Patents Assigned to Facebook
  • Patent number: 11150480
    Abstract: The disclosed head-mounted display systems may include an optical element supported by a head-mounted display frame, a projector mounted to the head-mounted display frame, and at least one voice coil actuator mounted on the head-mounted display frame. The projector may be configured to project, via the optical element, an image toward an eye of a user of the head-mounted display system. The at least one voice coil actuator may be coupled to at least one of the projector or the optical element. When actuated, the at least one voice coil actuator may translate at least one of the projector or the optical element in at least one direction relative to the head-mounted display frame. Various other methods, systems, and methods of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11150737
    Abstract: The disclosed wrist-tracking apparatus includes (1) a wristband dimensioned to be donned on a wrist of a user of an artificial reality system and (2) a set of Time of Flight (ToF) sensors coupled to the wristband, wherein each of the ToF sensors comprises (A) an emitter that emits a modulated pulse of energy, (B) a receiver that facilitates detecting a reflection of the modulated pulse of energy, and (C) a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the emitter and the receiver, wherein the processing circuit calculates a time of flight for the modulated pulse of energy based at least in part on the modulated pulse of energy and the reflection. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Farshid Salemi Parizi, Wolf Kienzle, Eric Michael Whitmire
  • Patent number: 11150605
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system may generate a hologram by processing a first image using a machine-learning model. The system may generate a second image based on at least a portion of the hologram using a processing model that is configured to simulate interactions between a light source and the hologram. The system may compare the second image to the first image to calculate a loss based on a loss function. The system may update the machine-learning model based on the loss between the first image and the second image. The updated machine-learning model is configured to process one or more input images to generate one or more corresponding holograms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lei Xiao, Andrew Maimone, Robin Joseph Swanson, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11150782
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing content channels available to a user, where each content channel includes a communication space with at least one specified type of content and an audience with various audience members. The method may also include generating a channel overview that provides context information related to the content channels available to the user. The channel overview may include a navigable list of the accessed content channels. The method may further include receiving a selection input indicating that a specified content channel has been selected from the channel overview. The method may also include navigating to the selected content channel from the channel overview. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Joseph Roark Underwood, Geoff David Joseph Teehan, George Lewis Kedenburg, III, Jason Holland
  • Patent number: 11150473
    Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Tanya Malhotra, Weichuan Gao, Ying Geng, Babak Amirsolaimani
  • Patent number: 11150800
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) monitoring, at a computing device via one or more sensors, positions of one or more fingers of a user relative to an opposing thumb of the user, (2) detecting, while monitoring the positions, a pinch gesture of the one or more fingers, (3) determining one or more user inputs to which at least the pinch gesture has been mapped, and (4) performing, at the computing device, a user-input operation based on the one or more user inputs. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Longest
  • Patent number: 11150977
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for remediating computing resources may include (i) detecting a failure in a computer peripheral device and (ii) performing a remediation action in response to detecting the failure in the computer peripheral device. The remediation action may include selectively modifying a signal to a computing bus to which the computer peripheral device is connected. Selectively modifying the signal to the computing bus may simulate both unplugging the computer peripheral device from the computing bus without physically removing the computer peripheral device and also plugging back the computer peripheral device into the computing bus without physically reinserting the computer peripheral device into the computing bus. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Christopher Van Der Westhuizen
  • Patent number: 11153728
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving current session information associated with a first user from a beacon associated with a third-party content provider, wherein the current session information indicates that a first client system of the first user is in an active wireless communication session with the beacon, accessing session information associated with one or more second users, wherein each second user is within a threshold geographical distance of the beacon, selecting one or more of the one or more second users based on the accessed session information, wherein the accessed session information associated with each of the selected second users indicates that a second client system associated with the selected second user is not in a wireless communication session with the beacon, and sending a notification referencing the selected one or more second users to the first client system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James LeBeau, Samuel Wharton Lessin, Joseph David Barillari, Amir Shimoni, Arlene Gabriana Murillo, Mateusz Marek Niewczas, Manish Modi, Caitlin E. Kalinowski
  • Patent number: 11153726
    Abstract: Techniques for enhancing group communication on a device are described. A method may include presenting a message in a message portion of a user interface (UI) for a group communication application executing on a first device, where the group communication application communicates messages among multiple devices. The method may further include monitoring an input component for the first device and detecting a first control directive from the input component. The first control directive may select a message displayed in the message portion of the user interface. The method may further include performing a pin operation on the selected message; and presenting the pinned message in a banner portion of the UI. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent Charles Cheung, Connie Yeewei Ho, Daniel Tsuan
  • Patent number: 11152533
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for utilizing an etchant-accessible carrier substrate that enables etching through the carrier substrate. More particularly, an etchant is provided access to the adhesive layer via the etchant-accessible carrier substrate via one or more holes in the etchant-accessible carrier substrate. The size and/or pattern of the holes may vary, depending on desired functionality. The etching process may be optionally stopped prior to the removal of all of the adhesive layer such that at least a portion of the adhesive layer remains, which can help ensure the light-emitting structures do not slip off of the etchant-accessible carrier substrate as the etchant-accessible carrier substrate is moved from one location to another during the fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Bryce Thompson, Daniel Brodoceanu, Pooya Saketi
  • Patent number: 11150795
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can provide a first interface in which a content feed of a first user is presented. The content feed can include one or more content items that were posted by other users, and the first interface being presented on a display screen of a computing device. A determination is made that the first user has performed at least one operation to scroll a content item included in the content feed, the content item being posted by a second user. A second interface is provided through which at least one content item included in an account feed of the second user is presented. The account feed including one or more content items that were posted by the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Barton Dickens, William Samuel Bailey
  • Patent number: 11150482
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a virtual content to a physical object is described. A processor includes an augmented reality application. The augmented reality application creates virtual content at the head mounted device, and associates the virtual content with predefined conditions based on data from sensors embedded in the head mounted device at a time of creation of the virtual content. The virtual content is displayed in a display of the head mounted device in response to sensor data satisfying the predefined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Mullins, Matthew Kammerait
  • Patent number: 11150730
    Abstract: The disclosed human computer interface (HCI) system may include (1) at least one processor, (2) a plurality of sensors that detect one or more neuromuscular signals from a forearm or wrist of a user, and (3) memory that stores (A) one or more trained inferential models that determine an amount of force associated with the one or more neuromuscular signals and (B) computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to (I) identify the amount of force determined by the one or more trained inferential models, (II) determine that the amount of force satisfies a threshold force value, and in accordance with the determination that the amount of force satisfies the threshold force value, (III) generate a first input command for the HCI system. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Anderson, Adam Berenzweig, Scott Draves, Daniel Wetmore
  • Patent number: 11150394
    Abstract: Techniques for fabricating a slanted structure are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a slanted surface-relief structure in a material layer includes forming a thin hard mask on top of an intermediate mask layer, etching the intermediate mask layer at a slant angle using the thin hard mask to form a slanted intermediate mask, and etching the material layer at the slant angle using the slanted intermediate mask to form the slanted surface-relief structure in the material layer. The intermediate mask layer is characterized by an etch rate greater than an etch rate of the material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11148377
    Abstract: A curable liquid is provided to a mold having a rigid surface disposed opposite a deformable surface. The curable liquid contacts the rigid surface and the deformable surface. The deformable surface is shaped according to a surface profile by driving actuators configured to move the deformable surface. The curable liquid is cured while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Katherine Marie Smyth, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Kurt Allen Jenkins, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao
  • Patent number: 11153512
    Abstract: An eye is illuminated with light propagating substantially normal to a pupil plane of the eye. Illuminating the eye includes illuminating an ellipsoidal combiner that has a foci at a center of rotation of the eye. The light propagates through the pupil to become incident on the retina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11151916
    Abstract: Techniques are described for operating a display comprising an array of emitters arranged in at least one column. A data shifting circuit stores digital data or an analog representation thereof in a first storage element. The data shifting circuit outputs the digital data or analog representation multiple times to a display driver circuit, using a multiplexer. The first storage element can be a shift register or a capacitor. Digital data can be internally shifted within the data shifting circuit, through multiple shift registers, prior to output to the display driver circuit. An analog representation can be stored and read from the same capacitor without internal shifting. The display driver circuit drives a different emitter of the column each time. A scanning assembly including a reflective surface that receives light from the emitter array forms an output image by rotating the reflective surface in synchronization with driving of the emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William Thomas Blank, Ilias Pappas
  • Patent number: 11150865
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are configured to receive metadata for audio content associated with an audio content item for presentation in a news feed to be displayed on a screen of a computing device associated with a user. The metadata is transformed for display in the audio content item. The transformed metadata is displayed in the audio content item. In addition, systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are configured to present an audio content item in a news feed to be displayed on a screen of a computing device associated with a user. An input by the user for scrolling the news feed and the audio content item on the screen is received. A pop out player is presented in response to disappearance of the audio content item from the screen based on the scrolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Matthew Quirino, Michael Luis Cerda, Holly Marie Ormseth
  • Patent number: 11144115
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are related to a system and a method for porting a physical object in a physical space into a virtual reality. In one approach, the method includes detecting an input device in a physical space relative to a user of the input device. In one approach, the method includes presenting, by a display device to the user, a virtual model of the detected input device in a virtual space at a location and an orientation. The location and the orientation of the virtual model in the virtual space may correspond to a location and an orientation of the input device in the physical space relative to the user. In one approach, the method includes visually providing relative to the virtual model in the virtual space, through the display device, spatial feedback on the user's interaction with the input device in the physical space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Herling, Adrian Brian Ratter
  • Patent number: D933696
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Joseph Roark Underwood, Geoff David Joseph Teehan, George Lewis Kedenburg, III, Jason Holland