Patents by Inventor Soutar Colin

Soutar Colin 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).

  • Method and apparatus for improved spatial light modulation
    Patent number: 5859728
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for modulating a light beam in an optical processing system is described. Preferably, an electrically-controlled polarizer unit and/or an analyzer unit are utilized in combination with a spatial light modulator and a controller. Preferably, the spatial light modulator comprises a pixelated birefringent medium such as a liquid crystal video display. The combination of the electrically controlled polarizer unit and analyzer unit make it simple and fast to reconfigure the modulation described by the Jones matrix of the spatial light modulator. A particular optical processing objective is provided to the controller. The controller performs calculations and supplies control signals to the polarizer unit, the analyzer unit, and the spatial light modulator in order to obtain the optical processing objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Soutar Colin, Richard D. Juday