Patents by Inventor Ryan Michael Ebert

Ryan Michael Ebert 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: 11318375
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display configured to display a virtual scene to a user, an optics block, an eye tracking system, and a varifocal actuation that mechanically changes a distance between the optics block and the electronic display. The varifocal actuation block is configured to change a location of an image plane of the HMD and includes a motor, a power screw coupled to the actuating motor configured to turn responsive to actuation of the motor, and a nut sled on the power screw that is coupled to the electronic display. The nut sled is configured to move back and forth along a length of the power screw responsive to the power screw being turned by the motor that results in movement of the electronic display relative to the optics block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11209659
    Abstract: A method for providing images to a wearer using a head-mounted display device that includes a light projector and a beam shifter includes projecting, with the light projector, light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents. The method also includes changing, with a beam shifter, a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Lanman, Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11163166
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus may include a frame that includes an optical component configured for use with a near-eye display that is part of a head-worn display system. The frame magnetically attaches to the head-worn display system, and when the frame is attached to the head-worn display system, the frame may align the optical component for use with the near-eye display. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11150480
    Abstract: The disclosed head-mounted display systems may include an optical element supported by a head-mounted display frame, a projector mounted to the head-mounted display frame, and at least one voice coil actuator mounted on the head-mounted display frame. The projector may be configured to project, via the optical element, an image toward an eye of a user of the head-mounted display system. The at least one voice coil actuator may be coupled to at least one of the projector or the optical element. When actuated, the at least one voice coil actuator may translate at least one of the projector or the optical element in at least one direction relative to the head-mounted display frame. Various other methods, systems, and methods of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11150437
    Abstract: Head-mounted display systems may include a display subsystem, an optics subsystem, a prescription accommodation subsystem, and a varifocal adjustment subsystem. The prescription accommodation subsystem may include a prescription accommodation actuator that is configured to adjust a focus of a displayed image to account for the user's visual refractive error. The varifocal adjustment subsystem may include a varifocal adjustment actuator configured to further adjust the focus of the image to change a perceived view of the image on the display subsystem. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Publication number: 20210281826
    Abstract: The disclosed system may include a communication device configured to receive wireless synchronization information for display content, a lens, an optical device, and a controller configured to determine that the display content is in a field of view of the lens, and in response to determining that the display content is within the field of view of the lens, cause the lens to selectively allow the display content to pass through the lens based on the wireless synchronization information. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Nathan Matsuda, Ryan Michael Ebert, Robert Birch, Bruce A. Cleary
  • Patent number: 11115649
    Abstract: The disclosed system may include a communication device configured to receive wireless synchronization information for display content, a lens, an optical device, and a controller configured to determine that the display content is in a field of view of the lens, and in response to determining that the display content is within the field of view of the lens, cause the lens to selectively allow the display content to pass through the lens based on the wireless synchronization information. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Matsuda, Ryan Michael Ebert, Robert Birch, Bruce A. Cleary
  • Patent number: 11042187
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a set of one or more lenses defining an optical axis, a display configured to project light through the set of the one or more lenses, a voice coil actuator coupled with the display and configured to move the display along the optical axis, and a first guide that is separate from the first voice coil actuator and coupled with the first display to guide the movement of the first display. The HMD additionally includes a set of one or more position sensors configured to determine a position of the display long the optical axis and an electronic controller configured to receive information identifying a reference position of the display along the optical axis and generate one or more electrical signals for initiating a movement of the first display toward the first reference point along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joyce Fang, Nicholas Colonnese, Bruce A. Cleary, Ryan Michael Ebert, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 11036290
    Abstract: A flexure guidance system may be provided for controlling movement of an optical subassembly and/or a connected combiner lens. For instance, the flexure guidance system may include a distal end piece, a proximal end piece, and multiple wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece. The linking wire flexures may be spaced to form an interior cavity between the distal end piece and the proximal end piece. This interior cavity may house various electronic components. One or more actuators in the system may move the electronic components according to input signals along different axes of movement provided by the wire flexures. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 11009713
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a set of one or more lenses defining an optical axis, a display configured to project light through the set of the one or more lenses, a voice coil actuator coupled with the display and configured to move the display along the optical axis, and a first guide that is slidingly coupled with the first voice coil actuator to guide the movement of the first display. The HMD additionally includes a set of one or more position sensors configured to determine a position of the display long the optical axis and an electronic controller configured to receive information identifying a reference position of the display along the optical axis and generate one or more electrical signals for initiating a movement of the first display toward the first reference point along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joyce Fang, Nicholas Colonnese, Bruce A. Cleary, Ryan Michael Ebert, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 10994196
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display configured to display a virtual scene to a user, an optics block, an eye tracking system, and a varifocal actuation that mechanically changes a distance between the optics block and the electronic display. The varifocal actuation block is configured to change a location of an image plane of the HMD and includes a motor, a power screw coupled to the actuating motor configured to turn responsive to actuation of the motor, and a nut sled on the power screw that is coupled to the electronic display. The nut sled is configured to move back and forth along a length of the power screw responsive to the power screw being turned by the motor that results in movement of the electronic display relative to the optics block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 10915162
    Abstract: A varifocal head mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display, an optical system, and the guidance system. The electronic display presents content. The optical system includes one or more optical elements and provides the content to an eyebox of the HMD. The guidance system is a flexure based guidance system that includes an actuator and a first and second flexure elements (e.g., parallel beam, dual Roberts, etc.) guiding movement of the electronic display along an optical axis of the optical system in order to adjust a location of one or moveable elements in the optical system and, thereby, control a location of an image plane. The first and second flexure elements are able to flex or bend with movement of the actuator to adjust the location of the one or moveable elements that includes the electronic display and/or one or more optical elements of the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Ebert, David C. Lindberg, Seth Robert Moczydlowski, Clinton Smith
  • Patent number: 10871627
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device includes one or more lenses and a display configured to provide visual data through the one or more lenses. The head-mounted display device also includes a direct-current (DC) motor mechanically coupled to the display, and the DC motor is configured to move the display along an axis by rotating a rotatable component of the DC motor. The head-mounted display device further includes: position sensor(s) configured to determine a position of the display, and electronic controller(s) in communication with the position sensor(s). The electronic controller(s) are configured to: (i) receive, from the position sensor(s), the determined position of the display as a first position of the display, (ii) receive information identifying a second position of the display, and (iii) generate electrical signal(s) that cause the DC motor to move the display from the first position to the second position along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joyce Fang, Nicholas Colonnese, Bruce A. Cleary, Ryan Michael Ebert, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 10701350
    Abstract: A head-mounted display apparatus may include a left display subsystem and a right display subsystem, and the left and right display subsystems may each have a display screen and a lens configured to focus light from the display screen at an exit pupil of the head-mounted display apparatus. The head-mounted display system may also include an actuation subsystem configured to change relative positioning of the left and right display subsystems based on received data indicative of an inter-pupillary distance of a user. Various other methods, systems, and devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Publication number: 20200150443
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include receiving control inputs at a controller. The controller may be part of an optical subassembly that is connected to a combiner lens via a connecting member. The method may also include determining a current position of the combiner lens relative to a frame. The combiner lens may be at least partially transmissive to visible light, and may be configured to direct image data provided by the optical subassembly to a user's eye. The method may further include actuating an actuator that may move the optical subassembly and connected combiner lens according to the received control inputs. The actuator may move the optical subassembly and connected combiner lens independently of the frame. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Patent number: 10610775
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display configured to display a virtual scene to a user, an optics block, an eye tracking system, and a varifocal actuation that mechanically changes a distance between the optics block and the electronic display. The varifocal actuation block is configured to change a focal length of the HMD based on the eye position of the user and includes a motor, a power screw coupled to the actuating motor configured to turn responsive to actuation of the motor, and a nut sled on the power screw that is coupled to the electronic display. The nut sled is configured to move back and forth along a length of the power screw responsive to the power screw being turned by the motor that results in movement of the electronic display relative to the optics block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Michael Ebert
  • Publication number: 20190384378
    Abstract: A varifocal head mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display, an optical system, and the guidance system. The electronic display presents content. The optical system includes one or more optical elements and provides the content to an eyebox of the HMD. The guidance system is a flexure based guidance system that includes an actuator and a first and second flexure elements (e.g., parallel beam, dual Roberts, etc.) guiding movement of the electronic display along an optical axis of the optical system in order to adjust a location of one or moveable elements in the optical system and, thereby, control a location of an image plane. The first and second flexure elements are able to flex or bend with movement of the actuator to adjust the location of the one or moveable elements that includes the electronic display and/or one or more optical elements of the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Ebert, David C. Lindberg, Seth Robert Moczydlowski, Clinton Smith
  • Publication number: 20190361248
    Abstract: A method for providing images to a wearer using a head-mounted display device that includes a light projector and a beam shifter includes projecting, with the light projector, light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents. The method also includes changing, with a beam shifter, a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas Robert LANMAN, Ryan Michael EBERT
  • Patent number: 10241569
    Abstract: A virtual reality headset displays a three-dimensional (3D) virtual scene and includes a varifocal element to dynamically adjust a focal length of an optics block included in the virtual reality headset based on a location in the virtual scene where the user is looking. The headset tracks a user's eyes to approximate gaze lines and determines a plane of focus for a frame of the virtual scene as the intersection of the gaze lines. The varifocal element adjusts the focal length of the optics block so the optics block is focused at the plane of focus, which keeps the user's eyes in a zone of comfort as vergence and accommodation change. Based on the plane of focus, the virtual reality headset may provide depth cues, such as depth of field blur, to planes in the virtual scene deeper in the user's field of view than the plane of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Lanman, Ryan Michael Ebert, Alexander Jobe Fix, William Aaron Nicholls, Michael Sean Mounier, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 10025060
    Abstract: A virtual reality headset displays a three-dimensional (3D) virtual scene and includes a varifocal element to dynamically adjust a focal length of an optics block included in the virtual reality headset based on a location in the virtual scene where the user is looking. The headset tracks a user's eyes to approximate gaze lines and determines a plane of focus for a frame of the virtual scene as the intersection of the gaze lines. The varifocal element adjusts the focal length of the optics block so the optics block is focused at the plane of focus, which keeps the user's eyes in a zone of comfort as vergence and accommodation change. Based on the plane of focus, the virtual reality headset may provide depth cues, such as depth of field blur, to planes in the virtual scene deeper in the user's field of view than the plane of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Lanman, Ryan Michael Ebert, Alexander Jobe Fix, William Aaron Nicholls, Michael Sean Mounier, Robert Dale Cavin