By Partial Reflection At Beam Splitting Or Combining Surface Patents (Class 359/629)
  • Publication number: 20100289874
    Abstract: A system is described for providing a three-dimensional representation of a scene from a single image. The system includes a reflector having a plurality of reflective surfaces for providing an interior reflective area defining a substantially quadrilateral cross section, wherein the reflector reflective surfaces are configured to provide nine views of an image. An imager is included for converting the nine-view image into digital data. Computer systems and computer program products for converting the data into three-dimensional representations of the scene are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: FUHUA CHENG
  • Patent number: 7829839
    Abstract: An optical tweezers lifting apparatus is provided. The optical tweezers lifting apparatus includes an optical tweezers and a particle-lifting device. The particle-lifting device includes a substrate and a plurality of electrodes that are disposed on the bottom of a flow path in the substrate. When a dielectrophoresis (DEP) solution with a plurality of floating particles is conducted into the flow path and upon those electrodes and a voltage is applied to these electrodes, these particles would be driven by a negative DEP force to move upward to a specific depth in the flow path. Meanwhile, the optical tweezers of the apparatus is selectively focused at the specific depth in the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Raydium Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsien Liu, William Wang, Long Hsu, Chung-Cheng Chou, Sheng-Yang Tseng, Chen Peng, Fung-Hsu Wu, Ta-Yuan Lee
  • Patent number: 7826141
    Abstract: A heads-up display that includes a scanner and a projection assembly. The scanner generates an image by sweeping a beam of electromagnetic energy, and the projection assembly directs the image into a predetermined viewing space having a region with a substantially uniform intensity profile. Such a heads-up display can often be made smaller than a conventional heads-up display, and can often generate an image having a higher quality than an image generated by a conventional display. Furthermore, one can often calibrate and recalibrate such a display without physically modifying or replacing a component of the display or of a vehicle incorporating the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Karlton D. Powell, Hakan Urey, Amjad Malik, Russell J. Hannigan
  • Patent number: 7826140
    Abstract: A laser marking device (1) includes a laser light source (24) that emits a laser beam, and a beam splitter (230) receiving the laser beam and allowing a part of the laser beam to be reflected thereat and a remaining part of the laser beam to be transmitted therethorogh. The beam splitter (230) has an unpolarized film (233a, 233b) into which the laser beam is entered to divide the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams that travels in different directions, at a predetermined rate regardless of change of a polarized characteristic of the laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Matsushita, Takashi Nishimura, Noritaka Tadano, Yutaka Ito
  • Publication number: 20100271707
    Abstract: A mirror unit consists of a half mirror and a mirror unit. The half mirror generates a transmitted light and a reflected light. A pair of the mirror units is arranged on one side and the other side of the half mirror so that the transmitted light and the reflected light split by the half mirror are deflected and are combined again at a common place on the half mirror. The mirror unit also has plural mirrors and is arranged to make the optical length variable by shifting the mirror unit toward one direction with a moving mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru NAMIKI, Yuji SAKAI
  • Patent number: 7822304
    Abstract: A laser beam multiplexer capable of easily multiplexing a plurality of laser beams is provided. A laser beam multiplexer includes a multiplexing element having a hollow portion with a sectional elliptical shape, in which the multiplexing element includes: a plurality of light-incident apertures guiding laser beams from outside toward one of two focal points of the hollow portion, a reflective layer arranged on a wall surface of the hollow portion, and multiplexing a plurality of incident laser beams while reflecting the plurality of laser beams, and a light-emitting aperture guiding laser beams multiplexed by the reflective layer toward outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Hirata
  • Patent number: 7821475
    Abstract: The image display apparatus is capable of reducing moire fringe when electric inverse-correction is performed on an image output to an image display element. The apparatus includes an optical system for observation of an image displayed on an image display element, a processor performing distorting processing that electrically provides to an input image a distortion in a direction inverse to that of distortion as aberration generated by the optical system, and a filter providing a low-pass filter effect to the image observed through the optical system. When a first image region including a first number of pixels in the input image is converted into a second image region including a second number of pixels by the distorting processing, the filter provides the low-pass filter effect depending on the relationship between the first and second numbers of pixels to the second image region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motomi Tsuyuki, Shoichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7813046
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sampling techniques can constantly monitor a spectral output from a broadband source in order to control a central wavelength of interrogation light supplied by the source for input to a sensor. A first portion of light output from the broadband source passes through a controller module for spectral analysis and referencing to provide measurements that can be used as feedback to actively modify a second portion of the light from the source. This modified second portion thereby controls the central wavelength to ensure accurate determination of sensor response signals received at a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Domino Taverner
  • Publication number: 20100254018
    Abstract: A display platform orients a virtual image in alignment with a viewer's eye. A transmissive plate receives a light beam conveying the virtual image into the transmissive plate for propagation by internal reflection between inner and outer surfaces of the transmissive plate along the length of the transmissive plate. A plurality of reflective facets progressively interrupt the propagation of the light beam along the length of the transmissive plate for reflecting successive portions of the light beam in a direction for rendering the virtual image visible to the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: VUZIX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Elliot Burke
  • Publication number: 20100254000
    Abstract: A mirror cascade for the adjustment-free bundling of a plurality of light sources to be coupled into the beam path of a laser scanning microscope, comprising a beam combiner housing in which the mirror cascade is located, wherein the beam combiner housing can be either mounted directly on a scanning head of a laser scanning microscope and has a direct optical connection thereto or can be mounted on a microscope housing and has an optical connection thereto or is directly arranged in the scanning head. The invention further relates to a laser scanning microscope with such a mirror cascade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Dieter HUHSE, Dieter SCHAU, Stefan WILHELM
  • Patent number: 7808713
    Abstract: A one-way display system includes a partially reflective screen with a first image, and a partially absorptive screen with a second image that is an inverse of the first image. The two screens can be stacked on top of each other or separated by a small distance. A portion of ambient light on a first side of the display system passes through the partially reflective screen and exits as intermediate light. A portion of the intermediate light passes through the partially absorptive screen and exits as transmitted light to a second side of the display system. The transmitted light is spatially and chromatically uniform like the ambient light. This allows observers on the second side to see objects on the first side without the first image, and observers on the first side to see the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Emiscape, Inc.
    Inventors: Cang V. Quach, Donald L. Alvarez
  • Patent number: 7808715
    Abstract: An interferometer includes a means for splitting, at a splitting location, an input light beam into a first beam and a second beam; and means for recombining, at a recombination location, the first beam and the second beam. The interferometer is designed such that the first beam will travel a first optical path length (OPL) from the splitting location to the recombination location, and the second beam will travel a second OPL from the splitting location to the recombination location and such that when the input light beam has bean modulated at a data rate comprising a time interval, then the difference in optical path lengths between the first OPL and the second OPL is about equal to the time interval multiplied by the speed of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Optoplex Corporation
    Inventor: Yung-Chieh Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7808712
    Abstract: Optical apparatus for simultaneously focussing first and second coaxially spaced object planes in respective separate first and second areas of a common image plane 13 (such as the sensor of a CCD camera) comprises non-diffractive beamsplitter means for receiving light from said object planes along a common path 2 for transmission to said first and second image areas along respective first and second optical paths 3, 4, and reflective or transmissive focussing means 8 arranged to bring said first and second object planes into focus in said first and second areas. The object planes may be differentiated by having different length paths 3,4 (different physical lengths and/or using a differential optical delay), and/or by having different focussing powers in the two paths. In an add-on for a camera, differently curved mirrors of long focal length modify the main camera lens. Polarising optics may be used to separate the two images. The apparatus may be used for 3-D imaging or wavefront analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventors: Andrew M Scott, Andrew C Lewin, Simon C Woods
  • Publication number: 20100245829
    Abstract: An autofocus system and method designed to account for instabilities in the system, e.g. due to instabilities of system components (e.g. vibrating mirrors, optics, etc) and/or environmental effects such as refractive index changes of air due to temperature, atmospheric pressure, or humidity gradients, is provided. An autofocus beam is split into a reference beam component (the split off reference channel) and a measurement beam component, by a beam splitting optic located a predetermined distance from (and in predetermined orientation relative to) the substrate, to create a first space between the beam splitting optic and the substrate. A reflector is provided that is spaced from the beam splitting optic by the predetermined distance, to create a second space between the reflector and the beam splitting optic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Peter Goodwin, Daniel Gene Smith, Michael Sogard
  • Publication number: 20100232029
    Abstract: Methods and system for providing concealing camouflage of a position, hunter or observer using a shield or enclosure with a reflective exterior having exterior sides inclined towards the horizontal and observation portions of two-way mirror material. The shield or enclosures may be of any shape and may be of rigid sides permanently affixed to a frame, or be provided as collapsible or pop-up enclosures using temporary attachments and frames or poles. The enclosures may be entirely of two-way material. The reflective material may be mirror glass, any clear material treated on one surface with mirror coatings, or metalized cloth or film, including metalized polyester. A roof may be provided as non-reflective or reflective and may be flat or dome shaped. Two-way mirrored observation ports that open and close may be provided in any shape or position. The enclosure may conceal a boat, raft, or vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Roger Lewis, JR., Roger Lewis, SR.
  • Publication number: 20100229650
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for production and integration of compact illumination schemes. More particularly, disclosed embodiments relate to apparatus/systems and methods for production of highly compact illumination schemes, whereby photoacoustic waves are induced in a target sample. Additionally, the disclosed apparatus/systems and methods are effective to produce compact and portable integrated transducer-illumination arrays. Apparatus disclosed generally include at least one lighting source and a beamsplitting assembly. Systems disclosed generally include one or more apparatus for the production of compact lighting schemes, an ultrasonic transducer assembly and means for coupling the one or more apparatus and US transducer assembly with a target sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Khalid Shahzad, Ladislav Jankovic
  • Patent number: 7796338
    Abstract: A path of travel for radiation extends to one optical element, then to another optical element, and then away from the latter. One of the optical elements is respectively reflective and non-reflective to radiation above and below a first wavelength, and the other is respectively reflective and non-reflective to radiation below and above a second wavelength. According to a different aspect, a path of travel for radiation extends to one of first and second optical elements, then to the other optical element, and then away from the latter. The first optical element is reflective and non-reflective to radiation on respective sides of a first wavelength, and the second optical element is reflective and non-reflective to radiation on respective sides of a second wavelength. The first optical element can tilt in relation to the path of travel to change the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Douglas J. Brown, Daniel B. Mitchell, Geoffrey G. Harris, William Conrad Stenton, Gerard M. Desroches
  • Publication number: 20100226655
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a self-standing parallel plate beam splitter, a method for manufacturing the same, and a laser diode package structure using the same. The self-standing parallel plate beam splitter according to the present invention is easy to manufacture and is applicable to various laser diode packages, thereby enabling easy implementation of a laser diode package that is capable of performing bidirectional communication, a laser diode package having a triplexer function, a laser diode package having a wavelength locking function, and a laser diode package having a front side monitoring function to monitor the operation state of a laser diode chip using some of laser light emitted from the front side of the laser diode chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Jeong Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7787188
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that comprises: an optical path splitting element; an optical system including a variable-optical-power element which is substantially immobile in an optical axis direction and a reflective surface; and an image pickup surface, the variable-optical-power element, the optical system, and the image pickup surface being arranged so that a ray from an object side is divided into two rays by the optical path splitting element, at least one of the rays enters the optical system, and is reflected by the reflective surface to return to the optical path splitting element, and the ray strikes on the image pickup surface via the optical path splitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Hisashi Goto
  • Publication number: 20100215066
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method may provide laser beams of two or more wavelengths from diode pumped solid-state laser sources (220, 222, 224). The beam paths of these laser beams with different wavelengths, which are generated by the laser sources (220, 222, 224), may be aligned along a common optical axis 280 by an optical configuration, to treat at least one target area. Frequency-doubled laser beams, output from a plurality of diode pumped solid state laser cavities, may be passed through fold mirrors (M2, M5, M8), and combined on a common optical axis 280, using one or more combiner mirrors (M10, M11, M12), to unify the beam paths. Selected laser beams may be delivered to a target using one or more delivery systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: LUMENIS LTD.
    Inventors: David Haydn Mordaunt, Steven Scott Christensen, Allison Albrecht Ferro, David A. Dewey
  • Patent number: 7782443
    Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a beam deflection array including a number beam deflection elements, for example mirrors. Each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable in response to control signals. The light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements produce spots in a system pupil surface. The number of spots illuminated in the system pupil surface during an exposure process, during which a mask is imaged on a light sensitive surface, is greater than the number of beam deflection elements. This may be accomplished with the help of a beam multiplier unit that multiplies the light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements. In another embodiment the beam deflecting elements are controlled such that the irradiance distribution produced in the system pupil surface changes between two consecutive light pulses of an exposure process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Damian Fiolka, Ralf Mueller, Andras G. Major
  • Publication number: 20100195211
    Abstract: An optical device for an image projector for providing a projected wide field of view image, includes a first dichroic mirror or splitter, arranged in an input path for receiving light of a plurality of wavelength bands, and adapted to output by reflection on a first path respective first portions of selected ones of the wavelength bands and by transmission on a second path respective second portions of the selected ones of the wavelength bands. Light modulating devices, arranged in respective ones of the first and second paths to receive the first and second portions, generate and output on respective first and second intersecting output paths modulated ones of the first and second portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: PROJECTIONDESIGN AS
    Inventor: Kjell Einar Olsen, SR.
  • Patent number: 7764417
    Abstract: An adaptive optics system is provided, comprising a spatial light modulator configured to modulate an incoming beam with an aberrated wavefront, a beamsplitter configured to receive the modulated beam from the spatial light modulator and to divide the modulated beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam, a spatial filter configured to spatially filter the reference beam, and to interfere the spatially filtered reference beam with the measurement beam to form an interferogram, an imaging device configured to capture an image of the interferogram, and a processor configured to determine the aberrated wavefront and to provide control signals to the spatial light modulator to mitigate aberrations in the aberrated wavefront.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Chang, Sami J. Saab, Natarajan Shankar, John A. Koontz, Mark S. Ptak
  • Patent number: 7762703
    Abstract: A heads-up display comprises a monochrome display device for generating an image and an optical device for generating a virtual image from the image of the display device. The monochrome display device comprises a display and a backlight for illuminating the display from its backside. The backlight comprises a first light source emitting light of a first color, a second light source emitting light of a second color, a first light guide coupled to the first light source, and a second light guide coupled to the second light source. The first and second light guides are disposed in such close juxtaposition behind the display so that they illuminate together the entire backside of the display and illuminate a first region of the display associated with the first light guide with the first color and a second region of the display associated with the second light guide with the second color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Aiko Böhme, Peter Brandt, Heiko Charle
  • Publication number: 20100182681
    Abstract: First of all, the present invention relates to a light trap (20) for eliminating or preventing stray light, e.g., in the form of scattered light. In addition, the invention relates to a device (10) for coupling a first beam path (34) to a second beam path (42)*. Finally, the invention also relates to an illumination device (30) for an optical observation device as well as an optical observation device. In order to be able to further improve the elimination of disruptive stray light in the form of scattered light, light trap (20) is configured in a special way. It has a filter element (21), particularly a neutral filter element, which is characterized in that incident light face (22) of filter element (21) has a concave radius, whereby incident light face (22) has a specific curvature. * sic; second beam path (41)?—Trans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Christian Luecke, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 7760436
    Abstract: A method for dividing substantially nonpolarized white light into three substantially nonpolarized fractions includes splitting the substantially nonpolarized white light into a first fraction and a second fraction, the first fraction being substantially nonpolarized light of a first wavelength interval and the second fraction of substantially nonpolarized light of a second and a third wavelength interval, the first wavelength interval being located between the second and the third wavelength interval and splitting the second fraction into a third fraction with substantially nonpolarized light of the second wavelength interval and into a fourth fraction with substantially nonpolarized light of the third wavelength interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventor: Othmar Zueger
  • Publication number: 20100177113
    Abstract: An optical system is provided, for example for use with a display device (1) to convert a flat image from the display device (1) to a non-flat image. The optical system comprises first and second spaced-apart partial reflectors (3, 5), at least one of which is non-flat. The reflectors (3, 5), together with polarisation optics (2, 4), provide a light path (6) such that light from the display (1) is at least partially transmitted by the first reflector (3), partially reflected by the second reflector (5), partially reflected by the first reflector (3) and partially transmitted by the second reflector (5) so that a viewer (8) perceives a non-flat, for example curved, image. Light which does not follow the light path (6) is prevented from leaving the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory Gay, Harry Garth Walton
  • Publication number: 20100177403
    Abstract: An image display system provides a viewer with an experience of three-dimensional imagery by presenting a composite image made up of at least two separate images. The system includes at least first and second image sources, a beam combiner, and a “background-image-occluding element” which prevents background imagery from being seen through foreground image elements. The system presents the image from one of the image sources, containing background image information, at a distance from the viewer which is greater than the distance from the viewer to the other image presented from the other image source, which contains foreground image elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Gene Dolgoff
  • Publication number: 20100177402
    Abstract: A real mirror image forming optical system is constructed from a half-mirror, and from a retroreflector placed in a position where it recursively reflects either the light passing through or reflected by that half-mirror, so that light emitted from an object to be projected placed behind the half-mirror can pass through either a first light path consisting of passing through the half-mirror, recursive reflection by the retroreflector, and reflection by the half-mirror; or a second light path consisting of reflection by the half-mirror, recursive reflection by the retroreflector, and passing through the half-mirror; thus by one or both of these light paths a real mirror image of the object to be projected is formed at a planar symmetric position with respect to the half-mirror surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventor: Satoshi Maekawa
  • Publication number: 20100165307
    Abstract: A laser image display comprising a laser light source emitting laser light, a beam deflector element for receiving laser light and deflecting its advancing direction, a beam deflecting element control section for controlling the degree of deflection performed by the beam deflector element, an optical integrator for receiving and guiding the deflected laser light to output from its outputting end face, a pseudo surface light source element for scattering the deflected laser light, and a modulation element for receiving and modulating the laser light scattered by the false surface light source element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Ken'ichi Kasazumi, Tatsuo Itoh, Tomoya Sugita, Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Shin-ichi Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 7733570
    Abstract: An optical condenser device has light sources (10, 20) and an optical combiner (30). Each light source (10, 20) includes a semiconductor laser array stack (12, 22), collimator lenses (16, 26), and beam converters (18, 28). Since the optical combiner (30) combines the beams from one (12) of the stacks and the beams from the other (22), a laser beam with high optical density is generated. The optical combiner (30) has transmitting portions (32) and reflecting portions (34), each of which preferably has a strip-like shape elongated in the layering directions of the stacks (12, 22). In this case, the beams emitted from the active layers (14, 24) will be received and combined appropriately by the optical combiner (30) even if positional deviation of the active layers (14, 24) occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Yujin Zheng, Hirofumi Miyajima, Hirofumi Kan
  • Publication number: 20100128355
    Abstract: A lens system includes a first lens axially aligned with a second lens, where the first and second lenses are configured to be sequentially positioned from a pupil image of a viewer. The second lens is formed as a triplet having three cemented elements. The second lens includes a convex surface facing the first lens, and a flat surface opposing the convex surface of the second lens. The first lens includes a concave surface opposing a flat surface of the first lens; the second lens includes a concave surface and a convex surface; and the concave surface of the first lens and the concave and convex surfaces of the second lens have equal radii of curvatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: DONALD JANECZKO, John Michael Hall
  • Patent number: 7724440
    Abstract: An embodiment of an optical manifold has first and second collimators, each arranged to receive light from a source and transmit the light to an exit port of the collimator, and a separator arranged to emit some of the light from the exit ports of the first and second collimators and to recycle some of the light into the collimators. Another embodiment has at least three collimators of substantially equal length and having central axes, respective light sources at entry ports of the collimators, the collimators being arranged with their central axes parallel and with their light sources in a common plane and reflectors positioned to direct light from exit ports of the collimators to a selectively reflective component that guides all the light into a common exit beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
    Inventors: Julio C. Chaves, Waqidi Falicoff, Juan Carlos Miñano, Pablo Benítez, William A. Parkyn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7724443
    Abstract: There is provided an optical device, including a light-transmitting substrate having two major surfaces and edges, an optical element (16) for coupling light waves into the substrate by total internal reflexion, and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b, 22c) carried by the substrate. The partially reflecting surfaces are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate. At least one of the partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b, 22c) does not intersect with at least one of the two major surfaces, and the optical element (16) intersects with at least one of the two major surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
    Inventor: Yaakov Amitai
  • Patent number: 7724441
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical device, including a light-transmitting substrate, optical means for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces carried by the substrate, characterized in that the partially reflecting surfaces are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
    Inventor: Yaakov Amitai
  • Patent number: 7724436
    Abstract: A projection engine is disclosed, in which white light from a uniform telecentric source is collimated, polarized, and split into red and cyan beams. The collimated red light passes through a red focuser, which has an off-axis, front-surface mirror that has an aspheric and/or conic profile, and a spherical lens. The collimated cyan light passes through a similar cyan focuser, after which it is split into blue and green beams. The mirror reflective surface has an aspherical shape to minimize aberrations at the edge of the field of view in the illumination optical path. The collimator is at the front focal plane of each focuser, making the emergent converging beam telecentric, and a pixelated panel is at the rear focal plane of each focuser. The reflected light beams from the red, green and blue pixelated panels are superimposed on a pixel-by-pixel basis and are directed to a projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Simon Magarill
  • Patent number: 7719768
    Abstract: An optical beam splitter arrangement comprising two beam splitter mounts one of which is turnable relative to the other by flexing a deformable connection. By controlling the turn angle of rotation it is possible to use the light reflected by one of the beam splitters to monitor the output power of a laser and to use the light reflected by the other beam splitter to monitor the wavelength transmitted by the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Declan Reilly, Simon Meadowcroft
  • Patent number: 7717578
    Abstract: An illumination system is provided for combining two or more light sources. A plurality of light sources radiate random polarization light. A plurality of collecting light pipes corresponds to the plurality of light sources. Each collecting light pipe has an entrance end disposed towards the respective light source. The collecting light pipes are laterally offset and overlapping opposite their respective entrance ends. A combining light pipe is disposed perpendicular to the collecting light pipes. A polarizing beam splitter and a mirror are sequentially arranged in each collecting light pipe essentially opposite the entrance end directing a first polarization light and a second polarization light, respectively upwards towards the combining light pipe. The combining light pipe has an entrance end overlying the polarizing beam splitter and mirror of each collecting light pipe to collect and combine the light from each polarizing beam splitter and mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Valter Drazic
  • Patent number: 7715101
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are used for controlling electromagnetic radiation pulse duration in a lithographic apparatus. A dividing element is arranged to divide an electromagnetic radiation pulse into a first portion and a second portion. A prism receives, refracts, and subsequently emits the first portion of the electromagnetic radiation pulse. A directing element is arranged to direct the first and second portions of the electromagnetic radiation pulse parallel to a common optical axis. The first portion combines with the second portion to form a combined radiation beam pulse. The combined radiation beam pulse has a longer pulse duration than the divided electromagnetic pulse and experiences no corresponding loss in intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Hako Botma
  • Patent number: 7710655
    Abstract: A display system includes an angle-mapped display engine operable to launch angle-mapped image-bearing rays through an image-guiding substrate for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark O. Freeman, Karlton D. Powell
  • Patent number: 7701638
    Abstract: A rotatable optical beamsplitter comprises an optically-transparent material and a partially-reflective layer. The optically-transparent material has a unitary spherical exterior surface. The partially-reflective layer is located at least partially within the optically transparent material. The spherically shaped optical beamsplitter demonstrates reduced optical distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Gorden Videen
  • Patent number: 7688515
    Abstract: A beam splitting module is disposed on a base plate of a light source system, and includes a supporting wall, a beam splitting lens, and a biasing member. The supporting wall has a first wall surface, and is disposed on the base plate such that the first wall surface extends perpendicularly from the base plate. The beam splitting lens has a first lens surface disposed adjacent to the first wall surface of the supporting wall, and a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface. The biasing member is secured to the base plate, and is disposed adjacent to the second lens surface of the beam splitting lens for urging the beam splitting lens toward the supporting wall such that the first lens surface of the beam splitting lens abuts against the first wall surface of the supporting wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Young Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Chang Lee, Hung-Ying Lin
  • Patent number: 7684451
    Abstract: An optical transmitter module includes a semiconductor laser for outputting forward outgoing light and backward outgoing light, a temperature control device for controlling a temperature of the semiconductor laser, a beam splitter plate for receiving incidence of the backward outgoing light and outputting split light, which is reflected part of the backward outgoing light and transmitted light, which is part of the backward outgoing light, a first photoelectric conversion element for converting the split light into an electric signal. The beam splitter plate includes an anti-stray-light structure for preventing the transmitted light reflected by an incident surface of a wavelength filter from entering the first photoelectric conversion element through a side end surface portion of the beam splitter plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Satou
  • Publication number: 20100067110
    Abstract: There is provided an optical device, including a light-transmitting substrate (20) having an input aperture and first and second major surfaces (26, 32) parallel to each other and edges, one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate which is non-parallel to the major surfaces of the substrate and an optical arrangement having an output aperture for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection. The optical arrangement for coupling light is located outside of the substrate, the output aperture is optically attached to the input aperture of the substrate and the part of the substrate located next to the substrate input aperture, is substantially transparent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: LU
    Inventors: Mali Hadad, Yaakov Amitai
  • Patent number: 7675013
    Abstract: An image displaying apparatus displays a color image with favorable quality on a predetermined surface. A light source unit emits light beams within different wavelength ranges optically modulated by image information. A light combining unit combines light beams from the light source unit into a light beam. A scanning unit scans a scanned surface with the light beam from the light combining unit and forms an image thereon. A controlling unit synchronously controls the scanning unit and the light source unit. A dividing unit divides a light beam into more than one light beam within an arbitrary optical path on light-incident side of the scanning unit. A receiving unit and adjustment unit adjust quantity of light emission of one or more light source units based on the light quantity received by the receiving unit on one of the optical paths divided by the dividing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Kobayashi, Keiichiro Ishihara, Yashuhiro Soeda
  • Publication number: 20100053762
    Abstract: A one-way display system includes a partially reflective screen with a first image, and a partially absorptive screen with a second image that is an inverse of the first image. The two screens can be stacked on top of each other or separated by a small distance. A portion of ambient light on a first side of the display system passes through the partially reflective screen and exits as intermediate light. A portion of the intermediate light passes through the partially absorptive screen and exits as transmitted light to a second side of the display system. The transmitted light is spatially and chromatically uniform like the ambient light. This allows observers on the second side to see objects on the first side without the first image, and observers on the first side to see the first image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: EMISCAPE, INC.
    Inventors: Cang V. Quach, Donald L. Alvarez
  • Patent number: 7672056
    Abstract: A wavefront correction system using a dual frequency liquid crystal spatial light modulator to vary phase relationships of a wavefront is disclosed. A light beam from the dual frequency liquid crystal spatial light modulator can be split into a reference beam and a plurality of measurement beams to enhance a speed and/or accuracy of phase measurement. A temperature of the dual frequency liquid crystal spatial light modulator can be sensed to facilitate temperature control and/or temperature compensation, so as to enhance the accuracy associated with use of the crossover frequency used to control the dual frequency liquid crystal spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Maram, Jeffrey H. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20100046075
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, an optical relay comprises a partially-reflective-coated Fresnel lens or similar low-profile lens such as a diffractive lens or a holographic lens having a first index of refraction and a filler medium having a second index of refraction and being disposed adjacent to the Fresnel lens. The optical relay enables the optical power of the Fresnel or similar low-profile lens embedded within the two layers to influence a beam that is reflected from the optical relay while allowing transmitted light to experience little or no influence from the embedded lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: MICROVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Karlton D. Powell, Mark O. Freeman, David Scott Wright
  • Patent number: 7653268
    Abstract: A substrate guided relay (600) includes an input coupler (601), an output coupler (603), and an optical substrate (602). Light is delivered from the input coupler (601) to the optical substrate (602), and then to the output coupler (603). Partially reflective coatings can be used at interfaces (606,607) between components. Partially reflective coatings or other devices (501) can be also used to create one or more copies of light. Light polarization alteration devices (661,662,663,664,665) can be used within the substrate guided relay (600), alone or in combination, to tailor the polarization of light to the designer's needs. Such devices, such as half-wave plates, provide the designer with increased flexibility regarding the design and manufacture of the substrate guided relay (600).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Dean DeJong
  • Patent number: 7652823
    Abstract: A non-polarizing beam splitter has a first prism; one or more ground layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on a slant face of the first right angle prism; an Au layer having thickness of 13 to 35 nm which is formed on the ground layer; one or more protective layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on the Au layer; and a second prism which is jointed to an outermost layer of the protective layer via adhesive. The non-polarizing beam splitter divides light at wavelength of 640 nm to 820 nm into transmission light and reflection light by a predetermined ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Jidai, Iwao Usui, Toshiya Kawanishi