Patents by Inventor Alan Kathman

Alan Kathman 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).

  • Patent number: 8885257
    Abstract: Optical imaging apparatuses are provided having desired focal properties. An optical imaging apparatus can include at least one wafer level optical element, a spacer, a second wafer comprising a focus compensation standoff, and an electro-optical element. For some apparatuses, the focus compensation standoff may include an electro-optical element mounting surface having a roughness different from at least one other surface of the focus compensation standoff. Also described are methods of producing a plurality of optical imaging apparatuses. Some methods include providing an optical wafer having a first and second optical element, determining a first and second focal point of a first and second optical die; providing a second wafer having a first and second focus compensation standoff; and adjusting the heights of the first and second focus compensation standoffs to position a first and second electro-optical element at or near a first and second focal point, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: FLIR Systems Trading Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: David Ovrutsky, Hagit Gershtenman-Avsian, Alan Kathman, Jennifer Plyler
  • Patent number: 8611026
    Abstract: An optical device includes a substrate. a non-planar transparent structure on a first surface of the substrate, the non-planar transparent structure being made of a first material, and a molded refractive surface on the first surface of the substrate adjacent the non-planar transparent structure, the molded refractive surface being made of a second material, different from the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Digitaloptics Corporation
    Inventors: Hongtao Han, Alan Kathman, Rong Huang, Michael Feldman, Robert D. TeKolste, Jeremy Huddleston, James Carriere, Michael Magoon, Jack Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8593733
    Abstract: A fanout diffractive optical element having a discrete periodic surface relief structure having a 2-dimensional (x,y) shape is described. The surface relief structure can include a first lobe and a second lobe separated by a waist region having a width less than the first lobe and the second lobe. The 2-dimensional (x,y) shape of surface relief structure can have an inversion center and can lack symmetry about any plane that is normal to the surface relief structure. Also described are apparatuses having a fanout diffractive optical element and methods of producing a plurality of light diffracting orders using a fanout diffractive optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, Robert Hutchins
  • Patent number: 8553331
    Abstract: A selective diffractive optical element includes a first diffractive region having a first design on a first surface of a substrate, and a second diffractive region having a second design on the first surface of the substrate, the first and second designs being different, wherein, by altering a position of a cross-section of an illumination beam, the selective diffractive optical element outputs a desired proportion of the two diffractive patterns aligned along an optical axis of the illumination beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared Stack, Alan Kathman
  • Publication number: 20130083397
    Abstract: Integrated multiple optical elements may be formed by bonding substrates containing such optical elements together or by providing optical elements on either side of the wafer substrate. The wafer is subsequently diced to obtain the individual units themselves. The optical elements may be formed lithographically, directly, or using a lithographically generated master to emboss the elements. Alignment features facilitate the efficient production of such integrated multiple optical elements, as well as post creation processing thereof on the wafer level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: DigitalOptics Corporation East
    Inventors: Brian HARDEN, Alan KATHMAN, Michael FELDMAN
  • Patent number: 8411379
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation East
    Inventor: Alan Kathman
  • Patent number: 8318057
    Abstract: Integrated multiple optical elements may be formed by bonding substrates containing such optical elements together or by providing optical elements on either side of the wafer substrate. The wafer is subsequently diced to obtain the individual units themselves. The optical elements may be formed lithographically, directly, or using a lithographically generated master to emboss the elements. Alignment features facilitate the efficient production of such integrated multiple optical elements, as well as post creation processing thereof on the wafer level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Digitaloptics Corporation East
    Inventors: Brian Harden, Alan Kathman, Michael Feldman
  • Publication number: 20120050879
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Alan KATHMAN
  • Publication number: 20110299165
    Abstract: A fanout diffractive optical element having a discrete periodic surface relief structure having a 2-dimensional (x,y) shape is described. The surface relief structure can include a first lobe and a second lobe separated by a waist region having a width less than the first lobe and the second lobe. The 2-dimensional (x,y) shape of surface relief structure can have an inversion center and can lack symmetry about any plane that is normal to the surface relief structure. Also described are apparatuses having a fanout diffractive optical element and methods of producing a plurality of light diffracting orders using a fanout diffractive optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, Robert Hutchins
  • Publication number: 20110273779
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventor: Alan Kathman
  • Patent number: 8054564
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Digitaloptics Corporation East
    Inventor: Alan Kathman
  • Publication number: 20110181854
    Abstract: Optical imaging apparatus are provided having the desired focal properties, which can be manufactured and/or assembled at the wafer level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: David Ovrutsky, Hagit Gershtenman-Avsian, Alan Kathman, Jennifer Plyler
  • Publication number: 20110141567
    Abstract: A selective diffractive optical element includes a first diffractive region having a first design on a first surface of a substrate, and a second diffractive region having a second design on the first surface of the substrate, the first and second designs being different, wherein, by altering a position of a cross-section of an illumination beam, the selective diffractive optical element outputs a desired proportion of the two diffractive patterns aligned along an optical axis of the illumination beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Jared Stack, Alan Kathman
  • Publication number: 20090290833
    Abstract: An optical device includes a substrate. a non-planar transparent structure on a first surface of the substrate, the non-planar transparent structure being made of a first material, and a molded refractive surface on the first surface of the substrate adjacent the non-planar transparent structure, the molded refractive surface being made of a second material, different from the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Hongtao Han, Alan Kathman, Rong Huang, Michael Feldman, Robert D. TeKOLSTE, Jeremy Huddleston, James Carriere, Michael Magoon, Jack Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7466729
    Abstract: A wavelength locker for use at more than one wavelength includes filters with different characteristics for a corresponding detector. The filters may be etalons having different free spectral ranges, e.g., having different apparent or real thicknesses. If more than three such filters are used outputting offset periodic signals, a reference detector may be eliminated and continuous operation over a wavelength range may be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Tessera North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, John Barnett Hammond, Robert TeKolste, Alvaro Cruz Cabrera
  • Publication number: 20070223094
    Abstract: An optical element may include a first diffractive structure having a radially symmetric amplitude function and a second diffractive structure having a phase function. The second diffractive structure may serve as a vortex lens. A system employing the optical element may include a light source and/or a detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: DIGITAL OPTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, Charles Koehler, William Welch, Eric Johnson, Robert Tekolste
  • Publication number: 20070211337
    Abstract: A monolithic polarization controlled angle diffuser includes a system having a first surface and a second surface, a controlled angle diffuser pattern for providing an angular distribution at an illumination plane, the controlled angle diffuser pattern being on one of the first and second surfaces of the substrate, and a polarizing pattern on one of the first and second surfaces of the substrate. The controlled angle diffuser pattern includes at least two controlled angle diffuser elements. Each controlled angle diffuser element outputs different angular distributions. The polarizing pattern includes at least two polarizing elements. Each polarizing element corresponds to a respective controlled angle diffuser element. The at least two polarizing elements output polarizations are rotated with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Marc Himel, Alan Kathman
  • Publication number: 20070200132
    Abstract: A structure having an optical element thereon has a portion of the structure extending beyond a region having the optical element in at least one direction. The structure may include an active optical element, with the different dimensions of the substrates forming the structure allowing access for the electrical interconnections for the active optical elements. Different dicing techniques may be used to realize the uneven structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: DIGITAL OPTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, Hongtao Han, Jay Mathews, John Hammond
  • Publication number: 20070187789
    Abstract: An optical chassis includes a mount substrate an optoelectronic device on the mount substrate, a spacer substrate, and a sealer substrate. The mount substrate, the spacer substrate and the sealer substrate are vertically stacked and hermetically sealing the optoelectronic device. An external electrical contact for the optoelectronic device is provided outside the sealing. At least part of the optical chassis may be made on a wafer level. A passive optical element may be provided on the sealer substrate or on another substrate stacked and secured thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: DIGITAL OPTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan Kathman, James Morris, John Hammond, Michael Feldman
  • Publication number: 20070171424
    Abstract: A spectrometer for use with a desired wavelength range includes an array of filters. Each filter outputs at least two non-contiguous wavelength peaks within the desired wavelength range. The array of filters is spectrally diverse over the desired wavelength range, and each filter in the array of filters outputs a spectrum of a first resolution. An array of detectors has a detector for receiving an output of a corresponding filter. A processor receives signals from each detector, and outputs a reconstructed spectrum having a second resolution, the second resolution being higher than any of the first resolution of each filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: DIGITAL OPTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Te Kolste, Alan Kathman