Patents by Inventor Howard Woo

Howard Woo 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).

  • Patent number: 11199501
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for transmitting a light such that it is incident on a multi-layer stack, wherein the multi-layer stack includes the feature and a region without the feature, detecting a narrow-band light from the feature and the region without the feature, wherein the feature has a first optical response in response to a wavelength of the narrow-band light and the region without the feature has a second optical response in response to the wavelength of the narrow-band light, and generating, based on the narrow-band light, an image indicative of where the first optical response and the second optical response occur on the multi-layer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Vineet Kumar, Katayoun Zand, Howard Woo, Markelle L. Gibbs, Enrique Bravo Mora, Christopher E. France, Brendan M. Kayes
  • Publication number: 20210116654
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for transmitting a light such that it is incident on a multi-layer stack, wherein the multi-layer stack includes the feature and a region without the feature, detecting a narrow-band light from the feature and the region without the feature, wherein the feature has a first optical response in response to a wavelength of the narrow-band light and the region without the feature has a second optical response in response to the wavelength of the narrow-band light, and generating, based on the narrow-band light, an image indicative of where the first optical response and the second optical response occur on the multi-layer stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Vineet KUMAR, Katayoun ZAND, Howard WOO, Markelle L. GIBBS, Enrique BRAVO MORA, Christopher E. FRANCE, Brendan M. KAYES
  • Publication number: 20170054922
    Abstract: Readout integrated circuits placed underneath the suspended sensing elements detect changes of electrical resistance of sensing elements and digitize the signals with digital to analog convertor for each element. Readout electronics provides low parasitics, high signal to noise ratio, high data rate, high dynamic range and instantaneous global readout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Vlad Novotny, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 9410850
    Abstract: Readout integrated circuits placed underneath the suspended sensing elements detect changes of electrical resistance of sensing elements and digitize the signals with digital to analog convertor for each element. Readout electronics provides low parasitics, high signal to noise ratio, high data rate, high dynamic range and instantaneous global readout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Inventors: Vlad Joseph Novotny, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 9029773
    Abstract: The architecture, design and fabrication of array of suspended micro-elements with individual seals are described. Read out integrated circuit is integrated monolithically with the suspended elements for low parasitics and high signal to noise ratio detection of changes of their electrical resistance. Array of individually sealed, suspended micro-elements is combined with signal processing chip that contains nonvolatile memory with sensitivity calibration of all elements and interpolation between non-functional elements. When the micro-elements are infrared light absorbers, image analysis and recognition is embedded in the processing chip to form the infrared imaging solution for infrared cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventors: Vlad Joseph Novotny, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20150085134
    Abstract: Readout integrated circuits placed below the suspended sensor elements detect changes of electrical resistance of sensor elements and digitize the signals with digital to analog convertor for each element. Readout electronics provides low parasitics, high signal to noise ratio, high data rate, high dynamic range and instantaneous global readout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Vlad Novotny, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 8908255
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20140239179
    Abstract: The architecture, design and fabrication of array of suspended micro-elements with individual seals are described. Read out integrated circuit is integrated monolithically with the suspended elements for low parasitics and high signal to noise ratio detection of changes of their electrical resistance. Array of individually sealed, suspended micro-elements is combined with signal processing chip that contains nonvolatile memory with sensitivity calibration of all elements and interpolation between non-functional elements. When the micro-elements are infrared light absorbers, image analysis and recognition is embedded in the processing chip to form the infrared imaging solution for infrared cameras.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Vlad Joseph Novotny, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20120171623
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20120170102
    Abstract: We describe a phase modulating spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM comprises a substrate bearing multiple SLM pixels, each of the SLM pixels comprising a MEMS (micro electromechanical system) optical phase modulating structure. The MEMS optical phase modulating structure comprises: a pixel electrode; a spring support structure around a perimeter of the pixel electrode; and a mirror spring supported by the spring support structure. The mirror spring comprises a mirror support and a plurality of mirror spring arms each extending between the mirror support and the spring support structure, and a mirror mounted on the mirror support. Each mirror spring arm has a spiral or serpentine shape. A voltage applied to the pixel electrode flexes the mirror spring and causes the mirror to translate perpendicularly to the substrate substantially without tilting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Justin Payne, Howard Woo, Vlad Novotny, Adrian James Cable
  • Patent number: 8159740
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20100112492
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 7678288
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing bonded substrate structures. The method includes providing a first substrate comprising a first surface region and processing the first surface region to form a first pattern region using a first photolithographic stepper characterized by a first tolerance criteria for alignment. The method also includes providing a second substrate comprising a second surface region and processing the second surface region through at least one masking process to form a second pattern region using a second photolithographic stepper characterized by a second tolerance criteria for alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Kegang Huang, Yuxiang Wang, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 7675670
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300 ° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 7522330
    Abstract: An optical deflection device for a display application. The optical deflection device includes a semiconductor substrate including an upper surface region and one or more electrode devices provided overlying the upper surface region. The optical deflection device also includes a hinge device including a silicon material and coupled to the upper surface region. The optical deflection device further includes a spacing defined between the upper surface region and the hinge device and a mirror structure including a post portion coupled to the hinge device and a mirror plate portion coupled to the post portion and overlying the hinge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, William Spencer Worley, III, Dongmin Chen, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20090002805
    Abstract: A display system includes a light source and a first optical system coupled to the light source and adapted to provide an illumination beam along an illumination path. The display system also includes a spatial light modulator positioned in the illumination path. The spatial light modulator includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of electrode devices and a hinge structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The hinge structure includes silicon material. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror post coupled to the hinge structure and extending to a predetermined distance from the semiconductor substrate and a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the plurality of electrode devices. The display system further includes a second optical system coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to project an image onto a projection surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, William Spencer Worley, III, Dongmin Chen, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 7453624
    Abstract: A display system includes a light source and a first optical system coupled to the light source and adapted to provide an illumination beam along an illumination path. The display system also includes a spatial light modulator positioned in the illumination path. The spatial light modulator includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of electrode devices and a hinge structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The hinge structure includes silicon material. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror post coupled to the hinge structure and extending to a predetermined distance from the semiconductor substrate and a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the plurality of electrode devices. The display system further includes a second optical system coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to project an image onto a projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Allen Payne, Ye Wang, William Spencer Worley, III, Dongmin Chen, Howard Woo
  • Patent number: 7369297
    Abstract: Hydrogen cleave silicon process for light modulating mirror structure using single crystal silicon as the base cross-member. Existing processes use two critical alignment steps that can contribute to higher actuation voltages and result in lower manufacturing yields. The hydrogen cleave process simplifies the manufacturing process to one step: transferring a thin film of single crystal silicon to the CMOS substrate, resulting in minimal alignment error and providing large bonding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Brian K. McGinley, Jonathan D. Mohn, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20070097485
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300 ° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Payne, Ye Wang, Howard Woo
  • Publication number: 20070097486
    Abstract: A display system includes a light source and a first optical system coupled to the light source and adapted to provide an illumination beam along an illumination path. The display system also includes a spatial light modulator positioned in the illumination path. The spatial light modulator includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of electrode devices and a hinge structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The hinge structure includes silicon material. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror post coupled to the hinge structure and extending to a predetermined distance from the semiconductor substrate and a mirror plate coupled to the mirror post and overlying the plurality of electrode devices. The display system further includes a second optical system coupled to the spatial light modulator and adapted to project an image onto a projection surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Miradia Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao Yang, Yuxiang Wang, Wook Ji, Justin Payne, Ye Wang, William Worley, Dongmin Chen, Howard Woo