Patents by Inventor Karlton Powell
Karlton Powell 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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Patent number: 8730212Abstract: An integrated vision and display system comprises a display-image forming layer configured to transmit a display image for viewing through a display surface; an imaging detector configured to image infrared light of a narrow range of angles relative to the display surface normal and including a reflection from one or more objects on or near the display surface; a vision-system emitter configured to emit the infrared light for illuminating the objects; a visible- and infrared-transmissive light guide having opposing upper and/or lower face, configured to receive the infrared light from the vision-system emitter, to conduct the infrared light via TIR from the upper and lower faces, and to project the infrared light onto the objects outside of the narrow range of angles relative to the display surface normal.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Karlton Powell, Prafulla Masalkar, Timothy Large, Steven Bathiche
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Publication number: 20140098245Abstract: A computational image processing filter processes an image from a wedge-based imaging system so as to remove artifacts such as blurring and ghost images. By removing the artifacts computationally instead of optically, manufacturing costs and complexity are reduced over prior solutions. In one implementation, the computational image processing filter performs a two-dimensional transform to align a ghost image with a pixel grid defined by the wedge. The transformed image is then stretched using a nonlinear transform to make the ghost pitch versus position a constant. Next, an anti-ghost point spread filter is created and deconvolved. Finally, an inverse of the nonlinear mapping is applied. Artifacts introduced by other optical layers can be reduced by deconvolving the artifact from the image according to a point-spread function representing an effect of the optical layers on the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20140055373Abstract: A touch sensing liquid crystal display is made with a stack of layers that has controlled or low birefringence. The final layers of the output of the touch sensing liquid crystal display circularly polarize the output light. The combination of low birefringence and circularly polarized output light provides a touch sensing LCD that can be viewed from many angles with low visible artifacts, even through linear polarizing objects, such as sunglasses.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2012Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Karlton Powell, Peggy Lopez
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Patent number: 8619062Abstract: A touch-pressure sensitive panel includes a locally and resiliently deformable waveguide having an exterior surface for receiving localized touch pressure from a user, and a wetting surface opposite the exterior surface. The panel also includes a de-wettable layer presenting a de-wettable surface arranged beneath the wetting surface, such that the localized touch pressure reversibly increases localized optical wetting of the de-wettable surface by the wetting surface. The panel also includes an imaging detector configured to receive light coupled into the de-wettable layer due to the localized optical wetting.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Karlton Powell, Steven Bathiche, Timothy Large
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Patent number: 8384694Abstract: Various embodiments related to infrared vision for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device are disclosed herein. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a display system, comprising an LCD device and a display backlight configured to illuminate the LCD device by directing visible light toward an interior surface of the LCD device. The display system further comprises a wavelength-selective reflector disposed between the display backlight and the LCD device and having a smooth surface facing the interior surface of the LCD device, where the wavelength-selective reflector has a wavelength-selective coating configured to cause incident visible light from the display backlight to be transmitted through the wavelength-selective reflector to the LCD device, and cause incident infrared light reflected from an object on or near an exterior surface of the LCD device to be reflected off of the wavelength-selective reflector and directed to an infrared vision subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2009Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Karlton Powell, Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar
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Publication number: 20120200532Abstract: A touch-pressure sensitive panel includes a locally and resiliently deformable waveguide having an exterior surface for receiving localized touch pressure from a user, and a wetting surface opposite the exterior surface. The panel also includes a de-wettable layer presenting a de-wettable surface arranged beneath the wetting surface, such that the localized touch pressure reversibly increases localized optical wetting of the de-wettable surface by the wetting surface. The panel also includes an imaging detector configured to receive light coupled into the de-wettable layer due to the localized optical wetting.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2011Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Karlton Powell, Steven Bathiche, Timothy Large
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Patent number: 8218237Abstract: Various embodiments related to rear-projection image display are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a projector for projecting an image and a screen configured to display the image. The screen comprises a filter layer having a light reception side and an image display side. The filter layer includes an array of trapezoidal transmissive elements and an array of trapezoidal absorption elements, where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal transmissive elements faces the light reception side of the filter layer, and where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal absorption elements faces the image display side of the filer layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2011Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar, Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20120127084Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to variable diffusers in interactive display devices. One embodiment provides an interactive display device comprising a display panel configured to display an image on an interactive surface, an image capture device configured to capture an image of the interactive surface, a variable diffuser disposed optically between the display panel and the image capture device, a logic subsystem comprising one or more logic devices, and memory comprising instructions executable by the logic subsystem to operate the display panel, the image capture device, and the variable diffuser.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2010Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Timothy Large, Karlton Powell, Steven Bathiche
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Publication number: 20120127128Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to hover detection in interactive display devices. One embodiment provides an interactive display device comprising a display panel configured to display an image on an interactive surface, an imaging optical wedge disposed adjacent to the display panel, an image sensor configured to capture an image of an object located in front of the interactive surface and spaced from the interactive surface by capturing the image through the imaging optical wedge, a logic subsystem, and a data-holding subsystem comprising instructions executable by the logic subsystem to operate the display panel and the image sensor, and to detect a hover input based upon one or more images received from the image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Timothy Large, Karlton Powell, Steven Bathiche
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Publication number: 20120019789Abstract: Various embodiments related to rear-projection image display are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a projector for projecting an image and a screen configured to display the image. The screen comprises a filter layer having a light reception side and an image display side. The filter layer includes an array of trapezoidal transmissive elements and an array of trapezoidal absorption elements, where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal transmissive elements faces the light reception side of the filter layer, and where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal absorption elements faces the image display side of the filer layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar, Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20110241977Abstract: A display panel includes an array of refractive elements arranged on a substrate. The array is positioned to receive light of a first intensity profile and configured to transmit in a second intensity profile at least some of the light received. The display panel also includes a diffuser positioned to receive the light transmitted by the array of refractive elements and configured to transmit in a third intensity profile at least some of the light received. The second intensity profile has a lower relative intensity normal to the substrate than has the first intensity profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2010Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventor: Karlton Powell
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Patent number: 8004760Abstract: Various embodiments related to rear-projection image display are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a projector for projecting an image and a screen configured to display the image. The screen comprises a filter layer having a light reception side and an image display side. The filter layer includes an array of trapezoidal transmissive elements and an array of trapezoidal absorption elements, where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal transmissive elements faces the light reception side of the filter layer, and where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal absorption elements faces the image display side of the filer layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar, Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20110122071Abstract: A display system configured for multi-touch input is provided. The display system comprises a display surface, a local light source to illuminate the display surface with infrared light, and an image-producing display panel. The image-producing display panel comprises a plurality of image sensor pixels positioned within a sensor layer of the image-producing display panel. The image-producing display panel further comprises an angularly-selective layer positioned between the display surface and the sensor layer, wherein the angularly-selective layer is configured to transmit light having a first range of incidence angles with the surface normal of the angularly-selective layer to a first sensor pixel of sensor layer, and to reflect light having a second range of incidence angles from a second sensor pixel of the sensor layer, where the second range is greater than the first range of incidence angles with respect to a surface normal of the sensor layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventor: Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20110115747Abstract: Various embodiments related to infrared vision for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device are disclosed herein. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a display system, comprising an LCD device and a display backlight configured to illuminate the LCD device by directing visible light toward an interior surface of the LCD device. The display system further comprises a wavelength-selective reflector disposed between the display backlight and the LCD device and having a smooth surface facing the interior surface of the LCD device, where the wavelength-selective reflector has a wavelength-selective coating configured to cause incident visible light from the display backlight to be transmitted through the wavelength-selective reflector to the LCD device, and cause incident infrared light reflected from an object on or near an exterior surface of the LCD device to be reflected off of the wavelength-selective reflector and directed to an infrared vision subsystem.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Karlton Powell, Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar
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Publication number: 20110096394Abstract: Various embodiments related to rear-projection image display are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a projector for projecting an image and a screen configured to display the image. The screen comprises a filter layer having a light reception side and an image display side. The filter layer includes an array of trapezoidal transmissive elements and an array of trapezoidal absorption elements, where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal transmissive elements faces the light reception side of the filter layer, and where a wider base of each of the trapezoidal absorption elements faces the image display side of the filer layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2009Publication date: April 28, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Zhiqiang Liu, Prafulla Masalkar, Karlton Powell
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Publication number: 20110043490Abstract: An integrated vision and display system comprises a display-image forming layer configured to transmit a display image for viewing through a display surface; an imaging detector configured to image infrared light of a narrow range of angles relative to the display surface normal and including a reflection from one or more objects on or near the display surface; a vision-system emitter configured to emit the infrared light for illuminating the objects; a visible- and infrared-transmissive light guide having opposing upper and/or lower face, configured to receive the infrared light from the vision-system emitter, to conduct the infrared light via TIR from the upper and lower faces, and to project the infrared light onto the objects outside of the narrow range of angles relative to the display surface normal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2009Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Karlton Powell, Prafulla Masalkar, Timothy Large, Steven Bathiche
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Publication number: 20080048936Abstract: A display screen includes an array of cuplets containing a wavelength converting material. The cuplets may be configured to receive light at a first wavelength and responsively emit light at a second wavelength preferentially in a direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Karlton Powell, John Lewis, Martin Kykta
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Publication number: 20070242327Abstract: According to embodiments, scanned beam source may include a first beam shaping optical element aligned to receive a composite beam of light carrying a plurality of wavelength components and a second beam shaping optical element aligned to receive the composite beam of light from the first beam shaping optical element and configured to modify the first plurality of wavelength components of the composite beam to a plurality of dimensions proportional to wavelength. The first beam shaping optic may be, for example, a top-hat converter. The second beam-shaping optic may be, for example, a polarization-sensitive clipping aperture, a wavelength-dependent clipping aperture, and/or an achromatic corrector.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Karlton Powell, Amjad Malik, Christopher Wiklof
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Publication number: 20070171328Abstract: A display system includes structures operable to provide an image guided substrate configuration adapted to an application.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2006Publication date: July 26, 2007Inventors: Mark Freeman, Karlton Powell, Christopher Wiklof
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Publication number: 20070171329Abstract: A display system includes an angle-mapped display engine operable to launch angle-mapped image-bearing rays through an image-guiding substrate for display.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2006Publication date: July 26, 2007Inventors: Mark Freeman, Karlton Powell