a built in flash unit, the exposure of an acquired digital image is perfected using face detection in the acquired image is provided. Groups of pixels that correspond to plural images of faces are identified within a digitally acquired image, and corresponding image attributes to the group of pixels are determined. An analysis is performed of the corresponding attributes of the groups of pixels. It is then determined to activate the built-in flash unit based on the analysis. An intensity of the built-in flash unit is determined based on the analysis. Alternatively based on similar analysis, a digital simulation of the fill flash is performed on the image.
Owner:FOTONATION LTD

Hand-held portable fundus camera for screening photography

System and Method pertaining to the modification and integration of an existing consumer digital camera, for example, with an optical imaging module to enable point and shoot fundus photography of the eye. The auto-focus macro capability of existing consumer cameras is adapted to photograph the retina over an extended diopter range, eliminating the need for manual diopter focus adjustment. The thru-the-lens (TTL) auto-exposure flash capability of existing consumer cameras is adapted to photograph the retina with automatic flash exposure eliminating the need for manual flash adjustment. The consumer camera imaging sensor and flash are modified to allow the camera sensor to perform both non-mydriatic focusing of the retina using infrared illumination and standard color flash photography of the retina without the need for additional imaging sensors or mechanical filters. These modifications and integration of existing consumer cameras for fundus photography of the eye significantly improve ease of manufacture and usability over existing fundus cameras.
Owner:UNIV OF VIRGINIA ALUMNI PATENTS FOUND

Emergency lighting system

InactiveUS7800511B1Easy to installNot detract from aesthetic appearance of structureElectrical apparatusElectric lighting sourcesControl signalControl system
An emergency lighting system comprises a control system, guide light devices, having multiple light members, guide light controllers, and signal devices. Each guide light controller is adapted to activate at least one guide light device operatively connected to the guide light controller to emit sequentially flashing light signals. Each signal device is adapted to selectively detect an emergency situation and transmit an emergency signal to the control system in response thereto, with each guide light controller being associated by the control system with one of the signal devices. The control system is adapted to transmit control signals in response to the emergency signals to selected ones of the guide light controllers, whereby the guide light controllers receiving emergency signals activate the guide light devices to emit sequentially flashing light signals in one of either two directions with the direction of flashing being controlled by the control signals.
Owner:LIVING SPACE INT

Image capturing apparatus with flash device

A digital camera (10) includes a face detecting section (74), a color temperature detecting section (76) and a flash device (86) having an LED array in which RGB LEDs are regularly arranged as a light source. When a shutter button (18) is pressed halfway, the face detecting section (74) reads out image data of a through image from a memory (60) and detects a person's face in the image. A CPU (64) identifies a scene based on brightness values of face and surrounding areas as, for example, a backlit scene, and specifies a face peripheral area according to an exposure pattern corresponding to the backlit scene. When the shutter button (18) is fully pressed, the CPU (64) sends a flash projection command to an LED control circuit (87), thereby illuminating the LEDs corresponding to the face peripheral area. By controlling illumination of the RGB LEDs, the LED control circuit (87) directs to project the flash light having color temperature that corrects the person's face color into an appropriate skin color.
Owner:FUJIFILM CORP

Apparatus for and method of taking and viewing images of the skin

A self-contained, portable apparatus and corresponding method for capturing, displaying and analyzing images of a person includes a housing for containing a digital camera, a light source capable of providing at least two different wavelengths of light, a touch-screen display and a computer for controlling the camera, the light source and the display. The apparatus selectively captures and displays a plurality of digital images using different wavelengths of illuminating light. The light source may include a plurality of flashes and filters, some of which may be adjustable to adjust the angle of incidence of the illuminating light on the subject. Preferably, the apparatus is self-serve, allowing any person to capture, review and analyze the images. To that end, the apparatus may provide a moving image and verbal instructions to a user to aid in positioning themselves relative to the camera. Instruction may further be provided by text or internet connection for using the apparatus and / or interpreting the captured images. An intuitive graphic user interface with thumbnail images is employed. Focus control, zoom and synchronized side-by side comparison of images are available.
Owner:ETHICON INC

Autonomous safety and security device on an unmanned platform under command and control of a cellular phone

A safety and security device is housed on either an unmanned aerial vehicle or its land-based docking station and is combined with a cellular telephone for self-defense purposes. The phone broadcasts both recorded audio and video warnings on the device. A flashing light may be activated on the aerial platform or the docking station. The device may be integrated into a modular unit that combines numerous defensive mechanisms. These defensive mechanisms operate autonomously and respond to perceived threats.
Owner:MICRO APPS GRP INVENTIONS LLC

Zoom flash with no moving parts

A camera system having an electronic flash with a variable illumination angle, comprising: an image forming system having a user-selectable field-of-view for forming an image of a scene onto an image plane; an electronic flash system including a plurality of fixed focal length illumination lenses having two or more different focal lengths and one or more light emitters positioned behind each of the illumination lenses, the light emitters being positioned relative to their respective illumination lenses to provide two or more different illumination angles onto the scene; and a flash controller that selectively fires different subsets of the light emitters responsive to the selected field-of-view of the image forming system.
Owner:INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC

System and method for treating obstructive sleep apnea

InactiveUS6935335B1ElectrotherapyBreathing masksObstructive ApneaDigital signal processing
There is disclosed a system and method for treating obstructive sleep apnea by terminating an obstructive sleep apnea event before the cessation of breathing occurs. The system comprises one or more microphones capable of detecting breathing sounds within an airway of a person. The microphones generate signals representative of the breathing sounds and send the signals to a controller. The controller uses digital signal processing to identify at least one signal pattern that is associated with a breathing pattern of the person that occurs at the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event. When the controller detects a signal pattern that indicates the onset of an obstructive apnea event, the controller sends an alarm signal to a stimulus generator. The stimulus generator creates a stimulus (an electric current, a sound, a vibrator, a flashing light, etc.) to cause the sleeping person to move in a manner to terminate the obstructive sleep apnea event before cessation of breathing occurs. The obstructive sleep apnea event is terminated without waking the sleeping person and without causing the sleeping person physiological stress associated with cessation of breathing.
Owner:SLEEP METHODS

Electromagnetic energy distributions for electromagnetically induced mechanical cutting

Output optical energy pulses including relatively high energy magnitudes at the beginning of each pulse are disclosed. As a result of the relatively high energy magnitudes which lead each pulse, the leading edge of each pulse includes a relatively large slope. This slope is preferably greater than or equal to 5. Additionally, the full-width half-max value of the output optical energy distributions are between 0.025 and 250 microseconds and, more preferably, are about 70 microseconds. A flashlamp is used to drive the laser system, and a current is used to drive the flashlamp. A flashlamp current generating circuit includes a solid core inductor which has an inductance of 50 microhenries and a capacitor which has a capacitance of 50 microfarads.
Owner:BIOLASE TECH INC

LED warning signal light and movable support

A light emitting diode (LED) warning signal light, the warning signal light comprising an array of light sources configured on a light support and in electrical communication with a controller and a power supply, battery, or other electrical source. The warning signal light provides various colored light signals for independent use or use by an emergency vehicle. These light signals may include a stationary light, strobe light, revolving light, and an oscillating light. Additionally, the warning signal light may be capable of displaying symbols, reverse characters, or arrows. Preferably, rotating and oscillating light signals are produced by sequentially illuminating columns of LED's on a stationary light support. However, the warning signal light may also be rotated or oscillated via mechanical means. The warning signal light may also be transportable for easy connection to a stand such as a tripod for electrical connection to a power supply as a stand-alone warning signal.
Owner:SAFARILAND

Apparatus and method for providing weather and other alerts

An apparatus, including an alert device having a receiver, and method are provided for receiving alert information broadcast via particular telecommunication transmitters operating within a cellular, PCS, or other wireless telecommunications network, thereby allowing delivery of a message. The alert device includes a receiver for receiving digital messages in the form of broadcast messages on a digital control channel, a microcomputer having a monitoring circuit that monitors received digital messages for the presence of an alert code associated with alert messages regarding an alert condition, and a plurality of peripheral devices which produce various tones and flashing lights in response to the alert device's reception of an appropriate alert message. The alert device can be provisioned over the air to respond to particular preferred system providers and controlled user groups. The alert device can also control and external device to provide a warning to the user.
Owner:SAFETY THROUGH CELLULAR +1

Adaptive Processing For Images Captured With Flash

An adaptive fill-flash technique for digital photography that employs flash and no-flash image pairs. A flash image, captured using a flash of known characteristics and ambient light, and an ambient light image, which is taken with only ambient light, of the same image subject matter are acquired. A flash only image, computed by subtracting the known ambient light image from the flash and ambient light image, is computed. The flash only image and the ambient light image are then each white balanced to the flash light and the ambient light, respectively, to form two white-balanced images. These two white-balanced images are then added to form a white balanced image, I, in which the flash and ambient light color agree. It is also possible to reduce the hot spots in image I, and adjust flash strength.
Owner:MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC

Electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light having a wavelength spectrum in the visible range and the infrared range using a fluorescent material

An electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light having a wavelength spectrum in the visible wavelength range and the infrared wavelength range uses a fluorescent material to convert at least some of the original light emitted from one or more light sources of the electronic flash to longer wavelength light to produce the flash of light. The light sources may be configured to generate light having a peak wavelength in an ultraviolet-and-visible wavelength range. The fluorescent material may include any combination of red, green, blue and yellow phosphors.
Owner:BENCH WALK LIGHTING LLC

Parametric control in pulsed light sterilization

An approach for sterilizing microorganisms at a target object employs a flashlamp system including means for generating pulses of light, and for deactivating microorganisms within the target object by illuminating the target object with the pulses of light having been generated; a photo-sensitive detector positioned so as to receive a portion of each of the pulses of light as a measure of an amount of light illuminating the target object, for generating an output signal in response thereto; and a control system, coupled to the flashlamp system and the photo-sensitive detector, for determining, in response to the output signal, whether the pulses of light are sufficient to effect a prescribed level of deactivation of microorganisms at the target object. In accordance with this approach sterilizing microorganisms involves steps of generating a pulse of light; deactivating microorganisms at the target object by directing the pulse of light having been generated at the target object; receiving a portion of the pulse of light as a measure of an amount of the pulse of light illuminating the target object; generating an output signal in response to the receiving of the portion of the pulse of light; and determining, in response to the generating of the output signal, whether the pulse of light is sufficient to effect a prescribed level of deactivation of microorganisms at the target object.
Owner:TESLA INC +1

Apparatus and method for obtaining object-color component data

First image data is obtained by performing an image capturing operation with a flash and, subsequently, second image data is obtained by performing an image capturing operation without a flash. By using data of a differential image between the first and second image data and a relative spectral distribution of flash light, the spectrum reflectivity in a position on a subject corresponding to each pixel is obtained and object-color component data is acquired as data from which an influence of an illumination environment has been removed. On the other hand, illuminant component data indicative of spectral distributions of a plurality of illumination light are prepared. By combining arbitrary illuminant component data to the obtained object-color component data, an image with a different illumination environment can be reproduced.
Owner:MINOLTA CO LTD

Control of Artificial Lighting of a Scene to Reduce Effects of Motion in the Scene on an Image Being Acquired

Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
Owner:QUALCOMM INC
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