Patents by Inventor Pierre Craen

Pierre Craen 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).

  • Publication number: 20240280806
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variable light deflection device comprising a prism, a reflection member arranged opposite to one of the faces of the prism for deflecting an incident refracted light ray back into the prism through said face as a deflected light ray, a refraction member arranged opposite another face of the prism for refracting the deflected light ray transmitted through said other face into a refracted output light ray, first and second transparent, shape variable bodies arranged between prism faces and the reflection and refraction members, first and second actuator systems arranged to tilt the reflection member to change a first propagation deviation angle of the refracted output light ray in a first output plane, and where the second actuator system is arranged to tilt the refraction member to change the same first propagation deviation angle of the refracted output light ray in said first output plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Pierre CRAEN, Alain GILLET, Nicolas TALLARON
  • Patent number: 12066619
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical assembly for use with compact camera modules. The optical assembly comprises a transparent optical element, an optical reflection surface arranged to deflect a light through the optical element, a transparent elastic non-fluid body and an actuator system comprising one or more actuators and an actuator-component arranged to undergo bending and/or displacement by the one or more actuators. The non-fluid body may be sandwiched between the actuator-component and the optical element so that the shape or orientation of the actuator component and the non-fluid body can be changed by actuation of the actuators to provide adjustable optical power or beam deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: poLight ASA
    Inventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Pierre Craen, Nicolas Tallaron
  • Publication number: 20240184100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to means for compensating thermal expansion in a tuneable lens. In particular, the present invention a tuneable lens comprising means for compensating thermal expansion and an apparatus, such as a camera module comprising a tunable lens comprising means for compensating thermal expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Janne Tapani Kilpinen
  • Publication number: 20240151960
    Abstract: The invention relates to a controllable optical assembly such as a controllable lens or a controllable beam deflector. The optical assembly comprises first and second cover members, wherein one of them is transparent while the other is transparent or reflective. A transparent, deformable, non-fluid body is sandwiched between the first and second cover members so that the first and second cover members and non-fluid body constitute a lens or a light deflector. Actuators are arranged to generate a controllable bending and/or tilt of the first and/or the second cover member dependent on a control signal. One or more sensors are provided to generate a measurement signal indicative of the bending or tilt of the first and/or the second cover member. The control signal is determined based on the measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Janne Tapani Kilpinen, Vladimir Kartashov, Nicolas Tallaron, Alain Gillet, Pierre Craen
  • Patent number: 11870371
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an actuator system for determining and applying a voltage to a piezoelectric actuator (PEA) to achieve a given setpoint displacement. The method involves determining a relation dcal(V) between a PEA displacement measure (d) and voltage (V) and a relation ttcal(V) between transition time (tt) and voltage and combining the determined relations to calculate a relation d(tt) between the displacement measure and transition time during an initial calibration procedure. This relation is characteristic for the PEA, and by determining a new relation ttnew(V) after repeated biasing of the PEA, a compensated relation dc(V) can be calculated by substituting ttnew(V) in the calculated d(tt). The compensated relation dc(V) compensates for piezo creep effects due to the wear and can be used to determine the voltage to be applied directly, or be used in other compensation algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Polight ASA
    Inventors: Lars Henriksen, Tore Svortdal, Euan Barron, Muhammad Asif Raza Azhar, Thi Kim Trinh Tran, Nicolas Tallaron, Pierre Craen
  • Publication number: 20230296814
    Abstract: The invention relates to a controllable lens with variable optical power. The lens comprises a first and second cover members (111, 112), a transparent, deformable, non-fluid body (105) sandwiched between the first and second i transparent cover members, so that the first and second transparent cover members and non-fluid body constitute a lens, one or more actuators arranged to provide displacement in a direction along the optical axis, and one or more elastic elements (130, 130_1, 130_2) connecting the actuator displacement elements with the first cover member, wherein at least a portion of each of the one or more elastic elements is arranged to deform elastically in response to a relative radial displacement between the first transparent cover member and the actuator displacement elements. A first stiffness in a radial direction of each of the one or more elastic elements is smaller than a second stiffness in the direction of the optical axis of each of the one or more elastic elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Janne Tapani Kilpinen, Vladimir Kartashov
  • Publication number: 20230236413
    Abstract: The invention relates to an opto-mechanical scanning device (100) arranged for deflecting an incident light beam (191). The scanning device comprises first and second reflective surfaces (M1, M2), a transparent, deformable, non-fluid body (110) having a refractive index which is greater than the refractive index of air, an actuator system (120) arranged to move the first reflective surface (M1) so that an angle of the first reflective surface (M1) is adjustable, a first window (131) arranged to receive and transmit the at least one incident light beam into the non-fluid body, a second window (132) arranged to receive and transmit the at least one incident light beam out of the non-fluid body. The first and second windows are arranged adjacent to the non-fluid body with the second reflective surface (M2) arranged so that the incident light beam can be transmitted out of the non-fluid body after being reflected successively by the first and second reflective surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Janne Konttinen, Pierre Craen, Janne Tapani Kilpinen
  • Patent number: 11693159
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tunable lens where the optical power can be adjusted. The lens consists of a deformable, non-fluid lens body sandwiched between a thin, flexible membrane and transparent back window, and an actuator system serving to change the overall shape of the membrane and lens body. The membrane is pre-shaped to have a Sag or Sagittal of at least 10 ?m so that the lens has a non-zero optical power when the actuator system is not activated. In order to achieve a large optical power range for the lens, the membrane should preferably be made of a material having a Young's modulus in the range 2-1.000 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: poLight ASA
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Vladimir Kartashov, Nicolas Tallaron
  • Publication number: 20220260856
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spectacle lens comprising a first transparent cover member, a second transparent cover member wherein the first cover member comprises a proximal surface arranged to face the eye and the second cover member comprises a distal surface arranged to face the surroundings when in use, one or more actuators arranged to generate forces or torques on the first or the second cover member along a circumference of the first or the second cover member so as to generate a controllable change of curvature of the first or the second cover member, a transparent, deformable, non-fluid body sandwiched between the first and second transparent cover members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Lars Henriksen, Pierre Craen, Janne Tapani Kilpinen
  • Patent number: 11231528
    Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable or tuneable lens assembly where a deformable, non-fluid lens body is sandwiched between a bendable lens cover and a back window to form a lens. The lens assembly has an actuator system with a plurality of individually addressable actuators for applying force to the lens cover in direction along the optical axis to change an overall shape of the lens. The actuator system has a focus adjustment mode to adjust the optical power of the lens and an optical image stabilisation mode, which are configured to operate simultaneously by addressing each actuator to apply a force being at least substantially a sum of the forces that would be applied in these modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: poLight ASA
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Vladimir Kartashov, Janne Tapani Kilpinen, Nicolas Tallaron, Lars Henriksen
  • Publication number: 20210341728
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical assembly for use with compact camera modules. The optical assembly comprises a transparent optical element, an optical reflection surface arranged to deflect a light through the optical element, a transparent elastic non-fluid body and an actuator system comprising one or more actuators and an actuator-component arranged to undergo bending and/or displacement by the one or more actuators. The non-fluid body may be sandwiched between the actuator-component and the optical element so that the shape or orientation of the actuator component and the non-fluid body can be changed by actuation of the actuators to provide adjustable optical power or beam deflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Pierre Craen, Nicolas Tallaron
  • Publication number: 20210336560
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an actuator system for determining and applying a voltage to a piezoelectric actuator (PEA) to achieve a given setpoint displacement. The method involves determining a relation dcal(V) between a PEA displacement measure (d) and voltage (V) and a relation ttcal(V) between transition time (tt) and voltage and combining the determined relations to calculate a relation d(tt) between the displacement measure and transition time during an initial calibration procedure. This relation is characteristic for the PEA, and by determining a new relation ttnew(V) after repeated biasing of the PEA, a compensated relation dc(V) can be calculated by substituting ttnew(V) in the calculated d(tt). The compensated relation dc(V) compensates for piezo creep effects due to the wear and can be used to determine the voltage to be applied directly, or be used in other compensation algorithms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Lars Henriksen, Tore Svortdal, Euan Barron, Muhammad Asif Raza Azhar, Thi Kim Trinh Tran, Nicolas Tallaron, Pierre Craen
  • Patent number: 11029511
    Abstract: There is presented an optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprising a support structure (101, 501) with a sidewall (112, 512), a bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) attached to the sidewall (112, 512), one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) arranged for shaping said bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) into a desired shape, wherein said optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprises an optically active area (111, 511) with an optical axis (110, 510), wherein an outer edge (215A-E) of the one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) as observed in a direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a first line, and an inner edge (109) of the support structure (101, 501) at the interface between the support structure (101, 501) and the bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) as observed in the direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a second line, wherein the first line and the second line as observed in the direction being parallel with the opti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Polight ASA
    Inventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Pierre Craen
  • Publication number: 20210141126
    Abstract: The invention relates to adjustable or tunable lens assembly where a deformable, non-fluid lens body is sandwiched between a bendable lens cover and a back window to form a lens. The lens assembly has an actuator system with individually addressable actuators for applying force to the lens cover in direction along the optical axis to change an overall shape of the lens. The actuator system has a focus adjustment mode to adjust the optical power of the lens and an optical image stabilisation mode where the optical axis of the lens is tilted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Vladimir Kartashov, Janne Tapani Kilpinen, Nicolas Tallaron, Lars Henriksen
  • Publication number: 20210021212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an actuator system for determining and applying a voltage to a piezoelectric actuator (PEA) to achieve a given setpoint displacement. The method involves determining a relation dcal(V) between a PEA displacement measure (d) and voltage (V) and a relation ttcal(V) between transition time (tt) and voltage and combining the determined relations to calculate a relation d(tt) between the displacement measure and transition time during an initial calibration procedure. This relation is characteristic for the PEA, and by determining a new relation ttnew(V) after repeated biasing of the PEA, a compensated relation dc(V) can be calculated by substituting ttnew(V) in the calculated d(tt). The compensated relation dc(V) compensates for piezo creep effects due to the wear and can be used to determine the voltage to be applied directly, or be used in other compensation algorithms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Lars Henriksen, Tore Svortdal, Euan Barron, Muhammad Asif Raza Azhar, Thi Kim Trinh Tran, Nicolas Tallaron, Pierre Craen
  • Publication number: 20200310006
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tunable lens where the optical power can be adjusted. The lens consists of a deformable, non-fluid lens body sandwiched between a thin, flexible membrane and transparent back window, and an actuator system serving to change the overall shape of the membrane and lens body. The membrane is pre-shaped to have a Sag or Sagittal of at least 10 ?m so that the lens has a non-zero optical power when the actuator system is not activated. In order to achieve a large optical power range for the lens, the membrane should preferably be made of a material having a Young's modulus in the range 2-1.000 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, Vladimir Kartashov, Nicolas Tallaron
  • Publication number: 20200249466
    Abstract: There is presented an optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprising a support structure (101, 501) with a sidewall (112, 512), a bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) attached to the sidewall (112, 512), one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) arranged for shaping said bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) into a desired shape, wherein said optical element (100, 500, 600, 700) comprises an optically active area (111, 511) with an optical axis (110, 510), wherein an outer edge (215A-E) of the one or more piezoelectric actuators (103, 104, 105) as observed in a direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a first line, and an inner edge (109) of the support structure (101, 501) at the interface between the support structure (101, 501) and the bendable cover member (102, 502, 702) as observed in the direction being parallel with the optical axis (110, 510) defines a second line, wherein the first line and the second line as observed in the direction being parallel with the opti
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Vladimir Kartashov, Pierre Craen
  • Publication number: 20200204740
    Abstract: A module with a plurality of cameras for integration in a mobile phone. The module comprises a first camera assembly, comprising a first image sensor and a first lens assembly. The first lens assembly is configured for having a first effective focal length, EFL1. The first camera assembly defines a first optical axis and a first sensor axis, the first sensor axis is substantially normal to the first image sensor. The module further comprises a second camera assembly comprising a second image sensor and a second lens assembly. The second lens assembly is configured for having a second effective focal length, EFL2. The second camera assembly defines a second optical axis and a second sensor axis, the second sensor axis being substantially normal to the second image sensor. The first effective focal length is shorter than the second effective focal length, EFL1<EFL2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Nicolas Tallaron, Manu Hakola, Pierre Craen
  • Patent number: 10154241
    Abstract: The invention relates to post-processing of a digital photo to correct perspective distortion in the photo. The correction applies a digital photo of a scene and a depth map associated with the photo and comprising, for each pixel in the photo, a depth being a distance between a part of the scene in that pixel and a position of the camera at the time of acquisition. The correction is performed locally, so that the correction of any pixel in the photo depends on the depth of that pixel. The correction can be implemented as a transformation of each pixel in the original photo into a new position in a corrected photo. Afterwards, pixel values has to be calculated for the pixels in the corrected photo using the original pixel values and their new positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Polight AS
    Inventors: Tore Svortdal, Pierre Craen, Nicolas Tallaron, Jacques Dumarest
  • Patent number: 10001629
    Abstract: There is presented a transparent optical device element (700) comprising an optical lens (744), comprising one or more piezoelectric actuators (206, 208, 210), wherein said optical lens (744) comprises an optical aperture (632), and wherein the optical device element furthermore comprises a passivation layer (312, 314, 742, 628) placed on said optical lens, said passivation layer comprising a barrier layer (312) forming a humidity barrier, and being located on at least a portion of said cover member, where said portion of said cover member is intersected by the optical axis, and on said piezoelectric actuators, and wherein the passivation layer furthermore comprises one or more further layers (628) located on at least said portion of said cover member being intersected by the optical axis, wherein said passivation layer forms an anti-reflection coating for said optical lens (744) at least along the optical axis (634).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: POLIGHT AS
    Inventors: Pierre Craen, John Phair, Nicolas Tallaron