Patents Examined by Stephone Allen
  • Patent number: 8314993
    Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for using a split exit pupil expander to provide general diffractive optics method that uses a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display of an electronic device for viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Tapani Levola
  • Patent number: 8313202
    Abstract: A hinge assembly for a wing mirror unit for a motor vehicle comprising a central shaft and a mirror housing pivotably arranged around the central shaft. In an embodiment, a bottom surface of the mirror housing is supported on a supporting surface at the base of the central shaft and, through cooperation, first and second run-on surfaces define a predetermined angular position between the central shaft and the mirror housing corresponding to a folded-out position of the mirror housing. In an embodiment, first run-on surfaces are provided on a side of the mirror housing remote from the supporting surface, and second run-on surfaces are connected with the central shaft to be axially compliant and rotation-coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Paulus Gerardus Maria van Stiphout, Peter Alexander Hamming, Peter Jeroen Kerkhof, Marinus Roose, Marinus Jacobus Maria Van Zuijlen
  • Patent number: 8305688
    Abstract: A article includes a substrate and a metal dielectric reflective film. The metal dielectric reflective film is formed on the substrate, the metal dielectric reflective film includes a dielectric multiple layer and a metal layer. The dielectric multiple layer includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer arranged in the order written and stacked one on another. The first and third layers comprised of a low refractive index material, the second and fourth layers comprised of a high refractive index material. The metal layer is disposed on the fourth layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien-Hao Huang
  • Patent number: 8300294
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a metamaterial including a first conducting layer, a second conducting layer, and a dielectric layer located between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. Each conducting layer has holes formed therethrough, for example as an array of holes formed through the metamaterial. The holes are configured so that the metamaterial has a gradient refractive index at an operational wavelength. The operational wavelength may be an IR or visible wavelength. The apparatus may be an optical element, and for example may have the functionality of a lens or prism through the gradient refractive index. Interfaces may be parallel planar interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhuoyuan Wu, Serdar H. Yonak
  • Patent number: 8300290
    Abstract: A piezoelectric mirror device (11) comprises a frame portion (12) having a centrally located opening (13), a mirror portion (14) positioned at the opening (13), a pair of mirror support portions (15) adapted to support the mirror portion (14) rotatably relative the frame portion (12) and a pair of drive portions (16) that is a multilayer structure of lower electrodes (17), piezoelectric element (18) and an upper electrode (19). The mirror support portions (15) are formed of a material having a Young's modulus of up to 160 GPa, and the frame portion (12) includes a cutout (13a) at a part of a site wherein there are the drive portions (16) positioned. The cutout (13a) is in contact with the opening (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8294990
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical filter having first and second passbands that are different, the optical filter including selectively operable first passband adjusting structure that varies a characteristic of the first passband without influencing the second passband. According to a different aspect, a method includes filtering radiation with an optical filter having first and second passbands that are different, and selectively varying a characteristic of the first passband without influencing the second passband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Canada Limited
    Inventors: Douglas J. Brown, Daniel B. Mitchell, Geoffrey G. Harris
  • Patent number: 8292441
    Abstract: A deformable mirror includes a plurality of block segments and at least one actuator. The block segments are arranged in an array, with adjacent block segments being coupled together by an elastomer and the top surface of the array being reflective. The at least one actuator is coupled to at least one of the block segments at the bottom surface of the array and is adapted to adjust in piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Optical Physics Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Hutchin, Matthew T. Hunwardsen, Marc T. Jacoby
  • Patent number: 8294970
    Abstract: An actuator includes: a frame; first members at each end of the frame along a first axis making the frame rotatable thereabout; second members supporting each end of a movable plate against the frame along a second axis making the movable plate rotatable thereabout; first magnets with poles interposing the first axis; a second magnet with poles interposing the first axis; a coil generating a magnetic force acting on the first and second magnets; and a voltage source applying a voltage to the coil. The first and second magnets have an angle of 30-60 degrees to the first axis, and identical magnetic pole directions. The voltage source includes first and second voltage generators generating first and second voltages of first and second frequencies, and a voltage superimposer. The movable plate is rotated about the first and second axes at the first and second frequencies by the superimposed voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Mizoguchi, Makiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8294989
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an optical diffraction device configured for diffracting a predetermined wavelength of incident light onto adjacent optical focal points, and a photon detector for detecting a spectral characteristic of the predetermined wavelength. One of the optical focal points is a constructive interference point and the other optical focal point is a destructive interference point. The diffraction device, which may be a micro-zone plate (MZP) of micro-ring gratings or an optical lens, generates a constructive ray point using phase-contrasting of the destructive interference point. The ray point is located between adjacent optical focal points. A method of generating a densely-accumulated ray point includes directing incident light onto the optical diffraction device, diffracting the selected wavelength onto the constructive interference focal point and the destructive interference focal point, and generating the densely-accumulated ray point in a narrow region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Yeonjoon Park, Sang H. Choi, Glen C. King, James R. Elliott
  • Patent number: 8289602
    Abstract: An optical pattern generator uses reflection from multiple (e.g., two) internal mirror surfaces mounted on a rotating support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Reliant Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Frangineas
  • Patent number: 8274738
    Abstract: A method for Space-variant polarization manipulation of enhanced nondirectional thermal emission in a narrow spectral peak is disclosed, comprising providing a subwavelength grating irradiating non-directional thermal emission on the grating and discretely controlling the local orientation of the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventors: Erez Hasman, Nir Dahan, Avi Niv, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner
  • Patent number: 8270079
    Abstract: A first article has a surface bearing a diffraction grating that comprises a plurality of elevated regions and recessed regions and a reflective coating that provides reflective diffraction within the article but is sufficiently thick to prevent diffraction outside the article. Alternatively, the reflective coating can be arranged to also provide reflective diffraction outside the article. A second article has a surface bearing a diffraction grating that comprises a plurality of elevated regions and recessed regions. Either (i) at least a portion of each ridge, or (ii) at least portion of each trench, comprises a material differing with respect to its refractive index or with respect to its optical transmissivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: LightSmyth Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Mossberg, Christoph M. Greiner, Dmitri Iazikov
  • Patent number: 8269919
    Abstract: A micro-louver (1) includes: a transparent substrate (2); a concavoconvex shape portion (5) formed on at least one surface of the transparent substrate (2) and in a prescribed pattern for diffracting incident light to form an image; and a light controlling layer (7) including at least one transparent layer (3) and at least light-absorption layer (4) arranged alternately on said at least one surface of the transparent substrate (2), each of said at least one transparent layer (3) and said at least one transparent layer (4) extending in a direction that intersects said at least one surface of the transparent substrate (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Mimura, Ken Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8254031
    Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for providing color separation in an exit pupil expander system that uses a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display in an electronic device for viewing by introducing a selectively absorbing area or areas in the exit pupil expanders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Tapani Levola
  • Patent number: 8223418
    Abstract: A first optical system couples a light beam from a light source, including a first lens made of glass with a positive power and a second lens made of plastic with a negative power. A second optical system focuses the light beam from the first optical system onto a scanning surface and moves a light spot on the scanning surface in a main-scanning direction. One of an incidence plane and an output plane of the first lens is spherical while the other is spherical or flat. A cross-sectional plane of the second lens along one of the main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction has a non-arc shape on at least one of the incidence plane and the output plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Ichii, Makoto Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 8213083
    Abstract: A wavelength selection filter selectively resonating and reflecting light of a given wavelength contained in incident light, includes a substrate having a rectangular waveform concave and convex structure which is formed on a plane on which the incident light falls incident, the concave and convex structure including convex portions and concave portions which are arranged in one axial direction and a multilayer structure including a first layer and a second layer respectively coating one and the other one of side surfaces, in the one axial direction, of each of convex portions of the concave and convex structure. A refractive index of the first layer and a refractive index of the second layer are both higher than a refractive index of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Fujimoto, Hideaki Hirai, Manabu Seo
  • Patent number: 8208187
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a plurality of converging lenses and a plurality of supporting members. Each supporting member supports a corresponding one of the converging lenses. Moreover, the converging lenses are arranged so as to be out of alignment with one another in a main-scanning direction and are arranged in a row in a sub-scanning direction in such a manner that no converging lens interferes with supporting members that support other converging lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8198626
    Abstract: A reference wafer maintains laser accuracy and calibrates a camera and a laser of a semiconductor equipment. The reference wafer includes a first anti-reflection layer, an adhesive layer, a light absorption layer and a second anti-reflection layer that are stacked over a substrate, a light reflection layer formed over the second anti-reflection layer, and a protection layer formed over the light reflection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Lee, Jung-Taik Cheong, Gue-Hong Song, Ky-Hyun Han
  • Patent number: 8194252
    Abstract: Light in a desired wavelength band is accurately separated by changing the distance between optical substrates while minimizing deformation thereof. A variable spectroscopic element (1) includes: a plurality of optical substrates (3, 4) opposed to each other with a space therebetween, the optical substrates being provided with coating layers (2a, 2b) on opposed surfaces; actuators (5) arranged circumferentially at intervals around a central axis of the optical substrates (3, 4), the actuators being capable of expansion and contraction in a direction of the gap between the optical substrates (3, 4); and connecting members (10) connecting the actuators (5) and the optical substrates (3, 4) at several locations at intervals in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoaki Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8194325
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided. The apparatus including: a light expander configured to expand light, input into the light expander, in a first dimension, and configured to provide diverging light that diverges in the first dimension; and an optical device configured to redirect diverging light, received from the light expander, to produce converging light that converges in the first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Tapani Levola, Pasi Saarikko