Patents Examined by John R. Lee
  • Patent number: 11385098
    Abstract: A system for determining a characteristic of a laser includes a collection housing receiving a laser beam comprising a first pulse, a second pulse and a time period between the first pulse and the second pulse. A photon counting detector receives photons from the laser beam disposed to generate photon signals from the laser beam and generating a start signal. A fast diode generates a stop signal to provide a time reference of counted photons ns. A controller is coupled to the photon counting detector and the fast diode. The controller counts photons from the photon counting detector occurring during the time period between the first and second pulse and generates a first output signal corresponding to a power during the time period between the first pulse and the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventor: Marcos Dantus
  • Patent number: 11378656
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a display panel, and a ToF sensor emitting light through the display panel, in which the display panel includes a glass, and an AF layer (a water-repellent layer) having water-repellency, formed in an area other than a certain area including a passing area of light emitted from the ToF sensor on a surface of the glass opposite to a surface facing the ToF sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Asahi Tokyo, Kazuhiro Kosugi
  • Patent number: 11378444
    Abstract: A biosensor is provided. The biosensor includes a substrate, a plurality of photodiodes, a polarizing element and a plurality of reaction sites. The plurality of photodiodes are embedded in the substrate. The polarizing element is disposed on the substrate. The plurality of reaction sites are disposed on the polarizing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: VISERA TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Hsin-Yi Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11366226
    Abstract: A time-resolving sensor includes a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a logic circuit and differential time-to-charge converter (DTCC) circuit. The SPAD is responsive to a shutter signal to generate an output signal based on detecting an incident photon. The logic circuit generates first and second enable signals. The DTCC includes a capacitor device, first and second switching devices, and an output circuit. The first switching device is responsive to the first enable signal to transfer a charge on the capacitor device to the first floating diffusion. The second switching device is responsive to the second enable signal to transfer a remaining charge on the capacitor device to the second floating diffusion. The output circuit outputs a first voltage that is based on the first charge on the first floating diffusion and a second voltage that is based on the second charge on the second floating diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Yibing Michelle Wang
  • Patent number: 11359961
    Abstract: Method for calibrating a photodetector (3), the method including the following steps: measuring an afterpulsing probability and/or timing of the photodetector (3) under different operating conditions defined by values of one or more operating parameters, at least one of which is a single-photon property of an optical signal (2) incident on the photodetector (3) when measuring the afterpulsing probability, and recording the measured afterpulsing probability and/or timing in relation to the values of the one or more operating parameters; and photodetector calibrated using this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Ruder Boskovic Institute
    Inventors: Siddarth Koduru Joshi, Rupert Ursin, Waris Ferdaus Ziarkash, Mario Stip{hacek over (c)}ević
  • Patent number: 11362126
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a light reception device and a distance measurement module. The light reception device includes an on-chip lens, a wiring layer, and a semiconductor layer between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first voltage application portion to which a first voltage is applied, a second voltage application portion to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied, a first charge detection portion, a second charge detection portion, and a through electrode extending through the semiconductor layer. The light reception device is configured such that a third voltage is applied through the through electrode to a film formed on a face of the semiconductor layer on the on-chip lens side. The present technology can be applied to a light reception device that generates distance information, for example, by a ToF method or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoharu Ogita
  • Patent number: 11353360
    Abstract: This electromagnetic wave detector is provided with light reception graphene and reference graphene that are aligned on an insulating layer, first electrodes and second electrodes that are disposed so as to oppose each other and sandwich the light reception graphene and reference graphene, a gate electrode for applying a gate voltage to the light reception graphene and reference graphene, and a balanced circuit and detection circuit that are connected between the second electrodes. If electromagnetic waves are incident on the light reception graphene, photocarriers will be generated through in-band transition. If electromagnetic waves are incident on the reference graphene, photocarriers will not be generated because of the Pauli blocking effect. In a state where no electromagnetic waves are incident on the light reception graphene or reference graphene, the balanced circuit causes the first electrodes and second electrodes to have the same potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Shimatani, Shimpei Ogawa, Daisuke Fujisawa, Satoshi Okuda
  • Patent number: 11349567
    Abstract: Devices implementing light communications use waveguides to efficiently collect light used for the light communications and propagate that collected light to a sensor. More particularly, light collected from one or more sensors propagates along a TIR waveguide until disrupted by a diffusive element, which effectively directs the propagating light to a sensor. In so doing, the solution presented herein increases the amount of light available for the light communications and/or reduces the number of sensors needed for the light communications, e.g., by providing light collected from multiple different locations to a single sensor. The waveguide solution presented herein may be implemented inside a device and/or along an exterior surface, e.g., housing or casing, of a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Alexander Hunt, Andreas Kristensson, Magnus L. Olsson
  • Patent number: 11340350
    Abstract: A light emitting and receiving device includes: a light emitting element, a first light receiving element, and a second light receiving element. A reference signal generator generates a reference signal including a component of a predetermined reference frequency. A drive circuit supplies a drive signal to the light emitting element so that a feedback signal corresponding to an output of the first light receiving element matches a reference signal. A correlation detector detects an output of the second light receiving element by correlating with the component of the reference frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Tsuji, Okimoto Kondo, Tatsuro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11336842
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a first pixel. The first pixel has a photoelectric converting portion, a first capacitance element, and a first transistor. The photoelectric converting portion converts incident light into signal charge. The first capacitance element includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being electrically connected to the photoelectric converting portion in at least a period of exposure. The first transistor includes a first source and a first drain, one of the first source and the first drain is electrically connected to the second terminal, and a direct-current potential is applied to the other of the first source and the first drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Yasunori Inoue, Yoshihiro Sato, Kazuko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11320290
    Abstract: An encoder includes a code disc and a processor communicatively coupled with the code disc. The code disc is configured to rotate along with a rotating object and includes a plurality of fan teeth extending radially. One of the plurality of fan teeth is different from other ones of the plurality of fan teeth, and the other ones of the fan teeth are same to each other. A first portion of a detection signal that is generated in one rotation of the code disc, corresponding to the one of the plurality of fan teeth, is different from a second portion of the detection signal, corresponding to each of the other ones of the fan teeth. The processor is configured to detect the rotation of the code disc to obtain the detection signal and a rotation parameter of the rotating object based on the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wanqi Liu, Qiu Lan, Changxing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11313547
    Abstract: The present disclosure sets forth a motion sensing outdoor security light with the flexibility of being mounted to either a wall structure or to an eave or ceiling structure. An adjustable spherical motion sensor housing may be provided with the rotationally adjustable outdoor security light, allowing easy adjustment of motion detection ranges under different mounting schemes without comprising the aesthetic design of the light. The adjustable spherical motion sensor housing may also provide an enlarged horizontal field of view for better performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: HEATHCO LLC
    Inventors: Miles William McDonald, Kushagra Dixit, Scott Blaise Tylicki, Apollo Paul Paredes, Lionel V. Luu, John Colvin Deaton
  • Patent number: 11307086
    Abstract: A radiation field measuring device for the characterization of a radiation comprises a detector device and a reconstruction device. The detector device may have at least one detector camera, which contains at least one detector array arranged for the image recording of scattered radiation in a multiplicity of lateral directions that deviate from the longitudinal direction. The reconstruction device may be configured for the tomographic reconstruction of a field density of the scattered radiation in the radiation field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LaVision BioTec GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Killich, Uwe Engeland
  • Patent number: 11303355
    Abstract: A directional free-space optical communication system includes a source device including a laser diode and an endpoint device including a photodiode. The endpoint device also includes an optical structure, such as an optical adapter, that increases both angular and spatial offset tolerance between the two source device and the endpoint device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Omid Momtahan
  • Patent number: 11287289
    Abstract: A digital encoder with a screen includes a key body, and a display assembly is configured inside the key body. The display assembly includes a display carrier assembly, display element configured on the display carrier assembly and display circuit element configured in the display carrier assembly, where one side of the display assembly is in connection with a rotating assembly movably configured on a carrier housing, and a rotary encoder sensor and pressing element are configured between the rotating assembly and carrier housing, thereby allowing the assembly of the key body to be more convenient through modulization structures, and allowing the key body to have multiple functions of display, press and rotation at the same time to increase use convenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Jen-Wen Sun
  • Patent number: 11287312
    Abstract: An optical system and a method of manufacturing an optical system are provided. The optical system includes a carrier, a light emitter, a light receiver, a block structure and an encapsulant. The light emitter is disposed on the carrier. The light receiver is disposed on the carrier and physically spaced apart from the light emitter. The light receiver has a light detecting area. The block structure is disposed on the carrier. The encapsulant is disposed on the carrier and covers the light emitter, the light receiver and the block structure. The encapsulant has a recess over the block structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Hsin-Ying Ho, Ying-Chung Chen
  • Patent number: 11287514
    Abstract: A sensor device (100) comprises an emitter device (106) arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation and having an emission region associated therewith. The sensor device (100) also comprises a detector device (108) arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation and having a detection region associated therewith, and an optical system (122). The emission region is spaced at a predetermined distance from the detection region. The optical system (122) defines a plurality of principal rays, a number of the plurality of principal rays intersecting the detection region. The number of the plurality of principal rays also intersect the emission region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES NV
    Inventors: Gaetan Koers, Wouter Leten, Sam Maddalena, Ross Kay
  • Patent number: 11282882
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a focus detecting device and an electronic device that can adjust the maximum value and the minimum value of sensitivity in phase detection pixels. The focus detecting device and an electronic device each include a microlens, a photoreceptor configured to receive light entering through the microlens, a light shield film provided between the microlens and the photoreceptor and configured to limit an amount of light on the photoreceptor, and a light shield wall provided vertical to the light shield film. The light shield wall or the light shield walls having a predetermined height are provided on any one or both of surfaces of the light shield film facing the photoreceptor and the microlens. The present technology can be applied to an imaging device configured to detect a focus by detection of phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hironari Otsuji
  • Patent number: 11276716
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip (IC). The IC comprises a first phase detection autofocus (PDAF) photodetector and a second PDAF photodetector in a substrate. A first electromagnetic radiation (EMR) diffuser is disposed along a back-side of the substrate and within a perimeter of the first PDAF photodetector. The first EMR diffuser is spaced a first distance from a first side of the first PDAF photodetector and a second distance less than the first distance from a second side of the first PDAF photodetector. A second EMR diffuser is disposed along the back-side of the substrate and within a perimeter of the second PDAF photodetector. The second EMR diffuser is spaced a third distance from a first side of the second PDAF photodetector and a fourth distance less than the third distance from a second side of the second PDAF photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keng-Yu Chou, Chun-Hao Chuang, Kazuaki Hashimoto, Wei-Chieh Chiang, Cheng Yu Huang, Wen-Hau Wu, Chih-Kung Chang
  • Patent number: 11272862
    Abstract: An action recognition system is illustrated. The action recognition system has an annular body, at least one light emitting unit, at least one light sensing unit and an action recognition module. The annular body is worn on a movable part of a user. One end of the light emitting unit is exposed on an inner side of the annular body, wherein the light emitting unit emits a first light beam illuminating at least a portion of the movable part. One end of the light sensing unit is exposed on the inner side of the annular body. The light sensing unit operatively senses a second light beam reflected by the at least portion of the movable part and generates a light sensing signal. The action recognition module is configured to operatively determine an action of the user according to the light sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Hau Gu, Chung-Wen Lo