Patents by Inventor Steven M. Penn

Steven M. Penn 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).

  • Patent number: 9398223
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention a method for capturing images on a screen is disclosed. The method includes directing light from a surface of a spatial light modular to an image field using a projection system; capturing light from the image field using the projection system, the projection system directing at least a portion of the captured light to the spatial light modulator; and directing at least a portion of the received captured light to an image capture system using the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Duane S. Dewald, Matthew G. Hine
  • Publication number: 20140240573
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention a method for capturing images on a screen is disclosed. The method includes directing light from a surface of a spatial light modular to an image field using a projection system; capturing light from the image field using the projection system, the projection system directing at least a portion of the captured light to the spatial light modulator; and directing at least a portion of the received captured light to an image capture system using the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Duane S. Dewald, Matthew G. Hine
  • Patent number: 8690340
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention a method for capturing images on a screen is disclosed. The method includes directing light from a surface of a spatial light modular to an image field using a projection system; capturing light from the image field using the projection system, the projection system directing at least a portion of the captured light to the spatial light modulator; and directing at least a portion of the received captured light to an image capture system using the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Duane S. Dewald, Matthew G. Hine
  • Patent number: 8272744
    Abstract: One aspect of an LED package, which is covered by this disclosure, includes at least two LED emitters located on a substrate wherein each of the at least two LED emitters forms an emitting area. The emitting area is substantially equal to a reflective area of the LED package, and the LED package has an optical axis that is substantially non-parallel to an optical axis of each of the at least two LED emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana F. Segler, Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 8125579
    Abstract: Provided is a light emitting diode (LED). The LED, in one embodiment, includes a reflective layer located over a substrate and a quarter wave plate emitter layer located over the reflective layer. The quarter wave plate emitter layer, in this embodiment, is substantially crystalline in nature, and further wherein an extra-ordinary axis of the quarter wave plate emitter layer is located in a plane thereof. The LED, in this embodiment, further includes a transmissive/reflective polarization layer located over the quarter wave plate emitter layer, wherein a transmission direction of the transmissive/reflective polarization layer is oriented at about 45 degrees with respect to the extra-ordinary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sajjad A. Khan, Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7993014
    Abstract: Prism elements having TIR surfaces placed in close proximity to the active area of a SLM device to separate unwanted off-state and/or flat-state light from the projection ON-light bundle. The TIR critical angle of these prisms is selected to affect either the off-state light or additionally, any portion of flat-state light reflected from the SLM. These TIR surfaces limit the contamination of light along the projection path, which tends to degrade the system contrast. To further improve the optical performance of the system, these TIR prisms can be attached directly to the SLM package, completely eliminating the package window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7972001
    Abstract: A method for compensating for a shift in color in a light source and a system of color illumination for a projection visual display (PVD) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Harold E. Bellis, II, Gregory J. Hewlett, Dana F. Segler, Jr., Gregory S. Pettitt
  • Patent number: 7961399
    Abstract: The addition of DMD illumination modulator(s) 702 in series with projection SLM(s) 706/709 to produce high-performance projection displays with improved optical efficiency, reliability, and lower maintenance requirements. This approach eliminates the vibration, audible noise, and safety problems associated with high speed rotating color filter wheels 203 commonly used in SLM projectors and controls the light applied to individual areas of the projection SLM(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7914151
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting one or more light beams by a first portion of a light modulator formed outwardly from a substrate. The one or more transmitted light beams are spatially integrated. A second portion of the light modulator is formed outwardly from the substrate. The second portion of the light modulator spatially integrates the transmitted light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew Ian Russell, Steven M. Penn, Jeffrey Scott Farris
  • Patent number: 7817341
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical component, which comprises a prism element adjacent to a lens element, where the two elements are separated by a small air gap. In disclosed embodiments, the elements have adjacent and parallel surfaces which are substantially planar and which, with the small air gap, operate through Total Internal Reflection (“TIR”) to direct light beams that strike the planar surfaces. Light beams that strike at less than the critical angle are internally reflected, while light beams which strike at greater than the critical angle pass through. The TIR surfaces thereby separate the desired optical signals from the spurious ones. The combined TIR prism lens operates as a single and integrated component which directs desired light beams to a reflective optical processing element such as a Spatial Light Modulator and which focuses the processed light beams as they leave the combined TIR prism lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Publication number: 20100149493
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention a method for capturing images on a screen is disclosed. The method includes directing light from a surface of a spatial light modular to an image field using a projection system; capturing light from the image field using the projection system, the projection system directing at least a portion of the captured light to the spatial light modulator; and directing at least a portion of the received captured light to an image capture system using the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, Duane S. Dewald, Matthew G. Hine
  • Publication number: 20100149626
    Abstract: Prism elements having TIR surfaces placed in close proximity to the active area of a SLM device 302 to separate unwanted off-state 324 and/or flat-state 326 light from the projection ON-light bundle 322. The TIR critical angle of these prisms is selected to affect either the off-state light or additionally, any portion of flat-state light reflected from the SLM. These TIR surfaces are placed to immediately reflect the unwanted light as it comes off the SLM, thereby preventing the contamination of light along the projection path, which tends to degrade the system contrast. To further improve the optical performance of the system, these TIR prisms can be attached directly to the SLM package 300, completely eliminating the package window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Publication number: 20100053560
    Abstract: One aspect of an LED package, which is covered by this disclosure, includes at least two LED emitters located on a substrate wherein each of the at least two LED emitters forms an emitting area. The emitting area is substantially equal to a reflective area of the LED package, and the LED package has an optical axis that is substantially non-parallel to an optical axis of each of the at least two LED emitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana F. Segler, Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7665850
    Abstract: Prism elements having TIR surfaces placed in close proximity to the active area of a SLM device to separate unwanted off-state and/or flat-state light from the projection ON-light bundle. The TIR critical angle of these prisms is selected to affect either the off-state light or additionally, any portion of flat-state light reflected from the SLM. These TIR surfaces are placed to immediately reflect the unwanted light as it comes off the SLM, thereby preventing the contamination of light along the projection path, which tends to degrade the system contrast. To further improve the optical performance of the system, these TIR prisms can be attached directly to the SLM package, completely eliminating the package window. Also, these TIR prism can be coupled to DMDs having asymmetric mirrors, which tilt through a larger angle for the ON-light to provide high etendue and lumen output, but through near-zero degrees for the OFF-light, thereby improving the separation of any unwanted light from the off/flat states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7611247
    Abstract: An optical system and method of increasing the contrast of a projected image. The optical system (1800) comprises a combination of aperture stops (1810, 1812) in at least one of the illumination and projection paths to filter scattered light and/or light prone to scatter into the projection aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, D. Scott Dewald, Steven P. Krycho
  • Publication number: 20090161040
    Abstract: Provided is a light emitting diode (LED). The LED, in one embodiment, includes a reflective layer located over a substrate and a quarter wave plate emitter layer located over the reflective layer. The quarter wave plate emitter layer, in this embodiment, is substantially crystalline in nature, and further wherein an extra-ordinary axis of the quarter wave plate emitter layer is located in a plane thereof. The LED, in this embodiment, further includes a transmissive/reflective polarization layer located over the quarter wave plate emitter layer, wherein a transmission direction of the transmissive/reflective polarization layer is oriented at about 45 degrees with respect to the extra-ordinary axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sajjad A. Khan, Steven M. Penn
  • Publication number: 20090141200
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting one or more light beams by a first portion of a light modulator formed outwardly from a substrate. The one or more transmitted light beams are spatially integrated. A second portion of the light modulator is formed outwardly from the substrate. The second portion of the light modulator spatially integrates the transmitted light beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew Ian Russell, Steven M. Penn, Jeffrey Scott Farris
  • Publication number: 20090128881
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical component, which comprises a prism element adjacent to a lens element, where the two elements are separated by a small air gap. In disclosed embodiments, the elements have adjacent and parallel surfaces which are substantially planar and which, with the small air gap, operate through Total Internal Reflection (“TIR”) to direct light beams that strike the planar surfaces. Light beams that strike at less than the critical angle are internally reflected, while light beams which strike at greater than the critical angle pass through. The TIR surfaces thereby separate the desired optical signals from the spurious ones. The combined TIR prism lens operates as a single and integrated component which directs desired light beams to a reflective optical processing element such as a Spatial Light Modulator and which focuses the processed light beams as they leave the combined TIR prism lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Patent number: 7483216
    Abstract: An optical component includes a prism element adjacent to a lens element, where the two elements are separated by a small air gap. Elements of the optical component have adjacent and parallel surfaces which are substantially planar and which, with the small air gap, operate through Total Internal Reflection (“TIR”) to direct light beams that strike the planar surfaces. Light beams that strike at less than the critical angle are internally reflected, while light beams which strike at greater than the critical angle pass through. The TIR surfaces thereby separate the desired optical signals from the spurious ones. The combined TIR prism lens operates as a single and integrated component which directs desired light beams to a reflective optical processing element such as a Spatial Light Modulator and which focuses the processed light beams as they leave the combined TIR prism lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn
  • Publication number: 20080266668
    Abstract: The addition of DMD illumination modulator(s) 702 in series with projection SLM(s) 706/709 to produce high-performance projection displays with improved optical efficiency, reliability, and lower maintenance requirements. This approach eliminates the vibration, audible noise, and safety problems associated with high speed rotating color filter wheels 203 commonly used in SLM projectors and controls the light applied to individual areas of the projection SLM(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Penn