Patents by Inventor Brian Wheelwright

Brian Wheelwright 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: 11500217
    Abstract: An optical lens assembly and an optical system is provided. The optical lens assembly includes a first optical element including a partial reflector and a quarter-wave plate and a second optical element including a reflective polarizer. The first optical element and the second optical element form a cavity. The pancake lens assembly further includes a varifocal lens having an adjustable optical power, and the varifocal lens is disposed inside or outside the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Afsoon Jamali, Brian Wheelwright, Yang Zhao, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11493772
    Abstract: A Head Mounted Display (HMD) includes a pixel array having multiple pixels configured in a two-dimensional surface, each pixel providing multiple light beams forming an image provided to a user. The HMD also includes a first optical element configured to provide a central portion of a field of view for the image through an eyebox that limits a volume including a pupil of the user, and a second optical element configured to provide a peripheral portion of the field of view for the image through the eyebox, wherein the peripheral portion of the field of view comprises at least one steradian of a user's field of view at a resolution of at least fifteen arcminutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Wheelwright, Kieran Connor Kelly, Ying Geng
  • Publication number: 20220350149
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) for improved field of view (FOV) is provided. The head-mounted display (HMD) may include a display element to provide display light. The head-mounted display (HMD) may also include a lens element to provide display light to a user of the head-mounted display (HMD). The head-mounted display (HMD) may further include an optical element comprising at least one waveguide to provide improved central or peripheral field of view (FOV) for the user of head-mounted display (HMD). In some examples, the waveguide may be part of central optics and/or peripheral optics. The waveguide may have a planar waveguide profile or a curved waveguide profile. In some examples, the waveguide may be stacked or may include a graded index (GRIN) layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Miaomiao XU, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Ying GENG
  • Publication number: 20220326533
    Abstract: A display device includes a projector and a display that has a first surface and a second surface. The projector is configured to project image light toward the display. The display is configured to output diffused image light from the first surface and to transmit ambient light from the second surface to the first surface. The display device also includes an optical assembly that has a substrate with substantially uniform thickness. The optical assembly is configured to receive the diffused image light and transmit a portion of the diffused image light output from the first surface of the display at a first optical power. The optical assembly is also configured to receive the ambient light and transmit a portion of the ambient light through the optical assembly at a second optical power that is less than the first optical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Ying GENG, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Jacques GOLLIER, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam SULAI, Babak AMIRSOLAIMANI, Weichuan GAO, Gang LI, Mengfei WANG, Adrian TRAVIS
  • Patent number: 11454747
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens has a first lens surface and a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface. The second lens surface includes a first plurality of Fresnel structures. The second lens, coupled to the first lens, has a third lens surface and a fourth lens surface opposite to the third lens surface. The third lens surface includes a second plurality of Fresnel structures. The third lens surface faces the first lens and the second lens surface faces the second lens. A headset that includes a display and the lens assembly is also disclosed. A method of transmitting, with the lens assembly, light from the display toward an image plane is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier
  • Patent number: 11448885
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a reflector and a volume Bragg grating (VBG). The VBG is positioned for: (i) transmitting light having a first polarization and incident upon the VBG at an incident angle that is within a first angular range, (ii) reflecting light having the first polarization and incident upon the VBG at an incident angle that is within a second angular range distinct from the first angular range, and (iii) transmitting light having a second polarization different from the first polarization. The optical assembly is configured to receive first light, having the first polarization, and reflect the first light at the reflector and at the VBG before the first light is output from the optical assembly. The optical assembly is configured to receive second light, having the second polarization, and output the second light from the optical assembly without undergoing reflection at either the reflector or the VBG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Babak Amirsolaimani, Weichuan Gao
  • Patent number: 11422375
    Abstract: An optical assembly a substrate having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to and substantially parallel with the first surface. The first surface has a first curved profile and the second surface has a second curved profile. The optical assembly also includes a beam splitter on the first surface and a reflector on the second surface. The optical assembly is configured to transmit image light received at the first surface in an optical path that includes reflection at each of the reflector and the beam splitter before the image light is output from the second surface. The optical assembly is also configured to transmit ambient light received at the first surface such that the second light is output from the second surface without undergoing reflection at either the reflector or the beam splitter. A method of transmitting light through the optical assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Babak Amirsolaimani, Weichuan Gao, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11415794
    Abstract: A beam scanner for a near-eye display includes a beam-folded pupil relay configured for receiving a light beam reflected from a tiltable reflector and relaying the light beam to an exit pupil while preserving the beam angle of the reflected beam. The beam-folding pupil relay includes a beamsplitter, e.g. a polarization beam splitter configured to redirect the beam to a curved reflector, which sends the beam towards the exit pupil. Polarization of the light beam reflected from the curved reflector may be changed to an orthogonal polarization by a waveplate disposed in an optical path of the light beam between the polarization beam splitter and the curved reflector, enabling the reflected light beam to propagate through the polarization beam splitter towards the exit pupil. A pupil-replicating waveguide may be disposed proximate the exit pupil. A 2D tiltable reflector or a pair of 1D tiltable reflectors may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Weichuan Gao, Brian Wheelwright, Babak Amirsolaimani
  • Patent number: 11409240
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11407731
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20220239893
    Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Nathan Matsuda, Brian Wheelwright, Joel Hegland
  • Patent number: 11397329
    Abstract: An optical lens assembly and a head-mounted display (HMD) is provided. The optical lens assembly includes a first optical element including a partial reflector and a quarter-wave plate, a second optical element including a reflective polarizer, and a varifocal lens disposed inside a cavity formed by the first optical element and the second optical element. The varifocal lens is a liquid crystal (LC) lens stack including a plurality of LC lenses. An LC lens of the plurality of the LC lenses has a plurality of optical states including an additive state that adds optical power to the varifocal lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the varifocal lens. The plurality of optical states provides a range of adjustment of optical power for the optical lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Afsoon Jamali, Brian Wheelwright, Yang Zhao, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11385467
    Abstract: A system includes an eyewear device, and a neckband device. The neckband device includes a power source and a processor communicatively coupled to the eyewear device. The system includes a bracelet device, which includes at least one sensor configured to determine a position signal in response to movement of the user's hand, the bracelet device communicatively coupled to the processor. A display device is configured to present content to a user, and is also configured to couple to and be removable from the eyewear device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacques Gollier, Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Brian Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 11378811
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes a first optical element and a second optical element. The first optical element includes a flat partially reflective layer. The second optical element includes a curved reflective polarizer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Jacques Gollier, Brian Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 11372247
    Abstract: A display device includes a projector and a display that has a first surface and a second surface. The projector is configured to project image light toward the display. The display is configured to output diffused image light from the first surface and to transmit ambient light from the second surface to the first surface. The display device also includes an optical assembly that has a substrate with substantially uniform thickness. The optical assembly is configured to receive the diffused image light and transmit a portion of the diffused image light output from the first surface of the display at a first optical power. The optical assembly is also configured to receive the ambient light and transmit a portion of the ambient light through the optical assembly at a second optical power that is less than the first optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Babak Amirsolaimani, Weichuan Gao, Gang Li, Mengfei Wang, Adrian Travis
  • Publication number: 20220201273
    Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Nathan Matsuda, Brian Wheelwright, Joel Hegland, Stephen Anthony Lombardi, Jason Saragih, Tomas Simon Kreuz, Shunsuke Saito, Michael Zollhoefer, Amit Raj, James Henry Hays
  • Patent number: 11347071
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a first reflector and a second reflector. The first reflector is positioned to receive first light having a first polarization and provide the first light toward a first direction, and receive second light having the first polarization and provide the second light toward a second direction. The second reflector is positioned to receive the second light from the first reflector and reflect the second light back toward the first reflector. The first reflector receives light having a second polarization, having been reflected by the second reflector, and provide the light toward the first direction so that a first image corresponding to the first light and a second image corresponding to the second light are projected on a common image plane where at least a portion of the second image is located between two portions of the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jacques Gollier, Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Fenglin Peng, Brian Wheelwright
  • Publication number: 20220163808
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a partial reflector that is optically coupled with a first polarization volume holographic element. The partial reflector is capable of receiving first light having a first circular polarization and transmitting a portion of the first light having a first circular polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the first portion of the first light and reflect the first portion of the first light as second light having the first circular polarization. The partial reflector is capable of receiving the second light and reflecting a first portion of the second light as third light having a second circular polarization opposite to the first polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the third light having the second circular polarization and transmit the third light having the second circular polarization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Jacques GOLLIER, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Scott Charles MCELDOWNEY, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam SULAI, Babak AMIRSOLAIMANI, Ying GENG
  • Patent number: 11307654
    Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate to eye illumination for eye tracking in a near-eye display system. One example of an eye illumination system includes a substrate transparent to visible light and infrared light and configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user, and a shortwave-pass filter on a first surface of the substrate. The shortwave-pass filter includes regions configured to transmit visible light and reflect infrared light in ambient light, and a plurality of windows configured to transmit both visible light and infrared light in the ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Qi Zhang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robin Sharma, Brian Wheelwright, Robert Dale Cavin