Patents Examined by Juliana Kang
  • Patent number: 5832168
    Abstract: A light transfer apparatus for transferring an image from a relatively small projection surface to a relatively large display surface. The light transfer apparatus includes modules having a display surface, a light input surface and a connection surface. A plurality of modules are arranged so that their respective display surface combine to form the display screen. The modules are connected to a frame by snapping each module onto a support bar which is connected to the frame. Optical fibers, which terminate on the surface of each module and extend from the light input surface of each module, are positioned in a pigtail frame to form the projection surface. An image projected on the projection surface is viewed in magnified form on the display screen. The modular assembly design allows individual modules to be removed and replaced in the display screen without affecting any modules in addition to the replaced module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Advance Display Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Rex A. Yenter
  • Patent number: 5825948
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor employs tapered fiber optics in a tapered gun barrel. The fiber optic sensor employs a single-mode optical fiber, a light source supplying light to the single-mode fiber and at least one tapered dual-mode optical fiber secured to the barrel in a longitudinal direction. The single-mode fiber is spliced to with an end of a proximal one of the dual-mode fibers for carrying the light signal. A partial reflector is inserted between the dual-mode fibers to partially reflect and partially transmit light. A reflector is coupled to a distal end the dual-mode fiber, at the open end of the muzzle of the gun, to reflect the transmitted light. A coupler couples the single-mode fiber to the proximal dual-mode fiber. A coherent multiplexer is connected to the coupler for receiving and multiplexing the reflected light. A processor is responsive to the multiplexer for processing the multiplexed sensing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Inventors: James S. Sirkis, Yaowen Li, Christopher J. LaVigna