Patents by Inventor Robert Lee Melcher
Robert Lee Melcher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7468766Abstract: A reflective spatial light modulator array is described incorporating liquid crystal devices, mirrors, a semiconductor substrate, electrical circuits, and a light blocking layer. The light blocking layer can be a reflector/absorber layer containing titanium. The light blocking layer can be a layer resulting in attenuation of incident light below a certain level at the semiconductor substrate. The invention overcomes the problem of shielding light from semiconductor devices, high optical throughput and contrast, pixel storage capacitance to hold the voltage across the liquid crystal device and precise control of the liquid crystal device thickness without spacers obscuring the mirrors.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1997Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Evan George Colgan, James McKell Edwin Harper, Frank Benjamin Kaufman, Margaret Paggi Manny, Robert Lee Melcher, James Louis Speidell
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Patent number: 6424388Abstract: Reflective spatial light modulator array is described incorporating liquid crystal devices, mirrors, a semiconductor substrate, electrical circuits, and a reflector/absorber layer for blocking light. The invention overcomes the problem of shielding light from semiconductor devices, high optical throughput and contrast, pixel storage capacitance to hold the voltage across the liquid crystal device and precise control of the liquid crystal device thickness without spacers obscuring the mirrors.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1998Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Evan George Colgan, James McKell Edwin Harper, Frank Benjamin Kaufman, Margaret Paggi Manny, Robert Lee Melcher, James Louis Speidell
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Patent number: 6247816Abstract: An optical system for a projection display employing three reflective spatial light modulations (SLM's) is described. Two or the three SLM imaging paths employ typical image combining and projection optical techniques. However, the third SLM imaging path employs a relay lens to produce an intermediate image of the SLM which is subsequently combined with the other two images. Each color component is directed onto one of three SLM's, each through its own polarizing beamsplitter (PBS) cube. In two of the three SLM's, image forming light is reflected from each SLM and passes through its respective PBS, and the two colors are then recombined using a dichroic coating. A lens then images the two-color image, and projects it onto a screens. The third SLM traverses a completely separate path. In this case, the image forming light reflected by the SLM and passing through the PBS is first imaged by a relay lens of approximately unity magnification to produce an intermediate image plane.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 1997Date of Patent: June 19, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, Robert Lee Melcher, Rama Nand Singh
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Patent number: 5870164Abstract: A twisted nematic liquid crystal (TNLC) cell used in reflective spatial light modulators (SLMs) of displays is disclosed. The TNLC cell includes front and rear substrates, and a TNLC material having a thickness d and a left-handed or right-handed twist angle .phi.. The TNLC material is sandwiched between the front and rear substrates, and the twist angle .phi. is approximately from 46.degree. to 62.degree.. A direction of directors of the TNLC material located nearest the front substrate forms an initial angle .beta. with a direction of linearly polarized light incident thereon. The initial angle .beta. is approximately from -6.degree. to 60.degree.. A birefringence .DELTA.n of the TNLC material times the thickness d is between approximately 0.7.lambda. to 1.25.lambda., where .lambda. is a wavelength of light incident on the front substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1997Date of Patent: February 9, 1999Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Minhua Lu, Robert Lee Melcher, James Lawrence Sanford, Kei-Hsiung Yang
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Patent number: 5831710Abstract: A structural principle is described for control of the gap and the area around the periphery of a liquid crystal display by the formation of an insulating layer out of which, gap dimension maintaining posts and contaminant diffusion inhibiting segmented walls, remain after the display area is etched back out of the layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 1997Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Evan G. Colgan, Minhua Lu, Robert Lee Melcher, James Lawrence Sanford, Kei-Hsiung Yang
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Patent number: 5818563Abstract: A spatial light modulator designed to use a minimum area on the surface of a silicon substrate. This invention comprises a silicon substrate on a back plate with a glass cover that is used to seal liquid crystal between the glass cover and the silicon substrate. Most importantly, the glue seal formed to contain the liquid crystal material is between the cover glass plate and the Si substrate on only one side and the back plate on the remaining three sides. This structure allows a smaller semiconductor substrate to be used.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1997Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: IBM CorporationInventors: Evan George Colgan, Robert Lee Melcher, Teruhiro Nakasogi, Chandrasekhar Narayan, James Lawrence Sanford, Kei-Hsiung Yang
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Patent number: 5706067Abstract: A reflective spatial light modulator array is described incorporating liquid crystal devices, mirrors, a semiconductor substrate, electrical circuits, and a reflector/absorber layer for blocking light. The invention overcomes the problem of shielding light from semiconductor devices, high optical throughput and contrast, pixel storage capacitance to hold the voltage across the liquid crystal device and precise control of the liquid crystal device thickness without spacers obscuring the mirrors.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1997Date of Patent: January 6, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Evan George Colgan, James Mckell Edwin Harper, Frank Benjamin Kaufman, Margaret Paggi Manny, Robert Lee Melcher, James Louis Speidell
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Patent number: 4041536Abstract: This disclosure provides an optical scanner for transforming an optical image into electrical signals.Through practice of this disclosure an optical image is projected onto a surface of a photosensitive semiconductor body wherein there is established a charge distribution or perturbation or pattern which reflects the variations in optical intensity of the optical image. Through the parametric interaction of simultaneously applied electric field and acoustic wave to each respective portion of the electrical charge pattern on the photosensitive semiconductor surface, there is obtained a backward acoustic wave which is directed toward the source of the initiating acoustic wave. In particular, the acoustic wave in the acoustic medium may be either a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or a bulk acoustic wave. Where the surface acoustic wave is utilized, the acoustic medium may be commensurately thin.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1975Date of Patent: August 9, 1977Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert Lee Melcher, Norman Steven Shiren