Patents by Inventor James Peter Drummond DOWNING
James Peter Drummond DOWNING 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).
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Publication number: 20240061083Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher TOWNSEND, Thineshwaran GOPAL KRISHNAN, James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Kevin CHANNON
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Publication number: 20230367047Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Kevin CHANNON, James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Andy PRICE
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Patent number: 11815628Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2023Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 11762212Abstract: A diffuse illumination system for reducing diffusion-related illumination inhomogeneities includes an array of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) emitters and a diffusing element including a transparent substrate and an array of nanostructures. A dimension and a shape of each nanostructure is configured to retard phases of two orthogonal polarization states of light incident on each nanostructure from the emitters for reducing illumination inhomogeneities in the output.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: James Peter Drummond Downing
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Patent number: 11747529Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Kevin Channon, James Peter Drummond Downing, Andy Price
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Publication number: 20230161009Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2023Publication date: May 25, 2023Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Patent number: 11573293Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Publication number: 20220317466Abstract: Various embodiments provide optical lenses that include phase shift layers that transmit incident light with four or more distinct phase quantizations. In one embodiment, a lens includes a substrate, a first immersion material layer on the substrate, and a plurality of anti-reflective phase shift layers on the first immersion material layer. The phase shift layers define a first anti-reflective phase shift region that transmits received light without a phase shift, a second anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a first phase shift, a third anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a second phase shift, and a fourth anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a third phase shift. The first, second, and third phase shifts are different from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: James Peter Drummond DOWNING
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Patent number: 11391957Abstract: Various embodiments provide optical lenses that include phase shift layers that transmit incident light with four or more distinct phase quantizations. In one embodiment, a lens includes a substrate, a first immersion material layer on the substrate, and a plurality of anti-reflective phase shift layers on the first immersion material layer. The phase shift layers define a first anti-reflective phase shift region that transmits received light without a phase shift, a second anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a first phase shift, a third anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a second phase shift, and a fourth anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a third phase shift. The first, second, and third phase shifts are different from one another.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2018Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventor: James Peter Drummond Downing
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Publication number: 20220057553Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Kevin CHANNON, James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Andy PRICE
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Patent number: 11187837Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Kevin Channon, James Peter Drummond Downing, Andy Price
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Publication number: 20210286191Abstract: A diffuse illumination system for reducing diffusion-related illumination inhomogeneities includes an array of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) emitters and a diffusing element including a transparent substrate and an array of nanostructures. A dimension and a shape of each nanostructure is configured to retard phases of two orthogonal polarization states of light incident on each nanostructure from the emitters for reducing illumination inhomogeneities in the output.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: James Peter Drummond DOWNING
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Publication number: 20210165085Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a sensor that detects a distance between the sensor and a target object. The sensor includes a transmission optical structure and/or a light source that polarizes light and minimizes cross talk within the sensor. As a result, detection results of the sensor are improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2020Publication date: June 3, 2021Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventors: James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Adam CALEY, Christoph KUCH
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Patent number: 10948731Abstract: A diffractive optical element (DOE) is designed to implement both a collimation function with respect to an input divergent beam and a beam shaping function with respect to an output divergent beam. The phase designs of the collimation function and the beam shaping function are independently produced in the phase domain. These phase designs are then combined using a phase angle addition of the individual functions and wrapped between 0 and 2? radians. The diffractive surface of the DOE is then defined from the wrapped phase angle addition of the individual functions.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventor: James Peter Drummond Downing
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Patent number: 10756228Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor comprising: an array of photodetectors comprising a first subarray of at least one photodetector and a second subarray of at least one photodetector; a first optical arrangement to direct incoming photons toward the first subarray; and a second optical arrangement to direct incoming photons toward the second subarray.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: James Peter Drummond Downing
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Publication number: 20200133014Abstract: Various embodiments provide optical lenses that include phase shift layers that transmit incident light with four or more distinct phase quantizations. In one embodiment, a lens includes a substrate, a first immersion material layer on the substrate, and a plurality of anti-reflective phase shift layers on the first immersion material layer. The phase shift layers define a first anti-reflective phase shift region that transmits received light without a phase shift, a second anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a first phase shift, a third anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a second phase shift, and a fourth anti-reflective phase shift region configured to transmit the received light with a third phase shift. The first, second, and third phase shifts are different from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventor: James Peter Drummond DOWNING
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Patent number: 10638038Abstract: An embodiment method for enhancing the intrinsic spatial resolution of an optical sensor includes projecting, by an optical source of the optical sensor, a plurality of illumination patterns onto an object and detecting, by an optical detector of the optical sensor, reflected radiation for each of the plurality of illumination patterns. The method further includes generating, by a processor of the optical sensor, a plurality of sub-images, where each sub-image corresponds to a respective illumination pattern of the plurality of illumination patterns, each sub-image having a first image resolution. The method additionally includes reconstructing, by the processor and from the plurality of sub-images, an image having a second image resolution, the second image resolution being finer than the first image resolution.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITEDInventor: James Peter Drummond Downing
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Publication number: 20200057145Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 20, 2020Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Thineshwaran Gopal Krishnan, James Peter Drummond Downing, Kevin Channon
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Publication number: 20200041704Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventors: Kevin CHANNON, James Peter Drummond DOWNING, Andy PRICE
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Publication number: 20190391236Abstract: A method may include generating, within a device, separate and discrete wavelengths, and generating light intensity profiles based on an interaction between the separate and discrete wavelengths and a multi-wavelength diffractive optic element. The method may include detecting an object from light reflected from the object using the light intensity profiles. The light intensity profiles may include a shorter range light intensity profile and a longer range light intensity profile, each light intensity profile having different energy per solid angle patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: James Peter Drummond Downing, Adam Caley