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).

  • PHOTONIC POWER CONVERTER LIGHT TRANSPORT
    Publication number: 20220350100
    Abstract: A device includes a light source to emit light and a light detector to receive the light emitted by the light source. The device may include a high voltage optical transformer and may be configured such that the light detector is laterally spaced away from the light source. In some architectures, the light source and the light detector may be arranged in a common plane. A photonic integrated circuit may be used to couple light emitted from the light source to the light detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Jonathan Robert Peterson, John Goward, Maik Andre Scheller, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Giuseppe Calafiore, Alexander Koshelev
  • CONFORMABLE ELECTRODES WITH LOW CONSPICUITY
    Publication number: 20220350147
    Abstract: An example apparatus may include a display and an optical configuration configured to provide an image of the display. The optical configuration may include a lens having a lens surface that supports at least one serpentine electrode. The at least one serpentine electrode may be in electrical communication with an electrical component such as an electrooptical component (e.g., including at least one of a laser, light-emitting diode, photodiode, or image sensor) or an electroactive component that may show one or more dimensional changes under application of an electric field. An example apparatus may also include a controller in electrical communication with the electrical component through the at least one serpentine electrode. In some examples, the serpentine electrode may have an approximately sinusoidal shape. Other devices, methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Liliana Ruiz Diaz
  • HEAT DISSIPATIVE AND LIGHTWEIGHT OPTICAL ELEMENTS HAVING INCREASED STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS
    Publication number: 20220348748
    Abstract: A polymer thin film includes polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of at least approximately 500,000 g/mol, where the thin film is characterized by transparency within the visible spectrum of at least approximately 80%, bulk haze of less than approximately 5%, and an in-plane elastic modulus of at least approximately 10 GPa. The polymer thin film may be thermally conductive and may be incorporated into an optical element and configured to dissipate heat, such as from a light-emitting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Stipe, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Eugene Cho, Sheng Ye, Arman Boromand, Alex Ockfen, Nagi Hosni Elabbasi
  • THIN FILM LAMINATES HAVING CONTROLLED STRAIN
    Publication number: 20220350064
    Abstract: An optically or mechanically anisotropic polymer thin film is characterized by compound curvature, where a maximum variation of an angle of orientation of an extraordinary axis of the polymer thin film is at most 2% greater than an orientation variation associated with an initially planar polymer thin film formed to the same compound curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Nagi Hosni Elabbasi, Sheng Ye, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Hannah Noble
  • HIGH INDEX LENS INCLUDING UNIAXIAL OR BIAXIAL ORGANIC SOLID MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20220342121
    Abstract: An optical element (e.g., a lens) may include an optically uniaxial or optically biaxial organic solid, for example, an organic molecular solid. The direction of a maximum refractive index of the organic solid may be aligned substantially orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens. In some examples, a device may include a display and an optical configuration configured to receive light from the display and direct the light to a remote view location. In some examples, the optical configuration may comprise a lens and at least one surface of the lens may include a plurality of facets, for example, to form a Fresnel lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Tingling Rao, Xingzhou Tu, Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Arman Boromand, Kimberly Kay Childress, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Ying Geng, Poer Sung
  • HIGH REFRACTIVE INDEX AND HIGHLY BIREFRINGENT SOLID ORGANIC MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20220342132
    Abstract: An organic thin film includes an organic solid crystal material and has mutually orthogonal refractive indices, nx, ny, and nz each having a value at 589 nm of between approximately 1.5 and approximately 2.6, where nx?ny?nz. The organic thin film may be birefringent, and may be configured as a single layer thin film, or plural organic thin films may be stacked to form a multilayer that may be incorporated into an optical element, such as a reflective polarizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Tingling Rao, Tanya Malhotra, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Arman Boromand, Kimberly Kay Childress, Philip Wang
  • APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DISPOSING PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS ON SURFACES
    Publication number: 20220342219
    Abstract: A system comprising (1) at least one optical element having a nonplanar surface, (2) at least one photonic integrated circuit disposed on the nonplanar surface of the optical element, the photonic integrated circuit comprising (A) an optical core that contains an optically anisotropic organic material and (B) a cladding disposed over the optical core. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Poer Sung, Guohua Wei, Tingling Rao, Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Kimberly Kay Childress, Aman Boromand, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Birefringent polymer based surface relief grating
    Patent number: 11474395
    Abstract: A waveguide display includes a substrate transparent to at least one of visible or near infrared light, and a grating on the substrate. The grating includes ridges formed using a birefringent material and is configured to selectively couple incident light in a first polarization state into or out of the substrate. The birefringent material in the ridges is characterized by an optic axis parallel to a plane that includes a grating vector of the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tanya Malhotra, Liangyu Qiu, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • In-field illumination for eye tracking
    Patent number: 11455031
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for eye illumination for eye position tracking. An illuminator for eye tracking includes a substrate configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user and a light source positioned on a surface of the substrate. The light source is configured to be positioned within a field of view of the eye of the user. A maximum dimension of the light source in a plane parallel to an emission surface of the light source is less than 500 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E. Colburn, Qi Zhang, Giuseppe Calafiore, John Goward, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Selso Luanava
  • Multi-Wavelength Self-Mixing Interferometry
    Publication number: 20220299761
    Abstract: An eyebox region is illuminated with first coherent light and second coherent light having a different wavelength than the first coherent light. A first self-mixed interferometer (SMI) signal is generated in response to first feedback light received back from the eyebox region. A second SMI signal is generated in response to second feedback light received back from the eyebox region. Eye data is generated in response to at least the first SMI signal and the second SMI signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Nanovoided graded-index optical elements, optical arrays, and methods of forming the same
    Patent number: 11448798
    Abstract: A graded-index optical element may include a nanovoided material including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The nanovoided material may be transparent between the first surface and the second surface. Additionally, the nanovoided material may have a predefined change in effective refractive index in at least one axis due to a change in at least one of nanovoid size or nanovoid distribution along the at least one axis. Various other elements, devices, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Kenneth Diest, Renate Eva Klementine Landig
  • LIQUID LENS WITH GRAVITY SAG CORRECTION
    Publication number: 20220283340
    Abstract: A liquid lens includes a substrate, a transparent elastic membrane forming a cavity with the substrate, and a transparent fluid filling the cavity between the substrate and the membrane. The membrane has a pre-distorted, rotationally asymmetric shape in absence of the fluid in the cavity. When the cavity is filled with the fluid and the substrate is disposed vertically w.r.t. gravity at a pre-defined clocking angle, the membrane adopts a substantially rotationally symmetric shape due to elasticity of the membrane counteracting gravity exerting a downward force on the fluid in the cavity, reducing the effect of the gravity sag on optical performance of the liquid lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Nagi Hosni Elabbasi, Spencer Allan Wells, Christopher Stipe, Kenneth Alexander Diest, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Laura Cressman, Taha Masood, James Howard Thomas Ransley
  • System, apparatus and method for optical devices with antireflective treatments
    Patent number: 11435501
    Abstract: A method may include stretching a deformable bounding element into a stretched state. The method may further include coating the deformable bounding element with at least one layer of an anti-reflective material while the deformable bounding element is in the stretched state and assembling an optical lens assembly including the deformable bounding element, such that the optical lens assembly adjusts at least one optical property by controlling a shape of the deformable bounding element. The deformable bounding element may have less tension when in a neutral state than the deformable bounding element has when in the stretched state. The method may additionally include coating the deformable bounding element with at least one layer of an anti-reflective material while the deformable bounding element is not in a stretched state. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Katherine Marie Smyth
  • DEFORMABLE LENS WITH AN EXTENDED RANGE OF STABILITY
    Publication number: 20220276483
    Abstract: An electromechanical actuator includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlying at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive layer disposed between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, where the electroactive layer has a first curvature when zero voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and a second curvature when a non-zero voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2021
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Nagi Elabbasi, Christopher Stipe, Spencer Allan Wells, Kenneth Alexander Diest, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Taha Masood, Laura Cressman, James Ransley
  • Transparent phase change actuator
    Patent number: 11428964
    Abstract: A transparent optical element may include a layer of an electroactive ceramic disposed between transparent electrodes, such that the electrodes are each oriented perpendicular to a non-polar direction of the ceramic layer. Optical properties of the optical element, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be improved by the application of a voltage to the electroactive ceramic, and an associated phase transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Spencer Allan Wells, Katherine Marie Smyth, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Stray light suppression in eye-tracking imaging
    Patent number: 11428930
    Abstract: The disclosure includes optical systems and near-eye optical elements configured to suppress stray infrared light. Infrared illuminators illuminator an eyebox area with narrow-band infrared illumination light for eye-tracking. A combiner layer receives reflected infrared light reflected of an eye of the user and directs the reflected infrared light to a camera configured to capture eye-tracking images of an eye of a user. An anti-reflection (AR) coating may be disposed on a base curvature to reduce Fresnel reflections that generate stray light. A ghost suppression component may be paired with the infrared illuminators to reduce stray light becoming incident on the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Qi Zhang, Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao, Gregory Olegovic Andreev
  • Dynamically addressable high voltage optical transformer with integrated optically triggered switches
    Patent number: 11431236
    Abstract: An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Jonathan Robert Peterson, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • ACTUATOR WITH VARIABLE CYLINDER
    Publication number: 20220271214
    Abstract: An actuator may be integrated into an optical element such as a liquid lens and configured to create spherical curvature as well as a variable cylinder radius and axis in a surface of the optical element. An example actuator may include a stack of electromechanical layers, and electrodes configured to apply an electric field independently across each of the electromechanical layers. Within the stack, an orientation of neighboring electromechanical layers may differ, e.g., stepwise, by at least approximately 10°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Spencer Allan Wells, Christopher Stipe, Kenneth Alexander Diest, Christopher Yuan Ting Liao, Nagi Hosni Elabbasi, James Howard Thomas Ransley, Taha Masood, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Laura Cressman
  • CONFIGURATION CIRCUIT FOR RECONFIGURABLE OUTPUT
    Publication number: 20220261025
    Abstract: A configuration circuit may be used with a power converter. The configuration circuit dynamically reconfigures one or more connections of output stages of a power converter to vary the output. A capacitive load may receive the output of the power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Jonathan Robert Peterson, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Maik Andre Scheller, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao
  • Infrared transparent backlight device
    Patent number: 11416071
    Abstract: A backlight device includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. The backlight device is configured to emit light in a first optical band through the second surface toward a display panel of a head-mounted display (HMD). The display panel is configured to convert the light from the backlight device to image light. The backlight device is transparent to light in a second optical band that is different than the first optical band. An eye tracking system illuminates an eyebox with light in the second optical band. A camera assembly positioned adjacent to the first surface of the backlight device. The camera assembly is configured to capture images of the eye in the second optical band through the backlight device, the display panel. The eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based at least in part on the captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Jacques Gollier, Robin Sharma, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Brian Wheelwright, Ying Geng, Alexander Sohn, Abbas Mehdi Kazmi