Patents by Inventor Geoffrey Barrows

Geoffrey Barrows 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).

  • Optic flow sensor with negative iris photoreceptor array
    Patent number: 6683678
    Abstract: An improved optic flow sensor is provided which affords enhanced bandwidth without the use of a lens. A plurality of photoreceptor circuits, arranged in a linear array, sense light received from a visual field and produce a plurality of photoreceptor signals in accordance with the light sensed. A negative iris, disposed between the visual field and the photoreceptor circuits, blocks a portion of the light from the visual field so that the light blocked by the negative iris is not received by the photoreceptor circuits. The photoreceptor signals are used in determining optic flow in the visual field. The invention is useful for implementation using micro electromechanical system (MEMS) techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Geoffrey Barrows
  • Optic flow sensor with negative iris photoreceptor array
    Publication number: 20030076486
    Abstract: An improved optic flow sensor is provided which affords enhanced bandwidth without the use of a lens. A plurality of photoreceptor circuits, arranged in a linear array, sense light received from a visual field and produce a plurality of photoreceptor signals in accordance with the light sensed. A negative iris, disposed between the visual field and the photoreceptor circuits, blocks a portion of the light from the visual field so that the light blocked by the negative iris is not received by the photoreceptor circuits. The photoreceptor signals are used in determining optic flow in the visual field. The invention is useful for implementation using micro electromechanical system (MEMS) techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventor: Geoffrey Barrows
  • Optic flow sensor with negative iris photoreceptor array
    Patent number: 6493068
    Abstract: An improved optic flow sensor is provided which affords enhanced bandwidth without the use of a lens. A plurality of photoreceptor circuits, arranged in a linear array, sense light received from a visual field and produce a plurality of photoreceptor signals in accordance with the light sensed. A negative iris, disposed between the visual field and the photoreceptor circuits, blocks a portion of the light from the visual field so that the light blocked by the negative iris is not received by the photoreceptor circuits. The photoreceptor signals are used in determining optic flow in the visual field. The invention is useful for implementation using micro electromechanical system (MEMS) techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Geoffrey Barrows