Patents by Inventor Ningfeng Huang
Ningfeng Huang 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: 11947117Abstract: A waveguide display includes a waveguide transparent to visible light, a first volume Bragg grating (VBG) on the waveguide and characterized by a first refractive index modulation, and a second reflection VBG on the waveguide and including a plurality of regions characterized by different respective refractive index modulations. The first reflection VBG is configured to diffract display light in a first wavelength range and a first field of view (FOV) range such that the display light in the first wavelength range and the first FOV range propagates in the waveguide through total internal reflection to the plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG. The plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG are configured to diffract the display light in different respective wavelength ranges within the first wavelength range and the first FOV range.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Wanli Chi, Dominic Meiser, Yang Yang, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Pasi Saarikko, Ningfeng Huang
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Patent number: 11927758Abstract: A display system includes a wearable eyewear arrangement with a projector for propagating display light associated with an image and a waveguide for propagating the display light to an eye box. The waveguide includes volume Bragg gratings (VBGs), which may be in groups of three or more gratings with same horizontal period allowing each color to be coupled out from the waveguide by the same type of grating, thus, at the same angle, reducing or eliminating image blurriness and ghost images while allowing a smaller size waveguide. A 100% reflective mirror or mirror array is used for broad spectrum reflection into the waveguide for light input. Selection of two or more wavelengths for each color at the projector provides spectral response matching to the waveguide allowing wider field of view (FOV) coverage for the entire wavelength spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Wanli Chi, Dominic Meiser, Yang Yang, Ningfeng Huang
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Publication number: 20240069346Abstract: A display system includes a wearable eyewear arrangement with a projector for propagating display light associated with an image and a waveguide for propagating the display light to an eye box. The waveguide includes volume Bragg gratings (VBGs), which may be in groups of three or more gratings with same horizontal period allowing each color to be coupled out from the waveguide by the same type of grating, thus, at the same angle, reducing or eliminating image blurriness and ghost images while allowing a smaller size waveguide. A 100% reflective mirror or mirror array is used for broad spectrum reflection into the waveguide for light input. Selection of two or more wavelengths for each color at the projector provides spectral response matching to the waveguide allowing wider field of view (FOV) coverage for the entire wavelength spectrum.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Wai Sze Tiffany LAM, Wanli CHI, Dominic MEISER, Yang YANG, Ningfeng HUANG
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Patent number: 11796813Abstract: A system includes one or more waveguides, and a plurality of grating sets coupled with the one or more waveguides. A plurality of combinations of gratings from the grating sets are configurable to direct an image light to propagate through a plurality of sub-eyeboxes forming an uncompressed eyebox. The system also includes a controller configured to selectively configure one or more combinations of gratings to operate in a diffraction state to direct the image light to propagate through one or more sub-eyeboxes forming a compressed eyebox having a size smaller than a size of the uncompressed eyebox.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ningfeng Huang, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Heeyoon Lee, Giuseppe Calafiore, Barry David Silverstein
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Patent number: 11774753Abstract: A waveguide assembly is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a pair of pupil-replicating waveguides. The first pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving an input beam of image light and providing an intermediate beam comprising multiple offset portions of the input beam. The second pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving the intermediate beam from the first pupil-replicating waveguide and providing an output beam comprising multiple offset portions of the intermediate beam. The input beam may be expanded by the waveguide assembly in such a manner that pupil gaps are reduced or eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Giuseppe Calafiore, Ningfeng Huang, Andrew Maimone, Andrew Ouderkirk, Hee Yoon Lee, Maxwell Parsons, Scott Charles McEldowney, Babak Amirsolaimani, Pasi Saarikko, Wanli Chi, Alexander Koshelev, Barry David Silverstein, Lu Lu, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Gang Li, Stephan Lutgen, Francois Gerard Franck Olivier, David Massoubre
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Publication number: 20230085138Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide usable in a VR display may have a slab of transparent material, an input grating coupler supported by the slab at the center of the slab, with output gratings supported by the slab and surrounding the input grating coupler. The input grating coupler couples image light into the slab, which propagates in the slab by total internal reflections. The out-coupling grating or gratings spread the image light all around the input grating, providing a wide beam of image light illuminating the eyebox of the VR display.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: March 16, 2023Inventors: Ningfeng Huang, Alexander Koshelev, Giuseppe Calafiore
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Patent number: 11513373Abstract: A diffraction grating includes a substrate and a plurality of fringes supported by the substrate. The fringes run parallel to each other in a first direction. A refractive index of a material of the plurality of fringes is anisotropic, whereby a refractive index contrast of the diffraction grating depends on direction of electric field of an impinging light beam, and through that dependence is a function of an azimuthal angle of the impinging light beam. A dependence of the diffraction efficiency on the azimuthal angle is affected by the dependence of the refractive index contrast on the direction of electric field of an impinging light beam. A pupil-replicating waveguide may use such a diffraction grating as a coupler for in- our out-coupling image light.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLCInventors: Siddharth Buddhiraju, Yu Shi, Ningfeng Huang, Hee Yoon Lee, Pasi Saarikko
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Patent number: 11509260Abstract: Techniques related to reclamation of energy leaking from waveguides are disclosed. One or more photovoltaic cells may receive light leaking from a waveguide at a first surface of the wave guide. The first surface may be opposite to a second surface at which an in-coupling element is located. The light leaking from the waveguide results from inefficiency in redirecting incoming light for propagation within the waveguide. The one or more photovoltaic cells may generate electric power from the light leaking from the waveguide.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2018Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Ningfeng Huang
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Patent number: 11454809Abstract: A waveguide display includes a display projector for emitting polychromatic image light, and a waveguide assembly for transmitting image light to an exit pupil. The waveguide assembly includes two or more waveguides disposed in a stack, each having an in-coupler aligned with the other in-couplers and an offset out-coupler aligned with the other out-couplers. The assembly is configured so that at least one color channel of the image light propagates to the exit pupil along at least two waveguides. A method for selecting the waveguides of the stack to suppress color channel splitting at the exit pupil is provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2018Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLCInventors: Hee Yoon Lee, Ningfeng Huang, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Pasi Saarikko
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Patent number: 11448906Abstract: A color converter device includes an array of color conversion regions. The array of color conversion regions includes color conversion regions of a first type and color conversion regions of a second type that is distinct from the color conversion regions of the first type. A respective color conversion region of the array of color conversion regions includes a respective photonic crystal structure defining a respective two-dimensional pattern. The respective color conversion region includes a respective color conversion matrix. The color conversion regions of the first type converts light of a first color into light of a second color that is distinct from the first color and the color conversion regions of the second type converts the light of the first color into light of a third color that is distinct from the first color and the second color.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Maxwell Parsons, Chloe Astrid Marie Fabien, Ningfeng Huang, Gareth Valentine, James Ronald Bonar
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Patent number: 11422293Abstract: A pupil replication waveguide for a projector display includes a slab of transparent material for propagating display light in the slab via total internal reflection. A diffraction grating is supported by the slab. The diffraction grating includes a plurality of tapered slanted fringes in a substrate for out-coupling the display light from the slab by diffraction into a blazed diffraction order. A greater portion of the display light is out-coupled into the blazed diffraction order, and a smaller portion of the display light is out-coupled into a non-blazed diffraction order. The tapered fringes result in the duty cycle of the diffraction grating varying along the thickness direction of the diffraction grating, to facilitate suppressing the portion of the display light out-coupled into the non-blazed diffraction order.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies LLCInventors: Hee Yoon Lee, Ningfeng Huang, Pasi Saarikko, Yu Shi, Giuseppe Calafiore, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
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Patent number: 11415805Abstract: A method includes determining eye tracking information of an eye pupil. A method also includes selectively configuring, based on the eye tracking information, one or more combinations of gratings included in a plurality of grating sets coupled with one or more waveguides to operate in a diffraction state to direct an image light to propagate through one or more sub-eyeboxes of a plurality of sub-eyeboxes. The plurality of sub-eyeboxes define an uncompressed eyebox. The one or more sub-eyeboxes of the plurality of sub-eyeboxes define a compressed eyebox having a size smaller than a size of the uncompressed eyebox.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ningfeng Huang, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Heeyoon Lee, Giuseppe Calafiore, Barry David Silverstein
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Publication number: 20220137410Abstract: A waveguide display includes a substrate transparent to visible light, a first grating on the substrate and configured to couple display light into or out of the substrate, and a phase structure on the substrate and configured to change a polarization state of the display light after or before the display light reaches the first grating. The first grating is characterized by a polarization-dependent diffraction efficiency. The first grating includes, for example, a surface-relief grating or a volume Bragg grating.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Wai Sze Tiffany LAM, Hee Yoon LEE, Ningfeng HUANG
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Publication number: 20220099980Abstract: A waveguide display includes a waveguide transparent to visible light, a first volume Bragg grating (VBG) on the waveguide and characterized by a first refractive index modulation, and a second reflection VBG on the waveguide and including a plurality of regions characterized by different respective refractive index modulations. The first reflection VBG is configured to diffract display light in a first wavelength range and a first field of view (FOV) range such that the display light in the first wavelength range and the first FOV range propagates in the waveguide through total internal reflection to the plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG. The plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG are configured to diffract the display light in different respective wavelength ranges within the first wavelength range and the first FOV range.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Wanli CHI, Dominic MEISER, Yang YANG, Wai Sze Tiffany LAM, Pasi SAARIKKO, Ningfeng HUANG
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Patent number: 11231579Abstract: A waveguide assembly is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a pair of pupil-replicating waveguides. The first pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving an input beam of image light and providing an intermediate beam comprising multiple offset portions of the input beam. The second pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving the intermediate beam from the first pupil-replicating waveguide and providing an output beam comprising multiple offset portions of the intermediate beam. The input beam may be expanded by the waveguide assembly in such a manner that pupil gaps are reduced or eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Giuseppe Calafiore, Ningfeng Huang, Andrew Maimone, Andrew Ouderkirk, Hee Yoon Lee, Maxwell Parsons, Scott Charles McEldowney, Babak Amirsolaimani, Pasi Saarikko, Wanli Chi, Alexander Koshelev, Barry David Silverstein, Lu Lu, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Gang Li, Stephan Lutgen, Francois Gerard Franck Olivier, David Massoubre
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Patent number: 11169379Abstract: A waveguide display includes a waveguide transparent to visible light, a first volume Bragg grating (VBG) on the waveguide and characterized by a first refractive index modulation, and a second reflection VBG on the waveguide and including a plurality of regions characterized by different respective refractive index modulations. The first reflection VBG is configured to diffract display light in a first wavelength range and a first field of view (FOV) range such that the display light in the first wavelength range and the first FOV range propagates in the waveguide through total internal reflection to the plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG. The plurality of regions of the second reflection VBG are configured to diffract the display light in different respective wavelength ranges within the first wavelength range and the first FOV range.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Wanli Chi, Dominic Meiser, Yang Yang, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Pasi Saarikko, Ningfeng Huang
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Publication number: 20210341654Abstract: A pupil replication waveguide for a projector display includes a slab of transparent material for propagating display light in the slab via total internal reflection. A diffraction grating is supported by the slab. The diffraction grating includes a plurality of tapered slanted fringes in a substrate for out-coupling the display light from the slab by diffraction into a blazed diffraction order. A greater portion of the display light is out-coupled into the blazed diffraction order, and a smaller portion of the display light is out-coupled into a non-blazed diffraction order. The tapered fringes result in the duty cycle of the diffraction grating varying along the thickness direction of the diffraction grating, to facilitate suppressing the portion of the display light out-coupled into the non-blazed diffraction order.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Hee Yoon Lee, Ningfeng Huang, Pasi Saarikko, Yu Shi, Giuseppe Calafiore, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
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Patent number: 11099309Abstract: A pupil replication waveguide for a projector display includes a slab of transparent material for propagating display light in the slab via total internal reflection. A diffraction grating is supported by the slab. The diffraction grating includes a plurality of tapered slanted fringes in a substrate for out-coupling the display light from the slab by diffraction into a blazed diffraction order. A greater portion of the display light is out-coupled into the blazed diffraction order, and a smaller portion of the display light is out-coupled into a non-blazed diffraction order. The tapered fringes result in the duty cycle of the diffraction grating varying along the thickness direction of the diffraction grating, to facilitate suppressing the portion of the display light out-coupled into the non-blazed diffraction order.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Hee Yoon Lee, Ningfeng Huang, Pasi Saarikko, Yu Shi, Giuseppe Calafiore, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
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Publication number: 20210199970Abstract: A system includes one or more waveguides, and a plurality of grating sets coupled with the one or more waveguides. A plurality of combinations of gratings from the grating sets are configurable to direct an image light to propagate through a plurality of sub-eyeboxes forming an uncompressed eyebox. The system also includes a controller configured to selectively configure one or more combinations of gratings to operate in a diffraction state to direct the image light to propagate through one or more sub-eyeboxes forming a compressed eyebox having a size smaller than a size of the uncompressed eyebox.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Ningfeng HUANG, Oleg YAROSHCHUK, Heeyoon LEE, Giuseppe CALAFIORE, Barry David SILVERSTEIN
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Publication number: 20210199873Abstract: A waveguide display includes a first substrate having two opposing sides, a grating on a first side of the two opposing sides of the first substrate and configured to couple display light into or out of the first substrate, a first antireflection layer on a first surface of the grating and configured to reduce reflection of visible light at the first surface of the grating, and a second antireflection layer on a second side of the two opposing sides of the first substrate and configured to reduce reflection of the visible light at the second side of the first substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2019Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Yu SHI, Hee Yoon LEE, Ningfeng HUANG, Giuseppe CALAFIORE, Pasi SAARIKKO