Patents by Inventor Scott Lerner

Scott Lerner 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: 9409255
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a beam generating system configured to generate a light beam of 0.5 kW or greater with a predetermined intensity profile across at least one axis transverse to a propagation axis thereof and to direct the light beam along a beam path, a light modulator configured to receive the light beam and to modulate the light beam into a predetermined illumination pattern, and an optical relay configured to receive the portion of the light beam and reflectively project the beam to a target, wherein the illumination pattern is imaged at the target with substantially time-invariant spatial accuracies of 500 ?m or less in a plane transverse to the propagation axis and 1000 ?m or less parallel to the propagation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Scott R. Karlsen, Scott A. Lerner
  • Patent number: 8891579
    Abstract: A laser diode apparatus including a mounting block, a plurality of diode lasers mounted to the mounting block and each capable of emitting a respective diode laser beam, and a plurality of cylindrical mirrors each having a reflective back surface for providing slow axis collimation of an incident diode laser beam via reflection off the back surface, each one of the plurality of cylindrical mirrors optically coupled to a respective diode laser of the plurality of diode lasers and optically oriented therewith so as to be capable of providing the diode laser beams in a stacked arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: nLIGHT Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk Price, Scott Lerner
  • Patent number: 8831396
    Abstract: A beam homogenizing apparatus includes at least one flexible optical fiber for receiving light, the flexible optical fiber including a homogenizing output portion having a tileable cross-section, the output portion for producing a substantially homogenized intensity profile for light emitted therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: nLIGHT Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk Price, Scott Lerner
  • Patent number: 8816188
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods related to photovoltaic energy are provided. A device includes electrically conductive supports in electrical contact with one or more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells are secured with respect to the supports by a clamping force soldering or other means. Optics concentrate and guide photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cells. Generated electrical energy is coupled to a load using the conductive supports. Heat is rejected from the photovoltaic cells using at least one of the supports and a fluid flow, thermal conduction, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Karl S Weibezahn, Scott Lerner
  • Publication number: 20140034112
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. An optical concentrator and splitter (OCS) includes a non-planar bottom surface having symmetrical halves, each half defined by an off-axis section of a parabola. The bottom surface bears a dielectric surface treatment. The OCS is configured to concentrate a first spectral portion of photonic energy through respective side surfaces, and to concentrate a second spectral portion through the bottom surface. Targets such as photovoltaic cells or others receive the concentrated first and second spectral portions, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, Stephan R. Clark, John P. Whitlock
  • Publication number: 20130098427
    Abstract: An example of this disclosure relates to paraboloid reflectors. Another example of this disclosure relates to a collector panel including collector cells and paraboloid reflectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventors: Frank Bretl, Stephan R. Clark, Scott Lerner
  • Publication number: 20120305050
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. An optical material defines light-directing surface features, each configured to direct incident photonic energy away from a respective dead-space. Photovoltaic cells or other entities receive photonic energy propagating through the optical material, including that portion being directed by the light-directing surface features. Various entities can be located within the dead-spaces defined between the photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, John P Whitlock, Stephan R Clark
  • Patent number: 8307822
    Abstract: A solar energy device includes a first prism with a dichroic surface and a reflective surface opposite the dichroic surface. A first solar cell is positioned to receive light rays passing through the dichroic surface. A second solar cell positioned to receive light rays from the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Scott Lerner
  • Publication number: 20120266936
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods related to photovoltaic energy are provided. A device includes electrically conductive supports in electrical contact with one or more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells are secured with respect to the supports by a clamping force soldering or other means. Optics concentrate and guide photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cells. Generated electrical energy is coupled to a load using the conductive supports. Heat is rejected from the photovoltaic cells using at least one of the supports and a fluid flow, thermal conduction, and so on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Karl S. Weibezahn, Scott Lerner
  • Publication number: 20120138122
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use with photovoltaic cells, light emitting devices and the like. Reflective regions are formed on a sheet of flexible, non-metallic sheet material. The sheet material is folded to at least partially define a finished shape. Supports complete and maintain the folded condition such that one or more truncated parabolic troughs are defined. Incident light may be received and concentrated, or emitted light concentrated and projected, by way of the troughs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: John P. Whitlock, Scott Lerner, Stephan R. Clark, Karl S. Weibezahn
  • Publication number: 20110308571
    Abstract: A light assembly includes a first sheet and a second sheet below the first sheet. The first and the second sheets are parabolic in shape. The first sheet has a dichroic surface. The second sheet has a reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Stephan R. Clark, Karl S. Weibezahn, John P. Whitlock, Scott Lerner
  • Publication number: 20110212306
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided. A first sheet of flexible material is placed against a surface of a form. The first sheet bears an adhesive on one side. A second sheet of flexible material is brought into contact with the adhesive and the two sheets are pressed into conformant contact with the surface of the form. The first and second sheets are thus bonded to form a rigid or semi-rigid entity having a cross-sectional shape in accordance with the surface contours of the form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: John P. Whitlock, Stephan R. Clark, Scott Lerner, Karl S. Weibezahn
  • Patent number: 7963658
    Abstract: A light modulator assembly includes first, second, and third light modulators, with first and second dichroic mirrors. The first dichroic mirror is located at an optical pupil of said assembly and is configured to split a beam of light into a first component beam and an intermediate beam. The first dichroic mirror then transmits the first component beam to the first light modulator and reflects the intermediate beam to the second dichroic mirror. The second dichroic mirror is configured to split the intermediate beam into second and third component beams and to direct the second component beam to the second modulator and the third component beam to the third modulator. A third dichroic mirror is configured to receive the output of the first, second, and third modulators and to pass the output from the first, second, and third modulators to display optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L. P.
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, James W. Ring
  • Publication number: 20110134514
    Abstract: A flexible substrate having electrical and optical functions. The substrate includes a planar non-conductive film. The substrate also includes a seed layer on a first region of the film for fabrication of conductive traces to couple to an electro-optical component disposed adjacent the first region. The substrate further includes a smooth optically reflective layer disposed on a second region of the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Karl S. Weibezahn, Stephan R. Clark, Scott Lerner, John P. Whitlock
  • Publication number: 20100212716
    Abstract: A solar radiation collection system includes a first photovoltaic cell, a second photovoltaic cell, and an optical medium, the optical medium. The optical medium has a first zone configured to transmit radiation incident on the first zone to the first cell, a second zone disposed adjacent a side of the first zone, and a first dichroic surface configured to reflect a first portion of radiation incident on the second zone such that the reflected radiation is directed toward the first cell by internal reflection and to transmit a second portion of radiation incident on the second zone to the second cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, John P. Whitlock, Paul J. Benning
  • Publication number: 20100212717
    Abstract: A solar energy collection system includes a first photovoltaic cell sensitive to radiation in a first wavelength range, a second photovoltaic cell sensitive to radiation in a second wavelength range, and a first waveguide configured to direct radiation toward the first and second photovoltaic cells and defining a longitudinal axis substantially non-perpendicular to a radiation receiving surface of at least one of the photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: John P. Whitlock, Scott Lerner, David G. Leigh, Stephan R. Clark
  • Patent number: 7695146
    Abstract: A projection assembly is provided herein. According to one exemplary embodiment, the projection assembly includes a modulator assembly, the modulator including at least one modulator panel, a projection lens assembly including a first projection lens sub-assembly in optical communication with the modulator assembly, the first projection lens sub-assembly being configured to form a virtual modulator, the virtual modulator corresponding to the output of the modulator assembly focused at a single plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, Anurag Gupta
  • Publication number: 20100083953
    Abstract: A solar energy device includes a first prism with a dichroic surface and a reflective surface opposite the dichroic surface. A first solar cell is positioned to receive light rays passing through the dichroic surface. A second solar cell positioned to receive light rays from the reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventor: Scott Lerner
  • Patent number: 7621646
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electromagnetic radiation source, a reflector about the source having an aperture and a curved band pass filter at least partially across the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company
    Inventors: Anurag Gupta, Scott A. Lerner
  • Patent number: 7545446
    Abstract: A projection system includes a modulator and an Offner relay. The modulator is to modulate light in accordance with sub-frames of a frame of image data. The Offner relay is to differently aim, in accordance with each sub-frame, the light as modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, Anurag Gupta, Wiatt E. Kettle