Patents Examined by Kimberly N. Kakalec
  • Patent number: 11782220
    Abstract: Described herein is a calibration system (25) for a wavelength selective switch (1). The switch (1) is adapted for dynamically switching optical beams (5, 7) along respective trajectories between input and output ports disposed in an array (3) using a reconfigurable Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) spatial light modulator device (17). The calibration system (25) includes a monitor (27) for projecting an optical monitor beam (29) through at least a portion of the switch (1) onto the LCOS (17) and detecting the monitor beam (29) reflected from the LCOS (17). In response, system (25) provides a calibration signal (33) to an active correction unit (35) for applying a correction to one or more of the trajectories while maintaining a constant switching state in the LCOS (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventor: Steven James Frisken
  • Patent number: 11774657
    Abstract: A skew mirror is an optical reflective device whose reflective axis forms a non-zero angle with the surface normal. A spatially varying skew mirror is a skew mirror whose reflective axes vary as a function of lateral position. If a spatially varying skew mirror was subdivided into many pieces, some or all of the many pieces could have a reflective axis that points in a different direction. In some variations, a spatially varying skew mirror can act as a focusing mirror that focuses incident light. A spatially varying skew mirror can be made by recording interference patterns between a phase-modulated writing beam and another writing beam or by recording interference patterns between planar wavefronts in a curved holographic recording medium that is later bent or warped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Akonia Holographics LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Ayres, Adam Urness, Kenneth E. Anderson, Friso Schlottau
  • Patent number: 11774649
    Abstract: An optical element includes a glass body including a colored layer provided inside the glass body and positioned at an optical function surface of the optical element. An optical apparatus including the optical element is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Yutaka Takakubo, Yoshitake Tanno, Yasushi Tsutsumi, Naomi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11762134
    Abstract: A diffractive optical element may include sub-wavelength period stack-and-gap structured layers providing transmissive phase delay at a wavelength. The sub-wavelength period stack-and-gap structured layers may include a set of thin anti-reflection layers that are index matched to an environment or a substrate over a range of fill factors of the sub-wavelength period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Miller, Stephen Bagnald
  • Patent number: 11740480
    Abstract: An optical system for displaying a virtual image to a viewer includes stacked integral first reflective polarizer and integral second reflective polarizer, a display, and a mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Craig R. Schardt, Adam D. Haag, Stephen J. Willet
  • Patent number: 11742864
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of adjusting a center frequency of an adaptive voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that is included in an adaptive phase lock loop (PLL) and/or a phase difference target of the adaptive PLL. An adaptive PLL is a PLL that includes an adaptive VCO. An adaptive VCO is a VCO that is capable of adjusting its center frequency and/or a phase difference target of the adaptive PLL that includes the adaptive VCO. The adaptive PLL may be configured to drive (e.g., control) a device. A drive signal that is used to drive the device and a resulting output signal that is proportional to movement of the device may be fed back to respective inputs of the adaptive PLL so that the phases of those signals may be processed to facilitate adjustment of the center frequency and/or the phase difference target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chuan Pu, Wenjun Liao
  • Patent number: 11719860
    Abstract: An antireflection structure includes an antireflection film provided on a front surface of a substrate. The antireflection film has a plurality of holes that are spatially and periodically arranged and pass through front and back surfaces of the antireflection film. A thickness and a relative dielectric constant of the antireflection film are set according to a relative dielectric constant and a thickness of the substrate and an incident angle ? of an electromagnetic wave. The thickness and the relative dielectric constant of the antireflection film are set for an electromagnetic wave incident at the angle ? so that, for example, an electromagnetic wave reflected by the antireflection film provided on the front surface of the substrate and an electromagnetic wave reflected by a back surface of the substrate deviate from each other by a half wavelength and cancel each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Abe, Toshiaki Watanabe, Shinichiro Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 11714213
    Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure pertain to articles that exhibit scratch-resistance and improved optical properties. In some examples, the article exhibits a color shift of about 2 or less, when viewed at an incident illumination angle in the range from about 0 degrees to about 60 degrees from normal under an illuminant. In one or more embodiments, the articles include a substrate, and an optical film disposed on the substrate. The optical film includes a scratch-resistant layer and an optical interference layer. The optical interference layer may include one or more sub-layers that exhibit different refractive indices. In one example, the optical interference layer includes a first low refractive index sub-layer and a second a second high refractive index sub-layer. In some instances, the optical interference layer may include a third sub-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Alan Bellman, Shandon Dee Hart, Karl William Koch, III, Charles Andrew Paulson, James Joseph Price
  • Patent number: 11714276
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanning device comprising a torsional beam flexure that has a variable width in relation to a rotational axis for a scanning mirror. The geometric properties of the torsional beam vary along the rotational axis to increase a desired mode of mechanical strain at a location where a strain sensor is operating within the MEMS scanning device to generate a feedback signal. The torsional beam flexure mechanically suspends the scanning mirror from a frame structure. During operation of the MEMS scanning device, actuators induce torsional deformation into the torsional beam flexure to cause rotation of the scanning mirror about the rotational axis. The degree or amount of this torsional deformation is directly related to the angular position of the scanning mirror and, therefore, the desired mode of mechanical strain may be this torsional deformation strain component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Utku Baran, Xiao Chuan Ong, Wyatt Owen Davis
  • Patent number: 11698492
    Abstract: A waveguide image combiner is used to transmit a monochrome or full-color image in an augmented reality display. The combiner uses multiple stacked substrates and multiple pairs of incoupling and outcoupling VHOEs to expand a first FOV and an image expander to expand the second or perpendicular FOV. This suitably provides an expanded FOV that offers a diagonal FOV?50°, a horizontal FOV?40 and a vertical FOV?25°. The combiner also delivers a large horizontal eye box up to 20 mm and a vertical eye box of 10 mm while maintaining high light efficiency of the real scene (e.g. >80%). The system is able to use a light engine based on broadband (10 nm????40 nm) LEDs and maintain a large horizontal field of view and high transmission of the real imagery. The approach resolves issues with current embodiments including astigmatism, image overlap, color balance, and small light engine pupils leading to reduced eye boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Arkady Bablumyan, Lloyd J LaComb, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11681155
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical structure for modulating light beams includes multiple asymmetric deformable diffractive elements, each having an L-shaped cross section, split pedestal and flexible reflective member. The reflective member has an elongated shape, and a supported part and unsupported part. The split pedestal extends along the long dimension of the supported part of the reflective member and is anchored to a substrate which supports one or more electrodes or serves as an electrode. The diffractive element is movable between a non-energized position wherein the diffractive element acts to reflect a beam of light as a planar mirror, to an energized position wherein upon application of an electrostatic force, the diffractive element flexes independently about an axis parallel to the long dimension of each reflective member to vary a curvature of the reflective member to form a blazed grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Teledyne Micralyne Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Fitzpatrick, John Harley
  • Patent number: 11668935
    Abstract: A waveguide image combiner is used to transmit a monochrome or full-color image in an augmented reality display. The combiner uses multiple stacked substrates and multiple pairs of incoupling and outcouping VHOEs to expand a first FOV and an image expander to expand the second or perpendicular FOV. This suitably provides an expanded FOV that offers a diagonal FOV?50°, a horizontal FOV?40 and a vertical FOV?25°. The combiner also delivers a large horizontal eye box up to 20 mm and a vertical eye box of 10 mm while maintaining high light efficiency of the real scene (e.g. >80%). The system is able to use a light engine based on broadband (10 nm????40 nm) LEDs and maintain a large horizontal field of view and high transmission of the real imagery. The approach resolves issues with current embodiments including astigmatism, image overlap, color balance, and small light engine pupils leading to reduced eye boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Arkady Bablumyan, Erfan Fard
  • Patent number: 11668932
    Abstract: Various embodiments set forth a foveated display system and components thereof. The foveated display system includes a peripheral display module disposed in series with a foveal display module. The peripheral display module is configured to generate low-resolution, large field of view imagery for a user's peripheral vision. The foveal display module is configured to perform foveated rendering in which high-resolution imagery is focused towards a foveal region of the user's eye gaze. The peripheral display module may include a diffuser that is disposed within a pancake lens, which is a relatively compact design. The foveal display module may include a Pancharatnam-Berry Phase grating stack that increases the steering range of a beam-steering device such that a virtual image can be steered to cover an entire field of view visible to the user's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Gang Li, Seungjae Lee, Mengfei Wang
  • Patent number: 11662573
    Abstract: An actuator that swings a swing portion about a first axis and a second axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to each other, includes a fixed portion, two first stator cores, two second stator cores, two first coils, and two second coils. The first coil is in the same region as a tooth portion of the first stator core, and the second coil is in the same region as a tooth portion of the second stator core. As viewed in a central axis direction, each extending portion of each of the first stator cores includes end surfaces that face a magnet and oppose each other with the magnet interposed therebetween along the first axis, and each extending portion of each of the second stator cores includes end surfaces that face the magnet and oppose each other with the magnet interposed therebetween along the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuro Iguchi
  • Patent number: 11656339
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for controlling a micro-mirror are provided. In one example, a controller is coupled with a micro-mirror assembly comprising a micro-mirror, an actuator, and a sensor. The controller is configured to: receive a reference signal including information of a target oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; receive, from the sensor, the measurement signal of an oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; determine, based on the measurement signal and the information included in the reference signal, a difference between the oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror and the target oscillatory rotation; receive an input control signal; generate, based on the difference and the input control signal, an output control signal to control at least one of a phase or an amplitude of the oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; and transmit the output control signal to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zuow-Zun Chen, Jihua Li, Lingkai Kong, Youmin Wang, Yue Lu, Quin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11640020
    Abstract: A display device is disclosed, and the display device includes a display layer and a lens layer; the lens layer is provided on a light emergent side of the display layer, and includes at least one grating compound lens unit; the display layer includes at least one display pixel set, and the display pixel set is configured to emit light for imaging toward the grating compound lens unit during display; the grating compound lens unit is configured to optically image the display pixel set; and the grating compound lens unit is further configured to deflect the light for imaging, to make an image-space central visual field direction of the grating compound lens unit intersect with an extension direction of an optical axis of the grating compound lens unit, so that the display device has one or more viewpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Wang, Xiaochuan Chen, Jiayao Liu, Qiuyu Ling, Xianqin Meng, Xiandong Meng, Pengxia Liang, Fangzhou Wang, Peilin Liu
  • Patent number: 11635620
    Abstract: A holographic head-up display (HUD) including: a picture generation unit (PGU) including at least one laser light source to generate an optical image to be projected on a HUD; a first mirror to reflect the optical image from the PGU; a second mirror to reflect the optical image reflected by the first mirror; and a holographic optical element (HOE) to diffract the optical image reflected by the second mirror at a first diffraction angle to provide an output optical image in a target direction. The first mirror includes a reflective compensatory HOE to diffract the optical image from the PGU at a second diffraction angle, and in response to change of a wavelength of the optical image from the PGU, the reflective compensatory HOE is configured to diffract the optical image from the PGU at a third diffraction angle different from the second diffraction angle such that the HOE provides the output optical image in the target direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 11630307
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to wearable display technologies. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projection display systems where one or more laser diodes are used as light source for illustrating images with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides. In one set of embodiments, the present invention provides wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projector systems that utilize transparent waveguides and blue and/or green laser fabricated using gallium nitride containing material. In another set of embodiments, the present invention provides wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projection systems having digital lighting processing engines illuminated by blue and/or green laser devices with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Rudy, James W. Raring, Eric Goutain, Hua Huang
  • Patent number: 11628773
    Abstract: A method for forming a reflective element for a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes providing a roll of an ultrathin glass sheet, the ultrathin glass sheet having a thickness dimension of less than or equal to 0.8 mm and greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. An elongated sheet of transparent plastic material if formed. The elongated sheet has a planar first side and a planar second side opposite the planar first side and separated from the planar first side by a thickness of the elongated sheet. The ultrathin glass sheet is unrolled from the roll of the ultrathin glass sheet and the unrolled ultrathin glass sheet is applied to the first side of the elongated sheet. A reflective layer is applied to the second side of the elongated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11624933
    Abstract: To overcome the problem of a diffractive surface having a large, and often excessively large, amount of chromatic aberration, an optical system can use multiple cascaded or sequential diffractive surfaces that, combined, have a reduced amount of chromatic aberration. The optical system can be designed such that all rays traversing the optical system and passing through the diffractive surfaces have an equal optical path length. In the design process, the sets of rays are identified, and the designs of the diffractive surfaces are selected to produce the angular deviations to produce the identified ray paths. In one example, an achromatic lens formed as two annular optical surfaces can receive a collimated incident beam, redirect rays helically at the first surface toward the second surface, and redirect the rays at the second surface toward a focal point. The azimuthal redirection can decrease with increasing distance away from a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Amir Arbabi, Andrew Corby McClung