42results about How to "Maximize contrast" patented technology

A triple lumen stone balloon catheter (1) having a tapered distal end (9). A lumen (24) dedicated to transmitting contrast media is dimensioned and adapted to conform to the shape of a kidney in a main shaft of the catheter and conform to the shape of a crescent in a distal end of the catheter. The geometric shaping of the contrast media lumen (24) enables wall thickness to be maintained within acceptable ranges to sustain desirable mechanical characteristics while allowing for enhanced contrast media flow. A method for employing the balloon catheter (1) is also disclosed.

An optical system for imaging the features, ridges, and height variations of an object by exploiting the properties of specular reflection of light to maximize the contrast of the features, ridges, and height variations. The system provides a non-contact method of imaging objects suitable for biometric identification, such as the imaging of fingerprints. The system obtains the strong specular reflection using a properly shaped wave front. Optionally, the system can include a polarizer that filters and thereby enhances the specular reflection from the surface. Optionally, the system can also include pre-processing means for adjusting image brightness, contrast, and magnification.

A method for forming imprint lithography templates is described herein. The method includes forming a masking layer and a conductive layer on a substrate surface. The use of a conductive layer allows patterning of the masking layer using electron beam pattern generators. The substrate is etched using the patterned masking layer to produce a template.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for measuring a characteristic, such as overlay, of a semiconductor target. In general, order-selected imaging and / or illumination is performed while collecting an image from a target using a metrology system. In one implementation, tunable spatial modulation is provided only in the imaging path of the system. In other implementations, tunable spatial modulation is provided in both the illumination and imaging paths of the system. In a specific implementation, tunable spatial modulation is used to image side-by-side gratings with diffraction orders ±n. The side-by-side gratings may be in different layers or the same layer of a semiconductor wafer. The overlay between the structures is typically found by measuring the distance between centers symmetry of the gratings. In this embodiment, only orders ±n for a given choice of n (where n is an integer and not equal to zero) are selected, and the gratings are only imaged with these diffraction orders.

An optical system for imaging the features, ridges, and height variations of an object by exploiting the properties of specular reflection of light to maximize the contrast of the features, ridges, and height variations. The system provides a non-contact method of imaging objects suitable for biometric identification, such as the imaging of fingerprints. The system obtains the strong specular reflection using a properly shaped wave front. Optionally, the system can include a polarizer that filters and thereby enhances the specular reflection from the surface. Optionally, the system can also include pre-processing means for adjusting image brightness, contrast, and magnification.

The present invention relates to a camera (1, 1′) for generating a biometrical signal of a living being comprising: a filter (11) for blocking incident visible light in a wavelength range up to at least 550 nm, a color sensor (12, 12′) for receiving said filtered incident light and generating at least two different color signals (5, 6, 9), a combination unit (15) for generating at least one combined color signal (7a, 7b) by combining said at least two color signals, and a processing unit (16) for processing said at least one combined color signal and extracting at least one biometrical signal (8) of said living being (3).

Systems and methods of calibrating heliostat parameters for subsequent open-loop sun-tracking, the calibration based on driving artificial light source reflections from one or more heliostats into one or more image sensors.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for measuring a characteristic, such as overlay, of a semiconductor target. In general, order-selected imaging and / or illumination is performed while collecting an image from a target using a metrology system. In one implementation, tunable spatial modulation is provided only in the imaging path of the system. In other implementations, tunable spatial modulation is provided in both the illumination and imaging paths of the system. In a specific implementation, tunable spatial modulation is used to image side-by-side gratings with diffraction orders ±n. The side-by-side gratings may be in different layers or the same layer of a semiconductor wafer. The overlay between the structures is typically found by measuring the distance between centers symmetry of the gratings. In this embodiment, only orders ±n for a given choice of n (where n is an integer and not equal to zero) are selected, and the gratings are only imaged with these diffraction orders.

A multi-energy polarization imaging method consisting of a multi-fusion, dual-rotating retarder / multiple-energy complete Mueller matrix-based polarimeter and dual-energy capabilities, has been invented. The term multifusion describes the use of several imaging functions altogether such as polarimetric imaging, dual-energy subtraction, multifocal imaging and other. By substracting polarimetric parameters such as degree of polarization, degree of linear polarization, degree of circular polarization, respectively, obtained with interrogation light beams of wavelengths λ1 and λ2, he system, enhanced imaging is obtained. The system includes a light source for illuminating a target with a first quantity of light having a first wavelength and a second quantity of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different. A polarization-state generator generates a polarization state for each of the first and second quantities of light, and includes a first polarizer through which the first and second quantities of light are transmitted before entering a first waveplate. A polarization-state receiver evaluates a resulting polarization state of the first and second quantities of light following illumination of the target, the polarization-state receiver including a second waveplate through which the first and second quantittes of light are transmitted before entering a second polarizer. An optical image-capture device captures a first image of the target illuminated by the first quantity of light and a second image of the target illuminated by the second quantity of light. A processing unit assigns a weighting factor to at least one of the first and second images and evaluates a weighted difference between the first and second images to generate a multi-energy image of the target.

An improved apparatus and method for obtaining images through a prism are provided. In an embodiment, a thin fingerprint prism wedge, with a geometry designed to minimize foreshortening and maximize contrast, is provided in an optical path between an optical sensor and an object to be imaged. In some embodiments, the apparatus operates on the principle of internal surface reflections instead of total internal reflection (TIR).

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a multi-energy polarization imaging method consisting of a multi-fusion, dual-rotating retarder / multiple-energy complete Mueller matrix-based polarimeter and dual-energy capabilities. By subtracting polarimetric parameters such as degree of polarization, degree of linear polarization, degree of circular polarization, respectively, obtained with interrogation light beams of wavelengths λ1, and λ2, the system of the present invention can obtain, in one embodiment, enhanced imaging.

There is described a method, a sensing device as well as an optical pointing device including a sensing device for comparing light intensity between pixels. Light intensity between pairs of pixels of a photodetector array is compared as follows. First and second output signals generated by the photosensitive elements of a first and a second pixel of each pair are integrated over time to respectively provide first and second integrated signals. Integration of the first output signal is interrupted at the end of a first time period and the resulting first integrated signal is stored. Integration of the second output signal is continued until the end of a second time period and the resulting second integrated signal is compared to the stored first integrated signal to provide an output signal representative of an edge condition between the first and second pixel.

A focus control circuit is installed in an image pickup apparatus including a lens, a driver element for adjusting the position of the lens, and a position detecting element for detecting the position of the lens. A feedback equalizer included in the focus control circuit generates a drive signal used to adjust the position of the lens to a target position, based on a difference between the position of the lens identified by the output signal of the position detecting element and the target position of the lens set externally, and controls the driver element.

An optical system design for measuring the velocity of fluids flowing through pipes or other conduits is disclosed. The optical system is comprised of a means for delivering two beams through a window in the wall of the pipe, focused to two points aligned along an axis of the pipe and separated by a known distance, and means for detecting light that is scattered by particles carried in the fluid stream through a second window, that is disposed on the opposite side of the pipe. By measuring the time delay between detected signals, the velocity of the fluid can be determined. The delivered light beams are focused in a shallow cone of light and are blocked by an obstruction disposed behind the second window. The scattered light passes through an aperture behind the second window that surrounds the obscuration, and is focused on to a detector surface.

Systems and methods of calibrating heliostat parameters for subsequent open-loop sun-tracking, the calibration based on driving artificial light source reflections from one or more heliostats into one or more image sensors.

A focus control circuit is installed in an image pickup apparatus including a lens, a driver element for adjusting the position of the lens, and a position detecting element for detecting the position of the lens. A feedback equalizer included in the focus control circuit generates a drive signal used to adjust the position of the lens to a target position, based on a difference between the position of the lens identified by the output signal of the position detecting element and the target position of the lens set externally, and controls the driver element.

A method for forming imprint lithography templates is described herein. The method includes forming a masking layer and a conductive layer on a substrate surface. The use of a conductive layer allows patterning of the masking layer using electron beam pattern generators. The substrate is etched using the patterned masking layer to produce a template.

An improved apparatus and method for obtaining images through a prism are provided. In an embodiment, a thin fingerprint prism wedge, with a geometry designed to minimize foreshortening and maximize contrast, is provided in an optical path between an optical sensor and an object to be imaged. In some embodiments, the apparatus operates on the principle of internal surface reflections instead of total internal reflection (TIR).

A high resolution imaging system and method for using it. More specifically, the present invention relates to an imaging system including an imaging apparatus, a processor and a various features to minimize reflected and ambient light producing consistent, high fidelity images to facilitate high resolution imaging. The system may be used for material inspection and may be particularly beneficial for enlarging an image of an object, determining the geometry or morphology of an object surface, or enabling precise measurement of a feature of an object.

A portable information display device 1 is disclosed comprising an electronic display module 2 comprising a substantially rectangular display screen 6 and an optical element 14 arranged in front of the electronic display module to form a non-rectangular optical frame extending outside the rectangular display screen. Illuminating means 22, 34 behind the optical frame is arranged to illuminate at least one icon 8 defined by the optical element outside the rectangular display screen, and an electronic controller 24 for the illuminating means is arranged to selectively illuminate the at least one icon outside the rectangular display screen.

A light source and a method of generating a light using the light source is disclosed. The light source is configured to produce a plurality of distinct colors in generating the light, one of the distinct colors falling within a blue spectral light band. A light controller modulates the spectral light produced by the plurality of distinct colors. The modulation provides melanopsin contrast in order to increase melanopsin responsiveness of a subject exposed to the generated light and maintains the color temperature, color quality, and color constancy experienced by the subject in a lit viewing environment within an acceptable range.

A focus control circuit is installed in an image pickup apparatus including a lens, a driver element for adjusting the position of the lens, and a position detecting element for detecting the position of the lens. An equalizer included in the focus control circuit generates a drive signal used to adjust the position of the lens to a position to be set, based on a difference between the position of the lens identified by the position detecting element and the set position. When an instruction to vary a target position of the lens is received externally, a position setting unit included in the focus control circuit sets sequentially a plurality of positions in a range covering a new target position and a previous target position, to the equalizer before the new target position is reached from the previous target position.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an optical film with a recording surface, the recording surface including: a computation element section in which a phase component of light from each reconstruction point of a reconstructed image is computed, the computation element section corresponding to each reconstruction point one by one; a phase angle recording area in which a phase angle computed based on the phase component is recorded; and a phase angle non-recording area in which the phase angle is not recorded, the phase angle computed based on the phase component being recorded in an overlapping area where the computation element section and the phase angle recording area overlap each other.

A two-dimensional scalar field data visualization method and system based on colormap optimization including: receiving initial colormap and two-dimensional scalar field input data; calculating key colors in the initial colormap, and setting the key colors as control points; calculating a linear interpolation between pairwise control points using a piecewise linear function, generating and mapping a colormap to the two-dimensional scalar field data; establishing an energy optimization equation for control point coordinate positions and the mapped two-dimensional scalar field data, where the coordinate positions are numerical values between 0 and 1 obtained by normalizing index values in the colormap corresponding to the control points; and solving the energy optimization equation to obtain a control point coordinate position, generating a new colormap using the piecewise linear function and optimized control point coordinate position, and mapping the new colormap to the two-dimensional scalar field data, to obtain a final visualization result.

A projection system includes an image-forming device and a polarizing beamsplitter. Illumination light illuminates the image-forming device via the first polarizing beamsplitter. A retardation element is disposed between the image-forming device and the polarizing beamsplitter. A bias controller applies a bias to pixels of the image-forming device in the dark state so as to substantially maximize contrast in image light reflected from image-forming device. In some arrangements, the volume between the polarizing beamsplitter and the image-forming device is sealed, with the retarding element being disposed within the sealed volume and being attached to either the polarizing beamsplitter or the image-forming device.

Provided is a method of obtaining a monochrome image from a color image, said color image comprising a plurality of color pixels, and having at least two color channels, each pixel of said plurality of color pixels comprising a value for each color channel of said at least two color channels, said monochrome image comprising a plurality of monochrome pixels, each monochrome pixel having a value for a monochrome channel, the method comprising:calculating a local weighting factor for each color channel of each pixel of said color image;calculating said value of said monochrome channel for each pixel as a sum over said at least three color channels of products of said local weighting factor and said value for each color channel.

The present invention relates to a camera (1, 1′) for generating a biometrical signal of a living being comprising: a filter (11) for blocking incident visible light in a wavelength range up to at least 550 nm, a color sensor (12, 12′) for receiving said filtered incident light and generating at least two different color signals (5, 6, 9), a combination unit (15) for generating at least one combined color signal (7a, 7b) by combining said at least two color signals, and a processing unit (16) for processing said at least one combined color signal and extracting at least one biometrical signal (8) of said living being (3).

A portable information display device 1 is disclosed comprising an electronic display module 2 comprising a substantially rectangular display screen 6 and an optical element 14 arranged in front of the electronic display module to form a non-rectangular optical frame extending outside the rectangular display screen. Illuminating means 22, 34 behind the optical frame is arranged to illuminate at least one icon 8 defined by the optical element outside the rectangular display screen, and an electronic controller 24 for the illuminating means is arranged to selectively illuminate the at least one icon outside the rectangular display screen.