Patents by Inventor Mario A. Serna

Mario A. Serna 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: 9383080
    Abstract: The present invention is a system that offers a capability to concentrate light from a large focal point onto a small spot on a detector. The system also offers off-axis capability should the system be moved, poorly pointed, off axis or jostled while in use. As designed, the present invention includes a half-ball lens having a front end and a back end, a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) having a front end and a back end, wherein the front end of said CPC is adjacent to the back end of the half-ball lens such that the CPC is centered against the back end of the half-ball lens, and a detector, wherein the detector is adjacent to the back end of the CPC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Director, National Security Agency
    Inventors: Brian S. McGarvey, David J. Ortiz, Mario A. Serna
  • Patent number: 6906800
    Abstract: Quantum well stacks are used in combination with linear gratings to determine the degree of polarization of incident light in terms of Stokes parameters. Interference from multiple reflections, diffractions and transmissions of the light propagating from and through the linear gratings modulates the absorption of the ±1-diffracted orders at each quantum well stack. Each quantum well stack is included in separate circuit having a voltage bias and a current meter. The voltage bias across each circuit is individually adjusted, and the photocurrent in each circuit, as measured by the respective current meter, is proportional to the flux of light absorbed by the respective quantum well stack. The four photocurrents are linearly mapped to the four Stokes parameters, which, in turn, represent the polarization of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Mario A. Serna, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20040179198
    Abstract: Quantum well stacks are used in combination with linear gratings to determine the degree of polarization of incident light in terms of Stokes parameters. Interference from multiple reflections, diffractions and transmissions of the light propagating from and through the linear gratings modulates the absorption of the ±1-diffracted orders at each quantum well stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Mario A. Serna