Patents by Inventor Christopher Townsend
Christopher Townsend 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).
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Patent number: 12164103Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical module including a substrate, with an optical detector, laser emitter, and support structure being carried by the substrate. An optical layer includes a fixed portion carried by the support structure, a movable portion affixed between opposite sides of the fixed portion by a spring structure, and a lens system carried by the movable portion. The movable portion has at least one opening defined therein across which the lens system extends, with at least one supporting portion extending across the at least one opening to support the lens system. The optical layer further includes a MEMS actuator for in-plane movement of the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research &Develoment) Limited, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Roberto Carminati
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Patent number: 12123975Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2023Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Publication number: 20240061083Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher TOWNSEND, Thineshwaran GOPAL KRISHNAN, James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Kevin CHANNON
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Patent number: 11815628Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2023Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 11747611Abstract: An optical module includes an optical detector, laser emitter, and first and second support structures, each carried by a substrate. An optical layer includes first and second fixed portions carried by the support structures, a movable portion affixed between the fixed portions by a spring structure, and a lens system carried by the movable portion, the lens system including an objective lens and a beam shaping lens. The optical layer includes a comb drive with a first comb structure extending from the first fixed portion to interdigitate with a second comb structure extending from the movable portion, a third comb structure extending from the second fixed portion to interdigitate with a fourth comb structure extending from the movable portion, and actuation circuitry applying voltages to the comb structures to cause the movable portion of the optical layer to oscillate back and forth between the fixed portions.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2020Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Roberto Carminati
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Publication number: 20230161009Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2023Publication date: May 25, 2023Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 11619828Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an electronic device including a sensor having a transmission module configured to provide a plurality of collimated light beams. The transmission module includes a light source and a transmission beam splitter. The transmission beam splitter includes a plurality of lenslets. The transmission beam splitter is configured to receive one or more light beams from the light source and refract the one or more light beams for forming the plurality of collimated light beams.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2020Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, Christopher Townsend
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Patent number: 11573293Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 11543526Abstract: Disclosed herein is a time of flight sensing module that includes a reflected laser light detector formed on a printed circuit board, and a plurality of laser modules positioned about a periphery of the reflected laser light detector. Each laser module includes an interposer substrate vertically spaced apart from the printed circuit board, at least one laser diode carried by the interposer substrate, and a diffuser spaced apart from the interposer substrate and over the at least one laser diode. A lens may be positioned over the reflected laser light detector, and the plurality of laser modules are positioned about the periphery of the lens.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Neale Dutton, Christopher Townsend
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Publication number: 20220187591Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical module including a substrate, with an optical detector, laser emitter, and support structure being carried by the substrate. An optical layer includes a fixed portion carried by the support structure, a movable portion affixed between opposite sides of the fixed portion by a spring structure, and a lens system carried by the movable portion. The movable portion has at least one opening defined therein across which the lens system extends, with at least one supporting portion extending across the at least one opening to support the lens system. The optical layer further includes a MEMS actuator for in-plane movement of the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christopher TOWNSEND, Roberto CARMINATI
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Publication number: 20220187593Abstract: An optical module includes an optical detector, laser emitter, and first and second support structures, each carried by a substrate. An optical layer includes first and second fixed portions carried by the support structures, a movable portion affixed between the fixed portions by a spring structure, and a lens system carried by the movable portion, the lens system including an objective lens and a beam shaping lens. The optical layer includes a comb drive with a first comb structure extending from the first fixed portion to interdigitate with a second comb structure extending from the movable portion, a third comb structure extending from the second fixed portion to interdigitate with a fourth comb structure extending from the movable portion, and actuation circuitry applying voltages to the comb structures to cause the movable portion of the optical layer to oscillate back and forth between the fixed portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Christopher TOWNSEND, Roberto CARMINATI
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Patent number: 11353591Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of laser safety verification for a depth map sensor, comprising illuminating, during a first illumination phase, using a laser illumination system, a first cluster of one or more first pixels of a pixel array of the depth map sensor, while not illuminating a second cluster, different from the first cluster, of one or more second pixels of the pixel array of the depth map sensor; and detecting, during the first illumination phase, a level of illumination of the second cluster.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS, STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Pascal Mellot
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Publication number: 20210382172Abstract: Disclosed herein is a time of flight sensing module that includes a reflected laser light detector formed on a printed circuit board, and a plurality of laser modules positioned about a periphery of the reflected laser light detector. Each laser module includes an interposer substrate vertically spaced apart from the printed circuit board, at least one laser diode carried by the interposer substrate, and a diffuser spaced apart from the interposer substrate and over the at least one laser diode. A lens may be positioned over the reflected laser light detector, and the plurality of laser modules are positioned about the periphery of the lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2020Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Neale DUTTON, Christopher TOWNSEND
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Publication number: 20210223562Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an electronic device including a sensor having a transmission module configured to provide a plurality of collimated light beams. The transmission module includes a light source and a transmission beam splitter. The transmission beam splitter includes a plurality of lenslets. The transmission beam splitter is configured to receive one or more light beams from the light source and refract the one or more light beams for forming the plurality of collimated light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2020Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Thineshwaran GOPAL KRISHNAN, Christopher TOWNSEND
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Publication number: 20210096258Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of laser safety verification for a depth map sensor, comprising illuminating, during a first illumination phase, using a laser illumination system, a first cluster of one or more first pixels of a pixel array of the depth map sensor, while not illuminating a second cluster, different from the first cluster, of one or more second pixels of the pixel array of the depth map sensor; and detecting, during the first illumination phase, a level of illumination of the second cluster.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Pascal Mellot
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Publication number: 20200191919Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides devices, time-of-flight sensors, and optical sensor packages. One such device includes a light sensor, a first lens, and a second lens. The first lens is positioned along a light receiving path of the light sensor, and the first lens has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second lens is positioned along the light receiving path and positioned between the first lens and the light sensor. The second lens has a third surface facing the second surface of the first lens and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The fourth surface faces the light sensor. At least one of the first, second, third, and fourth surfaces is a Fresnel surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Thineshwaran GOPAL KRISHNAN, Christopher TOWNSEND
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Publication number: 20200057145Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 20, 2020Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 10509108Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical element having a high or large refractive index. The optical element is able to maintain its beam shaping function or output when it is immersed in air or water. Accordingly, the optical element may be used for a variety of different devices or applications, including optical telecommunication devices, cameras, tablets, computers, mobile telephones, and optical sensors, that may be immersed in multiple environments, such as air or water.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2016Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: Christopher Townsend
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Patent number: 10486803Abstract: Structural health monitoring and protection systems and methods are provided. System and methods utilize structural information and/or enhanced built in testing capabilities for detecting failure modes that may cause damage to a structure. Systems and methods herein may protect a structure by mitigating one or more incorrect forces. The structure may be an aircraft, a rotary wing aircraft, or any other physical structure subject to vibrations and receptive to canceling of those vibrations.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2015Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: LORD CorporationInventors: Paul Black, Douglas Swanson, Douglas G. Pedersen, Mark R. Jolly, Christopher Townsend, Ian Cassidy
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Patent number: 10473764Abstract: A sensor package may include a source configured to emit a signal, a detector configured to receive a first reflection of the signal, and an isolator disposed between the source and the detector, where a surface of the isolator has one or more grooves configured to direct a second reflection of the signal away from the detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: Christopher Townsend