Patents Examined by Georgia Y. Epps
  • Patent number: 12204082
    Abstract: A light microscope has a light source for illuminating a specimen, a sensor array comprised of photon-counting detector elements for measuring detection light coming from the specimen, and a control device for controlling the sensor array. The control device is configured for flexibly binning the photon-counting detector elements into one or more super-pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
    Inventors: Tiemo Anhut, Daniel Schwedt, Ivan Michel Antolovic, Claudio Bruschini, Edoardo Charbon
  • Patent number: 12193846
    Abstract: An ambient light cancellation circuit functions as a Kth-order filter to filter out an ambient light signal of the detection signal, wherein the K is not fewer than two. The circuit includes a capacitive transimpedance amplifying circuit including an amplifier, a capacitor circuit, and a switch circuit. The capacitor circuit includes one or more capacitive paths coupled in parallel. The switch circuit couples the amplifier with the capacitor circuit in a non-cross manner or a cross manner. The non-cross manner is applied N times to let the capacitor circuit sample the detection signal N times while the detection signal includes a controllable-light signal and the ambient light signal; and the cross manner is applied M times to let the capacitor circuit sample the inversion of the detection signal M times while the detection signal includes the ambient light signal without the controllable-light signal, wherein (N+M) equals (K+1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tzu-Hsuan Yang, Ming-Chih Kuan
  • Patent number: 12196608
    Abstract: A light-out detection device includes a mounting structure with a sensor for measuring a light output, wherein the mounting structure is configured as retrofittable structure to mount at a front side of a signal, a processor board with an actuator, the processor board being operably coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the processor board is configured to control the actuator such that the actuator switches from a first state to a second state when the measured light output is less than a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc.
    Inventor: Dustin Ferrone
  • Patent number: 12196610
    Abstract: A photodetecting device is provided. The photodetecting device includes a silicon substrate, a germanium absorption region, and a plurality of microstructures. The silicon substrate includes a first surface and a second surface. The germanium absorption region is formed proximal to the first surface of the silicon substrate, and the germanium absorption region is configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers. The plurality of microstructures are formed over the second surface of the silicon substrate, and the plurality of microstructures are configured to direct an optical signal towards the germanium absorption region. A system including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: ARTILUX, INC.
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng Lu, Yun-Chung Na, Shu-Lu Chen, Chien-Yu Chen, Szu-Lin Cheng, Chung-Chih Lin, Yu-Hsuan Liu
  • Patent number: 12189028
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a signal conversion circuit configured to convert a sensing current provided from a sensing element into a sensing voltage; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the sensing voltage to a digital value; and a driving circuit configured to drive a light emitting element, wherein the ADC generates a digital value corresponding to proximity to an object by performing a primary operation comparing a ramp signal varying with time and the sensing voltage while the light emitting element is not driven and a secondary operation comparing the ramp signal and the sensing voltage while the light emitting element is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Hyunjong Kim, Cyuyeol Rhee, Suhwan Kim
  • Patent number: 12188813
    Abstract: A system and method evaluate the efficiency of circadian-effective luminaires. Such circadian-effective luminaires affect the master biological clock in the brain, which regulates the daily timings of behavioral activities and physiological functions. Disruption of circadian rhythms can lead to poor performance and poor health, while consistent exposure to bright days and dim nights is necessary for circadian entrainment, and thus for good sleep and good health. The system and method provide a standard test for assessing the efficiency of luminaires for providing circadian-effective light to building occupants. The system and method measure and quantify luminaire efficiency based on the electrical watts needed, termed SOWatt, to reach a circadian stimulus (CS) criterion of 0.3 at the eyes of a standard observer (SO). The system and method can be applied to ceiling mounted, accent, and table-top luminaires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    Inventors: Mark S. Rea, Mariana Figueiro, Allison Lyn Thayer, Charles Jarboe, Andrew Bierman
  • Patent number: 12181337
    Abstract: The present application discloses an apparatus and method configured to measure characteristics of high power beams of laser energy used in material processing. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment separated from each other to reduce the transfer of thermal energy between them. Optical modules having optical sensors configured to measure characteristics of the high power beam are mounted in the first compartment. A removable and replaceable beam dump configured to absorb most of the high power beam is positioned in the second compartment. The removability/replaceability of the beam dump enables operation of the apparatus without active cooling of the beam dump assembly, simplifying the apparatus and protecting the optical sensors in the first compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: OPHIR OPTRONICS SOLUTIONS LTD.
    Inventors: Oleg Zinoviev, Karol Sanilevici, Alexandr Superfin
  • Patent number: 12174061
    Abstract: A wireless battery-powered daylight sensor for measuring a total light intensity in a space is operable to transmit wireless signals using a variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The sensor comprises a photosensitive circuit, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the wireless signals, a controller coupled to the photosensitive circuit and the wireless transmitter, and a battery for powering the photosensitive circuit, the wireless transmitter, and the controller. The photosensitive circuit is operable to generate a light intensity control signal in response to the total light intensity in the space. The controller transmits the wireless signals in response to the light intensity control signal using the variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The variable transmission rate may be dependent upon an amount of change of the total light intensity in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: James P. Steiner, Greg Edward Sloan, Nathan A. Boring
  • Patent number: 12130507
    Abstract: A reconfigurable optical frequency selective structure having embedded therein: (a) an array of optical antennas for picking up propagating radiation in a visible or infrared frequency region and achieving preferential absorption of electromagnetic energy at a target wavelength k within the region, (b) an array of optical mesa structures of sub-wavelength scale including a phase-change material, the array of optical antennas being disposed atop the array of optical mesa structures respectively; (c) a metal ground plane disposed beneath the array of optical mesa structures, the array of optical mesa structures standing above the ground plane or an interfacial layer and being separated from one another to inhibit parasitic capacitance coupling therebetween; and (d) a plurality of heaters for selectively heating any one of the array of optical mesa structures to cause the phase change material in the selected optical mesa structure to change from an amorphous state, wherein the antenna atop the selected mesa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Chow, Joseph Jensen, Jeong-Sun Moon, Kyung-Ah Son, Ryan Quarfoth
  • Patent number: 12124020
    Abstract: We describe in this application systems and methods for autofocusing in imaging mass spectrometry. The present application describes improvements over current IMS and IMC apparatus and methods through an autofocus component including a plurality of apertures in the autofocus system, such as a plurality of apertures arranged in 2 dimensions. As a plurality of apertures is used, the autofocus system provides redundancy in the event that measurement of focus on the sample from the illuminating radiation passed through one or more of the apertures fails so as to reduce the number of unsuccessful autofocus attempts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: STANDARD BIOTOOLS CANADA INC.
    Inventors: Daaf Sandkuijl, Alexander V. Loboda, Adam Carew, Khashayar Askarpour
  • Patent number: 12126115
    Abstract: A rotatable receptacle and method of assembling and mounting a rotatable receptacle. The receptacle includes an outer ring that has a mounting surface for mounting to a housing, and a rotatable insert that is received in the outer ring. An inner surface of the outer ring surrounds an outer surface of the rotatable insert. The rotatable insert has an electrical face configured to mate with a photoelectric device and an opposite mounting face for mounting to the housing. The rotatable insert is rotatable with respect to the outer ring to orient the rotatable insert in a desired direction for optimal positioning of the photoelectric device. The outer ring and the rotatable insert have corresponding interlocking features configured to fix the rotatable insert in the desired direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: AMPHENOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shan Mugan, Adrian Green
  • Patent number: 12117339
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor including an SPAD pixel array, multiple counters and a processor. The multiple counters count photon events of the SPAD pixel array to output an event-based vision sensor (EVS) frame per EVS period. The processor determines an index state of each pixel of the SPAD pixel array by comparing a counting value of each pixel respectively at a predetermined number of checking points with two predetermined thresholds, and calculates an index change of the index state associated with each pixel between adjacent EVS frames. The processor further changes the EVS period and/or adds a count offset to the counting value of each pixel to improve sensitivity of the event-based vision sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Tso-Sheng Tsai, Kuei-Yang Tseng, Yueh-Lin Chung
  • Patent number: 12111207
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to optical measurement systems that utilize multiple emitters to emit light during a measurement, as well as methods of performing measurements using these optical measurement systems. The optical measurement systems may include a light generation assembly that is configured to generate light via a light source unit, and a photonic integrated circuit that includes a launch group having a plurality of emitters. Each of these emitters is optically coupled to the light generation assembly to receive light generated from the light generation assembly, and may emit this light from a surface of the photonic integrated circuit. The optical measurement system may perform a measurement in which the light generation assembly generates light and each of the plurality of emitters simultaneously emit light received from the light generation assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew A Terrel, David S Gere, Alexander F Sugarbaker, Thomas C Greening, Jason S Pelc, Mark A. Arbore
  • Patent number: 12113526
    Abstract: A high-voltage switch is adapted for use as a medium-voltage direct current circuit breaker, which provides a low-cost, small-footprint device to mitigate system faults. In one example, a method for operating a wideband optical device includes illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with a light within a first range of wavelengths and a first average intensity, allowing a current to propagate therethrough without substantial absorption of the current, illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with light within the first range of wavelengths and a second average intensity that is lower than the first average intensity to allow a sustained current flow though the wide bandgap optical device, and illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with light within a second range of wavelengths to stop or substantially restrict propagation of the current through the wide gap material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Lars F. Voss, Adam M. Conway
  • Patent number: 12094894
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a ramp signal generator circuit, a comparator, a counter and a control circuit. The ramp signal generator circuit is configured to generate a ramp reference signal. The comparator configured to compare a pixel output signal and the ramp reference signal thereby generating a comparator output signal. The counter is coupled to the comparator, and configured to be enabled or disabled in response to the comparator output signal. The control circuit coupled to the comparator, and configured to enable or disable the comparator by a first enable signal, the first enable signal generated in response to at least the comparator output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Yu Chou, Shang-Fu Yeh
  • Patent number: 12085410
    Abstract: A distance measurement accuracy is improved. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a pixel array part in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, in which each of the pixels includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that each photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a charge, a floating diffusion region that accumulates the charge, a plurality of transfer circuits that transfer the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the floating diffusion region, and a first transistor that causes a pixel signal of a voltage value corresponding to a charge amount of the charge accumulated in the floating diffusion region to appear in a signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Sozo Yokogawa, Yusuke Moriyama, Nobuhiro Kawai, Yuhi Yorikado, Fumihiko Koga, Yoshiki Ebiko, Suzunori Endo, Hayato Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 12085441
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for detecting an intensity of ambient light are provided. The method includes: sensing a light intensity of incident light, wherein the incident light includes ambient light passed through the display screen and light leaked from the display screen; obtaining an estimated light intensity of the light leaked from the display screen based on display data of a target region of the display screen; computing based on the estimated light intensity and a temperature compensation coefficient corresponding to a current temperature of the display screen, to obtain a light intensity of the light leaked from the display screen; and obtaining a light intensity of the ambient light passed through the display screen based on the light intensity of the incident light and the light intensity of the light leaked from the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Quan Peng, Shun Li
  • Patent number: 12078829
    Abstract: An optical filter, a sensor device including the optical filter, and a method of fabricating the optical filter are provided. The optical filter includes one or more dielectric layers and one or more metal layers stacked in alternation. The metal layers are intrinsically protected by the dielectric layers. In particular, the metal layers have tapered edges that are protectively covered by one or more of the dielectric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Georg J. Ockenfuss, Tim Gustafson, Jeffrey James Kuna, Markus Bilger, Richard A. Bradley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12072239
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a controller circuitry having an input coupled to a photodiode of an optoelectronic circuitry and an output coupled to a heater of the optoelectronic circuitry, the controller circuitry configured to determine a center frequency of the optoelectronic circuitry based on a shape of an input signal received from the photodiode, and provide a heater signal to the heater based on the shape of the input signal and the center frequency of the optoelectronic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Zhaowen Wang, Mayank Raj, Chuan Xie, Sandeep Kumar, Muqseed Mohammad, Sukruth Pattanagiri Giriyappa, Stanley Y. Chen, Parag Upadhyaya, Yohan Frans
  • Patent number: 12072601
    Abstract: An optical device stack includes at least one of a photodetector or an optical emitter and a metasurface. The metasurface is disposed over a light-receiving surface of the photodetector or a light emission surface of the optical emitter. The metasurface includes a first conductive layer having an electrically-tunable optical property and an array of conductive nanostructures disposed on a first side of the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is disposed on a second side of the first conductive layer. An electrical insulator is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. A change in an electrical bias between the metasurface and the second conductive layer, from a first electrical bias to a second electrical bias, tunes the electrically-tunable optical property from a first state to a second state, and changes an electrically-tunable optical filtering property of the metasurface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jiayu Li, Dawei Lu