Patents Assigned to NORTH INC.
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Patent number: 10571617Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that implement waveguides in curved transparent combiners that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Waveguide structures with in-couplers and out-couplers are integrated with curved eyeglass lenses to provide transparent combiners that substantially match the shape, size, and geometry of conventional eyeglass lenses and can, in some implementations, embody prescription curvatures to serve as prescription eyeglass lenses. The waveguides and in-/out-couplers are planar or curved depending on the implementation. WHUDs that employ such curved transparent combiners are also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventor: Stefan Alexander
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Patent number: 10571703Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods of manufacturing optical engines and laser projectors that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Generally, the optical engines of the present disclosure integrate a plurality of laser diodes (e.g., 3 laser diodes, 4 laser diodes) within a single, hermetically or partially hermetically sealed, encapsulated package. Photonic integrated circuits having grating couplers thereon may be used to wavelength multiplex beams of light emitted by the plurality of laser diodes into a coaxially superimposed aggregate beam. Such optical engines may have various advantages over existing designs including, for example, smaller volumes, better manufacturability, faster modulation speed, etc. WHUDs that employ such optical engines and laser projectors are also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Jörg Pierer, Rony Jose James, Stefan Mohrdiek, Douglas R. Dykaar
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Patent number: 10564418Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices and methods to provide multiple eyeboxes from multiple input pupils. In particular, a projection system can direct light from multiple input pupils to a holographic optical element. The light of each of the input pupils having light beams of different wavelengths. The holographic optical element reflects at least part of the light of the multiple input pupils to form an array of exit pupils.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Eric Tremblay, Mickael Guillaumee, David Ziegler, Christophe Moser, Lucio Kilcher
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Patent number: 10553007Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that display visual symbols are described. A visual symbol has a color and a linewidth. Multiple instances of the symbol are concurrently and progressively drawn, one on top of the other, in the display area of a display device. Each respective instance has a respective intermediate color. The respective intermediate colors combine to produce the color of the symbol where the respective instances overlap in the display area. Each respective instance also has a respective linewidth and the respective linewidths converge to the linewidth of the symbol as each instance is progressively drawn. A backwards progression through the same sequence is employed to regressively undraw a symbol from the display area of the display device. Computer program products comprising processor-executable instructions for performing the methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2018Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: North inc.Inventors: Rachel Kreutzkamp, Ryan Alexander West, Brent Bisaillion, Steven M. Eggert
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Patent number: 10539780Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the position of a MEMS mirror in a MEMS device, wherein the MEMS device comprises, a MEMS mirror, a magnet which provides a magnetic field (B), an actuating means which operatively cooperates with the MEMS mirror so that it can apply a force to the MEMS mirror which can tilt the MEMS mirror about at least one rotational axis when the actuating means is provided with a drive signal, wherein the magnitude force applied by the actuating means to the MEMS mirror is dependent on the amplitude of the drive signal, and a detection coil which is mounted on the MEMS mirror, the method comprising the steps of, detecting a change in the resistance (R) of the detection coil so as to detect a change in temperature of the MEMS mirror; determining the drive signal amplitude required to maintain the MEMS mirror at a predefined angular position (?); providing the actuating means with a drive signal which has an amplitude which is equal to the determiType: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Martin Lemaire, Thierry Barras, Nicolas Abele
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Patent number: 10539925Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for processing holographic recording media. Some embodiments are particularly directed to processing a raw holographic recording medium into an apodized holographic recording medium. For example, a raw holographic recording medium may include a plurality of photosensitive molecules uniformly distributed throughout that are able to record an interference pattern to create a hologram. However, when a photosensitive molecule is desensitized, such as by exposure to incoherent light, its photosensitivity is lost and the molecule may no longer be able to record an interference pattern of coherent light. Various embodiments described herein may include an apodized holographic recording medium that has been exposed to incoherent light in a manner to desensitize some photosensitive molecules therein such that the remaining photosensitive molecules have a non-uniform distribution.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: David Ziegler, Mickael Guillaumee, Christophe Moser
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Patent number: 10540589Abstract: A system for image quality assessment of non-aligned images includes a first deep path portion of a convolutional neural network having a set of parameters and a second deep path portion of the convolutional neural network sharing a set of parameters with the first deep path convolutional neural network. Weights are shared between the first and second deep path convolutional neural networks to support extraction of a same set of features in each neural network pathway. Non-aligned reference and distorted images are respectively provided to the first and second deep paths of the convolutional neural network for processing. A concatenation layer is connected to both the first and second deep paths convolutional neural network, and a fully connected layer is connected to the concatenation layer to receive input from both the first and second deep paths of the convolutional neural network, generating an image quality assessment as a linear regressor and outputting an image quality score.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: DEEP NORTH, INC.Inventors: Jinjun Wang, Yudong Liang
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Patent number: 10540743Abstract: Techniques to pre-warp an image based on an image warping map comprising a number of cells where each cell corresponds to a polynomial approximation for a number of corresponding pixels to be warped are described. An image warping map can be generated by partitioning a per pixel warping map into cells and approximating the pixel movements of each cell with a polynomial function.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Stanislaw Adaszewski, Patrick McGlew
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Patent number: 10534182Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. An infrared laser diode is added to an RGB SLP and an infrared photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the infrared light from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine visible light, infrared light, and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” The HOE may be heterogeneous and multiplexed to apply positive optical power to the visible light and zero or negative optical power to the infrared light.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Stefan Alexander, Jake Chapeskie, Lloyd Frederick Holland, Thomas Mahon
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Patent number: 10527855Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material having a first longitudinal surface positioned opposite a second longitudinal surface across a width of the volume, a liquid crystal in-coupler, a controller to modulate a refractive index of the liquid crystal in-coupler, and an out-coupler. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide on a path that is dependent on the modulated refractive index of the liquid crystal in-coupler and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal reflection between the longitudinal surfaces before being out-coupled by the out-coupler. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Stefan Alexander, Douglas Raymond Dykaar, John Otto Vieth, Timothy Paul Bodiya
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Patent number: 10527856Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for optical engines and laser projectors that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Generally, the optical engines of the present disclosure integrate a plurality of laser diodes (e.g., 3 laser diodes, 4 laser diodes) within a single, hermetically or partially hermetically sealed, encapsulated package. The optical engines include an optical director element that includes a curved reflective surface (e.g., parabolic cylinder) that redirects laser light beams and collimates the same along the fast axes thereof. Such optical engines may have various advantages over existing designs including, for example, smaller volumes, better manufacturability, faster modulation speed, etc. WHUDs that employ such optical engines and laser projectors are also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: North Inc.Inventor: Douglas R. Dykaar
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Patent number: 10516199Abstract: A wearable mobile device may include circuitry for transmissive communication, and a slotted cavity radiator in communication with the circuitry for transmissive communication to transmit or receive transmissive communication. In embodiments, the wearable mobile device may further include a pair of conductive faces between which the circuitry for transmissive communication is positioned and that bound a cavity of the slotted cavity radiator.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2017Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Jose Rodrigo Camacho Perez, Aycan Erentok, Bryce D. Horine, Brian Girvin
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Patent number: 10509155Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that implement waveguides in curved transparent combiners that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Waveguide structures with in-couplers and out-couplers are integrated with curved eyeglass lenses to provide transparent combiners that substantially match the shape, size, and geometry of conventional eyeglass lenses and can, in some implementations, embody prescription curvatures to serve as prescription eyeglass lenses. The waveguides and in-/out-couplers are planar or curved depending on the implementation. WHUDs that employ such curved transparent combiners are also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventor: Stefan Alexander
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Patent number: 10502870Abstract: An optical assembly, and in particular an optical assembly which uses a microlens array or a micromirror array to reduce speckle. It further concerns an optical component which comprises a micromirror array.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2013Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Christophe Le Gros, Jonathan Masson, Lucio Kilcher
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Patent number: 10505338Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for narrow waveband laser diodes are described. The conventional coating on the output facet of a laser diode is replaced with a notch filter coating that is reflective of wavelengths within a narrow waveband around the nominal output wavelength of the laser diode and transmissive of other wavelengths. The notch filter coating ensures the laser diode will lase at the nominal wavelength and not lase for wavelengths outside of the narrow waveband. The notch-filtered laser diode provides a narrow waveband output that is matched to the playback wavelength of at least one hologram in a transparent combiner of a wearable heads-up display, and thereby reduces or eliminates display aberrations that can result from wavelength sensitivity of the playback properties of the hologram.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventor: Douglas R. Dykaar
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Patent number: 10499023Abstract: The present disclosure provides a projection device and manufacturing method, comprising the steps of fixing the positions of a red light source, green light source and blue light source so that the light sources are immovable; providing a mirror which is configured to oscillate such that it can scan light it receives across a display screen; positioning an optical component, which is configured to deflect light, such that it can receive red, green and blue light beams outputted from the red, green and blue light sources respectively; adjusting the optical component such that the optical component compensates for variation between the light sources, in the direction in which the red, green and blue light beams are output from the red, green and blue light sources, so that each of the red, green and blue light beams are directed to the same point on the display screen.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2019Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Lucio Kilcher, Nicolas Abele
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Patent number: 10488661Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. An infrared laser diode is added to an RGB SLP and an infrared photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the infrared light from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine visible light, infrared light, and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” The HOE may be heterogeneous and multiplexed to apply positive optical power to the visible light and zero or negative optical power to the infrared light.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Stefan Alexander, Jake Chapeskie, Lloyd Frederick Holland, Thomas Mahon
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Patent number: 10488662Abstract: Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Lloyd Frederick Holland, Matthew Bailey
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Patent number: 10481401Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for eyebox expansion in wearable heads-up displays (WHUD) are described. A WHUD includes a support structure, a scanning laser projector (SLP), a split mirror, an optical splitter, and a holographic combiner. When the WHUD is worn on the head of a user the holographic combiner is positioned in a field of view of the user. The SLP scans light signals onto the split mirror which reflects the light signals onto the optical splitter. The optical splitter redirects the light signals towards the holographic combiner such that subsets of the light signals originate from spatially-separated virtual positions. The holographic combiner redirects the light to the eye resulting in spatially-separated exit pupils. The spatial separation of the exit pupils results in an expanded eyebox. The indirect path of light from SLP to optical splitter enables a smaller and therefore more aesthetically desirable design for the WHUD.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Ian Andrews, Joshua Moore
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Patent number: 10483715Abstract: Method for mounting a semiconductor laser element (3) into a laser holder (1), comprising the following steps: providing a laser holder (1) comprising a metal body (2) equipped with a substantially cylindrical housing (20) and comprising a frontal end (21) equipped with a first aperture (210) for passage of the laser beam produced by said laser element, and a back end (22) equipped with a second aperture (220) for inserting said laser element (3), said body (2) being passed through by a first group of windows (51, 52) arranged radially in a first plane (P1) perpendicular to the axis (23) of said housing (20), the angular spacing between said windows (51, 52) being regular; inserting said semiconductor laser element (3) into said housing (20); inserting an adhesive (24) for fastening said semiconductor laser element (3) into said windows (51, 52); and simultaneously setting the adhesive in said windows (51, 52) by means of ultraviolet light penetrating simultaneously into said windows (51, 52).Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2015Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: North Inc.Inventors: Lucio Kilcher, Nicolas Abele