Patents by Inventor Paul Christian Thomas Fuller

Paul Christian Thomas Fuller 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).

  • Lens System with Optical Actuator
    Publication number: 20220050230
    Abstract: Compact lens systems that may be used in small form factor cameras. The lens system may include a master lens with two or more lens elements arranged along an optical axis and having refractive power, and an optical actuator located on the object side of the master lens that may provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) functionality for the camera. An aperture stop for the camera may be included in the optical actuator, for example between a substrate and a flexible optical element of the optical actuator. Including the aperture stop in the optical actuator rather than in the lens stack may allow the optical actuator to be smaller in the X-Y dimensions (perpendicular to the optical (Z) axis) than it would be in a similar camera with the aperture stop located in the lens stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Christian Thomas Fuller, Iain A. McAllister, Yoshikazu Shinohara
  • Lens system with optical actuator
    Patent number: 11163096
    Abstract: Compact lens systems that may be used in small form factor cameras. The lens system may include a master lens with two or more lens elements arranged along an optical axis and having refractive power, and an optical actuator located on the object side of the master lens that may provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) functionality for the camera. An aperture stop for the camera may be included in the optical actuator, for example between a substrate and a flexible optical element of the optical actuator. Including the aperture stop in the optical actuator rather than in the lens stack may allow the optical actuator to be smaller in the X-Y dimensions (perpendicular to the optical (Z) axis) than it would be in a similar camera with the aperture stop located in the lens stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Christian Thomas Fuller, Iain A. McAllister, Yoshikazu Shinohara
  • LENS SYSTEM WITH OPTICAL ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20190170914
    Abstract: Compact lens systems that may be used in small form factor cameras. The lens system may include a master lens with two or more lens elements arranged along an optical axis and having refractive power, and an optical actuator located on the object side of the master lens that may provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) functionality for the camera. An aperture stop for the camera may be included in the optical actuator, for example between a substrate and a flexible optical element of the optical actuator. Including the aperture stop in the optical actuator rather than in the lens stack may allow the optical actuator to be smaller in the X-Y dimensions (perpendicular to the optical (Z) axis) than it would be in a similar camera with the aperture stop located in the lens stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Christian Thomas Fuller, Iain A. McAllister, Yoshikazu Shinohara