Patents Examined by Hwa (Andrew) Lee
  • Patent number: 11927444
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chip-level resonant acousto-optic coupling solid-state wave gyroscope based on MEMS technology. A surface acoustic progressive wave mode sensitive structure and a micro-ring resonant cavity optical detection structure are combined in the gyroscope. Through acousto-optic effect, mechanical strain of the device crystal caused by wave vibration of a primary surface acoustic wave and a secondary surface acoustic wave caused by Coriolis force is converted into a variation in the refractive index of an optical waveguide etched on the device, so that the optical signal transmitted in the waveguide diffracts, thereby generating frequency modulation. Meanwhile, a micro-ring resonant cavity using the resonance principle peels off the frequency change introduced by the primary surface acoustic wave, and obtains an output signal containing external angular velocity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Honglong Chang, Lu Tian, Qiang Shen
  • Patent number: 11913785
    Abstract: An optical fiber ring interferometer is provided, which is based on a common light path for two or more light beam pairs preferably originated from two or more light sources of a substantially different spectrum or from a single light source split spectrum and whereas each light beam of a specific pair is propagating in relative opposite directions, wherein at least one pair of light beams is utilized to detect acousto-mechanical events and to provide information regarding location and other characteristics of detected environmental disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventor: Zbigniew Sobolewski
  • Patent number: 11906301
    Abstract: A thickness evaluation method of the cell sheet according to the invention includes tomographically imaging a cell sheet by optical coherence tomography and obtaining a thickness distribution of the cell sheet based on a result of the tomography imaging. A tomographic image corresponding to one cross section of the cell sheet is obtained by tomography imaging while scanning the light in a main scanning direction. The tomography imaging is performed in every time while moving an incident position of the light at a predetermined feed pitch in a sub-scanning direction, thereby a plurality of the tomographic images corresponding to a plurality of cross-sections are obtained. One-dimensional thickness distributions of the cell sheet in the corresponding cross-sections are obtained based on each of the plurality of tomographic images, and a two-dimensional thickness distribution of the cell sheet is obtained by interpolating the one-dimensional thickness distributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Hasebe
  • Patent number: 11906281
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for measuring the thickness and refractive index of a multilayer thin film by measuring angle-resolved spectral reflectance according to light polarization. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the apparatus and method for measuring the thickness and refractive index of a multilayer structure using angle-resolved spectroscopic reflectometry is capable of measuring and analyzing thickness and refractive index of each layer of a structure having a multilayer thin film through an s-polarized imaging and a p-polarized imaging of the reflective light located in a back focal plane of an objective lens which are acquired through an angle-resolved spectral imaging acquisition part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
    Inventors: Young-sik Ghim, Hyug-gyo Rhee
  • Patent number: 11879730
    Abstract: A laser interferometer includes a light source that emits first laser light, an optical modulator that includes a vibrator and modulates the first laser light by using the vibrator to generate second laser light including a modulated signal, a photodetector that receives interference light between third laser light including a sample signal generated by reflecting the first laser light on an object and the second laser light to output a light reception signal, and an optical path length variable section that changes an optical path length of an optical path through which the third laser light propagates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 11874110
    Abstract: Methods and systems concerning non-reciprocal sensing paths for a self-mixing interferometry operation are disclosed herein. Optical components may be used to direct light transmit from a light source along an illumination path. The optical components may additionally return light to the light source after being reflected from a target and may direct the returned light along a collection path. The illumination path and the collection path may be at least partially non-reciprocal so that the transmitted light and the returned light follow along partially different paths. Once the received light is received within a cavity of the light source, a self-mixing interferometry operation may be performed and may be used to detect a property of the target in relation to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Chen, Ahmet Fatih Cihan, Mingzhou Jin
  • Patent number: 11867624
    Abstract: A refractive index distribution estimating system includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a sample, an imaging optical system configured to form an optical sample image, an image sensor configured to capture optical images of the sample, and a processor configured to reconstruct a refractive index distribution of the sample from images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Evident Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Suzuki, Toshiro Okamura
  • Patent number: 11852474
    Abstract: A method including: scanning a sample over a period of time using an electro-magnetic radiation source, the period of time including a first time period and a second time period, a sample portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source being directed to the sample in a sample arm of an optical interferometric system, and a reference portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source being directed to a reference arm of the optical interferometric system; applying, using a phase modulator, a phase shift comprising a first phase shift and a second phase shift to at least one of the reference portion or the sample portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source, the first phase shift being applied during the first time period and the second phase shift being applied during the second time period, the second phase shift having a difference of 90 degrees from the first phase shift; acquiring in-phase data based on a first interference between first backscattered electro-magnetic radiation during the first time per
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Vakoc, Norman Lippok
  • Patent number: 11846585
    Abstract: A droplet sensor includes an optical cover having a curved surface that forms a part of a spheroid, a protective film that covers the curved surface of the optical cover, a light source provided at a first focal point of an ellipse facing the curved surface, and a photodetector provided at a second focal point of the ellipse. The refractive index of the protective film is greater than the refractive index of a liquid to be detected. A sensing region is determined by a range of an incident angle at which a light beam emitted from the light source and incident onto the curved surface is totally reflected at the interface between the protective film and a gas, and is not totally reflected at the interface between the protective film and the liquid to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideo Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 11835453
    Abstract: An optical sensor device (1) for a fluid substance (LS) comprises a device body (2) having a detection portion (14), associated to which is a sensitive optical part that comprises at least one of an emitter (20) and a receiver (21) of an optical radiation (Re, Rr). The detection portion (14) is made of a material transparent to the optical radiation (Re, Rr) and has an inner surface (23a, 23b) and an outer surface (15), the outer surface (15) being designed to be in contact with the fluid substance (LS) and the inner surface (23a, 23b) being designed to be isolated from the fluid substance. The at least one of the emitter (20) and the receiver (21) of the sensitive optical part is optically coupled to the inner surface (23a, 23b) of the detection portion (14), in such a way that the optical radiation (Re, Rr) is at least in part propagated through the detection portion (14), in particular with an angle and/or an intensity that is variable as a function of a characteristic of the fluid substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ELTEK S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Cavalli, Mauro Zorzetto, Costanzo Gadini
  • Patent number: 11835626
    Abstract: Provided are an optical modulating device and a system including the optical modulating device. The optical modulating device includes a substrate, and a phase modulator formed on the substrate and including a Fabry-Perot cavity. The Fabry-Perot cavity of the phase modulator includes a first reflective layer, a second reflective layer, and a tunable core formed between the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer, wherein the tunable core is formed of a semiconductor material and is configured to modulate a phase of light corresponding to modulation of a refractive index of the tunable core according to electrical control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Duhyun Lee, Muhammad Alam, Harry Atwater, Ragip Pala, Byunghoon Na, Seunghoon Han
  • Patent number: 11808568
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of inner light layer illumination for optical imaging and detection in turbid media and apparatuses designed based on this method. This invention uses multiple beam interference to create destructive interference in the propagation path to reduce the illumination beam intensity and so to reduce absorption and scattering of the turbid media, and to create constructive interference to produce composite light intensity maximum which forms an inner light layer to illuminate the object. The theoretical analyses and mathematical calculations have proved the feasibility of the method. The designed apparatuses have great performances. Compared with the traditional technology, this method can enhance the signal strength more than 600 dB. The imaging depth can be over 5 cm in human body, and more than 500 m in clear seawater. The imaging resolutions are <1 ?m along object plane and approximate 1 ?m along direction of depth of field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventor: Shangqing Liu
  • Patent number: 11802758
    Abstract: A system for precision displacement measurement based on a self-traceable grating interference includes a coherent light source, a photoelectric detection module, a self-traceable grating and a signal processing module. The self-traceable grating is arranged on a to-be-measured displacement motion platform. The coherent light source, the photoelectric detection module and the signal processing module are sequentially connected. Laser generated by the coherent light source propagates through the photoelectric detection module and is incident on the self-traceable grating, diffracts with the self-traceable grating, returns to the photoelectric detection module to continue propagating and enters the signal processing module. The signal processing module collects an interference signal to obtain a motion displacement and a motion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Tongji University
    Inventors: Xiao Deng, Xinbin Cheng, Zichao Lin, Zhenjie Gu, Yulin Yao, Tongbao Li
  • Patent number: 11796469
    Abstract: A real-time reference free background oriented schlieren system is provided. One embodiment includes a display device capable of generating an image pattern projected onto a retroreflective background. A beam splitter is used to transmit a portion of the projected image pattern towards a reference image sensor and another portion of the image pattern towards the retroreflective background and past a density object. The retroreflective background reflects the projected pattern back through the beam splitter and onto a signal imaging sensor. Collected data from the reference image sensor and the signal image sensor may be processed in real-time. The image pattern may be altered as necessary without requiring a new reference image, reducing the amount of time required to set up and adjust the system. A display device may be capable of switching between a schlieren visualization capability to a shadowgraph system allowing for the use of two different imaging techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Joshua M. Weisberger, Brett F. Bathel
  • Patent number: 11788830
    Abstract: A device includes an electronic display, a cover through which the electronic display projects an image, and an array of SMI sensors. The array of SMI sensors is positioned on a same side of the cover as the electronic display. Each SMI sensor is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a respective portion of: an interior surface of the cover, or a surface of a component of the device attached to the cover; and generate a respective SMI output including information indicative of vibration of the respective portion of the cover or the component. The device also includes circuitry configured to characterize a vibratory waveform impinging on the device. The vibratory waveform is characterized using at least two of the SMI outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmet Fatih Cihan, Mark T. Winkler, Mehmet Mutlu
  • Patent number: 11782046
    Abstract: New platform technologies to actuate and sense force propagation in real-time for large sheets of cells are provided. In certain embodiments the platform comprises a device for the measurement of mechanical properties of cells or other moieties, where device comprises a transparent elastic or viscoelastic polymer substrate disposed on a rigid transparent surface; and a plurality of micromirrors disposed on or in said polymer substrate, wherein the reflective surfaces of the micromirrors are oriented substantially parallel to the surface of said polymer substrate. In certain embodiments the device comprises more than about 1,000,000, or more than about 10,000,000 micromirrors. In certain embodiments the micromirrors comprise a magnetic layer and/or a diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Pei-Yu E. Chiou, Michael A. Teitell, Xiongfeng Zhu, Xing Haw Marvin Tan, Thang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11747470
    Abstract: In one example, a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), a substrate on which the MEMS is formed, and a controller, the MEMS including one or more micro-mirror assemblies, each micro-mirror assembly including: a micro-mirror comprising a first connection structure and a second connection structure, the first connection structure being connected to the substrate at a first pivot point, the second connection structure being connected to the substrate at a second pivot point; an actuator configured to rotate the micro-mirror; and a measurement circuit configured to measure an electrical resistance of at least one of the first connection structure or the second connection structure. The controller is configured to control the actuator of each of the one or more micro-mirror assemblies based on the electrical resistance measurements from the measurement circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sergio Fabian Almeida Loya, Youmin Wang
  • Patent number: 11740354
    Abstract: Systems and methods of linearizing a signal of a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor are described herein. A system receives a portion of a non-linear chirp signal. The portion of the non-linear chirp signal is sampled at a sampling frequency to generate data points corresponding to the portion of the non-linear chirp signal. A profile of the non-linear chirp signal is generated based on the data points. The non-linear chirp signal is linearized based on the profile of the non-linear chirp signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Cyrus F. Abari
  • Patent number: 11725989
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) (10), and a microelectromechanical (MEM) optical interferometer (18), for hyper-spectral imaging and analysis. System (10) includes matrix configured collimating micro lens (16), for receiving and collimating electromagnetic radiation (60) emitted by objects (12) in a scene or sample (14); microelectromechanical optical interferometer (18), for forming divided collimated object emission beam (72) having an optical path difference, and for generating an interference image exiting optical interferometer (18); matrix configured focusing micro lens (20); micro detector (22), for detecting and recording generated interference images; and micro central programming and signal processing unit (24). Applicable for on-line (e.g., real time or near-real time) or off-line hyper-spectral imaging and analyzing, on a miniaturized or ‘micro’ (sub-centimeter [1 cm (10 mm) or less], or sub-millimeter) scale, essentially any types or kinds of biological, physical, or/and chemical, (i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Green Vision Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Danny S. Moshe
  • Patent number: 11726190
    Abstract: A system for emulating an over-the-air environment for testing a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) unit under test (UUT). The system may comprise a lens system that receives light from the LiDAR UUT and a plurality of optical processing chains. The system may generate light into free space based on the optical signals processed by each chain. The system may process received light optically to maintain coherence with light received from the LiDAR unit under test and may process all points in a LiDAR image simultaneously. The system may operate to emulate an over-the-air environment for a time-of-flight LiDAR UUT, a frequency modulated continuous wave LiDAR UUT, and/or a flash LiDAR UUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Marks, Marcus Kieling daSilva