Patents Examined by Grant A Gagnon
  • Patent number: 11656482
    Abstract: Flexible plastic screen for glasses, sunglasses or helmet faceshields with controlled light transmission based on applied electrical voltage. The screen consists of two transparent flexible conductive polymer electrodes disposed and an electrochromic layer disposed between them. The electrochromic layer is a homogeneous mixture of active electrochromic components dissolved in a polymer matrix. The electrochromic screen is operable to vary the light transmission of any wearable electro-optical devices, such as the glasses, for creating an effect of a blackout for augmented/virtual reality glasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC
    Inventors: Evgeniy Vladimirovich Vasiliev, Pavel Anatolievich Zaikin, Nikita Valerievich Kruglikov, Christian Lorentzen
  • Patent number: 11650400
    Abstract: Actuators for rotating or tilting an optical element, for example an optical path folding element, comprising a voice coil motor (VCM) and a curved ball-guided mechanism operative to create a rotation or tilt movement of the optical element around a rotation axis upon actuation by the VCM. In some embodiments, an actuator includes two, first and second VCMs, and two curved ball-guided mechanisms operative to create rotation or tilt around respective first and second rotation axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gil Bachar, Itay Jerby, Itay Yedid
  • Patent number: 11650427
    Abstract: There is provided a diffractive display element comprising a waveguide body, an in-coupling region for diffractively coupling light into the waveguide body, and an out-coupling region for diffractively coupling light out of the waveguide body, said light being adapted to propagate from said in-coupling region to the out-coupling region along a primary route. According to the invention, the element further comprises at least one grating mirror outside said primary route for diffractively mirroring light strayed from said primary route back to said primary route. The invention allows for increasing the efficiency of waveguide-based personal displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: DISPELIX OY
    Inventors: Juuso Olkkonen, Petri Myöhänen
  • Patent number: 11644690
    Abstract: A laser protection eyewear lens includes a lens substrate comprising an embedded wavelength filter having a first filter function, and a multi-layer dielectric filter applied to at least one of an inside and an outside surface of the lens substrate that comprises a second filter function having at least one center wavelength and bandwidth. The first filter function of the embedded wavelength filter and the second filter function of the multilayer dielectric filter produce a combined filter function that attenuates light reflecting off the multi-layer dielectric filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: PerriGuest Defense Research Enterprises, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas V. Perricone, Kristin A. Rauschenbach
  • Patent number: 11638521
    Abstract: Method for determining a refraction of at least an eye of a person under specific spectral conditions, the method including: an eye illumination step, during which the eye of the person is illuminated under the specific spectral conditions, the specific spectral conditions being provided by a polychromatic source having a spectrum which is different from the spectrum of a white light source and/or by a chromatic filter positioned before the eye of the person and illuminated by a source; and a refraction determination step during which the refraction of the eye of the person is determined under the specific spectral conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Marie Dubail, Anne-Catherine Scherlen
  • Patent number: 11630301
    Abstract: A laminate including: a first ply having a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface is an outer surface of the laminate; a second ply having a third surface facing the second surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, where the fourth surface is an inner surface of the laminate; an interlayer between the plies; and an enhanced p-polarized reflective coating positioned over at least a portion of a surface of the plies. When the laminate is contacted with radiation having p-polarized radiation at an angle of 60° relative to normal of the laminate, the laminate exhibits a LTA of at least 70% and a reflectivity of the p-polarized radiation of at least 10%. A display system and method of projecting an image in a heads-up display is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC
    Inventors: Andrew V. Wagner, Zhixun Ma, Dennis J. O'Shaughnessy, Adam D. Polcyn
  • Patent number: 11630285
    Abstract: A lens module includes lenses sequentially arranged from an object side toward an image plane sensor and having respective refractive powers. A second lens of the lenses has a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface. A first lens and a third lens of the lenses are symmetrical to each other in relation to the second lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyu Min Chae
  • Patent number: 11630290
    Abstract: An optical system for displaying an image to a viewer includes a partial reflector, a reflective polarizer, and a first retarder layer. A light ray propagates along the optical axis and passes through the plurality of optical lenses, the partial reflector, the reflective polarizer, and the first retarder layer without being substantially refracted. For a cone of light incident on the optical system from an object comprising a spatial frequency of about 70, 60, 50, 40, or 30 line pairs per millimeter and filling the exit pupil with a chief ray of the cone of light passing through a center of the opening of the exit pupil of the optical system and making an angle of about 20 degrees with the optical axis, a modulation transfer function of the optical system is greater than about 0.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhisheng Yun, Timothy L. Wong, Erin A. McDowell
  • Patent number: 11624913
    Abstract: An optical display system includes an information display (image-generating) component, a polarization dependent image offset optical element and possibly also a polarization rotator. By controlling the image offset optical element either by direct applying voltage or by controlling the polarization of the displayed light through the polarization rotator, the display pixels can be switched by a certain portion. By switching between offset and non-offset state with appropriate image displayed, the resolution as observed by the users can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Yun-Han Lee, Tao Zhan, Guanjun Tan, Fangwang Gou, Fenglin Peng, Shin-Tson Wu
  • Patent number: 11624932
    Abstract: An optical device may include a polarization splitter to split a unidirectional rotary optical beam into a first rotary optical beam having a first polarization state and a second rotary optical beam having a second polarization state. The unidirectional rotary optical beam and the second rotary optical beam may have optical power with a first direction of spatial rotation. The optical device may include a reflective element to reverse a parity of the first rotary optical beam in association with causing optical power of the first rotary optical beam to have a second direction of spatial rotation. The optical device may include a polarization combiner to, after reversal of the parity of the first rotary optical beam, combine the first rotary optical beam and the second rotary optical beam to create a bi-directional rotary optical beam having the first polarization state and the second polarization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: Martin H. Muendel, Patrick Gregg
  • Patent number: 11614570
    Abstract: The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a deformable optical element and at least one adaptive element positioned at a peripheral region of the deformable optical element. The deformable optical element may include a substantially transparent electroactive element positioned at least partially within an optical aperture of the deformable optical element. An electrical driving circuit may be configured to apply a voltage to the electroactive element to deform the electroactive element and thus change at least one optical property of the deformable optical element. The at least one adaptive element may be positioned outside of the optical aperture and may be configured to alter a physical boundary condition of the deformable optical element. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Katherine Marie Smyth, John Cooke, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Spencer Allan Wells
  • Patent number: 11598971
    Abstract: A compact light source for a projection display is disclosed enabling eye-glass display using a Fresnel mirror reflecting light without a distance as conventional prism type reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Fusao Ishii, Mikiko Nakanishi, Kazuoki Ichikawa, Yuji Aburakawa
  • Patent number: 11592608
    Abstract: An optical device for illuminating one or more portions of a spatial light modulator includes a waveguide, an array of tunable retarders, and a polarization selective optical element. A respective tunable retarder is optically coupled to receive light from the waveguide. The respective tunable retarder has a first state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a first polarization in a first direction, and a second state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a second polarization distinct from the first polarization in the first direction. The polarization selective optical element is located adjacent to the array of tunable retarders so that the light having the first polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a second direction and the light having the second polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a third direction distinct from the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Fenglin Peng, Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier, Garam Young
  • Patent number: 11592672
    Abstract: A display apparatus has a display to emit image-bearing light to a prism assembly that defines an optical path between an incident surface of the prism assembly and an output surface that is orthogonal to within +/?30 degrees relative to the incident surface, wherein the prism assembly has a curved reflective surface opposite the incident surface. The prism assembly encases a beam splitter at an oblique angle to the defined optical path and to both the incident and the output surface of the prism assembly. A shim, in contact against the display surface and against the incident surface of the prism assembly, defines a sealed air gap for light between the display surface and the incident surface. A frame houses the display, the shim, and the incident surface of the prism assembly, wherein the frame further provides connection features for coupling the apparatus to a head-worn article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Six15 Technologies
    Inventors: Theodore K. Ricks, Rene Alexander Zickafoose
  • Patent number: 11579344
    Abstract: A metallic grating includes a substrate; a plurality of high aspect ratio trenches disposed in the substrate such that the high aspect ratio trenches are spaced apart from one another by a field surface of the substrate; a metallic superconformal filling formed and disposed in the high aspect ratio trenches; and a grating including a spatial arrangement of the high aspect ratio trenches that are filled with the metallic superconformal filling such that the metallic superconformal filling is void-free, and the high aspect ratio trenches are bottom-up filled with the metallic superconformal filling, wherein a height of the metallic superconformal filling is less than or equal to the height of the high aspect ratio trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Daniel Josell, Thomas Polk Moffat
  • Patent number: 11579457
    Abstract: A display device includes a light source, a spatial light modulator, and an optical assembly. The light source is configured to provide illumination light and the spatial light modulator is positioned to receive the illumination light. The optical assembly includes a first reflective surface with an aperture and a second reflective surface that is opposite to the first reflective surface. The optical assembly is positioned relative to the light source so that at least a first portion of the illumination light received by the optical assembly is reflected by the second reflective surface toward the first reflective surface, is reflected by the first reflective surface toward the second reflective surface, and is transmitted through the second reflective surface. A method performed by the display device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier
  • Patent number: 11573402
    Abstract: The application discloses an optical imaging lens assembly including, sequentially from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens, wherein the first lens has a positive refractive power, the second lens has a negative refractive power with a convex object side surface and a concave image side surface, the third lens has a refractive power, the fourth lens has a refractive power, the fifth lens has a positive refractive power with a convex image side surface, the sixth lens has a negative refractive power with a concave object side surface and a concave image side surface, and an effective focal length f of the optical imaging lens assembly, an effective focal length f3 of the third lens and an effective focal length f4 of the fourth lens satisfy |f/f3|+|f/f4|?0.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: Jianke Wenren
  • Patent number: 11567320
    Abstract: An optical device comprising may include a light turning element. The optical device can include a first surface that is parallel to a horizontal axis and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The optical device may include a light module that includes a plurality of light emitters. The light module can be configured to combine light for the plurality of emitters. The optical device can further include a light input surface that is between the first and the second surfaces and is disposed with respect to the light module to receive light emitted from the plurality of emitters. The optical device may include an end reflector that is disposed on a side opposite the light input surface. The light coupled into the light turning element may be reflected by the end reflector and/or reflected from the second surface towards the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Chuan Cheng, Hyunsun Chung, Jahja I. Trisnadi, Clinton Carlisle, Chulwoo Oh, Kevin Richard Curtis
  • Patent number: 11561393
    Abstract: To improve brightness of an image to be perceived by a user and enhance visibility there is provided a light guide plate including an incident diffraction grating which diffracts incident imaging light, an exit diffraction grating through which the imaging light goes out, and an intermediate diffraction grating existing in optical paths from the incident diffraction grating to the exit diffraction grating. In this light guide plate, a periodic linear corrugated pattern is formed as the incident diffraction grating, and when an imaginary line is established that passes through an incident point of imaging light onto the incident diffraction grating and is parallel with a periodic direction of the corrugated pattern, the intermediate diffraction grating has a first region on one side of the imaginary line and a second region on another side of the imaginary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Minemura, Yumiko Anzai
  • Patent number: 11550154
    Abstract: A display element, and a light-guiding member including a plurality of reflection surfaces and configured to guide image light from the display element by reflecting the image light at an inner surface, and cause the image light and external light to be visually recognized in an overlapping manner are provided, wherein at a boundary between a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface adjacent to each other included in the plurality of reflection surfaces of the light-guiding member with at least one of the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface including a curved surface, an end of the first reflection surface and an end of the second reflection surface match when projected from a specific direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Takagi, Tokito Yamaguchi, Toshiaki Miyao, Takashi Takeda