Patents Examined by Mary A El Shammaa
  • Patent number: 12292327
    Abstract: A near-field probe (and associated method) compatible with near-infrared electromagnetic radiation and high temperature applications above 300° C. (or 500° C. in some applications) includes an optical waveguide and a photonic thermal emitting structure comprising a near-field thermally emissive material coupled to or part of the optical waveguide. The photonic thermal emitting structure is structured and configured to emit near-field energy responsive to at least one environmental parameter of interest, and the near-field probe is structured and configured to enable extraction of the near-field energy to a far-field by coupling the near-field energy into one or more guided modes of the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignees: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Paul Richard Ohodnicki, Sheng Shen
  • Patent number: 12292599
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical delay line structure, including an outer housing, an inner housing and a reflection assembly. The outer housing is connected to the inner housing and an optical fiber. The reflection assembly is placed on the inner housing. The inner housing can move axially on an outer housing thread part of the outer housing so as to change the light path between the optical fiber and the reflection component. The reflection assembly includes a mirror holder, a reflection mirror, a plurality of fixing screws and a plurality of adjusting screws. When at least one of the adjusting screws is moved, the reflection mirror will tilt at different angles, thereby changing the path and intensity of light wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: EZCONN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chin-Tsung Wu
  • Patent number: 12282137
    Abstract: An optical sensor system comprising: (a) a light source for at least one optical sensor, the light source comprising at least, (i) an interposer having first and second opposing sides and defining at least one alignment aperture extending from the first opposing side to the second opposing side; (ii) at least one fiber disposed in the at least one alignment aperture, the at least one fiber having a first optical axis; (iii) at least one light emitting component mounted to the second opposing side and having a second optical axis coincident with the first optical axis, the light emitting component configured to emit light, at least a portion of which is coupled with the at least one fiber as coupled light; and (b) the at least one optical sensor optically coupled to the at least one fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Benton, Soren Grinderslev, William Atley Weeks, Todd Jason Kuvshinikov
  • Patent number: 12282192
    Abstract: The fabrication of a first waveguide made of stoichiometric silicon nitride, of a second waveguide made of crystalline semiconductor material and of at least one active component optically coupled to the first waveguide via the second waveguide. The method includes: a) the formation of an aperture which passes through an encapsulation layer of the first waveguide and emerges in or on a substrate made of monocrystalline silicon, then b) the deposition by epitaxial growth of a crystalline seeding material inside the aperture until this crystalline seeding material forms a crystalline seed on a top face of the encapsulation layer, then c) a lateral epitaxy, of a crystalline semiconductor material from the crystalline seed formed to form a layer made of crystalline semiconductor material wherein the second waveguide is then produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Leopold Virot, Jean-Michel Hartmann, Karim Hassan, Bertrand Szelag, Quentin Wilmart
  • Patent number: 12282163
    Abstract: An optical waveguide system and an electronic device are disclosed. The system comprises: a waveguide; an input coupler coupling a light into the waveguide; and an output coupler, wherein the input coupler includes a right portion and a left portion, wherein the right portion includes stacked first and second polarization volume gratings, the left portion includes stacked third and fourth polarization volume gratings. The first and fourth polarization volume gratings are polarization volume gratings optimized for a right-hand-side field of view of the light, and the third and second polarization volume gratings are polarization volume gratings optimized for a left-hand-side field of view of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventor: Lingshan Li
  • Patent number: 12265267
    Abstract: Systems and methods for angle polishing of the end faces of a plurality of optical connectors are provided. Systems are provided that include a connector defining a longitudinal axis, and at least two ferrules mounted with respect to the connector and arranged in a side-by-side orientation. The end faces of the connectors are movable relative to the connector and such movement facilitates lateral orientation of the angle polished end faces of the ferrules relative to the connector when in the mating position. Various mechanisms and methods for facilitating movement of the ferrules relative to the connector are disclosed to achieve the desired lateral polish orientation of the ferrule end faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Legrand DPC, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel M. Smith, Ryan J. Grandidge, Thomas Knychalski, Robert E. Abel
  • Patent number: 12259548
    Abstract: A light guide substrate, including a light coupling-in region with multiple first gratings, a light expansion region with multiple sub light expansion regions, and a light coupling-out region, is provided. Each sub light expansion region includes multiple second gratings. The sub light expansion regions include a first set of sub light expansion regions and a second set of sub light expansion regions. Each second grating in the first set of sub light expansion regions includes a first microstructure and a second microstructure. The light coupling-out region includes multiple third gratings. When an image light enters the light guide substrate from the light coupling-in region through the first gratings, the image light is first transmitted to the light expansion region in the light guide substrate, then transmitted to the light coupling-out region through the second gratings, and then emitted from the light coupling-out region through the third gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Wen-Chang Hung, Yu-Chieh Cheng
  • Patent number: 12259552
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system including a lens element supported by a support structure, the lens element having a waveguide with an incoupler configured to receive light from an optical scanner of the HMD. The incoupler is configured with multiple features varying in at least one of height, spacing, angle, or density. The features may be separated into discrete zones along the incoupler such that at least one of height, spacing, angle, or density of the plurality of features is varied over the incoupler and constant within a given zone or the features may be varied continuously across the incoupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Adema, Timothy Paul Bodiya, Shreyas Potnis
  • Patent number: 12253672
    Abstract: A light-guide optical element (LOE) includes a transparent substrate having two parallel major external surfaces for guiding light within the substrate by total internal reflection (TIR). Mutually parallel internal surfaces within the LOE are provided with a structural polarizer which is transparent to light polarized parallel to a primary polarization transmission axis, and is partially or fully reflective to light polarized perpendicular to the primary polarization transmission axis. By suitable orientation of the polarization axis of successive internal surfaces together with the polarization mixing properties of TIR and/or use of birefringent materials, it is possible to achieve the desired proportion of coupling-out of the image illumination from each successive facet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: LUMUS LTD.
    Inventors: Yochay Danziger, Daniel Michaels
  • Patent number: 12235502
    Abstract: An organizer assembly includes a primary basket extending along a longitudinal axis between a first open end and a second closed end. The organizer assembly includes a backplate extending between a front wall and a rear wall, wherein a plurality of entry/exit slots are defined at the rear wall. The backplate further includes a plurality of positioning assemblies. The organizer assembly includes a hinge assembly connecting the backplate to the primary basket, wherein the backplate is rotatable relative to the primary basket at the hinge assembly about a lateral axis. The organizer assembly includes a plurality of organizer trays, each of the plurality of organizer trays rotatably connectable to the backplate at one of the plurality of positioning assemblies. Each of the plurality of positioning assemblies causes the connected one of the plurality of organizer trays to be selectively positionable in one of a plurality of rotational positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC
    Inventors: David Wittmeier, Cecilia Stout, Will Miller
  • Patent number: 12235474
    Abstract: A method of operating a dynamic eyepiece in an augmented reality headset includes producing first virtual content associated with a first depth plane, coupling the first virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the first virtual content through one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to an eye of a viewer. The one or more waveguide layers are characterized by a first surface profile. The method also includes modifying the one or more waveguide layers to be characterized by a second surface profile different from the first surface profile, producing second virtual content associated with a second depth plane, coupling the second virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the second virtual content through the one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to the eye of the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Chieh Chang, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava, Ling Li, Sharad D. Bhagat, Christophe Peroz, Jason Donald Mareno
  • Patent number: 12228773
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a fiber optic connector comprising a housing, a spring, a ferrule assembly and a crimping seat. Before being inserted into the housing, the ferrule assembly is pre-assembled into the crimping seat in a manner of being movable relative to the crimping seat. The spring is pre-assembled into the housing before the ferrule assembly is inserted into the housing. After the pre-assembled ferrule assembly and crimping seat are inserted into the housing, the crimping seat is snap-fitted in the housing, and the spring pushes the ferrule assembly, so that the ferrule assembly is capable of being moved against the spring relative to the crimping seat. Before inserted into a housing of the fiber optic connector, some components may be pre-assembled together to form an integral assembly having a size less than that of a housing of the fiber optic connector. Accordingly, the integral assembly may be smoothly pulled through a small long pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: COMMSCOPE TELECOMMUNICATIONS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Liu, Zhaoyang Tong
  • Patent number: 12222499
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for eye-glow suppression in waveguide systems is disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the methods and the apparatus include a source of image modulated light; a waveguide having an eye-facing surface and an external surface facing the outside world; an input coupler for coupling the light into a total reflection internal path in the waveguide; at least one grating for providing beam expansion and extracting light from the waveguide towards an eyebox; a polymer grating structure comprising a modulation depth and a grating pitch. The modulation depth is greater than the grating pitch across at least a portion of the polymer grating structure. Advantageously, the polymer grating structure is configured to diffract light entering the waveguide from the outside world or stray light generated within the waveguide away from optical paths that are refracted through the external surface into the outside world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: DigiLens Inc.
    Inventors: Alastair John Grant, Richard E. Bergstrom, Jr., Roger Allen Conley Smith, Michiel Koen Callens, Nicholas Sherwood, Nima Shams, Milan Momcilo Popovich
  • Patent number: 12222590
    Abstract: A lithium niobate waveguide having weak phase drift includes a lithium niobate layer, a metal electrode, and a substrate layer. The lithium niobate layer includes a lithium niobate central ridge and lithium niobate extension surfaces extending towards two sides of the lithium niobate central ridge. A metal oxide layer is arranged on the upper surface of the lithium niobate central ridge. The substrate layer is located on the lower surface of the lithium niobate layer and is made of silicon, silicon dioxide, a multilayer material made of silicon and silicon dioxide or a multilayer material made of silicon dioxide, metal, and silicon, so as to further realize the purpose of inhibiting phase drift. Compared with other doped structures or other structures, the structure is simple in manufacturing method, and moreover, a very good phase drift suppression effect is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Inventors: Hanxiao Liang, Yipin Song, Yingcong Zhou, Haicang Wu, Wenhao Mao, Shiwei Song, Weiqi Sun, Qingyang Yu
  • Patent number: 12216242
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a head-mounted augmented reality display system comprises one or more hybrid waveguides configured to display images by directing modulated light containing image information into the eyes of a viewer. Each hybrid waveguide is formed of two or more layers of different materials. The thicker of the layers is a highly optically transparent “core” layer, and the thinner layer comprises a pattern of protrusions and indentations to form, e.g., a diffractive optical element. The pattern may be formed by imprinting. The hybrid waveguide may include additional layers, e.g., forming a plurality of alternating core layers and thinner patterned layers. Multiple waveguides may be stacked to form an integrated eyepiece, with each waveguide configured to receive and output light of a different component color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Christophe Peroz, Chieh Chang, Sharad D. Bhagat
  • Patent number: 12197010
    Abstract: A reinforcement sleeve heating device is a reinforcement sleeve heating device heating a reinforcement sleeve put on a connecting site to shrink the reinforcement sleeve in order to reinforce the connecting site of optical fibers fusion-spliced to each other. The reinforcement sleeve heating device includes: a heating element forming a housing space, the housing space extending in a predetermined direction, the housing space being opened in one direction intersecting with the predetermined direction, the housing space being capable of disposing the reinforcement sleeve, and a cover disposed at a position at which at least a part of the opening of the housing space. In a state in which the reinforcement sleeve is disposed in the housing space, the cover includes a contact surface brought into contact with the reinforcement sleeve in a direction of pushing the reinforcement sleeve into an inside of the housing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC OPTIFRONTIER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Ido, Kazufumi Joko, Ryosuke Meo, Hiroshi Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 12181671
    Abstract: Systems and methods for incoupling light into a waveguide. A system includes a transfer optic and an optical scanner being configured to receive light from an optical engine. The optical scanner includes a first scan mirror positioned close to the transfer optic. The system further includes a waveguide with an incoupler positioned close to the transfer optic, which is configured to direct the light from the optical engine to the first scan mirror and to transmit light reflected from the first scan mirror to one of a second scan mirror or the incoupler of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Adema, Timothy Paul Bodiya
  • Patent number: 12181682
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Kevin Messer
  • Patent number: 12175335
    Abstract: Programmable photonic circuits of reconfigurable interferometers can be used to implement arbitrary operations on optical modes, providing a flexible platform for accelerating tasks in quantum simulation, signal processing, and artificial intelligence. A major obstacle to scaling up these systems is static fabrication error, where small component errors within each device accrue to produce significant errors within the circuit computation. Mitigating errors usually involves numerical optimization dependent on real-time feedback from the circuit, which can greatly limit the scalability of the hardware. Here, we present a resource-efficient, deterministic approach to correcting circuit errors by locally correcting hardware errors within individual optical gates. We apply our approach to simulations of large-scale optical neural networks and infinite impulse response filters implemented in programmable photonics, finding that they remain resilient to component error well beyond modern day process tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Saumil Bandyopadhyay, Ryan Hamerly, Dirk Robert Englund
  • Patent number: 12164160
    Abstract: An optical data communication system includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. A polarization-maintaining optical data communication link extends from an optical output of the optical transmitter to an optical input of the optical receiver. The polarization-maintaining optical data communication link includes at least two sections of polarization-maintaining optical fiber optically connected through an optical connector. The at least two sections of polarization-maintaining optical fiber have different lengths. The optical connector is configured to optically align a fast polarization axis of a first polarization-maintaining optical fiber to a slow polarization axis of a second polarization-maintaining optical fiber. The optical connector is also configured to optically align a slow polarization axis of the first polarization-maintaining optical fiber to a fast polarization axis of the second polarization-maintaining optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Ayar Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: John Fini, Chen Sun