Patents by Inventor Andrew Alexander Herbert

Andrew Alexander Herbert 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: 11719960
    Abstract: Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane, a substrate, and a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate. The membrane may have a spatial variation in at least one membrane parameter along a particular direction, that may compensate for gravity sag in the membrane of the fluid lens when the device is worn by a user. Examples also include related methods and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Alexander Herbert, Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby, Hayden Erik Hernández, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11635637
    Abstract: Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane (that may be in elastic tension), a substrate, a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure configured to provide a guide path for an edge portion of the membrane, such as a membrane attachment at a periphery of the membrane. The guide path may be configured to greatly reduce (or substantially eliminate) changes in the elastic energy of the membrane as the membrane profile is adjusted. The guide path may be configured so that the elastic force exerted by the membrane is generally normal to the guide path for each location on the guide path. Adjustment of the membrane profile may include applying an actuation force that is normal to the elastic force exerted by the membrane. Various other methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Alexander Herbert, Robert Edward Stevens, Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11561415
    Abstract: An example device may include a fluid lens having a membrane assembly including a membrane and one or more membrane attachments, a substrate, a fluid located within an enclosure formed at least in part by the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure, attached to the substrate, including an actuation guide. The device may include an actuator mechanically coupled to the actuation guide and configured to change an orientation of the actuation guide relative to another device component, such as a substrate or frame. An example actuation guide may engage with the membrane attachment, and the movement of the membrane attachment along the actuation guide in response to the change in the orientation of the actuation guide may adjust an optical property, such as a focal length, of the fluid lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby, Andrew Alexander Herbert, Robert Edward Stevens
  • Patent number: 11333803
    Abstract: Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane (that may be in elastic tension), a substrate, a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure configured to provide a guide path for an edge portion of the membrane, such as a membrane attachment at a periphery of the membrane. The guide path may be configured to greatly reduce (or substantially eliminate) changes in the elastic energy of the membrane as the membrane profile is adjusted. The guide path may be configured so that the elastic force exerted by the membrane is generally normal to the guide path for each location on the guide path. Adjustment of the membrane profile may include applying an actuation force that is normal to the elastic force exerted by the membrane. Various other methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Alexander Herbert, Robert Edward Stevens, Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Publication number: 20200363566
    Abstract: Examples include a device including a fluid lens having a membrane (that may be in elastic tension), a substrate, a fluid at least partially enclosed between the membrane and the substrate, and a support structure configured to provide a guide path for an edge portion of the membrane, such as a membrane attachment at a periphery of the membrane. The guide path may be configured to greatly reduce (or substantially eliminate) changes in the elastic energy of the membrane as the membrane profile is adjusted. The guide path may be configured so that the elastic force exerted by the membrane is generally normal to the guide path for each location on the guide path. Adjustment of the membrane profile may include applying an actuation force that is normal to the elastic force exerted by the membrane. Various other methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew Alexander Herbert, Robert Edward Stevens, Thomas Norman Llyn Jacoby, Andrew John Ouderkirk