Patents by Inventor Robert Bruce Lyon

Robert Bruce Lyon 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: 11960104
    Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jann Paul Kaminski, Raymond Miller Karam, Robert Bruce Lyon, Dragon Pikula, Daniel Ohen Ricketts
  • Patent number: 11567242
    Abstract: A liquid lens can be coupled to ground, such as to impede charge from building up in the liquid lens during operation thereof. For example, an electrode that is in electrical communication with a conductive fluid of the liquid lens can be coupled to ground. A switch can be used to selectively couple the liquid lens to ground, such as for discharging the liquid lens. An electrode can be selectively coupled to ground and to driving signals using a switch. In some cases, drive signals can be provided to electrodes other than the grounded electrode for driving the liquid lens. In some cases, the liquid lens can be driven using feedback control based on one or more measured parameters indicative capacitance between a fluid and one or more electrodes in the liquid lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated/LG Innotek Co. LTD.
    Inventors: Jann Paul Kaminski, Raymond Miller Karam, Robert Bruce Lyon, Ian Armour McKay, Dragan Pikula, Daniel Ohen Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20200319380
    Abstract: A liquid lens can be coupled to ground, such as to impede charge from building up in the liquid lens during operation thereof. For example, an electrode that is in electrical communication with a conductive fluid of the liquid lens can be coupled to ground. A switch can be used to selectively couple the liquid lens to ground, such as for discharging the liquid lens. An electrode can be selectively coupled to ground and to driving signals using a switch. In some cases, drive signals can be provided to electrodes other than the grounded electrode for driving the liquid lens. In some cases, the liquid lens can be driven using feedback control based on one or more measured parameters indicative capacitance between a fluid and one or more electrodes in the liquid lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Jann Paul Kaminski, Raymond Miller Karam, Robert Bruce Lyon, Ian Armour McKay, Dragan Pikula, Daniel Ohen Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20200110199
    Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Jann Paul Kaminski, Raymond Miller Karam, Robert Bruce Lyon, Dragon Pikula, Daniel Ohen Ricketts