Patents by Inventor Robert D. Brown

Robert D. Brown 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: 20200200397
    Abstract: A tankless water heater including a water inlet, a water outlet, a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, and a heating chamber connected to the water inlet and the water outlet wherein the heating chamber is configured to heat a flow of water received from the water inlet and output the flow of water to the water outlet. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the conductivity sensor and the temperature sensor, where the controller calculates an adjusted conductivity of a flow of water through the water heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Troy Trant, Robert D. Brown, Edward D. Turner
  • Publication number: 20200192088
    Abstract: A head up display can be used in compact environments. The head up display includes a combiner system including at least one light pipe and a waveguide. The at least one light pipe includes a turning grating or mirror array for providing light into the waveguide from the light pipe. An additional light pipe can also be provided. The combiner system can be head worn or stand-alone and can provide dual axis pupil expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Ming Yu, Eric P. Stratton, Robert D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20200192087
    Abstract: A display system includes a light pipe including elongated surfaces. The light pipe is configured to expand the image in a first direction through one of the elongated surfaces. The display also includes a waveguide including an output grating, a first surface, a second surface, and a side surface. The first surface and the second surface have a larger area than the side surface, the output grating being configured to provide the image expanded in a second direction. The second direction is different than the first direction. The image enters the waveguide from the one of the elongated surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, James H. Stanley, Eric P. Stratton, Ming Yu
  • Patent number: 10681316
    Abstract: A system for presentation of visual information to a user includes an image generator operatively coupled to an information source, a projector operatively coupled to the image generator and configured to project light indicative of the image within a defined region of space comprising a head box, a head worn viewing device comprising an optical element configured to receive the light indicative of the image when the optical element is positioned in the head box and to convert the light indicative of the image into a final image viewable by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlo L. Tiana, Robert D. Brown, Steven E. Koenck
  • Publication number: 20200142131
    Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicants: DigiLens Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20200026072
    Abstract: A head up display can use a catadioptric collimating system. The head up display includes an image source. The head up display also includes a collimating mirror, and a polarizing beam splitter. The light from the image source enters the beam splitter and is reflected toward the collimating mirror. The light striking the collimating mirror is reflected through the beam splitter toward a combiner. A field lens can include a diffractive surface. A corrector lens can be disposed after the beam splitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Eric P. Stratton
  • Patent number: 10527797
    Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: DigiLens Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown
  • Patent number: 10509241
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing an optical display includes an optical substrate for propagating light received from a light source, a first set of one or more switchable diffractive elements in the substrate, and a second set of one or more switchable diffractive elements in the substrate. Each diffractive element in the second set corresponds to a diffractive element in the first set. Each of the diffractive elements in the first and second sets is configured to switch between on and off states. One of the states is for diffracting light and the other state for allowing light to pass through. Each of the first set of diffractive elements is configured to diffract the light at an angle for propagation in the substrate. Each of the second set of diffractive elements is configured to diffract the light for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC., DIGILENS INC.
    Inventors: Steven J. Robbins, James H. Stanley, Francois Raynal, Robert D. Brown, James M. Tedesco, Wyatt L. Hendrick, Milan M. Popovich, Jonathan D. Waldern, Alastair J. Grant
  • Publication number: 20190243136
    Abstract: A head up display includes a light pipe and a waveguide combiner. The light pipe is configured to expand a pupil in a first direction and includes an input grating and an output put grating. The light pipe also includes four elongated surfaces, and the input grating and the output grating are provided in one or more planes parallel to two of the elongated surfaces. The waveguide combiner is configured to expand the pupil in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first light pipe is disposed at an angle with respect to a waveguide combiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Eric P. Stratton
  • Patent number: 10295824
    Abstract: A head up display includes a light pipe and a waveguide combiner. The light pipe is configured to expand a pupil in a first direction and includes an input grating and an output put grating. The light pipe also includes four elongated surfaces, and the input grating and the output grating are provided in one or more planes parallel to two of the elongated surfaces. The waveguide combiner is configured to expand the pupil in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first light pipe is disposed at an angle with respect to a waveguide combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Eric P. Stratton
  • Patent number: 10247943
    Abstract: A head up display can be used in compact environments. The head up display includes a combiner system including at least one light pipe and a waveguide. The at least one light pipe includes a turning grating or mirror array for providing light into the waveguide from the light pipe. An additional light pipe can also be provided. The combiner system can be headworn or stand-alone and can provide dual axis pupil expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Ming Yu, Eric P. Stratton, Robert D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20190072723
    Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicants: DigiLens, Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20180373115
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for displaying an image comprising: a first optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate light in a first direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the first optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract the light from the first substrate along the first direction; and a second optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate the light in a second direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the second optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract light from the second substrate along the second direction; wherein the at least one grating lamina of at least one of the first and second optical substrates comprises an SBG in a passive mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicants: DigiLens, Inc., Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Alastair John Grant, Wyatt L. Hendrick, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Jonathan David Waldern
  • Patent number: 10156681
    Abstract: An optical waveguide display comprises: a waveguide; a source of light modulated with temporally-varying angularly-distributed information; a fold grating providing a first beam expansion; an input coupler for directing light into total internal reflection paths in a first propagation direction; and an output grating for providing a second beam expansion and extracting light from the waveguide. The input light undergoes at least two diffractions within the fold grating, each diffraction directing light into a unique total internal reflection angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: DigiLens Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown
  • Patent number: 10126552
    Abstract: A head up display can use a catadioptric collimating system. The head up display includes an image source. The head up display also includes a collimating mirror, and a polarizing beam splitter. The light from the image source enters the beam splitter and is reflected toward the collimating mirror. The light striking the collimating mirror is reflected through the beam splitter toward a combiner. A field lens can include a diffractive surface. A corrector lens can be disposed after the beam splitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Eric P. Stratton
  • Patent number: 10108010
    Abstract: A method or system can be used with an aircraft or other vehicle. The system can include or the method can use a waveguide disposed above and below a top surface of a glare shield. The waveguide can be part of a head up display (HUD). The waveguide can be disposed to cover at least part of the head down display to provide an integrated display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Zimmerman, David I. Han, Robert D. Brown, Christopher A. Keith
  • Patent number: 10088675
    Abstract: A display system includes a light pipe including elongated surfaces and an input coupler. The light pipe is configured to provide an image received by the input coupler and expand the image in a first direction through one of the elongated surfaces. The display also includes a waveguide including an output grating, a first surface, a second surface, and a side surface. The first surface and the second surface have a larger area than the side surface, the output grating being configured to provide the image expanded in a second direction. The second direction is different than the first direction. The image enters the waveguide from the one of the elongated surfaces at the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, James H. Stanley, Eric P. Stratton, Ming Yu
  • Publication number: 20180210198
    Abstract: A head up display includes a light pipe and a waveguide combiner. The light pipe is configured to expand a pupil in a first direction and includes an input grating and an output put grating. The light pipe also includes four elongated surfaces, and the input grating and the output grating are provided in one or more planes parallel to two of the elongated surfaces. The waveguide combiner is configured to expand the pupil in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first light pipe is disposed at an angle with respect to a waveguide combiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Eric P. Stratton
  • Patent number: 9977247
    Abstract: A display can be utilized with an image source. The display includes a collimator and a substrate waveguide. The substrate waveguide sees collimated light from the collimator at an input and provides the collimated light to an output. The collimated light travels from the input to the output within the substrate by total internal reflection. An input diffraction grating is disposed in a first area at the input and an output diffraction grating is disposed in a second area at the output. The second diffraction grating is matched to the first diffraction grating. A combiner alignment detector is not required due to the periscopic effect according to one embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Kurt A. Stahl, Lincoln J. Burns
  • Patent number: 9933684
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for displaying an image comprising: a first optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate light in a first direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the first optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract the light from the first substrate along the first direction; and a second optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate the light in a second direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the second optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract light from the second substrate along the second direction; wherein the at least one grating lamina of at least one of the first and second optical substrates comprises an SBG in a passive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignees: Rockwell Collins, Inc., SBG Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Brown, Alastair John Grant, Wyatt L. Hendrick, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Jonathan David Waldern