Patents by Inventor Ian A. Nguyen

Ian A. Nguyen 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: 9494799
    Abstract: A transparent waveguide, for use in tracking an eye illuminated by infrared light, includes an input-coupler and an output-coupler. The input-coupler includes a stack of electronically switchable diffractive gratings arranged parallel to one another, each of which has a respective lens power that causes each of the gratings in the stack to have a different focal length. Each grating, when turned on, couples received infrared light into the waveguide. A sensor images an eye in dependence on infrared light beams that exit the waveguide at the output-coupler. Images of an eye, obtained using the sensor, are analyzed to determine which one of the electronically switchable diffractive gratings, when turned on, provides a best focused image of the eye or portion thereof. The one of the electronically switchable diffractive gratings, which provides the best focused image of the eye, is used for imaging the eye during eye tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9377623
    Abstract: A transparent waveguide, which is for use in tracking an eye that is illuminated by infrared light having an infrared wavelength, includes a volume Bragg grating type of input-coupler adapted to receive infrared light having the infrared wavelength and couple the received infrared light into the waveguide. The volume Bragg grating includes a lower boundary and an upper boundary that is closer to the output-coupler than the lower boundary. A k-vector angle of the volume Bragg grating at the lower boundary is greater than a k-vector angle at the upper boundary, with k-vector angles of the volume Bragg grating between the lower and upper boundaries gradually decreasing as distances decrease between grating planes of the volume Bragg grating and the upper boundary. Additionally, the volume Bragg grating preferably has an angular bandwidth that is no greater than 5 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen, Xinye Lou
  • Publication number: 20160085300
    Abstract: A transparent waveguide, for use in tracking an eye illuminated by infrared light, includes an input-coupler and an output-coupler. The input-coupler includes a stack of electronically switchable diffractive gratings arranged parallel to one another, each of which has a respective lens power that causes each of the gratings in the stack to have a different focal length. Each grating, when turned on, couples received infrared light into the waveguide. A sensor images an eye in dependence on infrared light beams that exit the waveguide at the output-coupler. Images of an eye, obtained using the sensor, are analyzed to determine which one of the electronically switchable diffractive gratings, when turned on, provides a best focused image of the eye or portion thereof. The one of the electronically switchable diffractive gratings, which provides the best focused image of the eye, is used for imaging the eye during eye tracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20160041384
    Abstract: A transparent waveguide, which is for use in tracking an eye that is illuminated by infrared light having an infrared wavelength, includes a volume Bragg grating type of input-coupler adapted to receive infrared light having the infrared wavelength and couple the received infrared light into the waveguide. The volume Bragg grating includes a lower boundary and an upper boundary that is closer to the output-coupler than the lower boundary. A k-vector angle of the volume Bragg grating at the lower boundary is greater than a k-vector angle at the upper boundary, with k-vector angles of the volume Bragg grating between the lower and upper boundaries gradually decreasing as distances decrease between grating planes of the volume Bragg grating and the upper boundary. Additionally, the volume Bragg grating preferably has an angular bandwidth that is no greater than 5 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen, Xinye Lou
  • Patent number: 9164290
    Abstract: Grating configurations are described for creating time sequenced field of view (FOV) tiles for a waveguide display. Pairings of non-output diffraction gratings and output diffraction gratings are activated to create a number of FOV tiles in a time sequence, for example in a frame update period for the image. Examples of a non-output grating are an input grating and a fold grating. For a set of at least three gratings used to make the pairings, each non-output grating is paired with each output grating. The number of pairings, and so the number of FOV tiles, is equal to a product of the total number of non-output gratings and the total number of output gratings. At least one diffraction grating in the pairing is an active pairing. Also described is a multiplexed diffraction grating including multiplexed K-vectors which increases the overall angular bandwidth for both incidence and diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steve J. Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20150125109
    Abstract: Grating configurations are described for creating time sequenced field of view (FOV) tiles for a waveguide display. Pairings of non-output diffraction gratings and output diffraction gratings are activated to create a number of FOV tiles in a time sequence, for example in a frame update period for the image. Examples of a non-output grating are an input grating and a fold grating. For a set of at least three gratings used to make the pairings, each non-output grating is paired with each output grating. The number of pairings, and so the number of FOV tiles, is equal to a product of the total number of non-output gratings and the total number of output gratings. At least one diffraction grating in the pairing is an active pairing. Also described is a multiplexed diffraction grating including multiplexed K-vectors which increases the overall angular bandwidth for both incidence and diffraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Steve J. Robbins, Ian A. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8885997
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing uniform color distribution of light emitted from a light source to an eye box in a near eye display (NED). An example of the system and method uses an optical element including two or more waveguides optimized to different colors of the visible light spectrum. The optical element further includes one or more polarization state generators for controlling the polarization of light incident on the waveguides to facilitate coupling of light into a matched waveguide, and to impede coupling of light into unmatched waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ian A. Nguyen, Tapani Levola, David D. Bohn
  • Publication number: 20140168260
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for maintaining the spacing between waveguides in an optical element of a near eye display. Spacing is maintained with spacer elements mounted between adjacent waveguides in the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Paul M. O'Brien, Ian A. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20140064655
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing uniform color distribution of light emitted from a light source to an eye box in a near eye display (NED). An example of the system and method uses an optical element including two or more waveguides optimized to different colors of the visible light spectrum. The optical element further includes one or more polarization state generators for controlling the polarization of light incident on the waveguides to facilitate coupling of light into a matched waveguide, and to impede coupling of light into unmatched waveguides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Ian A. Nguyen, Tapani Levola, David D. Bohn