Patents Examined by Erin R Garber
-
Patent number: 12270946Abstract: The design of an existing air-to-air missile seeker is adapted to new missions that require both active laser illumination and detection (passive or active) capabilities. The gimbal is used to point the laser beam to a desired location in a transmit FOR. This approach minimizes the size, weight and power of the sensor because only a small portion of the transmit FOR is illuminated at any instant. This minimizes the laser output required, which reduces the power to operate the laser and the power to maintain the laser at operating temperature. In existing seekers, the gimbal points the detector in the desired direction to expand its FOR. To address the limitations of coupling the laser beam into the gimbaled optical system, the gimbal cannot perform the steering function for the detector. Instead, a staring detector receives light through an off-gimbal aperture within a fixed receive FOR that overlaps the transmit FOR.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Gerald P. Uyeno, Eric Rogala, Mark K. Lange, Sean D. Keller, Vanessa Reyna, Benn H. Gleason, Craig O. Shott, Garret A. Odom, Jon E. Leigh
-
Patent number: 12270760Abstract: A cap for a light emitter and/or light receiver of a smoke detector for eliminating a direct line of sight between the light emitter and the light receiver is disclosed. The cap comprises an enclosure of a predefined profile having a predetermined open area at a predetermined position on the enclosure, which is adapted to be removably fitted over one or more of the light emitter and/or the light receiver. The cap upon fitting over any of the light emitter and the light receiver, the cap blocks a direct line of sight between the light emitter and the light receiver and allows the light receiver to receive only the light being reflected by smoke and a predefined amount of clean air signal present within the smoke detector.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2023Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATIONInventors: Jacob Kerling, Slade Culp
-
Patent number: 12272758Abstract: Structures for a photodetector or light absorber and methods of forming a structure for a photodetector or light absorber. The structure includes a pad, a waveguide core adjoined to the pad, and a light-absorbing layer on the pad. The waveguide core includes a first longitudinal axis, and the light-absorbing layer includes a second longitudinal axis and an end surface intersected by the second longitudinal axis. The end surface of the light-absorbing layer is positioned adjacent to the waveguide core. The first longitudinal axis of the first waveguide core is inclined relative to the second longitudinal axis of the light-absorbing layer and/or the end surface slanted relative to the second longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2021Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.Inventors: Asif J. Chowdhury, Yusheng Bian, Abdelsalam Aboketaf, Andreas D. Stricker
-
Patent number: 12266676Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to the present embodiment includes a semiconductor region and an antireflection film. In the semiconductor region, a blue photodiode that detects blue light, a green photodiode that detects green light, and a red photodiode that detects red light are arranged. The antireflection film includes a first insulating film disposed on the semiconductor region and a second insulating film disposed on the first insulating film and having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the first insulating film. At least one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film has a film thickness in a region through which light received by the blue photodiode is transmitted thinner than a film thickness in a region through which light received by the green photodiode is transmitted.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2023Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventor: Yuexing Zheng
-
Patent number: 12261181Abstract: A semiconductor package may include an image sensor chip, a transparent substrate spaced apart from the image sensor chip, a joining structure in contact with a top surface of the image sensor chip and a bottom surface of the transparent substrate, on an edge region of the top surface of the image sensor chip, and a circuit substrate electrically connected to the image sensor chip. The image sensor chip may include a penetration electrode which penetrates at least a portion of an internal portion of the image sensor chip, and a terminal pad, which is on the edge region of the top surface of the image sensor chip and is electrically connected to the penetration electrode. The joining structure may include a spacer and an adhesive layer. The joining structure may overlap the terminal pad. The spacer is between the transparent substrate and the terminal pad.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2023Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Woonbae Kim
-
Patent number: 12259376Abstract: In one example, a system for evaluating an agricultural material is provided. The system comprising: a housing having a passage in or through an interior of the housing with an inlet for receiving agricultural material and an outlet for outputting the agricultural material; a wall opening in a wall of the passage; and an imaging device having a window located within a border, the imaging device having a removable portion with at least one of a moisture absorbing material, a heat source, and an anti-fog agent within the removable portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2021Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: Deer & CompanyInventors: Bret M. Culpepper, James M. Hershbarger, James K. Pettit, Steven Coughlen
-
Patent number: 12243947Abstract: Distance measurement accuracy is improved.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventors: Shinichiro Yagi, Toshifumi Wakano
-
Patent number: 12235138Abstract: An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements normally associated with smaller tuning ranges.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Froggatt, Dawn K. Gifford, Alexander K. Sang
-
Patent number: 12226187Abstract: An optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit a first light pulse and a second light pulse toward a target, a detector, and a processing unit. The first light pulse has a first wavelength and the second light pulse has a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The processing unit is configured to determine a plurality of temporal distributions of photons included in the first light pulse and the second light pulse and detected by the detector after the photons are scattered by the target, and determine, based on the plurality of temporal distributions and a source-detector distance estimation model, a distance between the light source and the detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2024Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: HI LLCInventors: Ryan Field, Katherine Perdue, Hamid Dehghani
-
Patent number: 12230663Abstract: An electronic device is provided and includes an image sensor including a plurality of unit pixels including a first unit pixel and a second unit pixel, the first unit pixel including a first micro-lens, a first color filter disposed under the first micro-lens, and a first photodiode-array disposed under the first color filter and including a plurality of photodiodes arranged in a same number of columns and rows as each other, and the second unit pixel including a second micro-lens, a second color filter disposed under the second micro-lens and having a different color from that of the first color filter, and a second photodiode-array disposed under the second color filter and including a plurality of photodiodes arranged in a same number of columns and rows as each other; and a processor operatively coupled with the image sensor, wherein the processor is configured to identify a mode corresponding to an auto-focus function; if the mode is identified as a first mode, perform the auto-focus function based at lType: GrantFiled: April 10, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Dongsoo Kim, Hwayong Kang, Yeongeun Kim, Minyoung Park, Youngkwon Yoon, Hyeoncheol Jo
-
Patent number: 12199117Abstract: The present description concerns a pixel array comprising one or a plurality of pixels (PIX1). Each pixel comprises a first transistor having its control node coupled to a photodiode, a first main conduction node coupled to a first output voltage rail (VS), and a second main conduction node coupled to a second voltage rail (VCS). The array comprises a variable impedance (404) coupling the first voltage rail (VS) to a first power supply rail (VDD) and a current source (402) coupling the second voltage rail (VCS) to a second power supply rail (GND), the variable impedance (404) being controlled based on a voltage on the second voltage rail (VCS). The array comprises a first switch (4002) coupling the second voltage rail (VCS) to a third voltage rail (VINIT1).Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2023Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventor: François Ayel
-
Patent number: 12201023Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support and a thermoelectric-conversion material section including first material layers, second material layers, and a third material layer. Each of the first material layers may have a first region including a first end portion and a second region including a second end portion. Each of the second material layers may have a third region including a third end portion and a fourth region including a fourth end portion. The first region and the second region are electrically connected to the third region and the fourth region, respectively, such that the plurality of first material layers and the plurality of second material layers are alternately connected in series to each other. The third material layer is disposed between the first region and the third region.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kyohei Kakuyama, Kotaro Hirose, Masahiro Adachi
-
Patent number: 12176366Abstract: An image sensor that provides a uniform sensitivity for pixels having color filters of the same color to increase the image quality is provided. The image sensor includes a substrate, a first grid pattern disposed on the substrate and including a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall, a first pixel including a first photoelectric conversion element and a first color filter, and a second pixel including a second photoelectric conversion element and a second color filter. The first color filter contacts the first side wall and the second color filter contacts the second side wall. The first color filter and the second color filter are color filters of same color, and a first thickness of the first color filter is greater than a second thickness of the second color filter.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2021Date of Patent: December 24, 2024Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Dong Min Keum, Yun Ki Lee, Jun Sung Park, Dong Kyu Lee, Bum Suk Kim, Kwang Hee Lee, Tae Sung Lee
-
Patent number: 12164177Abstract: An imaging apparatus according to the present technology includes an imaging element including a light shielding pixel and a photodiode division pixel, and a defocus amount calculation unit that calculates a defocus amount using at least one of an output signal of the light shielding pixel and an output signal of the photodiode division pixel on the basis of an exposure amount.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2020Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: Sony Group CorporationInventor: Shinichi Fujii
-
Patent number: 12164070Abstract: A photon detection device including: a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) configured to generate a detected signal when the SiPM absorbs a photon; an amplifier; and a transmission line stub between the SiPM and amplifier input. The SiPM connection is configured to transmit the detected signal to the amplifier and a transmission line stub is also configured to receive the SiPM signal and generate a time-delayed reflected signal back into the amplifier input; wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify a combination of the detected signal and the time-delayed reflected signal. The end of the transmission line stub is terminated with a complex impedance that can simultaneously absorb some components of the SiPM pulse response, and reflect others.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2021Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventor: Bill Radtke
-
Patent number: 12140774Abstract: An afocal sensor assembly detects a light beam with an aberrated wavefront. The afocal sensor assembly is configured to provide sorted four-dimensional (4D) light field information regarding the light beam, for example, via one or more plenoptic images. Based on the 4D light field information, a lossy reconstruction of an aberrated wavefront for one or more actuators of an adaptive optics (AO) device is performed. The AO device can be controlled based on the lossy reconstruction to correct the wavefront of the light beam. In some embodiments, the aberrated wavefront is due to passage of the light beam through atmospheric turbulence, and the lossy reconstruction and correction using the AO device is performed in less than 1.0 ms. The lossy reconstruction of the aberrated wavefront can have a phase accuracy in a range of ?/2 to ?/30.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2021Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Chensheng Wu, Jonathan Ko, John R. Rzasa, Christopher C. Davis, Daniel Paulson
-
Patent number: 12125659Abstract: Image intensifier systems incorporating a microchannel plate (MCP) and methods for producing the same are disclosed. In some examples, a device is disclosed that includes a first substrate having a radiation-receiving first surface and an opposed second surface through which electromagnetic radiation is transmitted. A second substrate is coupled to the first substrate to define a vacuum cavity therebetween. An electron-emitting photocathode is disposed within the vacuum cavity for generating electrons from electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the second surface. A microchannel plate is disposed within the vacuum cavity and defines microchannels extending from an input end to an output end. Each of the microchannels is configured to generate electrons in response to an electron generated by the photocathode being received through the input end of the respective microchannel.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2022Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: SIONYX, LLCInventors: Martin U. Pralle, Christopher Vineis
-
Patent number: 12117525Abstract: A presence detection system includes a presence detection field of an amusement park attraction, multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, and a controller. The multiple transmitters send multiple light beams of multiple wavelengths and the multiple receivers receive the multiple light beams of the multiple wavelengths. The controller receives input from the multiple transmitters and receivers and determines presence of an object in the presence detection field based on an interruption of the multiple light beams as indicated by the input. The controller also determines reflected light beams of the multiple wavelengths, absorbed light beams of the multiple wavelengths, or both, based on the input. The controller determines the object as a known object or an unknown object based at least in part on the reflected light beams, the absorbed light beams, or both.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2022Date of Patent: October 15, 2024Assignee: Universal City Studios LLCInventor: Benjamin Robert Clark
-
Patent number: 12104949Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a controller circuitry having an input connected to a photodiode of an optoelectronic circuitry and an output connected to a biasing circuitry, the biasing circuitry having an input connected to the output of the controller circuitry, the controller circuitry configured to transmit a transimpedance control signal code to the biasing circuitry configured to cause the biasing circuitry to offset a DC current component of the output of the photodiode.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2023Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Zhaowen Wang, Mayank Raj
-
Patent number: 12107108Abstract: Techniques for realizing compound semiconductor (CS) optoelectronic devices on silicon (Si) substrates for mobile applications are disclosed. The integration platform is based on heteroepitaxy of CS materials and device structures on Si by direct heteroepitaxy on planar Si substrates or by selective area heteroepitaxy on dielectric patterned Si substrates. Following deposition of the CS device structures, device fabrication steps can be carried out using Si complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication techniques to enable large-volume manufacturing. The integration platform can enable manufacturing of optoelectronic devices including photodetector arrays for image sensors and vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2022Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Aeluma, Inc.Inventor: Jonathan Klamkin