Patents by Inventor Brian T. Schowengerdt

Brian T. Schowengerdt 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: 11604310
    Abstract: An eyepiece for projecting an image to an eye of a viewer includes a waveguide configured to propagate light in a first wavelength range, and a grating coupled to a back surface of the waveguide. The grating is configured to diffract a first portion of the light propagating in the waveguide out of a plane of the waveguide toward a first direction, and to diffract a second portion of the light propagating in the waveguide out of the plane of the waveguide toward a second direction opposite to the first direction. The eyepiece furthers include a wavelength-selective reflector coupled to a front surface of the waveguide. The wavelength selective reflector is configured to reflect light in the first wavelength range and transmit light outside the first wavelength range, such that the wavelength-selective reflector reflects at least part of the second portion of the light back toward the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Dianmin Lin, Pierre St. Hilaire
  • Publication number: 20230055420
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. TEKOLSTE, Michael A. KLUG, Paul M. GRECO, Brian T. SCHOWENGERDT
  • Patent number: 11579441
    Abstract: A visual perception device has a look-up table stored in a laser driver chip. The look-up table includes relational gain data to compensate for brighter areas of a laser pattern wherein pixels are located more closely than areas where the pixels are further apart and to compensate for differences in intensity of individual pixels when the intensities of pixels are altered due to design characteristics of an eye piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Stephen Johnston, Brian T. Schowengerdt
  • Publication number: 20230013334
    Abstract: A wearable display device suitable for use in an augmented reality environment is disclosed. The wearable display device can include a projector configured to project light through diffractive optical elements that then distributed the light to multiple display regions. Each of the display regions can be arranged to project light out of the wearable display device towards an eye of a user. Since each of the display regions are positioned in different locations with respect to an eye of a user, the result is that each display region directs light in a different direction. In this way the apparent field of view for a user of the wearable display can be substantially increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Ivan Li-Chuen Yeoh, Lionel Ernest Edwin
  • Publication number: 20230004008
    Abstract: Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user's body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Nicole Elizabeth Samec, John Graham Macnamara, Christopher M. Harrises, Brian T. Schowengerdt, Rony Abovitz, Mark Baerenrodt
  • Publication number: 20230004007
    Abstract: Images perceived to be substantially full color or multi-colored may be formed using component color images that are distributed in unequal numbers across a plurality of depth planes. The distribution of component color images across the depth planes may vary based on color. In some embodiments, a display system includes a stack of waveguides that each output light of a particular color, with some colors having fewer numbers of associated waveguides than other colors. The stack of waveguides may include by multiple pluralities (e.g., first and second pluralities) of waveguides, each configured to produce an image by outputting light corresponding to a particular color. The total number of waveguides in the second plurality of waveguides is less than the total number of waveguides in the first plurality of waveguides, and may be more than the total number of waveguides in a third plurality of waveguides, in embodiments where three component colors are utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Hong Hua, Hui-Chuan Cheng, Christophe Peroz
  • Patent number: 11543666
    Abstract: Augmented reality and virtual reality display systems and devices are configured for efficient use of projected light. In some aspects, a display system includes a light projection system and a head-mounted display configured to project light into an eye of the user to display virtual image content. The head-mounted display includes at least one waveguide comprising a plurality of in-coupling regions each configured to receive, from the light projection system, light corresponding to a portion of the user's field of view and to in-couple the light into the waveguide; and a plurality of out-coupling regions configured to out-couple the light out of the waveguide to display the virtual content, wherein each of the out-coupling regions are configured to receive light from different ones of the in-coupling regions. In some implementations, each in-coupling region has a one-to-one correspondence with a unique corresponding out-coupling region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian T. Schowengerdt
  • Patent number: 11536972
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a diffractive input coupling element formed on or in the first surface or the second surface of the substrate. The diffractive input coupling element is configured to receive an input beam of light and to couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The eyepiece waveguide also includes a diffractive combined pupil expander-extractor (CPE) element formed on or in the first surface or the second surface of the substrate. The diffractive CPE element includes a first portion and a second portion divided by an axis. A first set of diffractive optical elements is disposed in the first portion and oriented at a positive angle with respect to the axis and a second set of diffractive optical elements is disposed in the second portion and oriented at a negative angle with respect to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Brandon Michael-James Born, Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu
  • Patent number: 11500208
    Abstract: Images perceived to be substantially full color or multi-colored may be formed using component color images that are distributed in unequal numbers across a plurality of depth planes. The distribution of component color images across the depth planes may vary based on color. In some embodiments, a display system includes a stack of waveguides that each output light of a particular color, with some colors having fewer numbers of associated waveguides than other colors. The stack of waveguides may include by multiple pluralities (e.g., first and second pluralities) of waveguides, each configured to produce an image by outputting light corresponding to a particular color. The total number of waveguides in the second plurality of waveguides is less than the total number of waveguides in the first plurality of waveguides, and may be more than the total number of waveguides in a third plurality of waveguides, in embodiments where three component colors are utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Hong Hua, Hui-Chuan Cheng, Christophe Peroz
  • Patent number: 11487121
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Tekolste, Michael A. Klug, Paul M. Greco, Brian T. Schowengerdt
  • Patent number: 11487106
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a multi-element fiber scanner includes providing a fiber optic cable having a cladding region and a fiber core and focusing a laser beam at a series of predetermined locations inside the cladding region of the fiber optic cable. The method also includes creating a plurality of damage sites at the predetermined locations, exposing the fiber optic cable to an etchant solution, and preferentially etching the plurality of damage sites to form a base having a base plane and a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the base plane, a retention collar disposed a predetermined distance along the longitudinal axis from the base, a first fiber link including the fiber core, passing through the base plane, and joined to the retention collar, and a plurality of additional links joined to the base, extending from the base to the retention collar, and joined to the retention collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Charles David Melville, William Andrew Lee
  • Patent number: 11474362
    Abstract: A wearable display device suitable for use in an augmented reality environment is disclosed. The wearable display device can include a projector configured to project light through diffractive optical elements that then distributed the light to multiple display regions. Each of the display regions can be arranged to project light out of the wearable display device towards an eye of a user. Since each of the display regions are positioned in different locations with respect to an eye of a user, the result is that each display region directs light in a different direction. In this way the apparent field of view for a user of the wearable display can be substantially increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Ivan Li Chuen Yeoh, Lionel Ernest Edwin
  • Patent number: 11474359
    Abstract: Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user's body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Elizabeth Samec, John Graham Macnamara, Christopher M. Harrises, Brian T. Schowengerdt, Rony Abovitz, Mark Baerenrodt
  • Patent number: 11460628
    Abstract: A waveguide display system may include an eyepiece waveguide that can have a first surface and a second surface, the waveguide including an incoupling diffractive optical element (DOE) and an outcoupling DOE. The waveguide display system may include a light source and a scanning mirror, and may include reflective and collimating optical elements. The incoupling DOE can be configured to selectively propagate incident light beams to the outcoupling DOE in the waveguide through total internal reflection (TIR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Steven Alexander-Boyd Hickman, Charles David Melville, Samuel Scott Frank
  • Patent number: 11442227
    Abstract: A fiber optic element of a fiber scanning system includes a motion actuator having longitudinal side members, an internal orifice, a first support region, a central region, and a second support region. The fiber optic element also includes a first fiber optic cable passing through the internal orifice and having a first fiber joint as well as a second fiber optic cable passing through the internal orifice. The second fiber optic cable has a second fiber joint disposed in the central region and spliced to the first fiber joint, a second coupling region, a light delivery region, and a light emission tip. The light delivery region is characterized by a first diameter and the light emission tip is characterized by a second diameter less than the first diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Charles David Melville
  • Publication number: 20220244439
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value. According to additional embodiments, improved approaches are provided to implement deposition of imprint materials onto a substrate, which allow for very precise distribution and deposition of different imprint patterns onto any number of substrate surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. TEKOLSTE, Michael Anthony KLUG, Paul M. GRECO, Brian T. SCHOWENGERDT
  • Patent number: 11402636
    Abstract: A waveguide display disposed in glasses includes a first pupil expander assembly operable to project a first image defined by a first field of view, and a second pupil expander assembly disposed adjacent the first pupil expander assembly and operable to project a second image defined by a second field of view different from the first field of view. The first pupil expander assembly is operable to emit light at a first non-zero angle with respect to a first emission plane associated with the first pupil expander assembly. The second pupil expander assembly is operable to emit light at a second non-zero angle with respect to a second emission plane associated with the second pupil expander assembly. The first non-zero angle is opposite to the second non-zero angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Charles David Melville
  • Patent number: 11402573
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a compact system for scanning electromagnetic imaging radiation, comprising a first waveguide and a second waveguide, each of which is operatively coupled to at least one electromagnetic radiation source and configured such that output from the first and second waveguides is luminance modulated and scanned along one or more axes to form at least a portion of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Matthew D. Watson
  • Publication number: 20220221747
    Abstract: A wearable augmented reality head-mounted display system can be configured to pass light from the world forward a wearer wearing the head-mounted system into an eye of the wearer. The head-mounted display system can include an optical display that is configured to output light to form an image. The system may include one or more waveguides that are disposed to receiving the light from the display. A variable power reflector can be disposed on the forward side of the one or more waveguides. The reflector can be configured to have an optical power that is adjustable upon application of an electrical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, John Graham Macnamara, Chulwoo Oh
  • Patent number: 11353641
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value. According to additional embodiments, improved approaches are provided to implement deposition of imprint materials onto a substrate, which allow for very precise distribution and deposition of different imprint patterns onto any number of substrate surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Tekolste, Michael Anthony Klug, Paul M. Greco, Brian T. Schowengerdt