Patents Examined by Keith G Delahoussaye
  • Patent number: 11555960
    Abstract: A waveguide illuminator includes an input waveguide, a waveguide splitter coupled to the input waveguide, and a waveguide array coupled to the waveguide splitter. The waveguide array includes an array of out-coupling gratings that out-couple portions of the split light beam to form an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. The out-coupling gratings may be apodized to reduce light scattering by the gratings. Additionally, gaps between the out-coupling gratings along the waveguides may be filled by gap gratings and/or etched grooves running parallel to the waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Koshelev, Giuseppe Calafiore
  • Patent number: 11555961
    Abstract: A waveguide illuminator for illuminating a display panel includes an input waveguide, a waveguide splitter coupled to the input waveguide, and a waveguide array coupled to the waveguide splitter. The waveguide array includes an array of out-couplers out-coupling portions of the split light beam to form an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. The out-coupled beam portions undergo optical interference and form a Talbot pattern of illumination correlated with pixel array of the display panel, enabling an optical throughput increase by centering individual Talbot peaks on the display panel pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Koshelev, Giuseppe Calafiore, Ying Geng, Fenglin Peng, Jacques Gollier
  • Patent number: 11555962
    Abstract: A waveguide illuminator includes an input waveguide, a waveguide splitter coupled to the input waveguide, and a waveguide array coupled to the waveguide splitter. The waveguide array includes an array of out-couplers out-coupling portions of the split light beam to form an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. To reduce optical interference, the waveguide illuminator may have two interlaced waveguide arrays energized by two different light sources. Output polarizations of neighboring light pixels of a display illuminated with such waveguide illuminator may be orthogonal to each other. The frames to be displayed may be broken down into sequentially displayed sub-frames with interleaved pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Koshelev, Giuseppe Calafiore
  • Patent number: 11555609
    Abstract: An under-counter lighting system places a light-guide panel (LGP) or a set of LGPs under a countertop, or another such work surface, in order to backlight it. Specifically, a base layer is secured to a support, such as a cabinet. The base layer includes a support layer and a number of support posts attached to the support layer. An LGP layer includes the LGP or LGPs. Each of the LGPs has openings that correspond to positions of the support posts, such that the LGPs receive the support posts through their thicknesses. A countertop is secured to the tops of the support posts and may have a depending lip or other such feature sufficient to hide the base layer and the LGP layer. The resulting light, usually at least partially transmitted through the countertop itself, can serve as ambient light, task light, or accent light, depending on the installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Elemental LED, Inc.
    Inventor: Travis Irons
  • Patent number: 11543579
    Abstract: A lighting device disclosed in an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate; a plurality of light emitting devices on the substrate; a first reflective layer on the substrate; a resin layer on the first reflective layer; and a second reflective layer on the resin layer. The resin layer includes a first surface from which light emitted from the plurality of light emitting devices is emitted, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface of the resin layer includes a first exit surface having a first curvature, and a second exit surface having a flat surface or a second curvature, wherein a maximum distance from the second surface to the first exit surface may be greater than a maximum distance from the second surface to the second exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong Jin Kim, Hyun Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 11543585
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a liquid crystal panel, an illumination device, and a light reflecting material. The illumination device includes a first light guide having an opening, a first light source configured to irradiate the first light guide with light, a second light guide formed in the opening, and a second light source configured to irradiate the second light guide with light. The light reflecting material is located between the first light guide and the second light guide in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shimokawa, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11538641
    Abstract: A keyboard backlight module includes a light guide plate, a reflector, a light-emitting device and a first microstructure. The light guide plate has an output surface, a light guide pattern and a bottom surface disposed on an opposite side of the output surface. The light guide pattern is arranged on at least one of the bottom surface and the output surface. The reflector has a reflecting surface facing the bottom surface. The light-emitting device is disposed on one side of the light guide plate and configured to provide an incident light to the reflecting surface. The first microstructure is disposed on the reflecting surface, at least partially overlaps with the light guide pattern, and is configured to transform the incident light into a first reflected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Hsin-Chih Liang
  • Patent number: 11536890
    Abstract: A backlight module and a display device are provided. The backlight module includes: a light source unit; a light guide plate, for guiding light to a display panel; an optical component for uniformly irradiating the display panel; and a back plate, at least including a bottom plate, for accommodating the light guide plate, the light source unit, and the optical component. The light guide plate and the optical component are provided with a hole penetrating through the two, a part of the back plate at the hole is bent and inserted into the hole to form a side wall, a side end surface of the optical component close to the hole is inclined regarding an axis of the hole, and an annular light-shielding structure is around a top surface of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiao Ma, Hao Wu, Libao Cui, Na An, Gang Ci, Zheng Zhang, Dang Yang, Jia Meng, Zhenhua Luo, Zuoxin Yu, Zheng Zong, Xuewen Cao
  • Patent number: 11525568
    Abstract: A lighting module is provided for a refrigeration appliance. The lighting module includes: a housing, provided with a light outlet; a light source, located in the housing; a light guide plate, adapted to guide light from the light source toward the light outlet; and an elastic member, adapted to deform to maintain a position of the light guide plate with respect to the light source and/or the light outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Bo Ma, Jiahao Zhang, Haiqing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11520102
    Abstract: A planar illumination device of an embodiment includes a light guide plate, a light source, one or more optical sheets, a bottom frame, and a top frame. The light guide plate receives light from a light incident side surface. The light source emits light to the light incident side surface of the light guide plate. The optical sheet is disposed on a light exit surface side of the light guide plate. The bottom frame houses the light guide plate, the light source, and the optical sheet. The top frame includes an opening, engages with the bottom frame and covers a light exit surface side of the optical sheet. An end portion on an opening side of a side wall of the bottom frame forms a space with a frame portion of the top frame, where the space corresponds to a clearance for an end portion of the optical sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MlNEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Yoshigaki, Kazumasa Adachi
  • Patent number: 11520221
    Abstract: An illumination system, an illumination control method and a projection apparatus are provided. The illumination system includes a first laser light source providing a first laser beam, and a light splitting module. When the first laser beam is incident to the light splitting module, a first portion of the first laser beam penetrates through the light splitting module, a second portion is reflected by the light splitting module. In the first illumination mode, the first laser beam is incident to the first light splitting region to form a first proportion of the first portion and the second portion. In the second illumination mode, the first laser beam is incident to the first light splitting region to form a second proportion of the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first proportion and the second proportion are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventor: Haw-Woei Pan
  • Patent number: 11500142
    Abstract: An integrated optically functional multilayer structure includes a flexible, substrate film arranged with a circuit design including at least a number of electrical conductors on the substrate film; and a plurality of top-emitting, bottom-installed light sources provided upon a first side of the substrate film to internally illuminate at least portion of the structure for external perception via associated outcoupling areas, wherein for each light source of the plurality of light sources there is optically transmissive plastic layer, produced upon the first side of the substrate film, said plastic layer at least laterally surrounding the light source, the substrate film at least having a similar or lower refractive index therewith; and reflector design including at least one material layer, provided at least upon the light source and configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source and incident upon the reflective layer towards the plastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TACTOTEK OY
    Inventors: Antti Keränen, Tero Heikkinen, Pasi Korhonen, Pälvi Apilo, Mikko Heikkinen, Jarmo Sääski, Paavo Niskala, Ville Wallenius, Heikki Tuovinen, Janne Asikkala, Taneli Salmi, Suvi Kela, Outi Rusanen, Johanna Juvani, Mikko Sippari, Tomi Simula, Tapio Rautio, Samuli Yrjänä, Tero Rajaniemi, Simo Koivikko, Juha-Matti Hintikka, Hasse Sinivaara, Vinski Bräysy, Olimpia Migliore, Juha Sepponen
  • Patent number: 11474291
    Abstract: An optical component includes a light guide board. The light guide board can include an incident surface, an underside, and an exit surface. The incident surface is connected to the underside and the exit surface, respectively. The underside is parallel to the exit surface. Further, the exit surface includes a prism structure for refracting light in the light guide board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhaonan Liu
  • Patent number: 11467421
    Abstract: A multi-directional backlight and a multi-user multiview display provide emitted light and associated multiview images having different mutually exclusive angular ranges and different user-specific view zones. The multi-directional backlight includes first and second multiview backlights, each of which includes multibeam elements configured to provide emitted light having directional light beams with directions corresponding to view directions of a respective multiview images. The emitted light provided by the first multiview backlight has a first angular range that is mutually exclusive of a second angular range of emitted light provided by the second multiview backlight, at respective first and second convergence distances. The multi-user multiview display includes a first multiview display configured to provide a first multiview image to a first user in a first view zone and a second multiview display configured to provide a second multiview image to a second user in a second view zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LEIA INC.
    Inventors: David A. Fattal, Thomas Hoekman
  • Patent number: 11460170
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a lightguide panel that is configured to receive light from a light source through an edge thereof and emit light through major surfaces thereof. Further, the luminaire includes an electrochromic film that is disposed on one of the major surfaces of the lightguide panel to adjust an amount of light exiting through the one major surface by controlling an opacity of the electrochromic film. The opacity of the electrochromic film is controlled by controlling an electrical power supplied thereto. In another example, the electrochromic film is disposed on a major surface of a lens that is disposed below and spaced apart from a light source that emits light in a first direction. The opacity of the electrochromic film is controlled by controlling the electrical power supplied thereto to adjust an amount of light that is reflected by the lens to a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Westly Hetrick, William E. Getzinger, Chris M Clary, Alexander James Ross, Melisa Altamirano-Ruelas
  • Patent number: 11460625
    Abstract: A light guide module suitable for being disposed on a reflective display panel includes a light guide plate and a light-shielding part. The light guide plate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an optical structure formed in the first surface. The first surface has a display area and an edge area surrounding the display area, and the optical structure is distributed in the display area. The light-shielding part is disposed on the first surface and covers the edge area, in which the light-shielding part has an opening exposing the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Tao Huang, Yu-Chuan Wen
  • Patent number: 11460622
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing. A speaker and other input-output components and control circuitry may be mounted within the housing. Light-emitting components may emit light that passes through a curved upper top cap portion or other housing structure. The light-emitting components may be interconnected using a flex circuit on a curved substrate or may be mounted on a planar circuit board. A subset of the light-emitting components may be rotated to improve color balance. Optical structures such as light guides, lens, microlenses, and/or a diffuser layer may be disposed over the light-emitting components to promote light mixing, to reduce hotspots, and to improve contrast on the top cap. The diffuser layer may be suspended using a support structure having baffle members to constraint the angular spread of the emitted light. Illuminated or persistently visible glyphs may be displayed in or near the top cap portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rong Liu, Andrew Baek, Ethan W. Juhnke, Eugene A. Whang, Gemma A. Roper, Glenn K. Trainer, Jia Chen Pang, Jun Qi, Ka Ho P. Poon, Michael C. Sulkis, Pedro Mari, Syed F. Mohiuddin, Victor H. Yin, Yu P. Sun
  • Patent number: 11450649
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus comprises a first substrate; an optical structure; an array of light emitting elements disposed between the first substrate and the optical structure and an array of passive optical nanostructures disposed between the first substrate and the optical structure. Each of the passive optical nanostructures are disposed on a respective one of the light emitting elements and each passive optical nanostructure comprises an air gap. Each passive optical nanostructure is disposed between its respective light emitting element and the optical structure, wherein each passive optical nanostructure is configured to receive light emitted by its respective light emitting element, pass the received light, and output the pass light towards the optical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: RealD Spark, LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Robinson, Graham J. Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
  • Patent number: 11448812
    Abstract: A backlight module is provided. The backlight module includes a circuit board and a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged on the circuit board along a first direction. The backlight module includes an adhesive structure disposed on the circuit board. The adhesive structure has a plurality of segmented elements separated from each other. One of the segmented elements has a first part and a second part. The second part is connected with the first part. The first part is disposed between adjacent light-emitting elements. The backlight module further includes a light guide plate disposed on the circuit board and attached to the second part. A first width is a maximum width of the first part in the first direction, a second width is a maximum width of the second part in the first direction. The second width is greater than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Fu Kuo, May Pan, Maggy Hsu, Lavender Cheng
  • Patent number: 11448818
    Abstract: A light source module includes a ring light guide, at least one light source, a reflector, and a diffuser. The ring light guide includes a ring body and at least one light incident portion. The ring light guide has a light exit surface and a bottom surface, which are two opposite ring surfaces of the ring body. The ring body has a plurality of optical structures disposed along the ring body. The at least one light incident portion is disposed on the ring body and protrudes from a lateral side of the ring body. The light incident portion has a light incident surface, wherein a plane where the light incident surface lies crosses a plane where the light exit surface lies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Chun Wu, Chiao-Yun Chung