Patents by Inventor David S. Thompson
David S. Thompson 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: 8944662Abstract: Extended area lighting devices, which are useful e.g. as luminaires, include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide. The diffractive surface features are tailored to extract guided-mode light from the light guide. The light guides can be combined with other components and features such as light source(s) to inject guided-mode light into the light guide, light source(s) to project light through the light guide as non-guided-mode light, a framework of interconnected support members (attached to multiple such light guides), and/or a patterned low index subsurface layer that selectively blocks some guided mode light from reaching the diffractive surface features, to provide unique and useful lighting devices. Related optical devices, and optical films having diffractive features that can be used to construct such devices and light guides, are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Matthew S. Stay
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Publication number: 20150003106Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide, at least some diffractive surface features adapted to couple guided-mode light out of the light guide. The diffractive features include first and second diffractive features disposed on respective first and second portions of the major surface. A patterned light transmissive layer, including a second light transmissive medium, optically contacts the second diffractive features but not the first diffractive features. A first light transmissive medium optically contacts the first but not the second diffractive features. The first and second portions may define indicia, and the first and second diffractive features provide low distortion for viewing objects through the light guide such that the indicia is not readily apparent to users when guided-mode light does not propagate within the light guide. Optical films having such diffractive features are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Inventors: David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Matthew S. Stay, Vivian W. Jones
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Patent number: 8901588Abstract: Disclosed herein are LED devices having lenses and methods of making the devices. The LED devices are made using an optical layer comprising a plurality of lens features. The optical layer is disposed relative to the LED die such that at least one LED die is optically coupled to at least one lens feature. A lens can then be made from the lens feature and excess optical layer removed to provide the device.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: David S. Thompson, Robert S. Davidson, Chien-Chih Chiang, Huang Chin Hung
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Publication number: 20140349750Abstract: Techniques for configuring and operating a fantasy sports interleaver service are described herein. In some examples, a content feed is associated with each of a plurality of games (e.g., a plurality of football games). A plurality of clips may be created from each content feed. Fantasy point information may be associated with at least some of the clips. For example, if a football quarterback throws a touchdown pass within a clip, fantasy points may be awarded to the quarterback and/or assigned to the clip. The clip may be transmitted to a client device of a user of the fantasy sports interleaver service based at least in part upon a fantasy sports account of the user (e.g., based upon an athlete on the user's fantasy roster that is depicted in the clip).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: David S. Thompson, David A. Divine
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Patent number: 8834004Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide, at least some diffractive surface features adapted to couple guided-mode light out of the light guide. The diffractive features include first and second diffractive features disposed on respective first and second portions of the major surface. A patterned light transmissive layer, including a second light transmissive medium, optically contacts the second diffractive features but not the first diffractive features. A first light transmissive medium optically contacts the first but not the second diffractive features. The first and second portions may define indicia, and the first and second diffractive features provide low distortion for viewing objects through the light guide such that the indicia is not readily apparent to users when guided-mode light does not propagate within the light guide. Optical films having such diffractive features are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Matthew S. Stay, Vivian W. Jones
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Patent number: 8807817Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface thereof. The diffractive surface features include diffractive features of different pitches in non-overlapping regions of the major surface tailored to extract guided-mode light of different colors from the light guide in different directions. The diffractive features extract light such that an ordinary user observes substantially different colors in different regions of the light guide, providing a colorful appearance. Notwithstanding this, the diffractive features also extract light such that the lighting device illuminates a reference surface, disposed at an intermediate distance from the light guide, with illumination light that is substantially uniform in color and substantially white. Optical films having diffractive features that can be used to construct such devices and light guides are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Zhaohui Yang, David S. Thompson, Vivian W. Jones
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Publication number: 20140043846Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide. The diffractive surface features provide low distortion for viewing objects through the light guide. Light from discrete light source(s) is injected into the light guide, and the diffractive surface features interact with the injected light to couple guided-mode light out of the light guide. The out-coupled light produces one or more bands whose apparent shape changes with viewing position. The bands may be bright bands that correspond to the discrete light sources, or dark bands associated with an optional non-uniform reflective structure extending along a side surface of the light guide. Multiple bands may form a pattern that changes with viewing position, the pattern of bands having a 3-dimensional appearance for at least some viewing positions. The lighting devices can be used as luminaires for general lighting or decorative lighting.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: Zhaohui Yang, David S. Thompson, Vivian W. Jones
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Publication number: 20140043847Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface thereof. The diffractive surface features include diffractive features of different pitches in non-overlapping regions of the major surface tailored to extract guided-mode light of different colors from the light guide in different directions. The diffractive features extract light such that an ordinary user observes substantially different colors in different regions of the light guide, providing a colorful appearance. Notwithstanding this, the diffractive features also extract light such that the lighting device illuminates a reference surface, disposed at an intermediate distance from the light guide, with illumination light that is substantially uniform in color and substantially white. Optical films having diffractive features that can be used to construct such devices and light guides are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: Zhaohui Yang, David S. Thompson, Vivian W. Jones
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Publication number: 20140043856Abstract: Extended area lighting devices, which are useful e.g. as luminaires, include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide. The diffractive surface features are tailored to extract guided-mode light from the light guide. The light guides can be combined with other components and features such as light source(s) to inject guided-mode light into the light guide, light source(s) to project light through the light guide as non-guided-mode light, a framework of interconnected support members (attached to multiple such light guides), and/or a patterned low index subsurface layer that selectively blocks some guided mode light from reaching the diffractive surface features, to provide unique and useful lighting devices. Related optical devices, and optical films having diffractive features that can be used to construct such devices and light guides, are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Matthew S. Stay
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Publication number: 20140043850Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface of the light guide, at least some diffractive surface features adapted to couple guided-mode light out of the light guide. The diffractive features include first and second diffractive features disposed on respective first and second portions of the major surface. A patterned light transmissive layer, including a second light transmissive medium, optically contacts the second diffractive features but not the first diffractive features. A first light transmissive medium optically contacts the first but not the second diffractive features. The first and second portions may define indicia, and the first and second diffractive features provide low distortion for viewing objects through the light guide such that the indicia is not readily apparent to users when guided-mode light does not propagate within the light guide. Optical films having such diffractive features are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Matthew S. Stay, Vivian W. Jones
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Patent number: 8547015Abstract: Optical films for enhancing light extraction from self-emissive light sources such as bottom-emitting or top-emitting OLEDs are disclosed. The extraction films typically include a flexible carrier film, and a first and second layer carried by the carrier film. The first or second layer has a nanovoided morphology and includes a polymer binder, and may also have a refractive index less than 1.35 or 1.3. An embedded structured surface of light extraction elements is formed between the first and second layers. The light extraction elements may be primarily diffractive elements adapted to be disposed within an evanescent zone of the OLED, or they may be primarily refractive elements adapted to be disposed outside the evanescent zone. The extraction film may also include a third layer, and a second embedded structured surface may be formed between the third layer and the first layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Martin B. Wolk, Sergey Lamansky, William Blake Kolb, Encai Hao, Jun-Ying Zhang, David S. Thompson, Vivan W. Jones, Kevin R. Schaffer, Audrey A. Sherman, Zhaohui Yang, Leslie A. Todero
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Patent number: 8469551Abstract: Optical films for enhancing light extraction from self-emissive pixelated OLEDs, without introducing significant pixel blur, are disclosed. The extraction films include a flexible carrier film, and a first and second layer carried by the carrier film. The first layer has a nanovoided morphology, includes a polymer binder, and may have a refractive index less than 1.35 or 1.3. An embedded structured surface of light extraction elements is formed between the first and second layers. The extraction film includes a major coupling surface for attachment to an outer surface of the light source. The film is configured such that a land portion between the structured surface and the major coupling surface is thinner than a specified amount, e.g., less than 50, 25, or 10 microns, or less than a thickness of the carrier film.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Martin B. Wolk, Sergey Lamansky, David S. Thompson, Zhaohui Yang, Jun-Ying Zhang, Encai Hao, William Blake Kolb, Audrey A. Sherman, Kevin R. Schaffer
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Publication number: 20130011608Abstract: A microstructured article includes a nanovoided layer having opposing first and second major surfaces, the first major surface being microstructured to form prisms, lenses, or other features. The nanovoided layer includes a polymeric binder and a plurality of interconnected voids, and optionally a plurality of nanoparticles. A second layer, which may include a viscoelastic layer or a polymeric resin layer, is disposed on the first or second major surface. A related method includes disposing a coating solution onto a substrate. The coating solution includes a polymerizable material, a solvent, and optional nanoparticles. The method includes polymerizing the polymerizable material while the coating solution is in contact with a microreplication tool to form a microstructured layer. The method also includes removing solvent from the microstructured layer to form a nanovoided microstructured article.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Inventors: Martin B. Wolk, William Blake Kolb, Encai Hao, Michael Benton Free, Audrey A. Sherman, John A. Wheatley, David S. Thompson, Matthew S. Stay
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Publication number: 20120170002Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) projector, an LED projector array, and a method of making the LED projector and LED projector array are provided. In general, an LED is disposed to inject light into an input aperture of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC), disposed in a molded optical element. At least partially collimated light exits the output aperture of the CPC. The CPC has a portion of the surface free to expand and contract without degrading the performance of the LED projector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2010Publication date: July 5, 2012Inventors: Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Yifei Song, Amy S. Barnes, David S. Thompson, Sen Ching Ong, Andrew T. Tio, Robert S. Davidson
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Publication number: 20120099323Abstract: Optical films for enhancing light extraction from self-emissive pixelated OLEDs, without introducing significant pixel blur, are disclosed. The extraction films include a flexible carrier film, and a first and second layer carried by the carrier film. The first layer has a nanovoided morphology, includes a polymer binder, and may have a refractive index less than 1.35 or 1.3. An embedded structured surface of light extraction elements is formed between the first and second layers. The extraction film includes a major coupling surface for attachment to an outer surface of the light source. The film is configured such that a land portion between the structured surface and the major coupling surface is thinner than a specified amount, e.g., less than 50, 25, or 10 microns, or less than a thickness of the carrier film.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: April 26, 2012Inventor: David S. Thompson
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Publication number: 20120098421Abstract: Optical films for enhancing light extraction from self-emissive light sources such as bottom-emitting or top-emitting OLEDs are disclosed. The extraction films typically include a flexible carrier film, and a first and second layer carried by the carrier film. The first or second layer has a nanovoided morphology and includes a polymer binder, and may also have a refractive index less than 1.35 or 1.3. An embedded structured surface of light extraction elements is formed between the first and second layers. The light extraction elements may be primarily diffractive elements adapted to be disposed within an evanescent zone of the OLED, or they may be primarily refractive elements adapted to be disposed outside the evanescent zone. The extraction film may also include a third layer, and a second embedded structured surface may be formed between the third layer and the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: April 26, 2012Inventor: David S. Thompson
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Patent number: 7769820Abstract: A URL verification service is provided that is used to evaluate the trustworthiness of universal resource locators (URLs). As a user browses the world wide web, the URL for a web page to which the user is browsing is captured by the service. The URL has a second level domain corresponding to a web site. The URL verification service identifies a proposed brand that should be associated with the URL if the URL is trustworthy. The proposed brand and the second level domain are used as database queries to query a database such as a search engine database. The results of the database query are processed to determine whether the URL is legitimately associated with the URL. To ensure that the proposed brand is identified accurately, the URL verification service gathers brand information using web page content, secure sockets layer certificate content, or other web site attributes.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Voltage Security, Inc.Inventors: Terence Spies, Matthew J. Pauker, Rishi R. Kacker, Guido Appenzeller, Sathvik Krishnamurthy, David S. Thompson
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Patent number: 7698442Abstract: A URL verification service is provided that is used to evaluate the trustworthiness of universal resource locators (URLs). As a user browses the world wide web, a URL verification client captures a URL associated with a web page of unknown authenticity. The URL verification client transmits the captured URL to a URL verification server. The URL verification server compares the URL to actively maintained whitelist and blacklist information. The server also uses the URL and a user-supplied or automatically-extracted brand to query a search engine. The URL verification server processes the response of the search engine to the search engine queries and the results of cache and whitelist and blacklist comparisons to determine whether the captured URL is legitimately associated with the brand. The results of the URL evaluation process are transmitted from the URL verification server to the URL verification client, which notifies user.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Voltage Security, Inc.Inventors: Sathvik Krishnamurthy, Matthew J. Pauker, Guido Appenzeller, Terence Spies, David S. Thompson, Lucas C. Ryan
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Patent number: 6942003Abstract: A roll up door assembly for covering a door space comprising a rubber sheet having vertical side edge portions with a front lock strip secured to the front surface and a rear lock strip secured to the rear surface of each vertical side edge. The front and rear locking strips are staggered with respect to each other in the transverse direction of these strips. The sheet is coilable on a barrel mounted above the door. The staggered orientation of the lock strips assists in the tracking of the sheet during coiling on the barrel. A pair of vertically extending door guides each define a vertical slot oriented and sized to accept a respective vertical side edge portion for guided vertical movement therein. Each door guide assembly has a windbar attached thereto, positioned to narrow the opening of the slot such the narrowed opening has a smaller width than the total thickness of each side edge portion of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2003Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: Service Door Industries LimitedInventor: David S. Thompson
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Patent number: 4554131Abstract: Aluminum alloys suitable for use as anode structures in electrochemical cs are disclosed. These alloys include iron levels higher than previously felt possible, due to the presence of controlled amounts of manganese, with possible additions of magnesium and controlled amounts of gallium.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1984Date of Patent: November 19, 1985Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of EnergyInventors: David S. Thompson, Darwin H. Scott