Patents by Inventor Robert Dale Cavin

Robert Dale Cavin 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: 20230396037
    Abstract: A MEMS-based vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) includes an embedded photodiode. A representative VCSEL includes a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a photodiode structure located within the distributed Bragg reflector, an active region overlying the distributed Bragg reflector, and a MEMS upper reflector disposed over the active region. The VCSEL may be configured as an optical sensor. The laser cavity and hence a working wavelength of the sensor may be tuned by modulating the MEMS reflector such as through an applied voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Ehsan Vadiee, Youmin Wang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11662812
    Abstract: The disclosed eye-tracking systems may include a visible light display having visible light pixels, at least one infrared pixel positioned within bounds of the visible light display, and an infrared sensor positioned and configured to detect infrared light originating from the at least one infrared pixel and reflected from an eye of the user. Related head-mounted display systems and methods for eye tracking are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Jobe Fix, Andrew Wyman MacDonald, Dmitri Model, Mohammadhossein Daraeihajitooel, Javier San Agustin Lopez, Kirk Erik Burgess, Mohamed Hegazy, Scott Robert Ramsby, Sebastian Sztuk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11640054
    Abstract: An eyebox region is illuminated with first coherent light and second coherent light having a different wavelength than the first coherent light. A first self-mixed interferometer (SMI) signal is generated in response to first feedback light received back from the eyebox region. A second SMI signal is generated in response to second feedback light received back from the eyebox region. Eye data is generated in response to at least the first SMI signal and the second SMI signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11635807
    Abstract: A retinal imaging system includes a projector, an imaging device, and a controller coupled to an eye tracking system under test. The projector emits a light pattern to be delivered to a pupil of an eye, a location of the pupil being estimated by the eye tracking system under test. The imaging device captures one or more images of a retina of the eye illuminated with at least a portion of the light pattern. The controller determines one or more eye tracking parameters based on the captured one or more images of the retina. The controller compares each determined eye tracking parameter with each of estimated one or more eye tracking parameters, wherein values for the one or more eye tracking parameters are estimated by the eye tracking system under test. The controller characterizes each estimated eye tracking parameter based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Nicholas Daniel Trail, Robert Dale Cavin, Kyle Justin Curts
  • Publication number: 20230077228
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Ganghun KIM, Andrew MAIMONE, Alexander Jobe FIX, Robert Dale CAVIN, Hee Yoon LEE, Matthieu Charles Raoul LEIBOVICI, Brian WHEELWRIGHT, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20230064721
    Abstract: A light source of a self-mixed interferometer (SMI) emits infrared light. The infrared light is directed to an eyebox location with the scanning module by scanning the infrared light into a waveguide. Feedback infrared light is measured by a light sensor of the SMI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Publication number: 20230000460
    Abstract: According to examples, systems, devices, and methods for detecting rapid eye movement (REM) are described. The device may include an array of ultrasound sensors oriented to emit transmit ultrasounds signals in an eyeward direction, wherein the ultrasound sensors are to receive a return signal of the transmit signal reflecting off of a target, and wherein the ultrasound sensors are to output a distance signal representative of a distance to a target, the distance signal generated based on the return signal, and a transceiver to receive the distance signals, wherein the transceiver is to transmit the distance signals from the array of ultrasound sensors to a remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andre GOLARD, Sachin TALATHI, Robert Dale CAVIN
  • Patent number: 11536555
    Abstract: Self-mixed interferometer (SMI) devices and techniques are described for measuring depth and/or velocity of objects. The SMI devices and techniques may be used for eye-tracking. A light source of an SMI sensor emits coherent light that is directed to a target location with a scanning module. One or more SMI signals are measured. The one or more SMI signals are generated by the SMI sensor in response to feedback light received from the target location. The feedback light is a portion of the coherent light that illuminated the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Publication number: 20220299761
    Abstract: An eyebox region is illuminated with first coherent light and second coherent light having a different wavelength than the first coherent light. A first self-mixed interferometer (SMI) signal is generated in response to first feedback light received back from the eyebox region. A second SMI signal is generated in response to second feedback light received back from the eyebox region. Eye data is generated in response to at least the first SMI signal and the second SMI signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11435820
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a method that includes receiving one or more two-dimensional images of one or more light patterns incident on an eye proximate to an eye region of a near-eye display device, and computing a gaze direction associated with the eye based on the one or more two-dimensional images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Seth Michael Hirsh, Qing Chao, Robert Dale Cavin, Elias Daniel Guestrin, Michael Hall
  • Patent number: 11430262
    Abstract: A system tracks eye movement using optical coherence in a head mounted display. The system includes an illumination source configured to project low coherence interference light onto a portion of a user's eye. The system includes a scanning system to select an axial position within the illuminated portion of the user's eye. The system includes a detector configured to collect light reflected from the illuminated portion of the user's eye at the selected axial position, and the reflected light includes measurement data characterizing the illuminated portion of the user's eye. The system includes a controller configured to compare the measurement data with a trained baseline, and determine an eye position based the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Daniel Trail, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11407731
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11409240
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20220244036
    Abstract: Self-mixed interferometer (SMI) devices and techniques are described for measuring depth and/or velocity of objects. The SMI devices and techniques may be used for eye-tracking. A light source of an SMI sensor emits coherent light that is directed to a target location with a scanning module. One or more SMI signals are measured. The one or more SMI signals are generated by the SMI sensor in response to feedback light received from the target location. The feedback light is a portion of the coherent light that illuminated the target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11307654
    Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate to eye illumination for eye tracking in a near-eye display system. One example of an eye illumination system includes a substrate transparent to visible light and infrared light and configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user, and a shortwave-pass filter on a first surface of the substrate. The shortwave-pass filter includes regions configured to transmit visible light and reflect infrared light in ambient light, and a plurality of windows configured to transmit both visible light and infrared light in the ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Qi Zhang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robin Sharma, Brian Wheelwright, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11281160
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and a plurality of optical fibers configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11256213
    Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium, a second set of optical elements configured to transmit the second portion of the light for providing a second wide-field beam, and a plurality of parabolic reflectors optically coupled with the second set of optical elements and configured to receive the second wide-field beam and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ganghun Kim, Andrew Maimone, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin, Hee Yoon Lee, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Brian Wheelwright, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11238340
    Abstract: A system predicts future positions or vergence depth of the user's eyes and generates gaze contingent content, such as for a head-mounted display (HMD), based on the predicted positions or vergence depth. The system includes an eye tracking controller that creates eye tracking information defining positions of a first eye and a second eye of a user over time. The eye tracking information is input to a neural network model that outputs the predicted positions or vergence depth. The predicted positions or vergence depth is then used to render the gaze contingent content, or to change other configurations of the HMD. Latency between the detection of user eye movement and the output of corresponding content is reduced to provide a more immersive real-time user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Grant Anderson, Alexander Jobe Fix, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11215837
    Abstract: A method for providing augmented reality contents to a wearer using a head-mounted display device that includes an eye tracking sensor, a light projector, a beam steerer, and a combiner includes determining, with the eye tracking sensor, a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer. The method also includes projecting, with the light projector, light for rendering images based at least on the augmented reality contents, and changing, with the beam steerer, a direction of the light from the light projector based on the position of the pupil. The light from the beam steerer is directed toward the combiner and the light from the beam steerer and light from an outside of the head-mounted display device are combined, by the combiner, to provide an overlap of a rendered image and a real image that corresponds to the light from the outside of the head-mounted display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Lanman, Robert Konrad, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Publication number: 20210397255
    Abstract: The disclosed eye-tracking systems may include a visible light display having visible light pixels, at least one infrared pixel positioned within bounds of the visible light display, and an infrared sensor positioned and configured to detect infrared light originating from the at least one infrared pixel and reflected from an eye of the user. Related head-mounted display systems and methods for eye tracking are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Alexander Jobe Fix, Andrew Wyman MacDonald, Dmitri Model, Mohammadhossein Daraeihajitooei, Javier San Agustin Lopez, Kirk Erik Burgess, Mohamed Hegazy, Scott Robert Ramsby, Sebastian Sztuk, Robert Dale Cavin