Patents by Inventor Irl Smith

Irl Smith 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: 20070139779
    Abstract: A beam steering system having first diffraction gratings, each one being associated with a corresponding one of a first plurality of grating vectors disposed substantially in a first plane. The gratings diffract optical energy from any one of a plurality of input directions of resonance to a corresponding one of a plurality of output directions. Second diffraction gratings are associated with a second plurality of grating vectors disposed substantially in a second plane. Each one of the second gratings diffracts optical energy from any one of a plurality of input directions of resonance to a corresponding one of a plurality of output directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Irl Smith, Michael Oskar Holz
  • Publication number: 20060262396
    Abstract: An optical diplexer having a birefringent crystal for providing substantially a whole number of wavelength retardation to first optical energy having said first polarization type, and having a first wavelength, fed to a first end of said crystal, and exiting a second end of said crystal with said first polarization type and said first wavelength and for providing substantially an odd integer number of half wavelength retardation to second optical energy having said first polarization type, having a second wavelength, fed to said second end of said crystal and exiting said first end of said crystal with said second polarization type and said second wavelength. The system includes an electronically actuated polarization aligner for adjusting phase retardation of the second energy fed to the second end of the crystal prior to such second energy entering the second end of the birefringent crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventor: Irl Smith
  • Publication number: 20060033995
    Abstract: A beam steering system having first diffraction gratings, each one being associated with a corresponding one of a first plurality of grating vectors disposed substantially in a first plane. The gratings diffract optical energy from any one of a plurality of input directions of resonance to a corresponding one of a plurality of output directions. Second diffraction gratings are associated with a second plurality of grating vectors disposed substantially in a second plane. Each one of the second gratings diffracts optical energy from any one of a plurality of input directions of resonance to a corresponding one of a plurality of output directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Irl Smith, Michael Oskar Holz