Optical Modulator Patents (Class 359/237)
  • Patent number: 7603001
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing light in an interferometric modulator device are provided. In one embodiment, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) is provided that includes a transparent substrate and a plurality of interferometric modulators. The interferometric modulators include an optical stack coupled to the transparent substrate, a reflective layer over the optical stack, and one or more posts to support the reflective and to provide a path for light from a backlight for lighting the interferometric modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Ming Wang, Ming-Hau Tung, Surya Prakash Ganti
  • Patent number: 7599628
    Abstract: A method for modulating an optical signal includes the following steps: modulating the intensity of the optical signal with a nonreturn-to-zero bit signal, and modulating the phase of the optical signal with a periodic phase-shift signal creating an alternating ?-phase shift every second, third or more consecutive bit. An optical transmitter for performing the above method comprises a first modulator (2) modulating the intensity of the optical signal with a nonreturn-to-zero bit signal, and a second modulator (3) modulating the phase of the optical signal with a periodic phase-shift signal creating an alternating ?-phase shift every second, third or more consecutive bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Sébastien Bigo, Eric Barnasson, Gabriel Charlet
  • Publication number: 20090237767
    Abstract: Predistortion logic for an optical communications laser or optical modulator, includes predistortion logic embodied in a field programmable gate array (FPGA). A first analog to digital converter (ADC) provides a representation of an RF signal at an input of the FPGA. A digital to analog converter provides a representation of an output of the FPGA to a laser or modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ARRIS
    Inventors: Dean Painchaud, Zhijian Sun, Marcel F. Schemmann
  • Publication number: 20090235721
    Abstract: Spin coating a mixture of graphene oxide platelets, water, and an organic solvent by placing a drop of the mixture on a spinning substrate while blowing a drying gas onto the substrate and allowing the water and the organic solvent on the substrate to evaporate; and repeating the spin coating one or more times to form a graphene oxide film in contact with the substrate. An about 1-100 nm thick film of overlapping platelets of reduced graphene oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jeremy T. Robinson, Eric S. Snow
  • Publication number: 20090232509
    Abstract: Switchable retroreflector devices that are modulated via electrowetting. The devices include an electrically-conductive polar fluid and a non-polar fluid that is immiscible with the polar fluid. The polar and the non-polar fluids differ in at least one optical property. The fluids are contained in a fluid vessel, or an array of fluid vessels. The fluids are at least partially viewable. A voltage source is configured to selectively apply an electromechanical force to the polar fluid causing repositioning and/or geometrical change of the fluids such that retroreflection in created, or suppressed, by optical refraction or by optical attenuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
    Inventors: Jason Heikenfeld, Murali Kilaru, Phillip Schultz, Daniel J. O'Neill
  • Patent number: 7589515
    Abstract: [Problem] To permit reduction in the temperature dependence of a sensor, which is ascribable to the temperature dependence of the Verdet constant of a sensor fiber, at a low cost. [Means for Resolution] In a prior-art optical sensor fiber of reflection type, reduction in the temperature dependence of a sensor is coped with by, e.g., duplexing a signal processing circuit and a receiving optical system, so as to execute the mean processing of modulation signals, whereas in this invention, the elimination of the temperature dependence of a modulation signal is realized by selecting a ferromagnetic Faraday rotor 13 so that a modulation degree (Sout) expressed by the ratio between an AC component and a DC component may become constant or within a certain range, so as to especially simplify a configuration and to attain a lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Kazuomi Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 7589885
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical micromirror device and their array device and method for making the same. By introducing a sub coating layer and an over coating layer with a high reflective metal layer, the reflective layer of the micromirrors is protected from environmental circumstances, oxidation, degradation, acid, base, and galvanic corrosion of the micro-mechanical structures. Also the new coating structure enhances the performance of the micromirror array device by reducing degradation of the reflectivity of the metal layer, by providing anti-reflection in the optically non-effective area, and by protecting the micro-mechanical structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignees: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Young Sohn, Gyoung Il Cho, Cheong Soo Seo
  • Patent number: 7589884
    Abstract: The present invention provides a micromirror array device specially Micromirror Array Lens device structure and method for making the same. By introducing a sub coating layer and an over coating layer with a high reflective metal layer, the reflective layer of the micromirrors is protected from environmental circumstances, oxidation, degradation, acid, base, and galvanic corrosion of the micro-mechanical structures. Also the new coating structure enhances the performance of the Micromirror Array Lens by reducing degradation of the reflectivity of the metal layer, by providing anti-reflection in the optically non-effective area, and by protecting the micro-mechanical structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignees: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Young Sohn, Gyoung Il Cho, Cheong Soo Seo
  • Publication number: 20090214219
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a housing that has a first concave section, a first emission unit that emits a laser beam into the first concave section, and a first modulator that modulates the laser beam emitted from the first emission unit in accordance with transmission information. The first emission unit is disposed so as not to emit at least a direct beam of the emitted laser beam to the outside of the first concave section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Misawa, Naoyuki Nishino, Takeshi Misawa, Eiji Ishiyama, Yasunori Ohta
  • Publication number: 20090213448
    Abstract: An optical system, adapted for providing an image beam, including a light source, a beam splitting/combining device, and a light valve is provided. The light source provides an illumination beam. The beam splitting/combining device includes a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS), a second PBS, a quarter wave plate (QWP), and a reflector. The first PBS reflects a first illumination beam of the illumination beam from the light source and the second illumination beam from the light source passes through the first PBS. The second illumination beam from the first PBS passes through the second PBS and the QWP, reflected by the reflector, passes through the QWP, and reflected by the second PBS. The light valve converts the first illumination beam from the first PBS and the second illumination beam reflected by the second PBS into the image beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: HIMAX DISPLAY, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Shen, Chia-Yu Hu, Chun-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 7577367
    Abstract: Optical techniques, devices and systems for combining duobinary modulation and optical subcarrier multiplexing in optical communication applications. An analog mixer is used to mix a duobinary signal for a data channel and a local oscillator signal to produce a modulation control signal for controlling the subsequent optical subcarrier multiplexing modulation. Various optical subcarrier multiplexing modulation techniques may be used including optical single sideband modulators and optical double sideband modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Op Vista Incorporated
    Inventor: Winston I. Way
  • Publication number: 20090201461
    Abstract: An optical device with at least one interconnection tab is provided. The optical device includes a pair of opposed substrates with a gap therebetween filled with an electro-optic material. Each substrate has a facing surface with a substrate electrode disposed thereon. A sealing material is disposed between the pair of opposed substrates to contain the electro-optic material. At least one interconnection tab is interposed between the substrates. The interconnection tab includes an insulator layer with opposed surfaces. A tab electrode layer is provided on each surface, wherein each tab electrode layer contacts a corresponding substrate electrode. And each tab electrode layer includes a portion that extends from the pair of opposed substrates on selected portions of the insulator layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Tamas Kosa, Roy Miller, Christine Martincic, Eui-Yeul Park, Bahman Taheri
  • Patent number: 7570409
    Abstract: Modulation of electromagnetic radiation is described in which an incident radiation beam is directed toward a surface of a composite material and at least partially reflects to form a reflected radiation beam. The composite material comprises an arrangement of electromagnetically reactive cells of small dimension relative to a wavelength of the incident radiation beam, and exhibits at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for at least one frequency. A modulation signal is applied to the composite material to cause a variation in at least one of the effective permeability and the effective permittivity, at least one characteristic of the reflected radiation beam being modulated according to the modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shih-Yuan Wang, Alexandre Bratkovski
  • Patent number: 7570410
    Abstract: The display system separates reflected and transmitted light from a color wheel of the display system; and modulates the separated reflected and transmitted light components using separate spatial light modulators so as to achieve high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gregory S. Pettitt
  • Patent number: 7567368
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a lithography system in which scattered light from a pattern generator, having one or more pattern generating devices, is blocked from an object, such as a wafer or display. The system includes a pattern generator with multiple pattern generating devices, a projection system for directing light from the pattern generating device, and an aperture located at or near an object window. The aperture has a profile that matches the configuration of the pattern generating devices. A method for blocking scattered light in a lithography system using multiple pattern generating devices is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Wenceslao A. Cebuhar, Jason D. Hintersteiner, Stan Janik, Yuli Vladimirsky
  • Patent number: 7567374
    Abstract: The invention resides in the innovative use of deposition techniques in deformable mirrors. The use of deposition techniques allows contact pads for electrodes to be located wherever convenient. When applied to bimorph mirrors the invention enables both electro-restrictive layers to become active, increasing the stroke of the deformable mirror whilst retaining temperature insensitivity. A controllably-deformable mirror according to the invention comprises a deposition layer; a first electro-restrictive plate; a mirror surface; and a plurality of electrodes comprising a set of electrodes defined as regions on a first surface of the first electro-restrictive plate, the set of electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; and a common electrode on a second surface of the first electro-restrictive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventors: Michael Stewart Griffith, Sharon Radcliffe, Charles Leslie Laycock, Andrew Graham McCarthy
  • Patent number: 7561806
    Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for making timing alignment for a data transmission system, the method comprising providing a reference clock signal with a first frequency to a multiplexer through a phase shifter, generating a multiplexed signal with a second frequency by the multiplexer, wherein the second frequency follows the first frequency and is higher than the first frequency by a predetermined proportion, sending the multiplexed signal to a modulator, and phase shifting the reference clock signal by the phase shifter before the reference clock signal is provided to the multiplexer, wherein a timing of the multiplexed signal at the second frequency level can be adjusted by adjusting a timing of the reference clock signal at the lower first frequency level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: FutureWei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yu Sheng Bai
  • Patent number: 7561810
    Abstract: An optical communication apparatus for controlling the operating point of an optical modulation unit appropriately. An adding unit adds a bias voltage and a pilot signal. An optical modulation unit modulates light by an electrical signal, performs further modulation by a signal from the adding unit, and outputs an optical signal. A monitor unit monitors the level of the optical signal and outputs a monitor signal. A reference signal output unit outputs a reference in phase with the pilot signal contained in the monitor signal. A synchronous pilot-signal detection unit performs synchronous detection of the monitor signal by using the reference. A synchronous noise detection unit extracts noise from the monitor signal and performs synchronous detection of the noise by using the reference. A control signal output unit subtracts the synchronous detection value of the noise from that of the monitor signal, and outputs a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masaji Noguchi, Tomohiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 7557977
    Abstract: A laser pulse generator utilizes an optical modulator to generate wave pulses having customized temporally shaped pulses. A continuous wavelength laser source inserts optical energy into an optical pulse generator, which in turn emits light into an amplification stage. The amplification stage emits light pulses corresponding to user-defined amplitudes and pulse shapes. The optical pulse generator comprises an optical modulator which modulates incoming light in accordance with temporal waveforms defined by an electronic waveform generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Inventors: Ram Oron, Moshe Oron
  • Publication number: 20090167983
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a base layer, a light-condensing layer and a plurality of light-reflecting portions. The base layer includes a first surface and a second surface. The light-condensing layer includes a plurality of light-condensing portions with a first pitch. The light-condensing portions are formed along a first direction of the second surface. The light-reflecting portions are formed in the first surface to be spaced apart from each other along the -first direction in correspondence with a plurality of grooves, each groove formed between two light-condensing portions. An interval distance between a center of the light-condensing portion and an edge of the light-reflecting portion increases when moving toward the edge of the first surface from a center of the first surface along the first direction. Therefore, the number of the optical sheets used for the display device may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Sang-Hoon Lee, Byung-Yun Joo, Min-Young Song, Jin-Sung Choi, Seung-Hwan Chung, Dong-Kwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7555226
    Abstract: An automatic bias controller for an optical modulator is provided. The automatic bias controller comprises a driver for providing an electrical data signal to the modulator and a bias voltage source for providing a bias voltage to the modulator. A microprocessor provides a low frequency digital modulation signal, which is converted to an analogue modulation signal by a digital to analogue converter. The analogue modulation signal is applied to the bias voltage source (so as to modulate the bias voltage) or to the driver (so as to modulate the amplitude of the data signal). Intensity detectors for detecting the intensity of light emitted by the modulator are provided, and an analogue to digital converter converts the output of the intensity detectors to a digital intensity signal which is passed to the microprocessor. The digital intensity signal is analysed, and the bias voltage source instructed to adjust the bias voltage on the basis of the analysed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Bookham Technology plc
    Inventor: Alan Tipper
  • Patent number: 7548172
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to vehicle communication equipment capable of transferring information using light without adding new light emitting means, and further, between a stationary apparatus and a vehicle or between vehicles. A light emitted from a signal lamp (11) of a stationarily installed traffic signal (10) or a head lamp (35) or a tail lamp (36) of a vehicle (20) is superimposed with a signal by a modulator (13), the modulated light is received by a light receiving unit (21) of the vehicle (20) side, and the received modulated light is demodulated by a decoder (22) to be displayed on a display panel (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinada, Kenji Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7545549
    Abstract: A first reflecting body, which has semi-transmissive semi-reflective characteristics, a light transmissive fine hole body having a plurality of fine holes, which are adapted to be filled with a light transmissive substance and have diameters sufficiently smaller than wavelengths of incident light, and a second reflecting body, which has perfect reflective characteristics or semi-transmissive semi-reflective characteristics, are located in this order from a light incidence side. Absorption characteristics for absorbing light having a specific wavelength are exhibited in accordance with a mean complex index of refraction of the first reflecting body, the mean complex index of refraction of the second reflecting body, and the mean complex index of refraction and a thickness of the light transmissive fine hole body. The incident light is modulated due to the absorption characteristics, and modulated light is radiated out from the first reflecting body and/or the second reflecting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Tomaru
  • Publication number: 20090140670
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a light beam control system includes a positive intrinsic negative diode coupled to a controller circuit. The positive intrinsic negative diode receives a portion of a light beam generated by a light source and converts the portion into a measured intensity. The controller circuit receives the measured intensity, determines an output signal according to the measured intensity and a reference, and adjusts the light beam according to the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Fred J. Reuter
  • Patent number: 7542200
    Abstract: Scan line position error resulting in banding, bow, skew, etc. is corrected by way of an agile beam steering mirror assembly in a ROS printing system and the like. The agile beam steering mirror system comprises a piezoelectric bending actuator fixedly mounted to a substrate at a proximate end thereof. A mirror structure is mounted at a free distal end of the bending actuator. Voltage applied to the bending actuator causes rotation of the mirror to thereby correct for positional errors of the scan line. Correction waveforms may be stored in control memory associated with the agile beam steering mirror assembly. A capacitive sensing circuit using a sensing electrode located beneath the free end of the bending actuator may be used in a feedback arrangement to determine and control mirror position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Timothy D. Stowe
  • Patent number: 7542192
    Abstract: An optical pulse-shaper includes a prism, a delay line having positive optical power and a reflective spatial light modulator. In one arrangement the delay line has a selectively variable optical path length for accommodating pulses of different spectral bandwidth and positive optical power is provided by a concave mirror. In another arrangement, the delay line includes a zoom-mirror arranged to provide selectively variable optical power for accommodating pulses of different spectral bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Bojan Resan, R. Russel Austin, Jason P. Watson
  • Publication number: 20090128873
    Abstract: A light valve assembly comprises a holographic optical element and a light valve that comprises an array of individually addressable pixels. The light valve assemblies can be fabricated on the die level or on a wafer-level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent C. Lopes, Bradley Morgan Haskett, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Patent number: 7532381
    Abstract: An Interferometric Modulator (IMod) is a microelectromechanical device for modulating light using interference. The colors of these devices may be determined in a spatial fashion, and their inherent color shift may be compensated for using several optical compensation mechanisms. Brightness, addressing, and driving of IMods may be accomplished in a variety of ways with appropriate packaging, and peripheral electronics which can be attached and/or fabricated using one of many techniques. The devices may be used in both embedded and directly perceived applications, the latter providing multiple viewing modes as well as a multitude of product concepts ranging in size from microscopic to architectural in scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: IDC, LLC
    Inventor: Mark W Miles
  • Patent number: 7529013
    Abstract: An optical modulator module package includes a substrate having a through-hole through which light passes and having a circuit formed on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces; a transparent lid held in the through-hole for transmitting incident light inputted to an optical modulator element and diffracted light emitted from the optical modulator element; and a metal connection part attached to a surface of the substrate for mounting the optical modulator element and driver integrated circuits. With an optical modulator module package according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the size of the module package may be minimized, as a transparent lid installed with a displacement from the optical modulator element is embedded within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heung-Woo Park, Chang-Su Park
  • Patent number: 7529018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spatial optical modulator, more specifically to a temperature adaptive optical modulator. The spatial optical modulator according to an aspect of the present invention includes a substrate, an upper part of the substrate being doped; a structure layer, a center part of the structure layer being located at a predetermined distance from the substrate; driving means, located on the structure layer and allowing the center part of the structure layer to move upwardly and downwardly; an upper reflection layer, located in an upper part of the center part of the structure layer and reflecting and diffracting an incident beam of light; and a lower reflection layer, located on the substrate and reflecting and diffracting the incident beam of light by a stepped portion formed between the upper reflection layer and the lower reflection layer, below the structure layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-Suong Yang
  • Publication number: 20090103168
    Abstract: A light modulator device includes a first electrical conduit, a second electrical conduit electrically isolated from the first conduit, a first display element, and a second display element. The first display element is in an actuated state when a voltage difference between the first conduit and the second conduit has a magnitude greater than a first actuation voltage and is in a released state when the voltage difference has a magnitude less than a first release voltage. The second display element is in an actuated state when the voltage difference has a magnitude greater than a second actuation voltage and is in a released state when the voltage difference has a magnitude less than a second release voltage. Either the actuation voltages are substantially equal and the release voltages are different, or the actuation voltages are different and the release voltages are substantially equal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Patent number: 7522328
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a thin-film interference filter structure having a generally wavelength-dependent resonant response to incident optical energy in a predetermined range of wavelengths. The thin-film interference filter structure includes a thermally tunable layer having a thermally tunable optical characteristic such that a range of wavelength-dependent resonant optical responses of the thermally tunable layer are induced by a corresponding range of thermal conditions of the thermally tunable layer. The thin-film interference filter structure is configured to (1) receive a spatially varying pattern of thermal energy at the thermally tunable layer to impart a corresponding spatially varying pattern to the thermally tunable characteristic of the thermally tunable layer, and (2) receive the incident optical energy into the thermally tunable layer and output optical energy having spatial modulation corresponding to the spatially varying pattern of the thermally tunable characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Redshift Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Wagner, Shuyun Wu, Charles M. Marshall, Eugene Y. Ma, John F. Heanue
  • Publication number: 20090097092
    Abstract: A method, computer-usable medium and a system for varying an incoming light field are disclosed. Embodiments provide mechanisms for performing image processing on an incoming light field using a spatial light modulator which is adjusted based upon characteristics of the incoming light field. The spatial light modulator may be positioned between the viewed scene and the eye, and therefore, may be semi-transparent. The image processing may consist of tone mapping, color enhancement, beautification, edge enhancement, spectral separation of colors, spectral separation of metamers, object emphasis, other image processing, or some combination thereof. Additionally, embodiments compensate for parallax errors by adjusting the spatial light modulator based upon the position of an observer with respect to the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: David Patrick Luebke, Wolfgang Heidrich
  • Patent number: 7519249
    Abstract: Semiconductor optical modulator devices exhibiting improved chirp characteristics are constructed from a Mach-Zehnder structure having resonators positioned within each arm and a number of phases shifters positioned within the arms, and/or resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Gill, Mahmoud Rasras
  • Publication number: 20090091814
    Abstract: A stereo projection optical system, includes a first polarizing beam splitter configured for separating a light input into a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component; a first image assimilator positioned to receive the first polarized light component; a first image assimilator positioned to receive the second polarized light component. The first and second image assimilators respectively generate two images formed by the first polarized light component and the second polarized light component with spatial information. When a viewer wears glasses that have two polarizing lenses whose polarization is perpendicular to each other, the viewer can perceive projected images as being three-dimensional.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHIEN-WEN HSU
  • Patent number: 7515324
    Abstract: A system for, and method of resolving reset conflicts in a phased-reset SLM system and a projection visual display system incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes a reset conflict arbiter configured to receive reset instructions containing conflicts from a sequence generator and resolve the conflicts by shifting an execution time of a selected one of the reset instructions according to a conflict resolution method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Sue Hui
  • Patent number: 7511870
    Abstract: Disclosed are capacitive micromechanical resonators optimized for high Q, low motional impedance, and large tuning range. Exemplary resonators were fabricated using a HARPSS-on-SOI process, and demonstrated quality factors up to 119000 in vacuum. For resonators operating between 3 MHz and 30 MHz, the lowest extracted impedance is 218 k? and the largest electrostatic tuning coefficient is ?240 ppm/V2. The disclosed designs are applicable up to at least 200 MHz operation. An oscillator interface circuit comprising of a trans-impedance amplifier and an automatic bias generator providing a temperature-compensating bias voltage is also disclosed. Experiments show temperature drift reduction from 2800 ppm to 39 ppm over a 100° C. range. Process compensation (DFM) of micromechanical resonators, resonators having mass loading elements that allow generation of closely spaced frequencies, and coupled systems comprising of the resonators are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corp.
    Inventors: Gavin Kar-Fai Ho, Farrokh Ayazi, Siavash Pourkamali, Krishnakumar Sundaresan
  • Publication number: 20090073533
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for using a tunable optical source in safety curtain applications provide for enhanced operation of the safety curtain. In an embodiment, a safety curtain includes a transmit unit and a receive unit to operate as the safety curtain, where a single tunable light source generates different wavelengths of light and a single detector is used to detect the generated light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Francis Lawrence Leard, Hassan R. Manjunath, James Edward Dogul
  • Patent number: 7505188
    Abstract: A light control device according to the present invention comprises a plurality of optical elements between two transparent plates in each of which a pair of transparent substrates having taper-shaped side faces with transparent electrodes are located so as to face each other, and a light control layer capable of changing the light transmitting state by electrically controlling the pair of transparent electrodes is disposed between the pair of transparent electrodes, and further, a transparent solid layer is filled in a space formed in the gap between the two transparent plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Niiyama, Hiroshige Ito, Naoko Aoki
  • Patent number: 7499206
    Abstract: A light valve that switches light does so by enabling and disabling total internal reflection (TIR) on a surface of the light valve. The disabling of the TIR is accomplished by putting another optical element in contact with the surface and then diffusing or changing the direction of the light. These valves may be used in an array for a projection system or one at a time. The mechanical mechanism to move the optical element is a simple in that it only moves the optical element a small distance to change the valve from an on position to an off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Inventor: Brian Edward Richardson
  • Patent number: 7495815
    Abstract: An electro-optical modulator device and method are provided. The device comprises a light modulator unit having a first Cathode for exposing to input light; and an electric field source configured to create an electric field affecting a change in the refractive index of the first Cathode, thereby effecting a change in the propagation of light reflected from or transmitted through the first Cathode, said light from the first Cathode enabling to affect the operation of an external light sensitive electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Nova Trans Group S.A.
    Inventors: Ron Naaman, Erez Halahmi, Gilad Diamant, Dmitry Shvarts, Leeor Kronik, Nili Kloner-Gendel
  • Publication number: 20090027752
    Abstract: A projection type of display apparatus for removing a noise is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the projection type of display apparatus includes: a light source; an optical board, incidenting a beam of light emitted from the light source; and an optical modulator, being fixed on one surface of the optical board and modulating and emitting the beam of light that passed through the optical board. The blocking layer is formed on the optical board. With the present invention, it is possible to remove the noise of the image and display the image more clearly by enhancing the contrast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Su Park, Dong-Hyun Park, Yeong-Gyu Lee, Jong-Hyeong Song, Heung-Woo Park
  • Patent number: 7483597
    Abstract: An optical modulator is formed to include a plurality of separate electrodes disposed along one arm, the electrodes having different lengths and driven with different signals to provide for multi-level signaling (e.g., PAM-4 signaling). By using separate drivers to energize the different sections, the number of sections energized at a given point in time will define the net phase shift introduced to the optical signal. The total length of the combined modulator sections is associated with a ? phase shift (180°). Each section is driven by either a digital “one” or “zero”, so as to create the multi-level modulation. An essentially equal change in power between adjacent transmitted symbols is accomplished by properly adjusting the lengths of each individual section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Lightwire, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalpendu Shastri, Bipin Dama
  • Publication number: 20090009846
    Abstract: A micro-mirror based projection display system in an enclosure with minimum chin and depth measurements is disclosed. A light source, such as a solid state laser light source, generates light of multiple primary colors that is modulated by a digital micro-mirror device. The projection optics of the system include a telecentric rear group of glass lenses with spherical surfaces, followed by a pair of aspheric lenses formed of plastic. A folding mirror, such as a single-piece or multi-piece angular mirror, is disposed between the aspheric lenses, to reduce the depth of the enclosure, and an aspheric mirror projects the image onto a TIR Fresnel projection screen. The aspheric lenses are magnifying to reduce the magnification required of the aspheric mirror, and the aspheric lenses and mirror are clipped to reduce enclosure volume. A folding mirror may be used after the aspheric mirror to further reduce the depth of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Patrick Rene Destain
  • Publication number: 20090009845
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device comprises a substrate having a top surface, a movable element over the substrate, and an actuation electrode disposed laterally from the reflective surface. The movable element comprises a deformable layer and a reflective element mechanically coupled to the deformable layer. The reflective element includes a reflective surface. The movable element is responsive to a voltage difference applied between the actuation electrode and the movable element by moving in a direction generally perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Denis Endisch, Marc Mignard
  • Patent number: 7474324
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a printing apparatus using an order-separation type optical modulator. The printing apparatus includes an illumination lens system, a diffraction type optical modulator, a filter system, and a projection system. The illumination lens system converts light, which is output from a light source, into linear light and outputs linear, parallel light, the diffraction type optical modulator performs desired modulation on the linear, parallel light emitted from the illumination lens system and forms diffracted light having a plurality of diffraction orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haeng Seok Yang
  • Patent number: 7474460
    Abstract: An optical modulation apparatus is provided which implements a stable amplifying function by reducing the effect of reflected light rays from end faces of a bidirectional optical amplifier by imposing a numerical limitation on the relationship between the gain of the bidirectional optical amplifier and the loss of the optical modulator, or by inserting a polarization rotation section in a reflection type optical modulator including the bidirectional optical amplifier or in a multi-wavelength collective optical modulation system combining the multiple optical modulators. An optical modulation apparatus is provided which implements a stable amplifying function and cost reduction by reducing the effect of reflected light rays by interposing optical isolators at every alternate SOAs in a transmission-type optical modulation apparatus including a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) connected in a multistage fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.
    Inventors: Masamichi Fujiwara, Junichi Kani, Koji Akimoto, Katsumi Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 7471442
    Abstract: A light modulator device includes a first electrical conduit, a second electrical conduit electrically isolated from the first conduit, a first display element, and a second display element. The first display element is in an actuated state when a voltage difference between the first conduit and the second conduit has a magnitude greater than a first actuation voltage and is in a released state when the voltage difference has a magnitude less than a first release voltage. The second display element is in an actuated state when the voltage difference has a magnitude greater than a second actuation voltage and is in a released state when the voltage difference has a magnitude less than a second release voltage. Either the actuation voltages are substantially equal and the release voltages are different, or the actuation voltages are different and the release voltages are substantially equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Patent number: 7471439
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a process of forming a device that has an improved usable lifetime due to the addition of a gas-phase lubricant that reduces the likelihood of stiction occurring between the various moving parts in an electromechanical device. One advantage of the disclosed device is that a gas-phase lubricant has a high diffusion rate and, therefore, is self-replenishing, meaning that it can quickly move back into a contact region after being physically displaced from the region by the contacting surfaces of the device during operation. Consequently, the gas-phase lubricant is more reliable than conventional solid or liquid lubricants in preventing stiction-related device failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Miradia, Inc.
    Inventors: Dongmin Chen, Fulin Xiong
  • Publication number: 20080316570
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical modulator module having a micro-heater. The optical modulator module can include an optical modulator, modulating a beam of light emitted from a light source and emitting the modulated beam of light; and a micro-heater, manufactured in the optical modulator. The present invention provides an optical modulator module having a micro-heater and a temperature sensor that can control temperature in order to prevent an error of the operation of an optical modulator caused by the temperature and that can make the operation of an optical modulator stable within a shorter during of time directly after a power is supplied to the optical modulator module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Heung-Woo Park, Sang-Kyeong Yun