Patents Examined by Euncha P. Cherry
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Patent number: 11662570Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device including an oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a rotation axis; a frame that is rotationally fixed, the frame including a frame recess within which the oscillator structure is suspended; and a suspension assembly mechanically coupled to and between the oscillator structure and the frame, the suspension assembly configured to suspend the oscillator structure within the frame recess. The suspension assembly includes a central support beam that extends lengthwise along the rotation axis, the central support beam being mechanically coupled to and between the oscillator structure and the frame; a first outer support beam mechanically coupled to the oscillator structure and laterally displaced from the central support beam in a first direction orthogonal to the rotation axis; and at least one first interior support beam directly coupled to and between the central support beam and the first outer support beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Malika Bella
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Patent number: 11656539Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes a fixed structure defining a cavity with a tiltable structure that is elastically suspended in the cavity. A piezoelectrically driven actuation structure, interposed between the tiltable structure and the fixed structure, is biased for causing rotation of the tiltable structure about a first rotation axis belonging to a horizontal plane in which the tiltable structure rests. The actuation structure includes a pair of driving arms carry respective regions of piezoelectric material and are elastically coupled to the tiltable structure on opposite sides of the first rotation axis through respective elastic decoupling elements. The elastic decoupling elements exhibit stiffness in regard to movements out of the horizontal plane and compliance to torsion about the first rotation axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Nicolo′ Boni, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
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Patent number: 11644664Abstract: A light deflector includes a stationary part; a movable unit having a reflecting surface; a connecting part between the movable unit and the stationary part; a drive unit disposed on a first surface of the connecting part, the drive unit configured to deform the connecting part to oscillate the movable unit; and a rib disposed on a second surface of the connecting part, the second surface being an opposite surface of the first surface. The rib includes a portion whose longitudinal direction is orthogonal to a direction at which the connecting part is bent.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Wataru Yokota, Goichi Akanuma, Mizuki Shinkawa
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Patent number: 11644666Abstract: A scanning device includes an MEMS mirror mechanism that swings a mirror with respect to a first axial line as a central line and swings the mirror with respect to a second axial line as a central line, and a control unit that generates a first drive signal for swinging the mirror with respect to the first axial line, and a second drive signal for swinging the mirror with respect to the second axial line. The control unit generates the first drive signal and the second drive signal so that m times of reciprocation of an irradiation region in a first direction and one time of reciprocation of the irradiation region in a second direction correspond to each other by repeating generation of a second signal element constituting the second drive signal to correspond to a first signal element in a period equal to or less than one cycle in the first drive signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.Inventor: Naoto Sakurai
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Patent number: 11635618Abstract: A display system includes an optical element through which light diverges and an imaging optical system configured to form an image by projecting diverging light diverging through the optical element. In the display system, the image formed by the imaging optical system is visually recognized by a viewer, and a condition in an equation tan 0?(T×B)/(S×O) is satisfied, where ? denotes a divergence angle of the optical element, T denotes distance between the image forming optical system and the formed image, B denotes a range of an eye box that is an area through which the formed image can visually be recognized, S denotes distance between the formed image and a viewpoint of the viewer of the formed image, and O denotes distance between the optical element and the image forming optical system. In the above equation, each distance indicates length of an optical path that passes through a center of an image formed by the light when an object is observed from a reference eyepoint.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2019Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kento Nakamura, Shimpei Ogino, Yuuki Satoh
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Patent number: 11614614Abstract: A disclosed reluctance actuator includes a magnetizable stator, at least one coil, and a yoke. The coil is configured to generate a magnetic field in the stator and the yoke is configured to partially close the magnetic flux of the stator. The yoke is further configured as a movable element that performs lifting/tilting movements. An actuator system including a non-magnetic housing and a reluctance actuator is also disclosed. In the actuator system, the reluctance actuator may be at least partially located in the non-magnetic housing. A method of performing lifting/tilting movements of the yoke of a reluctance actuator is also disclosed. The method includes controlling a current in the at least one coil of the reluctance actuator to thereby generate a magnetic field in the stator. The magnetic field generates a lifting/tilting movement of the yoke due to interaction between the magnetic field and the yoke.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2018Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: MICRO-EPSILON MESSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Georg Schitter, Ernst Csencsics, Johannes Schlarp, Tobias Schopf
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Patent number: 11598951Abstract: An optical unit includes: a base which includes a main surface; a mirror device which includes a movable mirror portion and is disposed on the base; a frame member that is provided on the main surface so as to surround the mirror device; and a window member that is bonded to the frame member and has a flat plate shape. The frame member includes a first wall portion which is provided on the main surface and includes a first top surface on the side opposite to the main surface, a second wall portion which is provided on the main surface so as to face the first wall portion and includes a second top surface on the side opposite to the main surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.Inventors: Yuki Morinaga, Anna Yoshida, Yoshihisa Warashina
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Patent number: 11598988Abstract: An opposing substrate as a substrate for an electro-optical device includes a transparent base member and a light shielding portion disposed on a region between pixels on the base member. The light shielding portion includes a first reflective film and a second reflective film that is disposed to overlap the first reflective film and has a reflection rate lower than that of the first reflective film, and a first protective film that covers the first reflective film is provided between the first reflective film and the second reflective film.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka Tsuchiya, Takehiro Ono, Yusuke Kinoe, Yoshitaka Hama, Yasushi Kawakami
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Patent number: 11598966Abstract: A light projection system includes a light source configured to emit image light and an optical assembly configured to provide positive optical power to the image light and optically correct the image light. The optical assembly comprises a plurality of optical elements configured to correct differential distortion related to the image light across a field of view (FOV) within a threshold amount. The differential distortion is corrected based in part on asymmetry of the plurality of optical elements relative to an optical axis shared by the plurality of optical elements.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Michael Patrick Schaub, Byron Taylor, Yijing Fu
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Patent number: 11598965Abstract: A super-resolution scanning display. The scanning display includes a light source, a conditioning assembly, and a scanning mirror assembly. The light source is configured to emit source light from a plurality of columns of emitters formed along a first dimension, including at least a first column of emitters emitting in a first band of light and a second column of emitters emitting in a second band of light which are offset along the first dimension by a fraction of an emitter width and offset along a second dimension—that is orthogonal to the first dimension—by greater than the emitter width. The conditioning assembly receives and conditions the source light. The scanning mirror assembly scans the conditioned light along the second dimension to generate a portion of an image at a first location with a resolution that is more than a first threshold number of emitters in a unit angle in the first dimension.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Byron Taylor, Nicholas Daniel Trail
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Patent number: 11592662Abstract: In a mirror unit, a first wall portion is higher than a second wall portion. A window member is disposed on a top surface of the first wall portion and a top surface of the second wall portion and is inclined with respect to a mirror surface. When any one of first to fourth wall portions is set as a first reference wall portion, in a cross-section perpendicular to the first reference wall portion, a first line passing through a first end at a side of the first reference wall portion in the mirror surface and a first corner portion formed at the side of the first reference wall portion by an outer surface and a first side surface in the window member intersects the first wall portion. A wiring portion includes a portion extending inside a base and leads outside a frame member.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2022Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.Inventors: Daiki Suzuki, Tomoyuki Ide, Yuki Morinaga
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Patent number: 11586036Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) for depth sensing of a local area includes a structured light generator, an imaging device, and a controller. The structured light generator illuminates the local area with a structured light pattern. The structured light generator includes a programmable diffractive optical element (PDOE) that generates diffracted scanning beams using optical beams. The PDOE functions as a dynamic diffraction grating that dynamically adjusts diffraction of the optical beams to generate the diffracted scanning beams of different patterns. The diffracted scanning beams are projected as the structured light pattern into the local area, wherein the structured light pattern is dynamically adjustable based on the PDOE. The imaging device captures image(s) of at least a portion of the structured light pattern reflected from object(s) in the local area. The controller determines depth information for the object(s) based on the captured image(s).Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Andrew Matthew Bardagjy, Joseph Duggan, Cina Hazegh, Fei Liu, Mark Timothy Sullivan, Simon Morris Shand Weiss
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Patent number: 11579440Abstract: Some embodiments may include a method assessing whether a dynamic focus module in a three axis galvanometric scanning system (three-axis GSS) is associated with a focus calibration error. The method may include identifying a reference layer associated with a surface of the work piece and positive and negative offset distances each a difference distance above or below the reference layer, respectively, and selecting a target pattern based on the offset distances, wherein the pattern includes an individual line for each offset distance. The method may include commanding the three-axis GSS to draw the target pattern on the work piece, and then assessing whether the dynamic focus module is associated with the focus calibration error by correlating laser marking artifacts on the work piece to ones of the individual lines of the selected pattern. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Jay Small, Ken Gross
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Patent number: 11573295Abstract: Methods and systems for using a MEMS mirror for steering a LiDAR beam and for minimizing statically emitted light from a LiDAR system are disclosed. A LiDAR system includes a light source that emits a light beam directed at a MEMS device. The MEMS device includes a manipulable mirror that reflects the emitted light beam in a scanning pattern. The MEMS device also includes a substrate positioned adjacent to and at least partially surrounding the mirror. An attenuation layer is disposed on a top surface of the substrate and is configured to attenuate light reflected by the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sae Won Lee, Youmin Wang, Qin Zhou
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Patent number: 11573296Abstract: An optical module includes a support, a movable part supported by the support so as to be swingable about an axis, a mirror provided to the movable part, a drive coil provided to the movable part, a temperature monitoring element provided to the support, and a magnet that generates a magnetic field acting on the drive coil. The support is thermally connected to the magnet.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2017Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.Inventors: Yuki Morinaga, Daiki Suzuki
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Patent number: 11567239Abstract: The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane composition is well suited for use in thin, flexible light directing articles to impart flexibility, toughness, or protection to the light directing articles that contain optically active elements. The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have improved thermostability at higher temperatures. Specifically, the disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have a cross-over temperature greater than 110° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is greater than 130° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is less than 170° C. and a Tg greater than 35° C. and less than 70° C.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Bimal V. Thakkar, Jay M. Jennen, Robert D. Hamann, Ryan M. Braun, Robert F. Watkins, Joseph D. Rule, Todd D. Jones, Charlie C. Ho
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Patent number: 11567200Abstract: A lidar system includes one or more light sources configured to generate a first beam of light and a second beam of light, a scanner configured to scan the first and second beams of light across a field of regard of the lidar system, and a receiver configured to detect the first beam of light and the second beam of light scattered by one or more remote targets. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror that includes multiple reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the reflective surfaces configured to reflect the first and second beams of light to produce a series of scan lines as the polygon mirror rotates. The scanner also includes a pivotable scan mirror configured to (i) reflect the first and second beams of light and (ii) pivot to distribute the scan lines across the field of regard.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Luminar, LLCInventors: Jason M. Eichenholz, Scott R. Campbell, John E. McWhirter, Matthew D. Weed, Lane A. Martin
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Patent number: 11550039Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems, specifically light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems. An example optical system includes a laser light source operable to emit laser light along a first axis and a mirror element with a plurality of reflective surfaces. The mirror element is configured to rotate about a second axis. The plurality of reflective surfaces is disposed about the second axis. The mirror element and the laser light source are coupled to a base structure, which is configured to rotate about a third axis. While the rotational angle of the mirror element is within an angular range, the emitted laser light interacts with both a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface of the plurality of reflective surfaces and is reflected into the environment by the first and second reflective surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Blaise Gassend, Pierre-Yves Droz, Benjamin T. Ingram
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Patent number: 11543651Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a micromachined mirror assembly for controlling optical directions in an optical sensing system. The micromachined mirror assembly may include a micro mirror configured to direct an optical signal into a plurality of directions. The micromachined mirror assembly may also include at least one actuator coupled to the micro mirror and configured to drive the micro mirror to tilt around an axis. The micromachined mirror assembly may further include one or more objects attached to the micro mirror. The one or more objects may be asymmetrically disposed with respect to the axis to create an imbalanced state of the micro mirror when the micro mirror is not driven by the at least one actuator.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Youmin Wang, Yufeng Wang, Qin Zhou
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Patent number: 11536951Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a micromachined mirror assembly. The micromachined mirror assembly includes a micro mirror configured to tilt around an axis and a first and a second torsion beam each having a first and a second end. The second end of the first torsion beam and the second end of the second torsion beam are mechanically coupled to the micro mirror along the axis. The micromachined mirror assembly also includes a first DC voltage applied to the first end of the first torsion beam and a second DC voltage, different from the first DC voltage, is applied to the first end of the second torsion beam.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Sae Won Lee, Youmin Wang, Qin Zhou