Patents by Inventor Adam E. Norton
Adam E. Norton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10429646Abstract: A prescriptive see-through eyepiece includes a meniscus lens body and an optical combiner. The meniscus lens body has an external scene side with a convex curvature and an eye-ward side with a concave curvature. The optical combiner is disposed within the meniscus lens body to combine image light incident through the eye-ward side with external scene light incident through the external scene side into a combined image. The optical combiner is partially reflective and imparts substantially no lensing power to the external scene light passing through. The optical combiner along with the concave curvature of the eye-ward side are configured to impart prescriptive lensing to the image light while the convex curvature of the external scene side and the concave curvature of the eye-ward side are configured to impart the prescriptive lensing to the external scene light.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Bernard C. Kress, Adam E. Norton
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Publication number: 20190271844Abstract: An eyepiece for a head wearable display includes a lightguide component for guiding display light and emitting the display light along at a viewing region. The light guide component includes an input surface oriented to receive the display light into the lightguide component at the peripheral location, a first folding surface disposed to reflect the display light received through the input surface, a second folding surface disposed to reflect the display light received from the first folding surface, an eye-ward facing surface disposed opposite to the second folding surface to reflect the display light received from the second folding surface, and a curved reflective surface having reflective optical power disposed at the viewing region to receive the display light reflected from the eye-ward facing surface and to reflect the display light for emission out through the eye-ward facing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2018Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Bernard C. Kress, Ehsan Saeedi, Adam E. Norton, Edouard Schmidtlin
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Patent number: 10310314Abstract: A display panel includes an array of display pixels to output an image. The array of display pixels includes a central pixel region and a perimeter pixel region. The central pixel region includes central pixel units each having three different colored sub-pixels. The different colored sub-pixels of the central pixel units are organized according to a central layout pattern that repeats across the central pixel region. The perimeter pixel region is disposed along a perimeter of the central pixel region and includes perimeter pixel units that increase a brightness of the image along edges of the central pixel region to mask gaps around the array of display pixels when tiling the array of display pixels with other arrays of display pixels.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2015Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Philip E. Watson, Pey Lung Fu, Hung-Yu Chen, Carlin Vieri, Adam E. Norton, Andrei S. Kazmierski, Serge J. A. Bierhuizen, Nicholas C. Loomis, Behnam Bastani, Yachi Lee
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Patent number: 9915823Abstract: An eyepiece for a head wearable display includes a lightguide component for guiding display light and emitting the display light along at a viewing region. The light guide component includes an input surface oriented to receive the display light into the lightguide component at the peripheral location, a first folding surface disposed to reflect the display light received through the input surface, a second folding surface disposed to reflect the display light received from the first folding surface, an eye-ward facing surface disposed opposite to the second folding surface to reflect the display light received from the second folding surface, and a curved reflective surface having reflective optical power disposed at the viewing region to receive the display light reflected from the eye-ward facing surface and to reflect the display light for emission out through the eye-ward facing surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2014Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Bernard C. Kress, Ehsan Saeedi, Adam E. Norton, Edouard Schmidtlin
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Patent number: 9778555Abstract: A multi-layer projection screen includes a stray light rejection layer and a lens array. The stray light rejection layer includes an array of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure of the array of pillar structures includes an entrance aperture, an exit aperture, a pathway extending from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture, and a side wall surrounding the pathway. The lens array is optically aligned to the array of pillar structures. The stray light rejection layer blocks display light received from the lens array having an oblique trajectory that is greater than a threshold angle from a first trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Adam E. Norton, Serge J. Bierhuizen, Andrei S. Kazmierski
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Patent number: 9690535Abstract: A display apparatus including a screen layer for displaying a unified image to a viewer and an illumination layer having an array of light sources. Each light source emits a light beam. An array of optical elements, each coupled to a corresponding light source in the array of light sources, is disposed between the screen layer and the illumination layer. The display layer includes a matrix of pixlets and a spacing region disposed between the pixlets in the matrix, wherein the array of light sources emit their light beams through the array of optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to shape the received light beam into a divergent projection beam having a limited angular spread to project sub-images displayed by the pixlets as magnified sub-images on the backside of the screen layer, the magnified sub-images to combine to form the unified image that is substantially seamless.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Adam E. Norton
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Publication number: 20170123207Abstract: A prescriptive see-through eyepiece includes a meniscus lens body and an optical combiner. The meniscus lens body has an external scene side with a convex curvature and an eye-ward side with a concave curvature. The optical combiner is disposed within the meniscus lens body to combine image light incident through the eye-ward side with external scene light incident through the external scene side into a combined image. The optical combiner is partially reflective and imparts substantially no lensing power to the external scene light passing through. The optical combiner along with the concave curvature of the eye-ward side are configured to impart prescriptive lensing to the image light while the convex curvature of the external scene side and the concave curvature of the eye-ward side are configured to impart the prescriptive lensing to the external scene light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2015Publication date: May 4, 2017Inventors: Bernard C. Kress, Adam E. Norton
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Patent number: 9626145Abstract: A display tile for arranging with other display tiles to form a multi-tile display includes display pixels in an active display area, pixel tape sections, and a transparent layer. The pixel tape sections surround the display pixels. Each pixel tape section overlaps an adjacent pixel tape section and is overlapped by another adjacent pixel tape section disposed opposite the adjacent pixel tape section. Each pixel tape section includes a pixel array. The transparent layer is disposed over the display pixels and the pixel arrays of the pixel tape sections. The display pixels and the pixel arrays are arranged to display an overall image of the display tile.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Belle Fu, Mary Lou Jepsen, Nicholas C. Loomis, Behnam Bastani, Carlin J. Vieri, Andrei S. Kazmierski, Adam E. Norton, Stephen D. Dorow, Stuart C. B. Abercrombie
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Publication number: 20170082267Abstract: A display panel comprises a display layer including a plurality of pixel arrays offset from each other by spacing regions and a screen layer disposed over the display layer with each of the pixel arrays aligned to project an image portion onto a corresponding portion of the screen layer. The screen layer includes a transparent substrate and an array of upper spacer supports to support the transparent substrate a first fixed distance from the display layer. Each of the upper spacer supports is positioned on one of the spacing regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2015Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Jacques Gagne, Adam E. Norton, Stephen D. Dorow, Kenneth G. Robertson
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Patent number: 9594277Abstract: A multi-domain liquid crystal pixel array includes two substrate layers and liquid crystal disposed between the two substrate layers. The multi-domain liquid crystal pixel array also includes at least one alignment layer having four or more alignment zones across the multi-domain liquid crystal pixel array. Each alignment zone has a different pre-tilt liquid crystal orientation than the other alignment zones. The alignment zones are configured to generate divergent image light with respect to a center of the multi-domain liquid crystal pixel array.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Pey Lung Fu, Mary Lou Jepsen, Philip E. Watson, Behnam Bastani, Carlin J. Vieri, Andrei S. Kazmierski, Adam E. Norton, Ya-Chi Lee, Eddy Giing-Li Chen, Hung-Yu Chen, Shenyi Tai
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Publication number: 20170045769Abstract: A display panel includes an array of display pixels to output an image. The array of display pixels includes a central pixel region and a perimeter pixel region. The central pixel region includes central pixel units each having three different colored sub-pixels. The different colored sub-pixels of the central pixel units are organized according to a central layout pattern that repeats across the central pixel region. The perimeter pixel region is disposed along a perimeter of the central pixel region and includes perimeter pixel units that increase a brightness of the image along edges of the central pixel region to mask gaps around the array of display pixels when tiling the array of display pixels with other arrays of display pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2015Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventors: Philip E. Watson, Pey Lung Fu, Hung-Yu Chen, Carlin Vieri, Adam E. Norton, Andrei S. Kazmierski, Serge J. A. Bierhuizen, Nicholas C. Loomis, Behnam Bastani, Yachi Lee
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Publication number: 20170039020Abstract: A display apparatus including a screen layer for displaying a unified image to a viewer and an illumination layer having an array of light sources. Each light source emits a light beam. An array of optical elements, each coupled to a corresponding light source in the array of light sources, is disposed between the screen layer and the illumination layer. The display layer includes a matrix of pixlets and a spacing region disposed between the pixlets in the matrix, wherein the array of light sources emit their light beams through the array of optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to shape the received light beam into a divergent projection beam having a limited angular spread to project sub-images displayed by the pixlets as magnified sub-images on the backside of the screen layer, the magnified sub-images to combine to form the unified image that is substantially seamless.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Adam E. Norton
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Publication number: 20170017145Abstract: A multi-layer projection screen includes a stray light rejection layer and a lens array. The stray light rejection layer includes an array of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure of the array of pillar structures includes an entrance aperture, an exit aperture, a pathway extending from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture, and a side wall surrounding the pathway. The lens array is optically aligned to the array of pillar structures. The stray light rejection layer blocks display light received from the lens array having an oblique trajectory that is greater than a threshold angle from a first trajectory.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2016Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: Adam E. Norton, Serge J. Bierhuizen, Andrei S. Kazmierski
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Publication number: 20160377970Abstract: A multi-layer projection screen includes a transparent substrate having first and second sides, a stray light rejection layer, and a lens array. The stray light rejection layer is disposed across the first side of the transparent substrate. The stray light rejection layer includes an array of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure of the array of pillar structures includes an entrance aperture, an exit aperture, a substantially transparent pathway extending from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture, and an opaque side wall surrounding the transparent pathway. The lens array is disposed across the second side of the transparent substrate and optically aligned to the array of pillar structures. The stray light rejection layer blocks display light received from the lens array having an oblique trajectory that is greater than a threshold angle from a normal of the second side of the transparent substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2015Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Adam E. Norton, Serge J. Bierhuizen, Andrei S. Kazmierski
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Patent number: 9529563Abstract: A tileable display panel includes an array of display pixels including central display pixels near a center of the array having a center pixel pitch and perimeter display pixels along a perimeter of the array. A perimeter region surrounds the array. The perimeter region includes a first side that is joinable to a second side of another instance of the tileable display panel to form a multi-panel display. The perimeter region has a width that is greater than at least half the center pixel pitch such that a gap between adjacent perimeter display pixels of the tileable display panel and the other instance of the tileable display panel when forming the multi-panel display is greater than the center pixel pitch. The gap is visually masked by increasing a characteristic of the perimeter display pixels adjacent to the gap relative to the same characteristic of the central display pixels.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Andrei Kazmierski, Nicholas C. Loomis, Stephen D. Dorow, Adam E. Norton, Mary Lou Jepsen, Carlin Vieri
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Patent number: 9519206Abstract: A multi-layer projection screen includes a transparent substrate having first and second sides, a stray light rejection layer, and a lens array. The stray light rejection layer is disposed across the first side of the transparent substrate. The stray light rejection layer includes an array of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure of the array of pillar structures includes an entrance aperture, an exit aperture, a substantially transparent pathway extending from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture, and an opaque side wall surrounding the transparent pathway. The lens array is disposed across the second side of the transparent substrate and optically aligned to the array of pillar structures. The stray light rejection layer blocks display light received from the lens array having an oblique trajectory that is greater than a threshold angle from a normal of the second side of the transparent substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Adam E. Norton, Serge J. Bierhuizen, Andrei S. Kazmierski
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Patent number: 9500906Abstract: A display apparatus including a screen layer for displaying a unified image to a viewer and an illumination layer having an array of light sources. Each light source emits a light beam. An array of optical elements, each coupled to a corresponding light source in the array of light sources, is disposed between the screen layer and the illumination layer. The display layer includes a matrix of pixlets and a spacing region disposed between the pixlets in the matrix, wherein the array of light sources emit their light beams through the array of optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to shape the received light beam into a divergent projection beam having a limited angular spread to project sub-images displayed by the pixlets as magnified sub-images on the backside of the screen layer, the magnified sub-images to combine to form the unified image that is substantially seamless.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2016Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: X Development LLCInventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Adam E. Norton
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Publication number: 20160246118Abstract: A display apparatus including a screen layer for displaying a unified image to a viewer and an illumination layer having an array of light sources. Each light source emits a light beam. An array of optical elements, each coupled to a corresponding light source in the array of light sources, is disposed between the screen layer and the illumination layer. The display layer includes a matrix of pixlets and a spacing region disposed between the pixlets in the matrix, wherein the array of light sources emit their light beams through the array of optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to shape the received light beam into a divergent projection beam having a limited angular spread to project sub-images displayed by the pixlets as magnified sub-images on the backside of the screen layer, the magnified sub-images to combine to form the unified image that is substantially seamless.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2016Publication date: August 25, 2016Inventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Adam E. Norton
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Patent number: 9336729Abstract: A display apparatus including a screen layer for displaying a unified image to a viewer and an illumination layer having an array of light sources. Each light source emits a light beam. An array of optical elements, each coupled to a corresponding light source in the array of light sources, is disposed between the screen layer and the illumination layer. The display layer includes a matrix of pixlets and a spacing region disposed between the pixlets in the matrix, wherein the array of light sources emit their light beams through the array of optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to shape the received light beam into a divergent projection beam having a limited angular spread to project sub-images displayed by the pixlets as magnified sub-images on the backside of the screen layer, the magnified sub-images to combine to form the unified image that is substantially seamless.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Adam E. Norton
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Publication number: 20160091786Abstract: An optical configuration for a display system includes a front screen, a first microlens array, and a second microlens array. The front screen has optical properties to absorb ambient light and let image light through. The first microlens array is coupled to receive the image light from a pixel array of an image generation layer. The second microlens array is disposed between the front screen and the first microlens array. The second microlens array is offset from the first microlens array by approximately a focal length of microlenses in the first microlens array. The second microlens array is coupled to direct the image light received from the first microlens array through front screen. Each of the microlenses in the first microlens array is axially aligned with a corresponding microlens in the second microlens array.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2014Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventors: Andrei S. Kazmierski, Adam E. Norton, Mary Lou Jepsen