Patents by Inventor Michael P. Browne
Michael P. Browne 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: 11730356Abstract: A handheld ophthalmic device configured to perform various optical diagnostic tests to determine the health of a subject's eye. The handheld ophthalmic device is configured to be attached to a smartphone, a cell phone or an electronic tablet. The smartphone, a cell phone or an electronic tablet can be used to view images obtained by the handheld ophthalmic device and to transmit data and images obtained by the handheld ophthalmic device to an ophthalmologist located remotely.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2017Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Vision Products, LLCInventors: Michael P. Browne, Andrew J. Olson, Nathan J. Fo
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Patent number: 11567323Abstract: A partial electronic see-through HMD includes one or more subassemblies that occlude a central portion of a user's field of view (the peripheral portions of the user's field of view may remain unobstructed). Each subassembly includes an outward facing camera, a display, and an eyepiece. Images of the occluded central zone are captured by the camera and projected to the user via the display and eyepiece. The projected images can also include electronic information, such as AR image overlays. The peripheral zones are not occluded and remain directly viewable by the user. Thus, the projected images complete (or partially complete) the user's FOV of the external environment between the peripheral zones and may provide additional electronic information to the user.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Vision Products, LLCInventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 11448881Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system is described. The system comprises a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem comprises one or more night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Vision Products, LLCInventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 11378801Abstract: Described is a wide field of view, high resolution digital night vision system that uses transparent, repositionable eyepieces to present night vision information in the field of view of the user. The WNVS is advantageous in that it can be used in both night environments, but also in daytime environments by using clear eye pieces that allow the user to concurrently see the outside environment or allowing the eyepieces to be positioned out of the field of view of the user without significantly occluding the user's field of use during daytime use.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Vision Products, LLCInventors: Michael P. Browne, James A. Davey, Martin Vasquez
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Publication number: 20220147149Abstract: A system, such as a head-mounted display (HMD), displays images to a user. The system has an active state and an idle state. The system includes a display device, a beam combiner, and a user-operated control. The display device displays images when the system is in the active state and emits a reduced amount or no light when the system is in the idle state. The beam combiner provides a first optical path for light from an external environment to the user's eye and also provides a second optical path for light emitted from the display device to the user's eye. Responsive to activation by the user, the control switches the system between states that include the active state and the idle state, where the idle state is a default state and the system remains in the active state only while the user-operated control remains activated by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 11204649Abstract: A system, such as a head-mounted display (HMD), displays images to a user. The system has an active state and an idle state. The system includes a display device, a beam combiner, and a user-operated control. The display device displays images when the system is in the active state and emits a reduced amount or no light when the system is in the idle state. The beam combiner provides a first optical path for light from an external environment to the user's eye and also provides a second optical path for light emitted from the display device to the user's eye. Responsive to activation by the user, the control switches the system between states that include the active state and the idle state, where the idle state is a default state and the system remains in the active state only while the user-operated control remains activated by the user.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Publication number: 20210240275Abstract: A system, such as a head-mounted display (HMD), displays images to a user. The system has an active state and an idle state. The system includes a display device, a beam combiner, and a user-operated control. The display device displays images when the system is in the active state and emits a reduced amount or no light when the system is in the idle state. The beam combiner provides a first optical path for light from an external environment to the user's eye and also provides a second optical path for light emitted from the display device to the user's eye. Responsive to activation by the user, the control switches the system between states that include the active state and the idle state, where the idle state is a default state and the system remains in the active state only while the user-operated control remains activated by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2020Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Publication number: 20210168270Abstract: A partial electronic see-through HMD includes one or more subassemblies that occlude a central portion of a user's field of view (the peripheral portions of the user's field of view may remain unobstructed). Each subassembly includes an outward facing camera, a display, and an eyepiece. Images of the occluded central zone are captured by the camera and projected to the user via the display and eyepiece. The projected images can also include electronic information, such as AR image overlays. The peripheral zones are not occluded and remain directly viewable by the user. Thus, the projected images complete (or partially complete) the user's FOV of the external environment between the peripheral zones and may provide additional electronic information to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2019Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Publication number: 20200018958Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system is described. The system comprises a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem comprises one or more night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 10473931Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system is described. The system comprises a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem comprises one or more night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 10451878Abstract: Apparatus and method of reducing light leakage from display devices are described. An embodiment of reducing light leakage from display devices includes providing an optical shutter that is configured to block light from a display device from being emitted into the ambient environment when the display device is in a bright state and configured to display visual information to the user. The optical shutter can be configured to transmit light from the ambient environment to the user when the display device is not displaying visual information.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2017Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Publication number: 20190133435Abstract: A handheld ophthalmic device configured to perform various optical diagnostic tests to determine the health of a subject's eye. The handheld ophthalmic device is configured to be attached to a smartphone, a cell phone or an electronic tablet. The smartphone, a cell phone or an electronic tablet can be used to view images obtained by the handheld ophthalmic device and to transmit data and images obtained by the handheld ophthalmic device to an ophthalmologist located remotely.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Michael P. Browne, Andrew J. Olson, Nathan J. Fo
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Publication number: 20180031838Abstract: Apparatus and method of reducing light leakage from display devices are described. An embodiment of reducing light leakage from display devices includes providing an optical shutter that is configured to block light from a display device from being emitted into the ambient environment when the display device is in a bright state and configured to display visual information to the user. The optical shutter can be configured to transmit light from the ambient environment to the user when the display device is not displaying visual information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Publication number: 20180011318Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system is described. The system comprises a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem comprises one or more night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 9651786Abstract: Apparatus and method of reducing light leakage from display devices are described. An embodiment of reducing light leakage from display devices includes providing an optical shutter that is configured to block light from a display device from being emitted into the ambient environment when the display device is in a bright state and configured to display visual information to the user. The optical shutter can be configured to transmit light from the ambient environment to the user when the display device is not displaying visual information.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2016Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 9618746Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system includes a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem includes one or more digital night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Michael P. Browne
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Patent number: 8736967Abstract: An anamorphic eyepiece. In one implementation, the eyepiece is for use with a display where both the eyepiece and display are head-mounted, with the eyepiece projecting an image from the display into the user's eye. The display has high resolution in a horizontal direction, preferably at least 2000 pixels, but the image produced by the display is compressed in aspect ratio. The anamorphic eyepiece decompresses the aspect ratio.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: SA Photonics, Inc.Inventors: Michael P. Browne, Brett Bryars
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Publication number: 20120257005Abstract: A wide field of view night vision system is described. The system comprises a head attachment apparatus configured to attach to a user's head and a night vision subsystem. The night vision subsystem comprises one or more night vision image sensors attached to the head attachment apparatus. Each sensor receives input light and produces a digital image of the input light. A processor processes the digital image(s) to produce a wide-field image. The wide-field image spans at least 60 degrees of a user's horizontal field of view. A display and eyepiece attached to the head attachment apparatus receives and displays the wide-field image. The eyepiece is positionable between the display and the user's eye to image the wide-field image into the user's eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2010Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: SA PHOTONICS, INC.Inventor: Michael P. Browne