LIVERMORE, CA /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Adept Technology Inc., a leading provider of intelligent vision-guided robotics and global robotics services, announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded the company three patents on its innovative Smart Camera systems. U.S. Patents Nos. 6,958,780, 6,988,008, and 7,174,224, each titled "Smart Camera," detail systems and methods for machine control systems employing digital cameras.
The Adept patents cover the application of new smart cameras with robotics or motion mechanisms, where image processing is done in the camera versus traditional PC-based systems. This lowers the cost of vision adoption in assembly and material-handling manufacturing applications. The granting of these patents means that Adept now owns more than a dozen patents covering the core technology for vision-guided robotics systems.
Adept pioneered vision-guidance capabilities for manufacturing over twenty years ago and has delivered more than 15,000 vision-guided robots to customer installations. Adept vision systems deliver state-of-the-art, geometric-object location and highly accurate, robot-to-vision calibration. The seamless integration of vision with motion control creates the most robust, scalable, and flexible automation systems available. The independent industry group, Robot Industry Association has forecasted the market for vision-guided and vision-based systems, essential for precision manufacturing and quality control, to expand by over 27% per annum through to the year 2009.
"Adept's Smart Camera patents are designed to protect our continued software investment in core intellectual property associated with vision-based automation," said Rob Bucher, Adept's CEO, "We are please that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has recognized our contributions to this field by granting us these foundational patents."
About Adept Technology Inc.
Adept is a global, leading provider of intelligent robotics systems and services that enable customers to achieve precision, speed, quality, and productivity in their assembly, handling, packaging, testing, and other automated processes. With a comprehensive portfolio of high-performance motion controllers, application-development software, vision-guidance technology, and high-reliability robot mechanisms, Adept provides specialized, cost-effective robotics systems and services to high-growth markets, including packaged goods, life sciences, disk drive/electronics, and semiconductor, as well as to traditional industrial markets, including machine-tool automation and automotive components. More information is available on the company's Web site.