Patents Examined by Euncha P. Cherry
  • Patent number: 11526001
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a multi-laser system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the multi-laser system includes a plurality of lasers, a plurality of laser beams, a beam positioning system, a thermally stable enclosure, and a temperature controller. The thermally stable enclosure is substantially made of a material with high thermal conductivity such as at least 5 W/(m K). The thermally stable enclosure can help maintain alignment of the laser beams to a target object over a range of ambient temperatures. Various embodiments of an optical system for directing light for optical measurements such laser-induced fluorescence and spectroscopic analysis are disclosed. In some embodiments, the optical system includes a thermally conductive housing and a thermoelectric controller, a plurality of optical fibers, and one or more optical elements to direct light emitted by the optical fibers to illuminate a flow cell. The housing is configured to attach to a flow cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: IDEX HEALTH & SCIENCE LLC
    Inventors: David E. Hargis, John O'Shaughnessy
  • Patent number: 11528456
    Abstract: A control system for a laser scanning projector includes a mirror controller generating horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals for an oscillating mirror apparatus based upon a mirror clock signal, and laser modulation circuitry. The laser modulation circuitry generates horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals as a function of a received laser clock signal, and generates control signals for a laser that emits a laser beam that impinges on the oscillating mirror apparatus. Synchronization circuitry generates the laser clock signal and sends the laser clock signal to the laser modulation circuitry, receives the horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals from the mirror controller, receives the horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals from the laser modulation circuitry, and modifies the laser clock signal so as to achieve alignment between the horizontal and vertical mirror synchronization signals and the horizontal and vertical laser synchronization signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventor: Elik Haran
  • Patent number: 11520160
    Abstract: An optical module is provided. The optical module includes a first optical element driving mechanism. The first optical element driving mechanism includes a first movable portion, a first fixed portion, and a first driving assembly. The first movable portion connects an optical path adjustment element. The optical path adjustment element is configured to change a transmission direction of incident light to a first direction that is different from the transmission direction. The first fixed potion is polygonal when viewed in the transmission direction. The first movable portion is movable relative to the first fixed portion. The first driving assembly drives the first movable portion to move relative to the first fixed portion. The first driving assembly comprises a shape memory alloy. The first driving assembly is located on a first side of the first fixed portion when viewed in the transmission direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Shu-Shan Chen, Chen-Hsien Fan, Liang-Ting Ho
  • Patent number: 11520119
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to an electronic device accessory and a method of using such electrical device accessory to convert a built-in camera or webcam of the electronic device into an adjustable camera using the mirror reflection, allowing the built-in camera or webcam to operate, for example, as a document camera. The electronic device accessory comprises at least a foldable main body and a mirror adapted to attach to the main body. The electronic device accessory is configured to clip onto the electronic device. The electronic device includes a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a tablet, an e-reader or any other electronic device that has a built-in camera. More particularly, the electronic device accessory is preferably a foldable laptop computer camera accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: IPEVO, INC.
    Inventors: Royce Yu-Chun Hong, Mu Hau Kao
  • Patent number: 11520139
    Abstract: A rotating steering mirror assembly comprising a first wedge rotatable relative to a base and a second wedge rotatable relative to the first wedge to controllably tilt a mirror on an outward- or forward-facing surface of the second wedge. Respective motors can independently rotate the first and second wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dennis J. Adams, Alan F. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 11513339
    Abstract: An optical module includes a support layer, a device layer which is provided on the support layer, and a movable mirror which is mounted in the device layer. The device layer has a mounting region which is penetrated by the movable mirror, and a driving region which is connected to the mounting region. A space corresponding to at least the mounting region and the driving region is formed between the support layer and the device layer. A portion of the movable mirror is positioned in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11513338
    Abstract: A mirror device includes a frame body, a shaft member provided inside the frame body and connected to the frame body at both end portions, and a reflection member fixed to the shaft member and provided so as to be capable of swinging around an axis of the shaft member. The reflection member has a base portion provided along an axial direction of the shaft member and a reflection portion provided on the base portion. The base portion has a three-dimensional uneven structure including a bottom wall portion having a main surface provided along the axial direction of the shaft member and a plurality of side wall portions extending from the bottom wall portion on the side opposite to the reflection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Kazuhiro Hane, Tung Thanh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11513343
    Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing image information of an environment using a laser scanner are described. The systems include a rotatable mirror arranged to direct light received onto an imaging camera of the laser scanner. The mirror is rotatable relative to the imaging camera and the camera is stationary relative to a rotational axis of the mirror. The methods include rotating the mirror relative to the camera and capturing, via the camera, an image containing image information of the received light. Each pixel of the image contains image information of an accumulation of the received light along a corresponding trajectory during a mirror rotation and each individual trajectory has a trajectory that crosses another of the individual trajectories within the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Ludwig Klam
  • Patent number: 11500195
    Abstract: A light path adjustment mechanism includes a support, a carrier, an optical plate member and a plurality of actuators. The carrier is disposed on the support and connected to the support via a first elastic member and a second elastic member. The carrier includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side and a fourth side opposite the third side, and each of the third side and the fourth side is located between the first side and the second side. The actuators are disposed on at most three sides of the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side, and the actuators are disposed at least on the first side and the third side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: YOUNG OPTICS INC.
    Inventor: Wei-Szu Lin
  • Patent number: 11493750
    Abstract: An acquisition and tracking sensor includes a quad detector with a narrow field of view (NFOV) and a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror with a wide field of view (WFOV). The quad detector is placed behind the MEMS mirror to produce a WFOV to allow the quad detector to scan a larger area for the incoming laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinhak Lee, Ryan Michael Miller, Kevin Li Chow, Tuong-vi Thi Tran, Farheen Rizvi
  • Patent number: 11493606
    Abstract: Optical apparatus includes a plurality of emitters arranged in a row and configured to emit respective beams of optical radiation. Projection optics, which are configured to project the beams toward a target, include first cylindrical lenses, which have respective, mutually-parallel first cylinder axes and are aligned respectively with the emitters in the row so as to receive and focus the respective beams in a first dimension, and a second cylindrical lens, which has a second cylinder axis perpendicular to the first cylinder axes and is positioned to receive and focus all of the beams in a second dimension, perpendicular to the first dimension. A scan driver is configured to shift the second cylindrical lens in a direction perpendicular to the second cylinder axis so as to scan the beams across the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: David S. Gere, Brad V. Johnson, Neil MacKinnon, Scott T. Smith, Seyedeh Nasim Habibi
  • Patent number: 11474345
    Abstract: A mirror device includes a support portion, a movable portion, and a pair of torsion bars disposed on both sides of the movable portion on a first axis. The movable portion includes a frame-shaped frame connected to the pair of torsion bars and a mirror unit disposed inside the frame. The mirror unit is connected to the frame in each of a pair of connection regions located on both sides of the mirror unit in a direction parallel to a second axis. A region other than the pair of connection regions in a region between the mirror unit and the frame is a space. An outer edge of the mirror unit and an inner edge of the frame are connected to each other so that a curvature in each of the pair of connection regions is continuous when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first and the second axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Daiki Suzuki, Takuma Osaki
  • Patent number: 11474346
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror that includes a mirror reflection surface, a driving part that drives the mirror, and a fixed frame that supports the mirror via the driving part. The fixed frame includes one or more inspection patterns that are formed while at least one of the mirror and the driving part is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Sudo
  • Patent number: 11460688
    Abstract: A mirror device includes a frame body, a shaft member provided inside the frame body and connected to the frame body, and a reflection member fixed to the shaft member and provided so as to be capable of swinging around an axis of the shaft member. The reflection member has a base portion provided along an axial direction of the shaft member and a reflection portion provided on the base portion. The base portion has a three-dimensional uneven structure including a bottom wall portion having a main surface provided along the axial direction of the shaft member and a plurality of side wall portions extending from the bottom wall portion opposite to the reflection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Kazuhiro Hane
  • Patent number: 11459229
    Abstract: An MMS includes a substrate, an element movable with respect to the substrate and a frame structure. A first pair of springs is arranged between the substrate and the frame structure along a first spring direction. A second pair of springs is arranged between the movable element and the frame structure along a second spring direction. The frame structure is configured to generate tensile stress in the second pair of springs at tensile stress acting in the first pair of springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Peter Duerr, Detlef Kunze, Andreas Gehner, Martin Friedrichs
  • Patent number: 11454804
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a scanning mirror assembly for an optical sensing system. The scanning mirror assembly may include a scanning mirror configured to rotate around an axis of rotation. The scanning mirror assembly may further include a plurality of torsion springs coupled to at least one side of the scanning mirror along the axis of rotation. In certain aspects, the plurality of torsion springs may collectively have a non-linear spring constant and a linear spring constant. In certain other aspects, a ratio of the non-linear spring constant over the linear spring constant may meet a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youmin Wang, Yufeng Wang, Qin Zhou, Gary Li
  • Patent number: 11440509
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing deposits on a lens (11) of a camera (9) of a motor vehicle (1), in which a contaminant present on the lens (11) is removed as the deposit, wherein a cleaning liquid (13) is applied to the lens by means of a washing device (12) for removing the contaminant, wherein a temperature of the lens (11) is determined and the application of the cleaning liquid (13) to the lens (11) is performed depending on the determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Brian Michael Thomas Deegan
  • Patent number: 11428890
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for using circular symmetry to eliminate the angle limitations of an optical axis in a scanned aperture holography system. A Room-sized Holography System may be a scanned aperture holographic video display and may comprise a rotating platform, a telescope comprising a first lens and a second lens, and scanners at the Fourier plane where the focal length of the first lens and the second lens meet. The platform may rotate around an axis aligned with a spatial light modulator. When the platform rotates, the scanners rotate, thereby de-rotating a SAW image. The second lens may be a spherical reflective surface for redirecting light from the spatial light modulator, having passed through the first lens and reflected off a mirror-scanner, toward a user's eyes. The user may be on a chair above the spatial light modulator, wherein the chair is configured to rotate with the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventor: Daniel Smalley
  • Patent number: 11422333
    Abstract: An optical member driving mechanism is provided, including a movable portion, a fixed portion, and a driving assembly. The movable portion is connected to an optical member. The fixed portion has an accommodating space, and the optical member is received in the accommodating space. The movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion. The driving assembly is configured to drive the movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Sheng-Zong Chen, Sung-Mao Tsai, Chen-Chi Kuo
  • Patent number: 11422334
    Abstract: A driving mechanism is provided, including a fixed part, a movable part for holding an optical element, and a driving assembly. The movable part is movable relative to the fixed part and has a first resonance frequency with respect to the fixed part. The driving assembly is configured to drive the movable part to rotate back and forth within a range relative to the fixed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Kai-Jing Fu, Chao-Chang Hu, Min-Hsiu Tsai, Mao-Kuo Hsu, Juei-Hung Tsai