Patents by Inventor Andrew John Ouderkirk

Andrew John Ouderkirk 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).

  • Publication number: 20230076619
    Abstract: An actuator includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, a nanovoided polymer layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, the nanovoided polymer layer having a plurality of nanovoids dispersed throughout a polymer matrix, and a sealing layer at least partially encapsulating the nanovoided polymer layer, where the nanovoids include a fill gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sheng Ye, Spencer Allan Wells, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Kenneth Alexander Diest, Renate Eva Klementine Landig
  • Patent number: 11597198
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optically anisotropic polymer thin film includes forming a composite structure that includes a polymer thin film and a high Poisson's ratio polymer thin film disposed directly over the polymer thin film, attaching a clip array to opposing edges of the composite, the clip array including a plurality of first clips slidably disposed on a first track located proximate to a first edge of the composite and a plurality of second clips slidably disposed on a second track located proximate to a second edge of the composite, applying a positive in-plane strain to the composite along a transverse direction by increasing a distance between the first clips and the second clips, and decreasing an inter-clip spacing amongst the first clips and amongst the second clips along a machine direction, wherein the high Poisson's ratio polymer thin film applies a negative in-plane strain to the polymer thin film along the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sheng Ye, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Arman Boromand, Liliana Ruiz Diaz
  • Patent number: 11598906
    Abstract: A liquid lens architecture includes a transparent substrate, a multilayer thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based membrane overlying at least a portion of the transparent substrate, and a liquid layer disposed between and abutting the transparent substrate and the multilayer thermoplastic polyurethane-based membrane. The TPU-based membrane may exhibit a reversible elastic response to imposed strains of up to approximately 2% and is configured to limit the transpiration of fluid to less than approximately 10?2 g/m2/day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sheng Ye, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Christopher Stipe, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Hayden Erik Hernandez
  • Publication number: 20230064721
    Abstract: A light source of a self-mixed interferometer (SMI) emits infrared light. The infrared light is directed to an eyebox location with the scanning module by scanning the infrared light into a waveguide. Feedback infrared light is measured by a light sensor of the SMI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Publication number: 20230068420
    Abstract: A fluid pump includes a housing defining a fluid chamber and a piezoelectric membrane located within the chamber and attached to the housing. The piezoelectric membrane may divide the fluid chamber into a first fluid cavity and a second fluid cavity such that the application of an electric field to the piezoelectric membrane and its resulting displacement may provide a force that drives fluid through the pump, e.g., from an inlet of the fluid chamber into the first fluid cavity and from the second fluid cavity to an outlet of the fluid chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Emma Rae Mullen, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Nagi Hosni Elabbasi
  • Publication number: 20230061866
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Katherine Marie Smyth, Robin Sharma
  • Patent number: 11594672
    Abstract: Examples include a device including a nanovoided polymer element having a first surface and a second surface, a first plurality of electrodes disposed on the first surface, a second plurality of electrodes disposed on the second surface, and a control circuit configured to apply an electrical potential between one or more of the first plurality of electrodes and one or more of the second plurality of electrodes to induce a physical deformation of the nanovoided polymer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tanya Malhotra, Kenneth Diest, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robin Sharma, Barry Silverstein, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Erik Shipton, Greg Olegovic Andreev, Katherine Marie Smyth
  • Publication number: 20230057524
    Abstract: Eyeglass devices may include a frame shaped and sized to be worn by a user at least partially in front of the user's eyes, a varifocal optical element mounted to the frame, and an eye-tracking element mounted to the frame. The varifocal optical element may include a substantially transparent actuator positioned at least partially within an optical aperture of the varifocal optical element and configured to alter a shape of the varifocal optical element upon actuation. The eye-tracking element may be configured to track at least a gaze direction of the user's eyes, and the varifocal optical element may be configured to change, based on information from the eye-tracking element, in at least one optical property including a focal distance. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Stipe, Marina Zannoli, Ian Erkelens, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Spencer Allan Wells, Eugene Cho, John Cooke, Robin Sharma, Jonathan Robert Peterson
  • Patent number: 11585980
    Abstract: Disclosed is a polymeric waveguide for propagating light therein along width and length dimensions of the polymeric waveguide. The polymeric waveguide has a first curved surface on one side thereof and a second curved surface on an opposite second side thereof, and a refractive index spatially varying through a thickness thereof between the first curved surface and the second curved surface. The polymeric waveguide is curved in a cross-section comprising at least one of the width and length dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Sheng Ye, Tingling Rao
  • Publication number: 20230051353
    Abstract: A near-eye optical element includes one or more light sources and an optical structure. The one or more light sources emit beams. The optical structure includes an optically transparent material disposed over emission aperture(s) of the light source(s). The optical structure includes one or more facets that diverge or provide a tilt angle to the beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Erfan M. Fard, Robin Sharma, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Publication number: 20230053107
    Abstract: Angular sensors that may be used in eye-tracking systems are disclosed. An eye-tracking system may include a plurality of light sources to emit illumination light and a plurality of angular light sensors to receive returning light that is the illumination light reflecting from an eyebox region. The angular light sensors may output angular signals representing an angle of incidence of the returning light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Ruiting Huang, Robin Sharma, Jonathan Robert Peterson, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Giancarlo Sigurd Sante Nucci, Clare Joyce Robinson
  • Publication number: 20230044340
    Abstract: A polymer bilayer includes a layer of a porous fluoropolymer directly overlying a layer of polyethylene. The polyethylene layer may be porous or dense and may include an ultra-high molecular weight polymer. The polymer bilayer may be co-integrated with structures (e.g., wearable devices) exposed to high thermal loads (>0-1000 W/m2) and provide passive cooling thereof. For instance, passive cooling of AR/VR glasses under different solar loads may be achieved by a polymer bilayer that is both highly reflective across solar heating wavelengths and highly emissive in the long-wavelength infrared. The high reflectance decreases energy absorption across the solar spectrum while the high emissivity promotes radiative heat transfer to the surroundings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Arman Boromand, Sheng Ye, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Christopher Stipe
  • Publication number: 20230039862
    Abstract: A polymer bilayer includes a layer of a porous fluoropolymer directly overlying a layer of polyethylene. The polyethylene layer may be porous or dense and may include an ultra-high molecular weight polymer. The polymer bilayer may be co-integrated with structures (e.g., wearable devices) exposed to high thermal loads (>0-1000 W/m2) and provide passive cooling thereof. For instance, passive cooling of AR/VR glasses under different solar loads may be achieved by a polymer bilayer that is both highly reflective across solar heating wavelengths and highly emissive in the long-wavelength infrared. The high reflectance decreases energy absorption across the solar spectrum while the high emissivity promotes radiative heat transfer to the surroundings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Arman Boromand, Sheng Ye, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Christopher Stipe
  • Patent number: 11575246
    Abstract: A plurality of light sources such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are configured to emit non-visible light through emission apertures. Optics are formed over the emission apertures of the plurality of light sources. The optics may provide different tilt angles or divergence angles to the non-visible light emitted by the light sources in the plurality of light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao, Robin Sharma, Gregory Olegovic Andreev, Paul Armen Tchertchian, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Publication number: 20230037175
    Abstract: An organic thin film includes an organic crystalline phase, where the organic crystalline phase defines a surface having a surface roughness (Ra) of less than approximately 10 micrometers over an area of at least approximately 1 cm2. The organic thin film may be manufactured from an organic precursor and a non-volatile medium material that is configured to mediate the surface roughness of the organic crystalline phase during crystal nucleation and growth. The thin film may be formed using a suitably shaped mold, for example, and the non-volatile medium material may be disposed between a layer of the organic precursor and the mold during processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Tingling Rao, Kimberly Kay Childress, Arman Boromand, Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Ehsan Vadiee, Namseok Park, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Publication number: 20230034754
    Abstract: A method of forming an organic solid crystal (OSC) thin film includes forming a layer of a non-volatile medium material over a surface of a mold, forming a layer of a molecular feedstock over a surface of the non-volatile medium material, the molecular feedstock including an organic solid crystal precursor, forming crystal nuclei from the organic solid crystal precursor, and growing the crystal nuclei to form the organic solid crystal thin film. An organic solid crystal (OSC) thin film may include a biaxially-oriented organic solid crystal layer having mutually orthogonal refractive indices, n1?n2?n3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Tingling Rao, Kimberly Kay Childress, Arman Boromand, Tanya Malhotra, Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Taha Masood, Poer Sung, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11567252
    Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Tanya Malhotra, Weichuan Gao, Ying Geng, Babak Amirsolaimani
  • Patent number: 11563137
    Abstract: An optical transformer includes a light source and an array of photovoltaic cells optically coupled to the light source, where at least a portion of the photovoltaic cells are connected in series. An optical connector such as a waveguide or an optical fiber may be disposed between an output of the light source and an input of the array of photovoltaic cells. Configured to generate a high voltage output, the optical transformer may be configured to power a device such as an actuator that provides a tunable displacement as a function of voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Jonathan Robert Peterson, Daniele Piazza, Jeremy Thomas Braun, Kenneth Diest, Spencer Allan Wells, Renate Eva Klementine Landig, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Tanya Malhotra
  • Patent number: 11561336
    Abstract: An optical element includes a transparent layer, outcoupling elements, and a waveguide structure. The outcoupling elements are positioned across the transparent layer. The waveguide structure provides non-visible light to the outcoupling elements and the outcoupling elements outcouple the non-visible light as non-visible illumination light to illuminate an eye region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guohua Wei, Qi Zhang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E Colburn
  • Patent number: 11561405
    Abstract: An eye is illuminated with infrared illumination light from an array of infrared in-field illuminators. A wavefront image of retina-reflected infrared light is generated and an accommodative eye state value is determined based at least in part on the wavefront image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Qi Zhang