Patents by Inventor Douglas Robert Lanman

Douglas Robert Lanman 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: 20260133434
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing speckle in holographic displays is disclosed. An illumination subsystem with one or more emitters and wavelength-selection elements provides multiple mutually incoherent spectral components at discrete wavelengths. A modulation stage receives the illumination, and display optics direct modulated light toward an image plane. Control circuitry selects at least two discrete wavelengths, computes wavelength-aware modulation patterns to decorrelate wavelength-dependent speckle fields, and directs the illumination subsystem to illuminate the modulation stage with the selected wavelengths effectively concurrently within an integration interval while applying the computed patterns. Resulting intensities from the concurrently illuminated, mutually incoherent wavelengths incoherently sum at the image plane to reduce speckle. The architecture can be integrated into near-eye display systems. Methods of use and manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2025
    Publication date: May 14, 2026
    Inventors: Oliver Strider Cossairt, Grace Elizabeth Kuo, Douglas Robert Lanman, Nathan Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20260072402
    Abstract: An OSC material may include a grating structure for use in waveguide applications. A method of patterning the OSC material to create the grating structure may include forming a hard mask over the OSC layer and etching the OSC layer through an opening in the hard mask. Furthermore, an improved design of a grating light valve device may include a reflective backplane, an array of micro-ribbons disposed on the reflective backplane, and a metasurface structure positioned beneath the array of micro-ribbons. A multiple stage process may include generating a broad spectrum of light from a laser architecture, filtering and multiplexing the wavelengths of light using an image optimization module, and incoherently averaging the speckle patterns across the various wavelengths using a spatial light modulator architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Inventors: Tingling Rao, Kevin Lai Lin, Kimberly Kay Childress, Tuoqi Li, Alexander Hsing, Poer Sung, Burkley Delesdernier Patterson, Min Chul Shin, Sean Braxton, Oliver Strider Cossairt, Douglas Robert Lanman, Nathan Matsuda, Grace Elizabeth Kuo
  • Patent number: 12511819
    Abstract: A method for generating tiled multiplane images from a source image is disclosed. The method includes obtaining color and depth images. The method also includes extracting a feature map using a first neural network. The method also includes generating masks for a tile using a second neural network based on a corresponding tile of the feature map and corresponding sections of the color and depth images. The method also includes computing depths of a planes corresponding to the tile based on the masks. The method also includes generating a per-tile multiplane image for the tile based on the masks. The method also includes rendering an image using per-tile multiplane images and depths. A system for generating tiled multiplane images from a source image is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lei Xiao, Douglas Robert Lanman, Numair Khalil Ullah Khan
  • Publication number: 20250308186
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to techniques for editing a portion of a 3D scene represented by a neural field model. Embodiments of the present disclosure may erase an object from a 3D scene by identifying the object in one or more images of the scene and generating mask regions around (e.g., covering) the object in these images. A neural field model that represents the scene without the object in it may be trained by relying on an image generative model configured for inpainting. When trained, this ‘background’ neural field model can be used to render the implicit background of light rays that pass through the region of 3D space represented by the mask regions, thereby producing different views of the scene with the object effectively erased from the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2025
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Thu Nguyen Phuoc, Edward Bartrum, Christopher Xie, Armen Avetisyan, Zhengqin Li, Numair Khalil Ullah Khan, Lei Xiao, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 12332442
    Abstract: A display device includes a display module for providing first image light. The display device also includes a first optical element for receiving and transmitting the first image light from the display module. The display module includes a region from which the first image light is provided in directions other than a direction perpendicular to the first optical element. The display device further includes a second optical element so that the second optical element receives the first image light transmitted through the first optical element and sends the received first image light back toward the first optical element as second image light. The first optical element receives the second image light from the second optical element and sends the second image light back toward the second optical element, and the second optical element receives and transmits the second image light from the first optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gang Li, Brian Wheelwright, Andrew Maimone, Yang Zhao, Ying Geng, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20250164668
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a Fresnel lens and a diffractive optical element. The Fresnel lens includes a high-refractive-index material having a refractive index greater than 1.9. The diffractive optical element is optically coupled with the Fresnel lens to compensate for chromatic aberration caused by the Fresnel lens. A method for imaging light with the optical assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2024
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 12287484
    Abstract: A display system includes a source of unpolarized image light, and a stack of polarization-selective optical elements operable to switchably convert the unpolarized image light into two orthogonally polarized light beams, each of which being switchable in at least one beam characteristic. An output polarizer selects one of the two orthogonally polarized light beams for providing to a user. A depolarizer may be disposed between an electronic display emitting polarized light and the stack. The depolarizer may be in the form of an LC bilayer with randomized in-plane optic axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Afsoon Jamali, Junren Wang, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Lu Lu, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20250106376
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are described for a head-mounted display (HMD) headset having a pass-through configuration for a stereoscopic view. The HMD may have right and left exterior-facing stereo cameras mounted on a front face of the HMD and in the same visual plane as the user's eyes, where the exterior-facing stereo cameras collect images for stereo view synthesis. The HMD may include a processor and a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform stereo view synthesis with a machine-learning (ML) based technique including at least disocclusion filtering, in which disocclusion hole regions may be substantially removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lei XIAO, Salah Eddine NOURI, Joel HEGLAND, Douglas Robert LANMAN
  • Patent number: 12231615
    Abstract: According to examples, a head-mounted display (HMD) headset may include at least two exterior-facing color cameras mounted on the front face of the HMD and in the same visual plane as the user's eyes. The at least two exterior-facing color cameras may collect images for stereo view synthesis. The HMD may include a processor, and a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform stereo view synthesis with a machine-learning (ML) based technique including at least one of depth estimation, imaging sharpening, forward splatting, disocclusion filtering, or fusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lei Xiao, Salah Eddine Nouri, Joel Hegland, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 12130450
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a Fresnel lens and a diffractive optical element. The Fresnel lens includes a high-refractive-index material having a refractive index greater than 1.9. The diffractive optical element is optically coupled with the Fresnel lens to compensate for chromatic aberration caused by the Fresnel lens. A method for imaging light with the optical assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20240303910
    Abstract: A method for generating tiled multiplane images from a source image is disclosed. The method includes obtaining color and depth images. The method also includes extracting a feature map using a first neural network. The method also includes generating masks for a tile using a second neural network based on a corresponding tile of the feature map and corresponding sections of the color and depth images. The method also includes computing depths of a planes corresponding to the tile based on the masks. The method also includes generating a per-tile multiplane image for the tile based on the masks. The method also includes rendering an image using per-tile multiplane images and depths. A system for generating tiled multiplane images from a source image is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Lei XIAO, Douglas Robert LANMAN, Numair Khalil Ullah KHAN
  • Publication number: 20240251176
    Abstract: According to examples, an image capture device may include a lens array including lenses supported by a lens support structure, in which the lenses are arranged to capture light rays from multiple view-points. The image capture device may also include a sensor to capture light and convert the captured light into data that is used to form an image and a plurality of apertures positioned between the lenses and the sensor, in which the apertures are positioned with respect to the lenses and the sensor to allow rays of light that would have reached a certain reference location spaced from the sensor to pass through the plurality of apertures. An optimization algorithm may be applied to the collected sensor data to reproduce an image of a scene at a perspective that is intended to match a virtual eye position that is offset from the location of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nathan MATSUDA, Grace Elizabeth KUO, Douglas Robert LANMAN, Eric PENNER, Clinton SMITH, Seth MOCZYDLOWSKI, Alexander CHING
  • Patent number: 12022054
    Abstract: A volumetric display may include a two-dimensional display; a varifocal optical system configured to receive image light from the two-dimensional display and focus the image light; and at least one processor configured to: control the two-dimensional display to cause a plurality of sub-frames associated with an image frame to be displayed by the display, wherein each sub-frame of the plurality of sub-frames includes a corresponding portion of image data associated with the image frame; and control the varifocal optical system to a corresponding focal state for each respective sub-frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Afsoon Jamali, Yang Zhao, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Lu Lu, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11982862
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes a first set of one or more lenses and a first display configured to provide visual data through the first set of one or more lenses. The head-mounted display device further includes a first stepper motor mechanically coupled to the first display, and the first stepper motor is configured to move the first display along a first axis by rotating a rotatable component of the first stepper motor. The head-mounted display device further includes a first electronic controller configured to (i) determine a first position of the first display, (ii) receive information identifying a second position of the first display, and (iii) generate one or more electrical signals that cause the first stepper motor to move the first display from the first position to the second position along the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joyce S Fang, Nicholas Colonnese, Bruce A. Cleary, III, Ryan Michael Ebert, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11914160
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer includes a focus-supporting light projector and a beam steerer. The focus-supporting light projector is configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents. The light projected from the focus-supporting light projector corresponds to an image plane that is selected based at least in part on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer. The beam steerer is configured to change a path of the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector based on the position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11880113
    Abstract: A device includes a first-type liquid crystal (LC) lens configured to provide a first optical power that is variable in a first step resolution. The device also includes a second-type LC lens coupled with the first-type LC lens, and configured to provide a second optical power that is variable in a second step resolution. The first step resolution is smaller than the second step resolution. A total optical power of the device is a sum of the first optical power and the second optical power, and is variable in the first step resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Fenglin Peng, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11860471
    Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a display configured to output a virtual image. The system also includes a lens assembly optically coupled to the display and including a plurality of optical lenses. The system also includes a controller configured to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of optical lenses, determine a lens center shift between a center of the selectively activated one or more of the plurality of optical lenses and a center of the lens assembly, and determine an image shift based on the lens center shift for shifting the virtual image output from the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Afsoon Jamali, Wanli Chi, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11846779
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a plurality of successive optical stages that are configured to transmit light at a variable overall optical power by configuring one or more stages of the successive optical stages. A respective optical stage of the successive optical stages includes an active optical element that is configurable to be in a first state at a first time and a second state at a second time that is distinct from the first time. The active optical element, in the first state, has a first respective optical power for light of a first polarization and a second respective optical power, that is different from the first respective optical power, for light of a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization. The active optical element, in the second state, has a third optical power for light of the first polarization and light of the second polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Afsoon Jamali, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Brian Wheelwright, Lu Lu, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20230305489
    Abstract: According to examples, a learning based, end-to-end compression system may include an encoder, which may receive a complex hologram image and encode a latent code for a real component and an imaginary component of the hologram image. The system may also include a quantizer to quantize the latent code and a transform block, which may entropy-code the quantized latent code to obtain a compressed image. The system may further include a generator to decode the compressed image and a discriminator, which may classify the decoded image to obtain an uncompressed image. In case of holographic video input, the encoder may encode a frame to obtain a standard compressed frame and a residual to a latent code. The generator may decode the standard compressed frame and the latent code to obtain a reconstructed residual, and the discriminator may combine the uncompressed standard frame and the reconstructed residual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Changwon JANG, Richard WEBB, Liang SHI, Lei XIAO, Changil KIM, Douglas Robert LANMAN
  • Patent number: 11733734
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a set of one or more lenses defining an optical axis, a display configured to project light through the set of the one or more lenses, a voice coil actuator coupled with the display and configured to move the display along the optical axis, and a first guide that is separate from the first voice coil actuator and coupled with the first display to guide the movement of the first display. The HMD additionally includes a set of one or more position sensors configured to determine a position of the display long the optical axis and an electronic controller configured to receive information identifying a reference position of the display along the optical axis and generate one or more electrical signals for initiating a movement of the first display toward the first reference point along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joyce S Fang, Nicholas Colonnese, Bruce A Cleary, III, Ryan Michael Ebert, Douglas Robert Lanman