Patents Examined by William Choi
  • Patent number: 12158592
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to haptic feedback systems and methods for use in head-worn computing systems. A head worn computer includes a frame adapted to hold a computer display in front of a user's eye, a processor adapted to present digital content in the computer display and to produce a haptic signal in coordination with the digital content display, and a haptic system including a plurality of haptic segments, wherein each of the haptic segments is individually controlled in coordination with the haptic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC
    Inventor: Ralph F. Osterhout
  • Patent number: 12158575
    Abstract: A laser beam scanning (“LBS”) display device is configured with an optical system that includes a laser beam emitter configured to emit a laser beam. The optical system also includes a driver configured to generate a driving signal for controlling a mirror, such as a microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) mirror. The optical system also includes a controller configured to generate a driving signal while rejecting a system disturbance response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Wenjun Liao, Chuan Pu
  • Patent number: 12158574
    Abstract: In an example, a system includes a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD includes a hinge and one or more spring tips coupled to the hinge, where the hinge is configured to tilt toward a raised address electrode. The DMD includes a micromirror including a recessed mirror shelf and a reflective surface, where the recessed mirror shelf is coupled to the hinge, and where the recessed mirror shelf is configured to contact at least one of the one or more spring tips responsive to the hinge tilting toward the raised address electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Patrick Ian Oden, James Norman Hall
  • Patent number: 12147019
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens module including a plurality of lenses having refractive power, a first optical path folding unit disposed on the object side of the lens module and configured to refract or reflect incident light in an optical axis direction of the lens module. Among the lenses constituting the lens module, an effective radius of a lens closest to the first optical path folding unit may have substantially the same size as an effective radius of an exit surface of the first optical path folding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Hyun Kim, So Mi Yang, Jae Hyuk Huh, Yong Joo Jo
  • Patent number: 12130500
    Abstract: A multiple degree of freedom hinge system is provided, which is particularly well adapted for eyewear, such as spatial computing headsets. In the context of such spatial computing headsets having an optics assembly supported by opposing temple arms, the hinge system provides protection against over-extension of the temple arms or extreme deflections that may otherwise arise from undesirable torsional loading of the temple arms. The hinge systems also allow the temple arms to splay outwardly to enable proper fit and enhanced user comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lopez, Andrew C. Duenner
  • Patent number: 12130537
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a liquid lens control apparatus includes a liquid lens configured to control an interface between liquids in response to a driving voltage, a voltage booster configured to increase the level of a supply voltage and output a voltage having a higher level than the supply voltage, a controller configured to control the driving voltage, and a gyro sensor configured to sense the movement of the liquid lens and output a signal corresponding to the movement of the liquid lens. The controller acquires a signal corresponding to the movement of the liquid lens output from the gyro sensor during a period in which the voltage booster is in an OFF state, and controls the driving voltage using the signal corresponding to the movement of the liquid lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Bae Park, Chang Wook Kim, Yong Sung Park
  • Patent number: 12126790
    Abstract: Some embodiments of an apparatus may include: a tracking module configured to track viewer movement adjustments; and a light field image display structure configured to display a light field image using the viewer movement adjustments. Some embodiments of a method may include: projecting a beam spot on a viewer of a light field display; determining an estimated location of the beam spot reflected off the viewer; detecting an actual location of the beam spot reflected off the viewer; and determining image correction parameters based on a comparison of the estimated location and the actual location of the beam spot reflected off the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS
    Inventors: Jukka-Tapani Makinen, Markku Alamaki
  • Patent number: 12124013
    Abstract: An optical imaging system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens sequentially arranged from an object side to an imaging plane. An angle of view of the optical system is 82 degrees or more. A constant indicating brightness of the optical system, F-number, is less than 1.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ju Hwa Son
  • Patent number: 12115769
    Abstract: Described herein are deadfront assemblies that are configured to exhibit variable transmission and reflection performance attributes. The deadfront assemblies described herein comprise a first ink layer, an intermediate layer, and a second ink layer. The intermediate layer is disposed between the first and second ink layers and is configured to reflect light that is transmitted through the first ink layer back through the first ink layer so that one or more colors of the ink in the first ink layer is visible in the reflected light. The second ink layer is configured to counteract deviations in optical transmission caused by the first ink layer so that light transmitted through the deadfront assembly is not perceptively altered in color. Overlapping regions of the first and second ink layers comprise inverse appearance attributes so that light output from a light source and transmitted through the deadfront assembly has a desired appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carlos Francis Alonzo, Byung Yun Joo, James Frank Lamacchia, Soeren Thomas Lichtenberg, Xu Ouyang, Yawei Sun, James Andrew West
  • Patent number: 12111459
    Abstract: A terahertz carrier-envelope phase shifter includes a substrate, a first phase modulator and a second phase modulator, which are arranged on a surface of the substrate. The first phase modulator has a first phase modulation angle. The second phase modulator has a second phase modulation angle that is different from the first phase modulation angle. A carrier-envelope phase of a terahertz pulse after the terahertz pulse passes through the first phase modulator and the substrate is different from a carrier-envelope phase of the terahertz pulse after the terahertz pulse passes through the second phase modulator and the substrate. By means of the simple displacement, a terahertz pulse can pass through different phase modulators to obtain the required carrier-envelope phases. A geometric parameter and the spatial position of a microstructure in the first or the second phase modulator are changed and the carrier-envelope phases of the terahertz pulse covers 0-2 ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: GBA BRANCH OF AEROSPACE INFORMATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventor: Tianwu Wang
  • Patent number: 12111421
    Abstract: An optical transmission device includes a waveguide including a transparent medium having mutually-parallel first and second surfaces arranged so that light propagates within the waveguide by internal reflection between the first and second surfaces. At least one light source is configured to inject coherent light into the waveguide. A first array of diffractive structures is applied to the waveguide and configured to couple respective beams of the coherent light out through the first surface of the waveguide. The device includes a second array of tunable optical phase modulators, which are overlaid on respective ones of the diffractive structures in the first array and are configured to apply different respective phase shifts to the respective beams, thereby modulating a far-field light pattern formed by interference between the beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Yakov G. Soskind, Alexander Shpunt, Graham C. Townsend
  • Patent number: 12105397
    Abstract: An optical modulator includes first and second waveguides; a first phase shifter provided in at least one of the first and second waveguides and configured to control a phase of the laser beam; a first optical element configured to combine the laser beam propagating through the first waveguide and the laser beam propagating through the second waveguide and separate the combined laser beam into two laser beams; a third (fourth) waveguide on which one (the other) of the laser beams separated by the first optical element is incident; a second phase shifter provided in at least one of the third and fourth waveguides and configured to control a phase of the laser beam; and a second optical element configured to combine the laser beam propagating through the third waveguide and the laser beam propagating through the fourth waveguide and emit the laser beam in the superposition state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi Saito
  • Patent number: 12077427
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical systems device includes a substrate, each of an electronic circuit, an etch stop layer, and a hinge base mounted on the substrate, and an electrode connected to the circuit. A hinge is mounted on the base and is made of a doped semiconductor. The hinge includes a vertical support that extends vertically from the base, and a horizontally-extending hinge tab contacts the vertical support. The device also includes a movable mirror and a mirror via that couples the mirror to the hinge tab. The mirror is electrostatically attracted to the electrode responsive to application of a voltage between the electrode and the mirror, and movement of the mirror changes a relative position between the hinge tab and the vertical support. A stopper is mounted on the substrate that mechanically stops the movement of the mirror before the mirror contacts the electrode or etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: IGNITE, Inc.
    Inventors: Fusao Ishii, Victor Stone, Toshitaka Torikai
  • Patent number: 12072485
    Abstract: A system includes an optical reflector to reflect the light, the optical reflector having a rotor, a first stator, and a second stator. The system further includes a controller in communication with the optical reflector. The controller is to drive the optical reflector by applying a first actuation voltage to the first stator, and a second actuation voltage to the second stator. Further, the controller is to apply an excitation voltage to the first stator. Furthermore, the controller is to determine a relationship between a first capacitance between the rotor and the first stator, and a second capacitance between the rotor and the second stator. Based on the relationship, the controller is to determine a position attribute of the optical reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Sangtak Park, Matthew Wakelin, Jordan Van Wyk
  • Patent number: 12072602
    Abstract: The present invention includes an optical deflector that changes a deflection angle depending on an applied voltage, a voltage control unit that applies a voltage to the optical deflector, and a storage unit that stores a value of a voltage to be output by the voltage control unit. The voltage control unit outputs a voltage of a value stored in the storage unit to the optical deflector. The storage unit stores a goal voltage V=ggoal(t), which provides a deflection angle ? with the goal time dependency ?=?goal(t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Sakamoto, Yuichi Akage, Tadayuki Imai, Masahiro Ueno, Sohan Kawamura, Soichi Oka
  • Patent number: 12072604
    Abstract: The present invention includes an optical deflector that changes a deflection angle depending on an applied voltage, a voltage control unit that applies a voltage to the optical deflector, and a storage unit that stores a value of a voltage to be output by the voltage control unit. The voltage control unit outputs a voltage of a value stored in the storage unit to the optical deflector. The storage unit stores a goal voltage V=ggoal(t), which provides a deflection angle ? with the goal time dependency ?=?goal(t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Sakamoto, Yuichi Akage, Tadayuki Imai, Masahiro Ueno, Sohan Kawamura, Soichi Oka
  • Patent number: 12066546
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for modulating returned light for acquisition of 3D data from a scene are described. A 3D imaging system includes a Fabry-Perot cavity having a first partially-reflective surface for receiving incident light and a second partially-reflective surface from which light exits. An electro-optic material is located within the Fabry-Perot cavity between the first and second partially-reflective surfaces. Transparent longitudinal electrodes or transverse electrodes produce an electric field within the electro-optic material. A voltage driver is configured to modulate, as a function of time, the electric field within the electro-optic material so that the incident light passing through the electro-optic material is modulated according to a modulation waveform. A light sensor receives modulated light that exits the second partially-reflective surface of the Fabry-Perot cavity and converts the light into electronic signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Allen Ebbers, Paul S. Banks, Charles S. Tuvey
  • Patent number: 12066698
    Abstract: An optical isolator includes a Faraday rotator including a trivalent ion exchange TAG (terbium-aluminum garnet), and arranged around the Faraday rotator, a central hollow magnet and a first and a second hollow magnet units arranged to sandwich the central hollow magnet in an optical axis direction. A magnetic flux density B [T] in the Faraday rotator and an optical path length L [mm] where the Faraday rotator is arranged satisfy 0<B??(1) and 14.0?L?24.0??(2). The optical isolator, compared with a conventional Faraday rotator such as a terbium-gallium garnet (TGG) crystal, contributes to reduction of a thermal lensing effect, being a pending problem, in a high-output fiber laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Yahagi, Masanori Ikari, Takuto Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 12059133
    Abstract: A light source apparatus, a medical observation system, an adjustment apparatus, an illumination method, an adjustment method, and a program that enable performing light modulation on a semiconductor light source through PWM control and current control without the necessary of a complicated work are provided. A light source apparatus 3 includes a first light source section 31 that emits a first light, a second light source section 32 that emits a second light, and a light source control section 33 that controls each of a pulse emission time and a pulse emission intensity of the first light and performs a control that changes one of a pulse emission time and a pulse emission intensity of the second light with the other one of the pulse emission time and the pulse emission intensity of the second light fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Koji Kojima
  • Patent number: 12061323
    Abstract: An image picking-up system includes seven lens elements, which are, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens group including a first lens element and a second lens element, a second lens group including a third lens element and a fourth lens element, and a third lens group including a fifth lens element, a sixth lens element and a seventh lens element. The third lens element has positive refractive power. The fourth lens element has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. At least one surface of object-side surfaces and image-side surfaces of the seven lens elements includes at least one inflection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Hsuan Huang