Patents by Inventor Ka-Ho Tam

Ka-Ho Tam 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: 10866412
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; a first image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the first image panel along a first optical pathway; a second image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the second image panel along a second optical pathway different from the first optical pathway; and a third image panel and a fourth image panel, wherein the third and fourth image panels are spaced apart from each other and the optical arrangement directs light from the third image panel and the fourth image panel along different optical pathways. The optical arrangement is configured such that light from the first image panel and the third image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a first eye direction, and light from the second image panel and the fourth image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a second eye direction different from the first eye direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20200183153
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; a first image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the first image panel along a first optical pathway; a second image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the second image panel along a second optical pathway different from the first optical pathway; and a third image panel and a fourth image panel, wherein the third and fourth image panels are spaced apart from each other and the optical arrangement directs light from the third image panel and the fourth image panel along different optical pathways. The optical arrangement is configured such that light from the first image panel and the third image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a first eye direction, and light from the second image panel and the fourth image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a second eye direction different from the first eye direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20200081254
    Abstract: An optical system enables high image quality Head Mounted Displays to be made more compact and/or of reduced weight. The optical system includes at least two or more image panels per eye, two or more reflective surfaces per image panel, and a refractive eyepiece element. Light from each image panel is reflected by a distinct set of optical surfaces before reaching the eye, forming at least two overlapping virtual images per eye. The invention may allow the apparatus to have a compact form factor with weight distribution close to the user's face without compromising on image quality and resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Ka Ho TAM, David James MONTGOMERY
  • Patent number: 10558038
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; at least one moveable image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the moveable image panel along a first optical pathway; a fixed image panel, wherein a portion of image light emitted from the fixed image panel is combined with image light of the at least one moveable image panel by the optical arrangement; and an adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust an interpupillary distance (IPD) of the HMD system by moving the optical arrangement and the moveable image panel relative to the fixed image panel between a first position and a second position corresponding to different IPDs. The adjustment to the IPD maintains the first optical pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Patent number: 10527863
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; a first image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the first image panel along a first optical pathway; a second image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the second image panel along a second optical pathway different from the first optical pathway; and a central image panel located between the first image panel and the second image panel, the central image panel including a first portion and a second portion. The optical arrangement directs light from the first portion and the second portion of the central image panel along different optical pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Patent number: 10451882
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement, a first image panel, a second image panel, and a central image panel located between the first and second image panels. The optical arrangement is reconfigurable between a first position and a second position that maintains first and second optical pathways of the first and second image panels, and the HMD system has a different form factor when the optical arrangement is in the second position as compared to the first position. The optical arrangement includes at least one segmented optical component, wherein segments of the segmented optical component are moveable relative to each other to reconfigure the optical arrangement between the first position and the second position. The segmented optical component may include one more lens assemblies, each with multiple lens segments that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20190285879
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement, a first image panel, a second image panel, and a central image panel located between the first and second image panels. The optical arrangement is reconfigurable between a first position and a second position that maintains first and second optical pathways of the first and second image panels, and the HMD system has a different form factor when the optical arrangement is in the second position as compared to the first position. The optical arrangement includes at least one segmented optical component, wherein segments of the segmented optical component are moveable relative to each other to reconfigure the optical arrangement between the first position and the second position. The segmented optical component may include one more lens assemblies, each with multiple lens segments that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20190285880
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; at least one moveable image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the moveable image panel along a first optical pathway; a fixed image panel, wherein a portion of image light emitted from the fixed image panel is combined with image light of the at least one moveable image panel by the optical arrangement; and an adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust an interpupillary distance (IPD) of the HMD system by moving the optical arrangement and the moveable image panel relative to the fixed image panel between a first position and a second position corresponding to different IPDs. The adjustment to the IPD maintains the first optical pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20190285905
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement; a first image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the first image panel along a first optical pathway; a second image panel, wherein the optical arrangement directs image light from the second image panel along a second optical pathway different from the first optical pathway; and a central image panel located between the first image panel and the second image panel, the central image panel including a first portion and a second portion. The optical arrangement directs light from the first portion and the second portion of the central image panel along different optical pathways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Scott Wells
  • Publication number: 20190196194
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (1) includes: a liquid crystal display unit (2) including a display surface (7) facing forward, the liquid crystal display unit (2) configured to display an image on the display surface (7); an eyepiece lens (13) disposed at a position lower than the liquid crystal display unit (2); and a mirror unit (4) configured to reflect light based on the image displayed on the display surface (7) and guide the light thus reflected to the eyepiece lens (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: DAVID JAMES MONTGOMERY, KA HO TAM, SCOTT WELLS, NARU USUKURA, TOMOHIRO KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9964768
    Abstract: A head mounted display device includes a light source that emits a high coherence light beam, a beam expansion/diverging element that expands the light beam emitted by the light source, and a beam converging element that converges the expanded light beam into a viewing zone. The light beam from the beam converging element is incident onto a spatial light modulator (SLM), and the SLM is configured to add a phase pattern and/or an amplitude pattern to the light beam to generate a virtual image that is visible to a user wearing the head mounted display device. The light converging element creates a beam or scanning beam axis that converges towards the eye, which enables a large field of view for a virtual or holographic image to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery
  • Patent number: 9946070
    Abstract: A head-up-display (HUD) system includes at least one scanning laser projector operative to generate laser light, and a stacked array of multiple-switchable screens arranged relative to the projector to receive laser light generated by the projector, each screen of the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens spaced apart from one another and operative to switch between a transparent state and a diffusive state. A controller is operatively coupled to the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens, the controller configured to time sequentially switch each screen of the array from a transparent state to a diffusive state, wherein only one screen is switched to the diffusive state at any given time. An output of the projector is arranged at an angle or a distance from imaging optics succeeding the array of screens to prevent a specular beam emitted by the at least one scanning laser projector from intercepting the imaging optics succeeding the array of screens when all screens are in the transparent state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20170261746
    Abstract: A head-up-display (HUD) system includes at least one scanning laser projector operative to generate laser light, and a stacked array of multiple-switchable screens arranged relative to the projector to receive laser light generated by the projector, each screen of the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens spaced apart from one another and operative to switch between a transparent state and a diffusive state. A controller is operatively coupled to the stacked array of multiple-switchable screens, the controller configured to time sequentially switch each screen of the array from a transparent state to a diffusive state, wherein only one screen is switched to the diffusive state at any given time. An output of the projector is arranged at an angle or a distance from imaging optics succeeding the array of screens to prevent a specular beam emitted by the at least one scanning laser projector from intercepting the imaging optics succeeding the array of screens when all screens are in the transparent state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ka Ho TAM, David James MONTGOMERY
  • Publication number: 20170255012
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a light source and a display unit. The display unit includes an image engine that controls the light source to generate image content for display, and a plurality of optical elements that direct the image content into a viewing zone. An eye monitor measures information pertaining to an eye configuration of a user wearing the wearable device, and the image content is visible to the user when the eye is aligned with respect to the viewing zone. A spatial light modulator (SLM) moves a position of the viewing zone based on the eye configuration information measured by the eye monitor. The eye monitor measures pupil size of the user, and the optical elements direct the image content into the viewing zone that is smaller in at least one dimension than twice the measured pupil size. The light source may include a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) scanning mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Tim Michael Smeeton
  • Publication number: 20170255020
    Abstract: A head mounted display device includes a switchable light source that is switched to emit light for generating at least one viewing zone, and a panel illumination unit illuminated by the light source. The panel illumination unit converges the light onto an image panel that selectively transmits light at different pixels to generate image content. An eye monitor measures information pertaining to an eye configuration of a user, and the image content is visible to the user when the eye is aligned with respect to the viewing zone. The panel illumination unit converges the light such that light emitted by the image panel converges into the viewing zone positioned based on the eye configuration information measured by the eye monitor, with limited divergence such that when the display device is worn by the user, the image panel is located at a distance from the user's eye closer than a distance where the eye can focus the pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery, Andrew Kay, Peter John Roberts, Marco Zanola
  • Publication number: 20170255013
    Abstract: A head mounted display device includes a light source that emits a high coherence light beam, a beam expansion/diverging element that expands the light beam emitted by the light source, and a beam converging element that converges the expanded light beam into a viewing zone. The light beam from the beam converging element is incident onto a spatial light modulator (SLM), and the SLM is configured to add a phase pattern and/or an amplitude pattern to the light beam to generate a virtual image that is visible to a user wearing the head mounted display device. The light converging element creates a beam or scanning beam axis that converges towards the eye, which enables a large field of view for a virtual or holographic image to be displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ka Ho Tam, David James Montgomery
  • Patent number: 6825296
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compounds shown as Formula I: wherein R1-R11 are each independently selected from a group comprising hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl, and substituted heterohydrocarbyl containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and two or more of the R1-R11 groups may be joined to form cyclic versions; R1-R11 can also be selected from hydrogen, halogen, and recognized donor and acceptor groups; E is a Group 16 element (including oxygen); M is a metal selected from the group comprising Group 3 to 10 elements (including titanium and zirconium) and the Lanthanide series elements; m is the oxidation state of the metal; X is a monovalent atom or group bonded to M; Y is a mono- or bidentate molecule datively bound to M, and n is zero or an integer up to five. These catalysts, when combined with a suitable activator, are active for the polymerization of olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Michael Chi-Wang Chan, Ka-Ho Tam
  • Publication number: 20030191015
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compounds shown as Formula I: 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Chi-Wang Chan, Ka-Ho Tam