Patents Examined by Jennifer D Bennett
  • Patent number: 11774286
    Abstract: A light detection device including a substrate, a first light detector, a second light detector, and a switch element is provided. The first light detector is disposed on the substrate and includes a first active layer. The second light detector is disposed between the substrate and the first light detector and includes a second active layer. The switch element is disposed on the substrate. A horizontal projection of the second active layer on the substrate completely falls within a horizontal projection of the first active layer on the substrate. A negative electrode of the first light detector and a negative electrode of the second light detector are electrically connected to the switch element via a first metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yen-Tang Huang
  • Patent number: 11774269
    Abstract: There is provided a light control circuit including a light detector, a frequency detector, an error amplifier, an NMOS driver and a light source. The frequency detector identifies a signal frequency according to detected voltage signals outputted by the light detector and generates a control signal accordingly. The NMOS driver changes a drive current of the light source according to an output of the error amplifier. The error amplifier changes a bandwidth thereof according to the control signal from the frequency detector to regulate a response time of the drive current of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Choong Shim, Gim-Eng Chew
  • Patent number: 11769740
    Abstract: Various embodiments include integrated approaches to detecting attempts to breach system-level or chip-level security using photo-generated currents induced by lasers or other radiation sources. Various embodiments integrate photo-detection circuits with a secure processor or other circuit in such a manner that the response to a security attack is fast enough to prevent loss of secure or private information are described. Various embodiments include circuits capable of providing a permanent record of photocurrent detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan Lewis, Zhengming Fu, Nan Chen, Adam Polak, Laura Fuentes, Gregory Bullard, Mark Todorovich
  • Patent number: 11761817
    Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement includes a photodiode, a dummy photodiode, an analog-to-digital converter, a first switch which couples the photodiode to an input of the analog-to-digital converter, and a second switch which couples the dummy photodiode to the input of the analog-to-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Gonggui Xu
  • Patent number: 11761797
    Abstract: An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements normally associated with smaller tuning ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Alexander K. Sang
  • Patent number: 11764242
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor including a plurality of pixels formed in and on a semiconductor substrate and arranged in a matrix with N rows and M columns, with N being an integer greater than or equal to 1 and M an integer greater than or equal to 2. A plurality of microlenses face the substrate, and each of the microlenses is associated with a respective pixel. The microlenses are arranged in a matrix in N rows and M columns, and the pitch of the microlens matrix is greater than the pitch of the pixel matrix in a direction of the rows of the pixel matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SAS
    Inventors: Lucie Dilhan, Jerome Vaillant
  • Patent number: 11754442
    Abstract: A light-receiving apparatus (1a) includes a counting unit (11), a setting unit (12), and an acquiring unit (13). The counting unit is configured to measure a detection number of times that represents the number of times incidence of a photon to a light-receiving element has been detected within an exposure period and to output a counted value. The setting unit is configured to set a cycle of updating time information in accordance with an elapsed time during the exposure period. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire the time information indicating a time at which the counted value reaches a threshold before the exposure period elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Hongbo Zhu, Kazuki Hizu, Takafumi Takatsuka, Yusuke Oike, Jun Ogi, Yoshiaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 11756975
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of thin lens elements, each of the plurality of thin lens elements including a plurality of scatterers configured to concentrate light of a partial wavelength band among light incident on the image sensor. The image sensor further includes a micro lens array configured to concentrate light of another wavelength band wider than the partial wavelength band, and a sensing element configured to sense light passing through the plurality of thin lens elements and the micro lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Ho Cho, Seunghoon Han, Kyuhwan Choi
  • Patent number: 11754422
    Abstract: Position sensor for a mechanical device, including: an optical emitter arranged for projecting an incident radiation on a positioning track of the mechanical device provided with multiple optical sections; an optical detector arranged for detecting a reflected radiation coming from the positioning track and for generating a corresponding measurement signal; an electronic processing unit arranged for calculating, on the basis of such measurement signal, a reflectance value indicative of the reflectivity of the zone of the positioning track hit by the incident ray so as to distinguish the different optical sections of the positioning track. The position sensor also comprises a signaling module arranged for sending a warning signal as a function of the reflectance value, in order to provide to the user indications relative to the level of deterioration of the optical sections of the positioning track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: GIULIANI S.R.L, OPTOELETTRONICA ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alfredo Maglione, Nicola Battisti
  • Patent number: 11754438
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a self-checking photoelectric sensor that is configured to determine a characteristic (e.g., an amount of blockage and/or wellness/decay) of an optical pathway (e.g., an electro-optical pathway). An example method generally includes increasing, over a time period that starts at a first time, a current input to a light emitting element (LEE). The method generally includes receiving, by a light detection element, an output of the LEE via the optical pathway during the time period. The method generally includes converting, during the time period, the LEE output to a voltage output. The method generally includes determining a second time in the time period when the voltage output crosses a threshold. The method generally includes determining the characteristic of the optical pathway between the LEE and the light detection element based on a difference between the second time and the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Carl Jung
  • Patent number: 11726388
    Abstract: Devices disclosed herein feature a Wide camera with a Wide field of view (FOVw), a folded Tele camera with a Tele field of view (FOVT) smaller than the FOVw and including an optical path folding element (OPFE). The device may be configured to rotate the OPFE to thereby shift FOVT relative to FOVw in response to recognition of an object or subject of interest detected in FOVw or FOVT. The device can have high resolution in this overlapping FOV either by fusing the Wide and Tele images or by capturing and saving the Tele image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Ephraim Goldenberg, Eran Kali, Noy Cohen, Gil Avraham, Ruthy Katz
  • Patent number: 11719558
    Abstract: A linear encoder for numeric-control machine tools is provided that includes: a substantially rectilinear section-bar, which is adapted to be fixed on the structure of the machine tool; a substantially rectilinear scale strip, which is fixed on the section-bar so as to extend along the section-bar parallel to the section-bar longitudinal axis; a movable slider which is fitted/mounted on the section-bar so as to be able to move along the section-bar parallel to the section-bar longitudinal axis and skimming the scale strip, and which is adapted to be rigidly fixed to the movable piece of the machine tool; an electronic reading apparatus which is at least partially placed aboard the movable slider and is adapted to read the position of the movable slider on the scale strip; and a thermal-stabilization device which is adapted to bring and maintain substantially the whole scale strip stably at a predetermined target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: PARPAS S.P.A.
    Inventor: Vladi Parpajola
  • Patent number: 11719789
    Abstract: An optical proximity sensor that increases a degree of freedom in an arrangement position is provided. The optical proximity sensor includes: a light detecting unit comprising a light detecting element on a substrate, a first transparent unit that covers the light detecting element, and a light-shielding unit that covers the first transparent unit; and a light emitting unit comprising a light emitting element on the substrate, a second transparent unit that covers the light emitting element, and the light-shielding unit that covers the second transparent unit, in which the light-shielding unit causes at least any of the first transparent unit and the second transparent unit to be exposed from a side surface of a package of the optical proximity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaya Ohnishi, Morito Kanamoto
  • Patent number: 11713984
    Abstract: A rotary encoder for a valve comprises a rotatable code plate and an optical detector module comprising one or more optical detectors. The code plate defines a set of voids arranged along a set of one or more concentric circular arcs about an axis of rotation. The voids define an angle-dependent pattern over the set of arcs, the pattern comprising a plurality of distinct sectoral elements (A-O, X). At least two of the sectoral elements, located in non-adjacent sectors of the code plate, are identical, but the pattern is non-repeating over a single full rotation of the code plate about the axis. Each optical detector is aligned with a respective concentric circular arc of the code plate. A controller processes time-varying output signals from the optical detectors to determine successive positions of the rotatable code plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dariusz Sapija, Mikolaj Niewodniczański, Jerzy Jakub Grzybowski
  • Patent number: 11709077
    Abstract: There is provided an optical encoder including a photodiode array and a code disk opposite to each other. The photodiode array includes at least three sets of position photodiodes and two index photodiodes arranged transversally. The two index photodiodes are adjacently arranged at the same side of the at least three sets of position photodiodes. A first set of position photodiodes and a last set of position photodiodes of the at least three sets of position photodiodes are partially covered to alleviate the total harmonic distortion. The rest position photodiodes of the at least three sets of position photodiodes other than the first and last sets of position photodiodes are not covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Kuan-Choong Shim, Gim-Eng Chew
  • Patent number: 11703589
    Abstract: A LIDAR (1) includes at least one light emitting output (11) and at least one light receiving input (12), at least one light source (2) adapted to emit pulsed laser radiation and at least one light detector (3) adapted to receive reflected laser radiation. The light source (2) is coupled to a first port (411) of a duplexer (4), a fourth port (421) of the duplexer (4) is coupled to the light emitting output (11), and a third port (412) of the duplexer (4) is coupled to the light receiving input (12). A second port (422) of the duplexer (4) is coupled to the light detector (3). The LIDAR may be provided to a car or a robot, which employs the device and its method of operation, for optical remote sensing of a target (85).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Carl-Michael Weinert, Nicolas Perlot
  • Patent number: 11698295
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light emitter to emit light, a light receiver to receive the light emitted from the light emitter, a first resin body that covers the light emitter and the light receiver to transmit the light emitted from the light emitter to emit the light outside, and a second resin body that seals the light emitter and the light receiver, in which the second resin body is included inside the first resin body, and the second resin body is harder than the first resin body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Kohei Sugahara, Takatoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 11698277
    Abstract: A method of determining perturbation of a grating formed in an optical fiber, comprises: modulating and transmitting a light beam through the optical fiber, measuring at least one phase shift in a modulation of light reflected off the grating, and determining the perturbation of the grating based on the phase shift(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ariel Scientific Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: Shmuel Sternklar, Ziv Glasser
  • Patent number: 11698297
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and device for detecting ambient light, an electronic device and a storage medium. The electronic device includes: a first screen, the first screen being a foldable flexible screen; multiple light sensors, orientations of light sensing surfaces of the multiple light sensors being different; and at least one processor electronically connected with the first screen and the light sensors respectively and configured to select a target light sensor from the multiple light sensors according to a present state of the first screen and obtain target detection data representing present ambient brightness according to detection data of the target light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chaoxi Chen
  • Patent number: 11698298
    Abstract: An automatic darkening filter with adaptive parameter adjustment includes: a welding arc intensity detection unit configured to provide a first signal for determining the welding arc intensity; a solar power supply module configured to provide electric energy for the welding arc intensity detection unit and provide a second signal for determining the ambient light intensity; and a CPU and a light valve, the CPU being configured to calculate a difference between the welding arc intensity and the ambient light intensity based on the first and second signals, and control the scale number of the light valve based on the difference. The automatic darkening filter can realize the automatic adjustment of the scale number, and in the adjustment process, the welding arc intensity signal can be revised based on the ambient light intensity, which can effectively ensure the accuracy of the final determination of the scale number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGZHOU SHINE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Qu, Weiren Gao