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).

  • Publication number: 20200371358
    Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector positioned in a first orientation so that the first polarization selective reflector: receives first light in a first direction; redirects a first portion, of the first light, having a first polarization to a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction; and receives second light in a third direction and transmit a first portion, of the second light. A second polarization selective reflector positioned in a second orientation non-parallel to the first orientation, and adjacent to the first polarization selective reflector so that the second polarization selective reflector: receives third light in a fourth direction; redirects a first portion, of the third light, having the first polarization to a fifth direction that is non-parallel to the fourth direction; and receives fourth light in a sixth direction and transmit a first portion, of the fourth light having the second polarization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew John OUDERKIRK, Tanya MALHOTRA, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Weichuan GAO, Ying GENG
  • Patent number: 10845597
    Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a pancake lens block. The pancake lens block includes a first waveplate to form first nonlinearly polarized light, a Fresnel surface to reflect and transmit a portion of the first nonlinearly polarized light, a second waveplate to form first linearly polarized light, and a linear reflective polarizer to transmit linear polarized light of a particular polarization rotation direction and to reflect light of other polarization rotation directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacques Gollier, Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 10845606
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes a pancake lens block, an eye tracking system, and an electronic display. The electronic display is coated with a dichroic film that transmits visible light and reflects infrared light (IR). An IR emitter illuminates an eye of the user, and infrared light is reflected from an eye through the pancake lens block and is incident on the dichroic film. The reflected light is captured by an image capturing element of the eye tracking system that is positioned at a periphery of HMD located off-axis relative to an optical axis of the pancake lens block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 10838362
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium 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, a second set of optical elements configured to transmit the second portion of the light for providing a second wide-field beam, and a plurality of prisms optically coupled with the second set of optical elements and configured to receive the second wide-field beam 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: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FACEBOOK 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: 20200348528
    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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Afsoon JAMALI, Brian Wheelwright, Yang Zhao, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20200348527
    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: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Afsoon JAMALI, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Yang ZHAO, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam SULAI, Douglas Robert LANMAN
  • Publication number: 20200341268
    Abstract: An optical lens assembly includes an optical lens and a Pancharatnam Berry Phase (“PBP”) element coupled to the optical lens. The PBP element is configured to provide chromatic aberration correction for the optical lens. An Abbe number of the PBP element and an Abbe number of the optical lens have opposite signs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Babak AMIRSOLAIMANI, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam SULAI, Weichuan GAO, Fenglin PENG, Ying GENG
  • Patent number: 10816809
    Abstract: An eye-tracking system includes a holographic illuminator and a detector. The holographic illuminator includes a light source configured to provide light and a holographic medium optically coupled with the light source. The holographic medium is configured to receive the light provided from the light source and concurrently project a plurality of separate light patterns toward an eye. The detector is configured to detect a reflection of at least a subset of the plurality of separate light patterns, reflected off the eye, for determining a location of a pupil of the eye. Also disclosed is a method for determining a location of a pupil of an eye with the eye-tracking system that includes the holographic illuminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook 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: 10788677
    Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) comprises a display element, a Fresnel assembly, an illumination source, and a camera assembly. The display element outputs image light in a first band of light through a display surface. The optics block directs light from the display element to a target region (e.g., includes a portion of a user's face, eyes, etc.). The Fresnel assembly transmits light in the first band and directs light in a second band different than the first band to a first position. The source illuminates the target area with light in the second band. The camera is located in the first position and captures light in the second band corresponding to light reflected from the target area that is then reflected by the Fresnel assembly toward the camera. A controller may use the captured light to determine tracking information for areas of a user's face (e.g., eyes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Alexander Sohn, Robin Sharma
  • Patent number: 10768371
    Abstract: A display assembly presented herein includes an inset display, a peripheral display, and a multiplexing optical assembly (MOA). The inset display has a first resolution and emits image light of a first polarization. The peripheral display has a second resolution and emits image light of a second polarization. The MOA receives the image light of the first polarization and the image light of the second polarization. The MOA then transforms the image light of the first polarization into a first portion of image light of a third polarization, and transforms the image light of the second polarization into a second portion of image light of the third polarization. The MOA directs the first portion of image light and the second portion of image light toward an eye-box. The display assembly can be implemented as a component of a head-mounted display of an artificial reality system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Wheelwright, Ying Geng
  • Publication number: 20200273426
    Abstract: Display having a wide field of view is provided. A transparent display provides inset display light having a field of view narrower than the wide field of view. At least a portion of the display light propagates through the transparent display before becoming incident on an eye of the user of an HMD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Jaques Gollier, Brian Wheelwright, Barry David Silverstein
  • Patent number: 10747008
    Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) comprises a display element, a Fresnel assembly, an illumination source, and a camera assembly. The display element outputs image light in a first band of light through a display surface. The optics block directs light from the display element to a target region (e.g., includes a portion of a user's face, eyes, etc.). The Fresnel assembly transmits light in the first band and directs light in a second band different than the first band to a first position. The source illuminates the target area with light in the second band. The camera is located in the first position and captures light in the second band corresponding to light reflected from the target area that is then reflected by the Fresnel assembly toward the camera. A controller may use the captured light to determine tracking information for areas of a user's face (e.g., eyes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Alexander Sohn, Robin Sharma
  • Patent number: 10698204
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for eye illumination for eye position tracking. An illuminator for eye illumination includes a light source, a substrate configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user, and at least one reflector located within the substrate. The light source is configured to emit light in a first wavelength range to illuminate the at least one reflector. The at least one reflector is configured to reflect the light in the first wavelength range to the eye of the user, and transmit light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The substrate is transparent to both the light in the first wavelength range and the light in the second wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Brian Wheelwright, Robin Sharma, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 10698218
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) contains an oscillating electronic display, an optics block, a controller, and an optional eye tracking system. The oscillating electronic display vibrates according to instructions in a manner that allows it to correct optical errors, including vergence-accommodation conflict, field curvature, fixed pattern noise, and chromatic aberration. The oscillating electronic display is configured to emit image light by oscillating through different positions along an optical axis. The optics block is configured to direct the emitted image light to an eyebox. The controller is configured to determine and provide instructions to the oscillating electronic display. These instructions include instructions specifying the amplitude and frequency of vibration as well as instructions specifying a plurality of specific sub-pixels on the display surface to activate. The eye tracking system provides eye tracking information to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Jacques Gollier, Brian Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 10698483
    Abstract: Eye-tracking systems of the present disclosure may include at least one light source configured to emit radiation toward a location intended for an eye of a user and at least one optical sensor comprising at least one sensing element configured to detect at least a portion of the radiation emitted by the at least one light source. The at least one sensing element may have a lateral width of at least about 5 ?m and a lateral length of at least about 5 ?m. The eye-tracking system may be configured to track the user's eye using data generated by at least the optical sensor. Various other methods, systems, and devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Barry David Silverstein, Brian Wheelwright, Robin Sharma, Spencer Allan Wells
  • Patent number: 10692186
    Abstract: A first image and a second image are presented to a user of a head mounted display (HMD) so that the first image and the second image are perceived as a combined image. The first image is inset into the second image and the first image may be a higher resolution image than the second image. The first image and the second image may be presented at different focal lengths and various techniques are utilized to gracefully blend the first image and the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Mercier, Brian Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 10690929
    Abstract: A head-mounted display includes an electronic display configured to output image light, an optics assembly configured to direct image light in a first band from the electronic display to an eye box, an eye tracking unit configured to generate eye tracking information, and a beamsplitter configured to redirect light in a second band reflected from the eye box toward the eye tracking unit and transmit the image light in the first band. The beamsplitter includes a first region and a second region, and a first portion that joins the first region and the second region is curved such that an angle between the first region and the optical axis is larger than an angle between second region and the optical axis, and the beamsplitter is positioned along the optical axis between the optics assembly and the electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Brian Wheelwright, Jacques Gollier, Alexander Sohn
  • Publication number: 20200192097
    Abstract: An eye-tracking system includes a holographic illuminator and a detector. The holographic illuminator includes a light source configured to provide light and a holographic medium optically coupled with the light source. The holographic medium is configured to receive the light provided from the light source and concurrently project a plurality of separate light patterns toward an eye. The detector is configured to detect a reflection of at least a subset of the plurality of separate light patterns, reflected off the eye, for determining a location of a pupil of the eye. Also disclosed is a method for determining a location of a pupil of an eye with the eye-tracking system that includes the holographic illuminator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    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: 20200192278
    Abstract: A method includes providing light from a light source and separating 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 method also includes transmitting the first portion of the light through a first set of optical elements to provide a first wide-field beam, transmitting the second portion of the light through a second set of optical elements to provide a second wide-field beam that is spatially separated from the first wide-field beam, and transmitting the second wide-field beam through a third set of optical elements to provide a plurality of separate light patterns. The method further includes concurrently projecting the first wide-field beam and the plurality of separate light patterns onto an optically recordable medium to form a holographic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    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: 20200192284
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium 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, a second set of optical elements configured to transmit the second portion of the light through for providing a second wide-field beam, and a plurality of lenses optically coupled with the second set of optical elements configured to receive the second wide-field beam and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman