Howard J Stern

US Patent:

6603874, Aug 5, 2003

Filed:

Mar 3, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/518559

Inventors:

Howard Stern - Greenlawn NY
Fereydoun Maali - New York NY

Assignee:

Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. - Hauppauge NY

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382144, 382149

Abstract:

A system and method for simultaneously obtaining a plurality of images of an object or pattern from a plurality of different viewpoints is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, proper image contrast is obtained by replacing the light sources of earlier systems with equivalent light sensitive devices and replacing the cameras of earlier systems with equivalent light sources. With such a system, bright-field images and dark-field images may be simultaneously obtained. In one aspect of the invention, a light source is positioned to illuminate at least a portion of an object. A plurality of light guides having input ends are positioned to simultaneously receive light reflected from the object and transmit the received light to a plurality of photodetectors. The light guides are arranged such that their respective input ends are spaced substantially equally along at least a portion of a surface of an imaginary hemisphere surrounding the object. The signals generated by the photodetectors (as a result of light detection) are processed and a plurality of images of the object are formed.

US Patent:

6661521, Dec 9, 2003

Filed:

Sep 11, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/151765

Inventors:

Howard Stern - Greenlawn NY

Assignee:

Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. - Nashua NH

International Classification:

G01N 2147

US Classification:

356446, 356445, 356121, 23546242, 23546245, 235469, 23547201

Abstract:

An illumination apparatus is provided for a hand-held imager preferably to provide diffuse illumination for encoded symbology carried directly upon an article (component, etc) or upon a substrate carried by an article. The illumination apparatus is disposed proximate the front of the hand-held imager and is configured to permit light reflected from the target to pass through the illumination apparatus and onto a CCD image receiver. An array of unlensed LEDs is disposed to cast approximately or substantially lambertian illumination in a direction away from the target to be imaged and into the hand-held housing to impinge upon surfaces of an illuminator to receive the illumination and, in turn, project efficient and diffuse dark field illumination through the array of unlensed LEDs and towards and onto a location where a target to be imaged would be disposed. The illumination apparatus further includes a bright field illumination source including a plurality of forward facing (towards the target) lensed LEDs.

US Patent:

6866873, Mar 15, 2005

Filed:

Jun 21, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/177276

Inventors:

Howard S. Stern - Old Westbury NY, US

Assignee:

E-Z-EM, Inc. - Lake Success NY

International Classification:

A61K035/78
A61M031/00

US Classification:

424725, 604500, 604514

Abstract:

This invention relates to a nutritional dietary system, formulation, kit and method for use in preparing an individual for a predetermined activity which requires a clean digestive tract, particularly the colon. Such predetermined activities include, but are not limited to, gastrointestinal surgery and colon screenings. Specifically, the present invention provides an individual low amounts of fat, dietary fiber and solid food content to minimize stool formation and/or facilitate removal of stool from the digestive tract prior to the predetermined activity. The present invention also provides the individual with sufficient calories and nutrition to enable the individual to conduct daily, routine activities while utilizing the present invention. In one alternative embodiment, the dietary regimen of the present invention provides a variety of pre-packaged, ready to eat or easy to prepare nutritional liquid or solid foods which, when coordinated with a laxative regimen, result in removal of residue such that a medically and/or diagnostically useful procedure can be performed on the digestive tract.

US Patent:

7282223, Oct 16, 2007

Filed:

Aug 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/916047

Inventors:

Howard S. Stern - Old Westbury NY, US

Assignee:

E-Z-EM, Inc. - Lake Success NY

International Classification:

A61K 36/00
A61K 31/74
A23L 1/30
A23L 1/31

US Classification:

424725, 424 7801, 426531, 426615, 426641, 426648, 426800, 435810

Abstract:

This invention relates to a nutritional kit for use in preparing an individual for a predetermined activity which requires a clean digestive tract, particularly the colon. Such predetermined activities include, but are not limited to, gastrointestinal surgery and colon screenings. Specifically, the present invention provides an individual low amounts of fat, dietary fiber and solid food content to minimize stool formation and/or facilitate removal of stool from the digestive tract prior to the predetermined activity. The present invention also provides the individual with sufficient calories and nutrition to enable the individual to conduct daily, routine activities while utilizing the present invention. In one alternative embodiment, the present kit provides a variety of pre-packaged, ready to eat or easy to prepare nutritional liquid or solid foods which when coordinated with a laxative regimen, result in removal of residue such that a medically and/or diagnostically useful procedure can be performed on the digestive tract.

US Patent:

7616328, Nov 10, 2009

Filed:

Nov 7, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/936671

Inventors:

Howard Stern - Greenlawn NY, US
Mark Krichever - Hauppauge NY, US
Murray Lawrence - Kings Park NY, US
James Drannbauer - Bohemia NY, US

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G01B 11/14

US Classification:

356623, 356614

Abstract:

A triangulation system including a laser beam, optics focusing the laser beam on an object, a light detection unit detecting light reflected from the object due to impingement of the beam on the object, and an arrangement for determining, based on the detected light, object feature dimensions. The wavelength of the laser beam may be shorter than of infrared radiation, which allows for a reduced spot size without significant loss of depth of field. So as to reduce aberrations or a sensitivity to aberrations due to the shortened wavelength, the system may include (i) a polarization dependent coating matching the index of refraction of an element of the light detection unit to that of air for a range of angles, (ii) tilted projection optics, (iii) a prism wavefront corrector, and/or (iv) a positioning assembly, which provides for increased precision in positioning the laser diode with respect to a collimator lens.

US Patent:

20030215127, Nov 20, 2003

Filed:

Mar 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/387940

Inventors:

Howard Stern - Greenlawn NY, US
Fereydoun Maali - New York NY, US

International Classification:

G06K009/00
G06K009/36

US Classification:

382/141000, 382/284000

Abstract:

A system and method for simultaneously obtaining a plurality of images of an object or pattern from a plurality of different viewpoints is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, proper image contrast is obtained by replacing the light sources of earlier systems with equivalent light sensitive devices and replacing the cameras of earlier systems with equivalent light sources. With such a system, bright-field images and dark-field images may be simultaneously obtained. In one aspect of the invention, a light source is positioned to illuminate at least a portion of an object. A plurality of light guides having input ends are positioned to simultaneously receive light reflected from the object and transmit the received light to a plurality of photodetectors. The light guides are arranged such that their respective input ends are spaced substantially equally along at least a portion of a surface of an imaginary hemisphere surrounding the object. The signals generated by the photodetectors (as a result of light detection) are processed and a plurality of images of the object are formed. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for generating composite images from simultaneously obtained images. Equivalent regions of each image (corresponding to geographically identical subpictures) are compared. The subpicture having the highest entropy is selected and stored. This process continues until all subpictures have been considered. A new composite picture is generated by pasting together the selected subpictures. In another aspect of the invention, the vector of relative light values gathered for each pixel or region of an object illuminated or scanned (i.e., one value for each photodetector) is used to determine reflectance properties of points or regions illuminated on the object or pattern. The reflectance properties may be stored in a matrix and the matrix used to read, for example, a Bar Code of a data matrix symbol.

US Patent:

20100277717, Nov 4, 2010

Filed:

Oct 30, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/609175

Inventors:

Howard Stern - Greenlawn NY, US
Mark Krichever - Hauppauge NY, US
Murray Lawrence - Kings Park NY, US
James Drannbauer - Bohemia NY, US

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G01B 11/02
G01J 3/00

US Classification:

356 51, 356623, 356614

Abstract:

A triangulation system including a laser beam, optics focusing the laser beam on an object, a light detection unit detecting light reflected from the object due to impingement of the beam on the object, and an arrangement for determining, based on the detected light, object feature dimensions. The wavelength of the laser beam may be shorter than of infrared radiation, which allows for a reduced spot size without significant loss of depth of field. So as to reduce aberrations or a sensitivity to aberrations due to the shortened wavelength, the system may include (i) a polarization dependent coating matching the index of refraction of an element of the light detection unit to that of air for a range of angles, (ii) tilted projection optics, (iii) a prism wavefront corrector, and/or (iv) a positioning assembly, which provides for increased precision in positioning the laser diode with respect to a collimator lens.

US Patent:

43571085, Nov 2, 1982

Filed:

Jun 6, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/157030

Inventors:

Howard K. Stern - Greenlawn NY
Joseph A. Ross - Fort Salonga NY
Paul Di Matteo - Huntington NY

Assignee:

Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. - Melville NY

International Classification:

G01B 1100

US Classification:

356376

Abstract:

A method for reproducing an object surface wherein a time succession of spatially encoded different radiant energy patterns are projected at the object surface and records are made of the object surface during such projections from two or more spatially separated locations. The sets of records recorded at the separate spatial locations are then utilized to determine the spatial points on the object surface.