con Direct measurement of fluid contamination By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods to detect a fluid contamination level of a fluid sample. The method may comprise providing a fluid sample downhole from a subterranean formation, applying a reactant to the fluid sample to create a combined fluid, observing the combined fluid, and determining if contaminants are present within the fluid sample based upon the observing the combined fluid. Full Article
con Method for determining the content of hydrogen sulfide in crude and residual oils By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The subject of the invention is a method for determining the H2S content arising during the warm storage of sulfur-containing crude and residual oils and mineral distillates containing sulfur-containing crude and/or residual oils, in which a sample of the sulfur-containing mineral oil is dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture that boils at more than 200° C. and a carrier gas is caused to flow through the solution of the sulfur-containing mineral oil at temperatures above 80° C., and the quantity of hydrogen sulfide carried out with the carrier gas is analyzed quantitatively. Full Article
con Apparatus and method for measuring concentrations of scale-forming ions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determination of ion concentrations, particularly in downhole water from hydrocarbon wells, aquifers etc. It is useful in a wide range of applications, including predicting the formation of scale and fingerprinting waters from different sources. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of ligands whose electronic configuration is altered by the binding of the scaling ions within a water sample. These alterations are detected electrochemically by applying varying potential to electrodes and measuring current flow as potential is varied, from which is derived the concentration of scaling ions in the fluid. Full Article
con Antibody-nanoparticle conjugates and methods for making and using such conjugates By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Disclosed herein are antibody-nanoparticle conjugates that include two or more nanoparticles (such as gold, palladium, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt, iridium, or an alloy of two or more thereof) directly linked to an antibody or fragment thereof through a metal-thiol bond. Methods of making the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates disclosed herein include reacting an arylphosphine-nanoparticle composite with a reduced antibody to produce an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate. Also disclosed herein are methods for detecting a target molecule in a sample that include using an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate (such as the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates described herein) and kits for detecting target molecules utilizing the methods disclosed herein. Full Article
con System and method for manufacturing semiconductor device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a spontaneous joining unit and a deformative joining unit. The spontaneous joining unit overlaps a first substrate and a second substrate and spontaneously joins mutual center portions of respective joint faces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The deformative joining unit deforms at least one peripheral portion of the respective joint faces of the first substrate and second substrate joined by the spontaneous joining unit toward the other peripheral portion and joins the mutual peripheral portions of the respective joint faces. Full Article
con Device and method for controlling compression of tissue By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and device for controlling the compression of tissue include clamping tissue between a first clamping member and a second clamping member by driving at least one of the clamping members with an electric motor toward a predetermined tissue gap between the clamping members and, during the clamping, monitoring a parameter of the electric motor indicative of a clamping force exerted to the tissue by the clamping members. The method and device include, during the clamping, controlling the electric motor, based on the monitored parameter, to limit the clamping force to a predetermined maximum limit. Full Article
con Varying tissue compression with an anvil configuration By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus and the application of variable compression to tissue. More specifically, the presently disclosed surgical fastener applying apparatus act to limit the flow of blood through tissue immediately adjacent a cut-line formed therein to effectuate hemostasis, while maximizing the flow of blood through tissue more removed from the cut-line to limit unnecessary necrosis. In one embodiment, a surgical fastener applying apparatus is disclosed having a tool assembly coupled to a distal end thereof with first and second jaws respectively including an anvil and a surgical fastener cartridge. The surgical fastener cartridge includes, among other things, angled pushers that engage surgical fasteners of varying lengths. Full Article
con Tin-containing organolithium compounds and preparation thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Sep 2004 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to a tin-containing organolithium compound which can be used as anionic polymerization initiators, represented by the following formula (1): R4−xSn(Ya—Zm—Yb—Li)x (1)Wherein R, Z and Y are defined as in the specification; x represents a value of 1 or 2; m represents a value of 0 or 1; a represents a value of 0 to 6, b represents a value of 0 to 6, a+b is from 0 to 6, provided that m=1 when x=1. The tin-containing organolithium compounds according to the present invention can be used as initiators to initiate the polymerization of conjugated dienes and/or monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, thereby synthesizing various linear, star or telechelic polymers. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the tin-containing organolithium compounds according to the present invention. Full Article
con Liquid precursors for formation of materials containing alkali metals By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 08:00:00 EST Volatile liquid precursors are provided for use in the formation of alkali metal-containing materials. The compound includes an alkali metal and an amide ligand and is a liquid at a temperature of less than about 70° C. Full Article
con Metallocenes containing ligands of 2-substituted indenyl derivatives, process for their preparation, and their use as catalysts By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT The novel metallocenes of the formula I in which, preferably, M1 is Zr or Hf, R1 and R2 are alkyl or halogen, R3 and R4 are hydrogen, R5 and R6 are alkyl or haloalkyl, —(CR8R9)m—R7—(CR8R9)n— is a single- or multi-membered chain in which R7 may also be a (substituted) hetero atom, m+n is zero or 1, and R10 is hydrogen, form, together with aluminoxanes as cocatalysts, a very effective catalyst system for the preparation of polyolefins of high stereospecificity and high melting point. Full Article
con Mask for crystallizing polysilicon and a method for forming thin film transistor using the mask By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 15 May 2007 08:00:00 EDT A mask for forming polysilicon has a first slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, a second slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, a third slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, and a fourth slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width. The slit patterns arranged at the first to fourth slit regions are sequentially enlarged in width in the horizontal direction in multiple proportion to the width d of the slit pattern at the first slit region. The centers of the slit patterns arranged at the first to fourth slit regions in the horizontal direction are placed at the same line. The slit patterns arranged at the respective slit regions in the vertical direction are spaced from each other with a distance of 8*d. Alternatively, the first to fourth slit regions may be arranged in reverse order, or in the vertical direction. Full Article
con Method of fabricating polysilicon thin film transistor with catalyst By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon active layer for use in a thin film transistor is provided. The method includes forming a buffer layer over a substrate, forming an amorphous silicon layer over the buffer layer, applying a catalytic metal to a surface of the amorphous silicon layer, crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer having the catalytic metal thereon into a polycrystalline silicon layer, annealing the polycrystalline silicon layer in an N2 gas atmosphere to stabilize the polycrystalline silicon layer, etching a surface of the polycrystalline silicon layer using an etchant, and patterning the polycrystalline silicon layer to form an island-shaped active layer. Full Article
con Raw material for forming a strontium-containing thin film and process for preparing the raw material By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST The present invention provides a raw material for forming a strontium-containing thin film of a cyclopentadienyl-based strontium compound, which is in the liquid state at room temperature to 50° C., can be purified by distillation, present as a monomer, has high vapor pressure, and suitable for mass production, and a process for preparing the same. Sr[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 is prepared by reacting Na[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 or K[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 with SrI2 in THF to produce a THF adduct of Sr[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2; evaporating THF and extracting the residue with toluene to give a toluene solution; evaporating toluene and drying the residue under reduced pressure; and heating to 100 to 160° C. in vacuo to dissociate and remove THF and distilling. Full Article
con Method for preparing diorganomagnesium-containing synthesis means By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EDT A diorganomagnesium-containing synthesis means, a method for its preparation and its use. Full Article
con Process for forming the strontium-containing thin film By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT The present invention provides a process for forming a strontium-containing thin film of a cyclopentadienyl-based strontium compound, which is in the liquid state at room temperature to 50° C., can be purified by distillation, present as a monomer, has high vapor pressure, and suitable for mass production. bis(propyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl)strontium is used as an Sr source to form a strontium-containing thin film such as a SrTiO3 film, a (Ba, Sr)TiO3 film by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. Full Article
con Production of nitrogen compounds from a methane conversion process By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Methods and systems are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. The hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to nitrogen based hydrocarbon compounds such as pyridines. The method includes the reaction of acetylene with ammonia and controlling the ratio of acetylene to ammonia to generate the desired nitrogen based hydrocarbon compound. Full Article
con Quick-extraction punch-holder adapter for converting punching machines from a single-punch to a multiple-punch configuration By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EDT A punching machine comprising at least one punching head including a support body having a first end delimiting a peripheral shoulder, a second end, and at least two parallel seats being angularly spaced from one another and extending through said support body from said first end to said second end; a punching tool holder slibably mounted in at least one of said seats; a multiplicity of removable resilient means angularly spaced from one another, each having a first end resting on said peripheral shoulder and a second end facing away from said peripheral shoulder; an annular cap member arranged in front and spaced from said peripheral shoulder and designed to abut against said second end of said resilient means; a rotor member mounted for rotation on said annular cap member and having an inner face thereof facing towards said punching tool holder; a sliding member projecting from said inner face and arranged to slide onto said punching tool holder when said rotor member rotates; and driving means designed to stepwise drive said rotor member, whereby locating said sliding member onto a pre-selected punching tool holder. Full Article
con D/A conversion circuit and semiconductor device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST A D/A conversion circuit with a small area is provided. In the D/A conversion circuit, according to a digital signal transmitted from address lines of an address decoder, one of four gradation voltage lines is selected. A circuit including two N-channel TFTs is connected in series to a circuit including two P-channel TFT, and a circuit including the circuits connected in series to each other is connected in parallel to each of the gradation voltage lines. Further, an arrangement of the circuit including the two N-channel TFTs and the circuit including the two P-channel TFTs is reversed for every gradation voltage line. By this, the crossings of wiring lines in the D/A conversion circuit becomes small and the area can be made small. Full Article
con Tool selection method for machine tool, control device, and numerically controlled lathe By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST A tool selection method, for a machine tool, comprising the steps of identifying the maximum tip distance (D2) of a currently selected tool (141), a next designated tool (142) and an intermediate tool (143) disposed therebetween; moving a tool rest (10) in the +(plus)X-axis direction after a machining by the currently selected tool (141) is completed until the tip of the currently selected tool (141) is spaced from a workpiece (W) along the X-axis by a distance provided by adding a clearance distance (E) to a difference between the maximum tip distance (D2) and the tip distance (D3) of the currently selected tool (141); moving the tool rest (10) in the +(plus)Y-axis direction until the tip of the next designated tool (142) is aligned with the rotation center axis (12a) of the workpiece (W) in the X-axis direction; and moving the tool rest (10) in the −(minus)X-axis direction. Full Article
con Method and an apparatus for performing a program controlled process on a component By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EDT A drilling machine drills at a multiplicity of target locations on a component. Two robots, calibrated with calibration data, move the component in a 6-D coordinate system. A metrology system ascertains the position of the component relative to the drilling machine. The movement of the robots is effected by commands generated by off-line programming. The component is moved relative to the drilling machine to a target position, ready for drilling, by a closed-loop process in which the differences in position between the expected position (the target position) and the actual position (as viewed by the metrology system) are corrected. Full Article
con Refrigerator, monitoring system having refrigerator and control method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST A refrigerator for monitoring the status of another space by means of a display device mounted to the refrigerator, a monitoring system having the refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator includes a body which is formed with a storage chamber, a door for opening and closing the storage chamber, and a display device which is mounted to a front side of the door, the display device having a receiving part for receiving a monitoring image signal from a predetermined outside signal supply source, an image signal processing part for processing the received monitoring image signal, a display part for displaying the monitoring image signal and a control part for controlling the image signal processing part so that the received monitoring image signal is displayed on the display part. Full Article
con Tool selection method for machine tool, control device, and numerically controlled lathe By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EDT A tool selection method, for a machine tool, comprising the steps of identifying the maximum tip distance (D2) of a currently selected tool (141), a next designated tool (142) and an intermediate tool (143) disposed therebetween; moving a tool rest (10) in the +(plus)X-axis direction after a machining by the currently selected tool (141) is completed until the tip of the currently selected tool (141) is spaced from a workpiece (W) along the X-axis by a distance provided by adding a clearance distance (E) to a difference between the maximum tip distance (D2) and the tip distance (D3) of the currently selected tool (141); moving the tool rest (10) in the +(plus)Y-axis direction until the tip of the next designated tool (142) is aligned with the rotation center axis (12a) of the workpiece (W) in the X-axis direction; and moving the tool rest (10) in the −(minus)X-axis direction. Full Article
con Verification of a portable consumer device in an offline environment By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST A portable consumer device includes a base, and a computer readable medium on the base. The computer readable medium comprises code for an issuer verification value and a supplemental verification value. The issuer verification value is used by an issuer to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an on-line transaction and the supplemental verification value is used to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an off-line transaction. Full Article
con Verification of a portable consumer device in an offline environment By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EDT A portable consumer device includes a base, and a computer readable medium on the base. The computer readable medium comprises code for an issuer verification value and a supplemental verification value. The issuer verification value is used by an issuer to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an on-line transaction and the supplemental verification value is used to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an off-line transaction. Full Article
con Method and an apparatus for performing a program controlled process on a component By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A drilling machine drills at a multiplicity of target locations on a component. Two robots, calibrated with calibration data, move the component in a 6-D coordinate system. A metrology system ascertains the position of the component relative to the drilling machine. The movement of the robots is effected by commands generated by off-line programming. The component is moved relative to the drilling machine to a target position, ready for drilling, by a closed-loop process in which the differences in position between the expected position (the target position) and the actual position (as viewed by the metrology system) are corrected. Full Article
con Gum manufacturing system with loafing and conditioning features By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Gum manufacturing machinery and method of manufacturing gum is illustrated in which a gum loafing machine generates loaves of finished gum that are then subsequently run through a gum conditioner to more uniformly set the temperature and viscosity of the gum material prior to further processing. Upon achieving the appropriate conditioning level, a further forming extruder may be used to generate a continuous gum ribbon for subsequent rolling and scoring operations. The gum conditioner may include vertically stacked conveyors that have different operational modes including a first mode that provides a serpentine path for a long residence time and a second mode that provides a cascading path that avoids or bypasses much of the length of some of the conveyors to provide a shorter residence time. The gum manufacturing machinery may be used in an adjustable manner so as to accommodate difference gum recipes for different batches of gum product. Full Article
con Method for production of an alcoholic beverage with reduced content of alcohol By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for production of an alcoholic beverage with reduced content of alcohol involving treating unfermented beverage starting solution with glucose oxidase and glucose isomerase. Full Article
con Yeast extract containing γ-Glu-X or γ-Glu-X-Gly and a method for producing the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A yeast extract containing a peptide, such as γ-Glu-X and γ-Glu-X-Gly, wherein X can represent an amino acid or an amino acid derivative other than Cys and derivatives thereof, is prepared by culturing a yeast in a medium containing a peptide such as γ-Glu-X, γ-Glu-X-Gly and X-Gly, and preparing a yeast extract from the obtained cells. Full Article
con Combinations of atmosphere control members By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Combinations of atmosphere control members are used to control the atmosphere within a sealed container which contains a respiring biological material. The combination makes use of a first ACM having a first R ratio (the ratio of carbon dioxide permeability to oxygen permeability) and a second ACM having a second R ratio, the first R ratio being substantially greater than 1.0, and the second R ratio being less than the first R ratio. This combination (31, 321, 322, 331, 332) can form part of the sealed container (1) itself, or can be part of an assembly (31, 32, 34) through which the packaging atmosphere within the sealed container (1) is circulated. Full Article
con Method to develop high oleic acid soybeans using conventional soybean breeding techniques By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention is directed to a soybean plant with mutations in FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B. Moreover, the present invention is directed to seeds from said plants with altered ratios of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In particular, the present invention is directed to plants where the plants exhibit elevated levels of oleic acid. Full Article
con Dry food product containing live probiotic By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Jul 2015 08:00:00 EDT The disclosure relates to a probiotic delivery system that can be consumed as a snack-food or added to a food product. In particular, the disclosure describes a crisp and tasty treat that comprises viable probiotic microorganisms preserved in a vacuum dried matrix of sugars, proteins, and polysaccharides. The probiotic remain viable within the treat for a longer time without the need for additional moisture barrier coating. The probiotic also remain viable in the animal gastrointestinal tract. Full Article
con Fluid control device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A fluid control device includes a vibrating plate unit, a driver, a flexible plate, and a base plate. The vibrating plate unit includes a vibrating plate including first and second main surfaces, and a frame plate surrounding the surrounding of the vibrating plate. The driver is bonded to the first or the second main surface of the vibrating plate and vibrates the vibrating plate. The flexible plate includes a hole provided therein, and is bonded to the frame plate so as to face the vibrating plate. The base plate is bonded to the main surface of the flexible plate on a side opposite to the vibrating plate. A size relationship between the coefficients of linear expansion of the material of the base plate and the frame plate is equal to a size relationship between the coefficients of linear expansion of the material of the vibrating plate and the driver. Full Article
con Air pump having an auto-stop control device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An air pump includes a casing, a blower connected with a motor, an air flow direction switching device, an air valve, and an auto-stop control device. The air flow direction switching device includes a pressure sensor and a pressure switch. The air flow direction switching device includes a movable box and a driving device which drives the movable box. The movable box has an arm and an activation portion. An inflation switch and a deflation switch are electrically connected in parallel to a circuit and are controlled to activate by the activation portion. The pressure switch includes a dynamic contact point connected to the motor, and two static contact points respectively electrically connected to the inflation switch and the deflation switch. The dynamic contact point has a terminal which alternatively contacts the two static contact points. Full Article
con Displacement control system for variable displacement compressor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A displacement control system (A) of a variable displacement compressor sets a target for pressure in an intake chamber or a crank chamber, on the basis of a detected evaporator-outlet air temperature and a target for evaporator-outlet air temperature. The pressure of a refrigerant in a high-pressure section is detected, and a regulating current is supplied to a solenoid (316) of a displacement control valve, on the basis of the pressure of the refrigerant in the high-pressure section and the target for pressure. Full Article
con Control valve body with integrated pump for automatic transmissions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An integrated control valve body and hydraulic pump for an automatic transmission includes a control valve body having a plurality of control valves and passageways and an internal cavity having an inlet and an outlet, a pump rotor received within the internal cavity and having a plurality of radially and axially extending slots, radially moveable vanes and a shaft, and a device for transferring drive energy from a drive shaft extending between an output of a torque converter and an input of the transmission to the shaft of the hydraulic pump. The device for transferring drive energy may be a pair of chain sprockets and a chain, a pair of spur or helical gears or other inter-axis power transfer components and may affect a speed increase or reduction. Full Article
con Strain gauge pump control switch By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A control switch incorporates a solid state transducer, a strain gauge. The transducer responds to a local environmental condition, such as fluid level, or pressure and exhibits a parameter change which can be detected as an electrical output. Control circuits coupled to the transducer can sense the parameter change and switch a source of electrical energy to a load in response thereto. Full Article
con Control apparatus for electric oil pump By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A temperature range in which an electric oil pump to supply oil to a vehicle drive system can start is enlarged to enhance an effective use degree, enhance a start success probability, and suppress malfunction occurrence. When a measured oil temperature To is in a temperature range (T1≦To Full Article
con Supercharged compressor and method for controlling a supercharged compressor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A supercharged compressor and method of operating the compressor supplies a commercial vehicle with compressed air. The compressor includes a piston chamber, a dead space or clearance volume and a valve unit for switching the clearance volume. The valve element is configured such that the air volume supplied by the supercharged compressor can be reduced to a value that is different from zero by activating the clearance volume. Full Article
con Image capturing apparatus and control method of the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor configured to capture an image; a vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration; a vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector from images; a first correction unit configured to optically correct an image blur; a second correction unit configured to electrically correct the image blur; a first calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the vibration, a first vibration correction amount for controlling the first correction unit; a second calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the motion vector, a second vibration correction amount for controlling the second correction unit; and a control unit configured to control the first and second calculation units so that the first and second vibration correction amounts are suppressed when a vibration amount is greater than a first threshold. Full Article
con Method and apparatus for controlling flash By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and an apparatus for controlling a flash are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a statistical gray value of a preview image. If the statistical gray value of the preview image is less than a preset threshold, a corresponding fill light parameter is searched for in a preset dynamic fill light table according to the statistical gray value of the preview image and the fill light drive current is set according to the fill light parameter. The fill light drive current is configured to drive a flash lamp to fire a pre-flash. A corresponding exposure drive current in the preset exposure parameter table is configured according to the fill light parameter and the exposure drive current is configured to drive the flash lamp to flash. Full Article
con Image capture apparatus and method of controlling the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image capture apparatus comprises an inclination detection unit which detects an inclination of the image capture apparatus, a display unit which displays the inclination of the image capture apparatus, and a predetermined reference orientation set for the image capture apparatus, a still state determination unit which determines that the image capture apparatus is in a still state, if a variation of the inclination falls within a predetermined range, and a reference orientation setting unit which sets the reference orientation of the image capture apparatus, wherein the reference orientation setting unit does not set the reference orientation if the still state determination unit determines that the image capture apparatus is not in the still state. Full Article
con Moving member control apparatus and imaging apparatus incorporating the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to a moving member control apparatus that makes sure unerring control of a moving member having an ill-balanced structure and an imaging apparatus that incorporates that control apparatus. Full Article
con Image shake correcting apparatus and control method for same, lens barrel, optical apparatus, and imaging apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The CPU acquires the output of an angular velocity sensor and performs image shake correction. An angle 1 calculating unit integrates a signal from which an offset component is removed to calculate an angle 1. An angular velocity subtraction amount calculating unit calculates an angular velocity subtraction amount based on a signal obtained by subtracting a first offset from the output of the angular velocity sensor and a signal obtained by subtracting a second offset from the output of the angle 2 calculating unit. An angle 2 calculating unit integrates a signal obtained by subtracting the angular velocity subtraction amount from the output of the angular velocity sensor to calculate an angle 2. The CPU performs image shake correction based on the angle 1 prior to operation of a release SW, whereas the CPU performs image shake correction based on the angle 2 after operation of the release SW. Full Article
con Imaging apparatus, flash device, and control method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An imaging apparatus for performing wireless communication with an external device. An instruction transmitting unit transmits an operation instruction to the external device. A response signal receiving unit receives a response signal from the external device. A first controlling unit starts a first operation relating to an imaging process in a case that a first time passes from a point of receiving the response signal by the response signal receiving unit. The external device executes a second operation relating to the imaging process in a case that a second time passes from a point of transmitting the response signal from the external device to the imaging apparatus. Full Article
con Convertible flash bag By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A modifiable enclosure that can be used to house an object and can be adapted and connected to the object to aid in directing a stream of light emanating from the object. The modifiable enclosure can include a first panel with a connecting element extending substantially about a periphery thereof and a second panel with connecting element extending substantially about a periphery thereof that is releasably fastenable to the connecting element extending substantially about a periphery of the first panel. Full Article
con Motion control device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Described herein is a motion control apparatus for a camera and methods of use of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a camera attachment and a linear movement assembly operatively associated with a drive mechanism. This configuration causes linear movement of the drive mechanism and the camera attachment in a linear direction along a line or pathway. The apparatus is used for capturing time delay sequences and allows for operation over any desired path length along the line. Further, the apparatus is portable and can be used with other camera accessories. Full Article
con Continuous film and camera and method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The dual camera allows continuous wireless transmission of image data through radio waves to outside picture processing devices and continuous capture of images on frames of camera film rolls. A radio wave transmission attachment transmits image data though radio waves to outside picture processing devices. Several housing compartments of the dual camera receive camera film rolls. When images are captured on all frames of one camera film roll, a detachable housing compartment door is operable so that the camera film roll may be removed. While the camera film roll is being removed, the dual camera may simultaneously capture images on a remaining camera film roll in a filming position and the radio wave transmission attachment may transmit image data to outside picture processing devices without exposing the camera film roll in the filming position. Alternatively, a cable transmits radio wave image data to outside picture processing devices. An image radio wave converter of the dual camera converts photograph image data into radio wave image data. Full Article
con Interchangeable lens camera, camera body, lens unit, and busy signal control method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An aspect of the present invention provides an interchangeable lens camera having a camera body and a lens unit that is freely attachable and detachable to the camera body. In the interchangeable lens camera, a communications unit in the camera body sends via communications terminals (MT_MOSI and MT_MISO) an INTR_BUSY control instruction that instructs whether to make notification with a busy signal (INTR_BUSY signal) for any operation out of a plurality of types of operations that can be executed, and the lens unit or camera body communications unit sets the busy signal (INTR_BUSY) to an ON state (low level) only during the period of operation of the type indicated by the INTR_BUSY control instruction. Full Article
con Auxiliary user interface for a transmit controller By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT In an embodiment, a transmit controller compatible with an auxiliary user interface device is provided. The transmit controller has a memory with operational parameters, a control user interface, an auxiliary user interface connector, and a transmit controller processor. The transmit controller processor is configured to transmit the operational parameters to the auxiliary user interface device and modify the operational parameters in accordance with a parameter instruction from the auxiliary user interface device. The transmit controller processor is further configured to receive a control instruction from the control user interface, determine an output signal based on the control instruction and the one or more operational parameters, and transmit the output signal to the model vehicle. Full Article
con Managing virtual content based on information associated with toy objects By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The system described in this disclosure may be configured to read information stored on toy objects that indicates whether the toy objects have been used and/or are being used with other toy objects, gaming systems, and/or other devices. The system described in this disclosure may be configured to facilitate an association of the information stored on the toy objects with virtual entities in a virtual space, update virtual content associated with the virtual entities, determine relationships between users, and/or other perform other functions based on the information stored on the toy objects. The information stored on the toy objects may be updated responsive to the toy objects being used by users with other toy objects, gaming systems, and/or other devices. The use of the toy objects by users may include two or more users playing together with toy objects and/or playing with gaming systems associated with the toy objects. Full Article