Patents Examined by Georgia Y. Epps
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Patent number: 11614543Abstract: A Lidar system, photonic chip and method of detecting an object. The photonic chip includes a laser and one or more photodetectors. The laser generates a transmitted light beam. The one or more photodetectors are receptive to a reflected light beam that is a reflection of the transmitted light beam from an object and generate an electrical signal as output in response to the reflected light beam signal. An amplifier is configured to amplify a signal related to the reflected light beam to amplify the output signal of the one or more photodetectors. A processor determines a parameter of the object from the amplified output signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Timothy J. Talty, Michael Mulqueen, James Chingwei Li, Ken R. Elliott
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Patent number: 11609116Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an open-loop control circuit (OLCC) configured to determine a photodiode element (PDE) drive voltage as a function of a commanded photodiode gain level and a measured temperature signal. In an illustrative example the OLCC may receive a current temperature of an APD element. The OLCC may, for example, receive a commanded gain for the APD relative to a predetermined reference gain. The OLCC may, for example, retrieve a predetermined efficiency characteristic (PEC) of the APD based on the current temperature. If the temperature corresponds to a substantially non-linear portion of the PEC, the OLCC may, for example, determine the drive voltage as a function of the temperature and the commanded gain based on the PEC. Various embodiments may advantageously provide direct control of output gain of photodiodes over a wide dynamic range of temperature associated with the photodiode.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2021Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: BANNER ENGINEERING CORPInventors: Ashley Wise, Tim Dirks
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Patent number: 11598856Abstract: A receiver assembly for receiving light pulses, a lidar module containing such a receiver assembly, and a method for receiving light pulses are proposed. There is at least one photosensitive receiver (SPAD) therein, which converts the light pulses into an electric signal. An evaluation circuit is connected to the receiver, which determines a distance between the receiver assembly and at least one object that reflects the light pulses from the electric signal, by means of a time-correlated photon counting with at least one histogram, via a time of flight of the light pulse. The evaluation circuit is configured to reduce the resolution of the distance determination starting at no further than a predetermined distance.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Ralf Beuschel, Ünsal Kabuk
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Patent number: 11592329Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a waveform shaping circuit, a reference circuit, and a counter. The waveform shaping circuit is configured to generate a first pulse signal based on a signal output from an avalanche diode. The reference circuit is configured to generate a second pulse signal without depending on incident light. The counter is connected to the waveform shaping circuit and the reference circuit to count a number of occurrences of a pulse signal. The pulse signal is based on at least one of the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal, and is input to the counter.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tatsuya Ryoki, Yukihiro Kuroda
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Patent number: 11590610Abstract: The present invention relates to ultrafast laser inscribed structures for signal concentration in focal plan arrays, focal plan arrays, imaging and/or sensing apparatuses comprising said focal plan arrays, as well as methods of making and/or using ultrafast laser inscribed structures for signal concentration in focal plan arrays, focal plan arrays, imaging and/or sensing apparatuses comprising said focal plan arrays. Such ultrafast laser inscribed structures are particularly adapted to condense broad band radiation, thus allowing increased sensing efficiencies to be obtained from imaging and/or sensing apparatuses. Such ultrafast laser inscribed structures can be efficiently produced by the processes provided herein.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventor: Sean A. McDaniel
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Patent number: 11595603Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup apparatus, a correction method, and an electronic apparatus, enabled to suppress an apparent uncomfortable feeling of an image output from a solid-state image pickup apparatus in which pixels of different OCL shapes are mounted mixedly. A solid-state image pickup apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a pixel array in which a first pixel in which an OCL (On Chip Lens) of a standard size is formed and a second pixel in which an OCL of a size different from the standard size is formed are present mixedly, and a correction section that corrects a pixel value of the first pixel that is positioned in the vicinity of the second pixel among the first pixels on the pixel array. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Takeru Tsuzuki, Katsumi Nishikori
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Patent number: 11588445Abstract: The present disclosure provides for process and temperature compensation in a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) using a dual replica via monitoring an output of a first TIA (transimpedance amplifier) and a second TIA; configuring a first gain level of the first TIA based on a feedback resistance and a reference current applied at an input to the first TIA; configuring a second gain level of the second TIA and a third TIA based on a control voltage; and amplifying a received electrical current to generate an output voltage using the third TIA according to the second gain level. In some embodiments, one or both of the second TIA and the third TIA include a configurable feedback impedance used in compensating for changes in the second gain level due to a temperature of the respective second or third TIA via the configurable feedback impedance of the respective second or third TIA.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.Inventors: Stefan Barabas, Joseph Balardeta, Simon Pang, Scott Denton
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Patent number: 11585903Abstract: Provided is a light emitting device including: a base material mounted on a wiring substrate; a light emitting element array provided on the base material; a first conductive pattern provided on the surface of the base material, the first conductive pattern including a first facing region connected to the light emitting element array, the first facing region being along a side surface of the light emitting element array and facing to the light emitting element array, and a first extending region extended beyond the first facing region; and penetrating members penetrating the base material from the first conductive pattern to a back surface side of the base material, each penetrating member being connected to the first facing region or the first extending region.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Tomoaki Sakita, Satoshi Inada, Takeshi Minamiru, Daisuke Iguchi, Kazuhiro Sakai, Yoshinori Shirakawa
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Patent number: 11585693Abstract: The invention relates to a single photon detector device for detecting an optical signal comprising an optical fiber and at least one nanowire, wherein the optical fiber comprises a core area and a cladding area and is designed to conduct the optical signal along an optical axis, wherein, with respect to the optical axis, a first area of the optical fiber is an entrance area for the optical signal and a second area of the optical fiber is a detector area, and wherein the nanowire becomes superconducting at a predetermined temperature and is designed in the superconducting state to generate an output signal as a function of the optical signal. It is provided that in the detector area of the optical fiber the nanowire extends essentially along the optical axis of the optical fiber. A single photon detector device is thus provided which has a simple structure, a high efficiency, a high detection rate and a high spectral bandwidth.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: WESTFÄLISCHE WILHELMS-UNIVERSITÄT MÜNSTERInventors: Nicolai Walter, Wolfram Pernice, Simone Ferrari
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Patent number: 11578977Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to acquiring aligned geographic coordinates of a vertical position. In one aspect, a vertical navigation system includes a light source to generate a source beam; a beam splitter to generate a first and a second source references derived from the source beam; a hollow retroreflector to produce a first and a second vertical references derived from the first and the second source references; an attitude sensor to capture a plurality of reference stars and to measure a first set of angles for the first vertical reference and a second set of angles for the second vertical reference, the first set of angles and the second set of angles are relative to the plurality of reference stars; and a processor to produce the aligned geographical coordinates using the first set of angles, the second set of angles, a gravity vector measurement and a time signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Optical Physics CompanyInventor: Richard A. Hutchin
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Patent number: 11575060Abstract: A light-receiving element, comprising a plurality of photodiodes formed by stacking in this sequence, a lower reflection mirror, a resonator including a photoelectric conversion layer, and an upper reflection mirror on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of photodiodes share the semiconductor substrate and the lower reflection mirror, the plurality of photodiodes includes a first photodiode having a resonance wavelength ?1 and a second photodiode having a resonance wavelength ?2 that is larger than the resonance wavelength ?1, and a reflectance of the lower reflection mirror has a first peak corresponding to the resonance wavelength ?1 and a second peak corresponding to the resonance wavelength ?2.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Uchida, Takako Suga
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Patent number: 11566939Abstract: A measurement device according to an embodiment includes: a light receiving element (1000) that has flow of current caused by an avalanche multiplication caused according to a photon incidence while being charged to a predetermined potential and is returned to the charged state by a recharge current, a detection unit (1002) that is configured to detect the current and invert an output signal when the current crosses a threshold value, a delay unit (2101, 2102) that is configured to delay timing of the inversion detected by the detection unit, according to a clock, and a control unit (201a) that is configured to control an operation of the light receiving element, based on the timing of the inversion delayed by the delay unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Daisuke Hirono
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Patent number: 11561118Abstract: A state specifying system according to the present disclosure includes a cable (20) disposed in a utility pole (10), the cable (20) containing a communication optical fiber, a receiving unit (331) configured to receive an optical signal from at least one optical fiber contained in the cable (20), and a specifying unit (332) configured to specify a state of the utility pole (10) or an environmental state around the utility pole (10) corresponding to a pattern of the optical signal received by the receiving unit (331).Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: NEC CORPORATIONInventors: Yukihide Yoda, Yoshiaki Aono, Koji Asahi
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Patent number: 11555739Abstract: A detection device includes: detection elements; scan lines coupled to the detection elements and configured to supply drive signals to the detection elements; output signal lines coupled to the detection elements, detection signals from the detection elements being output to the output signal lines; a drive circuit configured to supply the drive signals to the detection elements; and a detection circuit configured to be supplied with the detection signals through the output signal lines. Each detection element includes a photoelectric conversion element, a source follower transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to an electrical charge of the photoelectric conversion element, and a read transistor configured to read the output signal of the source follower transistor and output the detection signal. During a reset period, an initial voltage obtained by superimposing a reference voltage on a threshold voltage of the source follower transistor is applied to the photoelectric conversion element.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventor: Gen Koide
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Patent number: 11543499Abstract: Techniques are described for time-of-fly sensors with hybrid refractive gradient-index optics. Some embodiments are for integration into portable electronic devices with cameras, such as smart phones. For example, a time-of-fly (TOF) imaging subsystem can receive optical information along an optical path at an imaging plane. A hybrid lens can be coupled with the TOF imaging subsystem and disposed in the optical path so that the imaging plane is substantially at a focal plane of the hybrid lens. The hybrid lens can include a less-than-quarter-pitch gradient index (GRIN) lens portion, and a refractive lens portion with a convex optical interface. The portions of the hybrid lens, together, produce a combined focal length that defines the focal plane. The hybrid lens is designed so that the combined focal length is less than a quarter-pitch focal length of the GRIN lens portion and has less spherical aberration than either lens portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Yi He, Bo Pi
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Patent number: 11536832Abstract: This system is directed to a batteryless, self-powered sensor comprising: a microprocessor; a first and second solar panel in electronic communications with the microprocessor; a transceiver in communication with the microprocessor; and a set of computer readable instructions included in the microprocessor adapted for creating motion data including a direction and a speed of movement of object within a first sensing area and a second sensing area, transmitted the motion data to a remote location if sufficient power is provided by the first solar panel to actuate the transceiver and a number of data points in the motion data exceeds a pre-determined number of minimal data points, associating a reduction in power delivered from the first solar panel to the microprocessor with movement and associating an increase in power delivered from the first solar panel to the microprocessor with movement.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Clemson UniversityInventors: Jacob Sorber, Josiah D. Hester, Harsh Desai, Nicole Tobias, Arwa Alsubhi, Taylor Antonio Hardin, Calvin Moody
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Patent number: 11525966Abstract: An optical coupling apparatus is disclosed, including: a monochromatic light source configured to emit monochromatic light; a monochromatic light photodetector configured to receive the monochromatic light; and a monochromatic light transmission medium, wherein at least a portion of the monochromatic light transmission medium is disposed between the monochromatic light source and the monochromatic light photodetector, and the monochromatic light is transmitted to the monochromatic light photodetector via the monochromatic light transmission medium, wherein a wavelength of the monochromatic light is shorter than a wavelength of infrared light. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an optical coupling apparatus with a higher upper limit of operating frequency, which may better meet user requirements.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: NINGBO QUNXIN MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTDInventor: Yang Chao
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Patent number: 11522115Abstract: Conventional readout of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) sets an upper bound on the output voltage to be the product of the bias current and the load impedance, IB×Zload, where Zload is limited to 50? in standard RF electronics. This limit is broken/exceeded by interfacing the 50? load and the SNSPD using an integrated superconducting transmission line taper. The taper is a transformer that effectively loads the SNSPD with high impedance without latching. The taper increases the amplitude of the detector output while preserving the fast rising edge. Using a taper with a starting width of 500 nm, a 3.6× higher pulse amplitude, 3.7× faster slew rate, and 25.1 ps smaller timing jitter was observed. The taper also makes the detector's output voltage sensitive to the number of photon-induced hotspots and enables photon number resolution.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of TechnologyInventors: Di Zhu, Marco Colangelo, Boris Korzh, Matthew Shaw, Karl K. Berggren
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Patent number: 11506533Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate includes a silicon dioxide layer and a silicon layer. A detection region receives a detected optical mode coupled to an incident optical mode defined by an optical waveguide in the silicon layer. The detection region consists essentially of an intrinsic semiconductor material with a spacing structure surrounding at least a portion of the detection region, which comprises p-type, n-type doped semiconductor regions adjacent to first, second portions, respectively, of the detection region. A dielectric layer is deposited over at least a portion of the spacing structure. The silicon layer is located between the dielectric layer and the silicon dioxide layer. First, second metal contact structures are formed within trenches in the dielectric layer electrically coupling to the p-type, n-type doped semiconductor regions, respectively, without contacting any of the intrinsic semiconductor material of the detection region.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Ciena CorporationInventor: Charles Baudot
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Patent number: 11486693Abstract: A measurement apparatus and a measurement method capable of speedily and accurately measuring an edge shape are provided. A measurement apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an objective lens positioned so that its focal plane cuts across an edge part of a substrate, a detector including a plurality of pixels and configured to detect a reflected light from the edge part of the substrate through a confocal optical system, an optical head in which the objective lens and the detector are disposed, a moving mechanism configured to change a relative position of the optical head with respect to the substrate so that an inclination of the focal plane with respect to the substrate is changed, and a processing unit configured to measure a shape of the edge part.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Lasertec CorporationInventors: Ko Gondaira, Teruaki Yamazaki, Hideo Takizawa