Patents by Inventor Shashank Sharma

Shashank Sharma 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: 10969652
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Brad V. Johnson, Nicholas D. Smyth, Rummel R. Adriano, Shashank Sharma, Steven Webster
  • Publication number: 20210080807
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The VCM actuator assembly is configured to move an image sensor of the camera in three dimensions (e.g. X, Y, and Z) to provide the AF and/or OIS movements. The VCM actuator assembly is asymmetrical and includes an at least partially open side that allows an optical assembly of the camera to pass through the open side of the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the optical assembly is part of a folded optics arrangement of the camera that includes one or more prisms/and or lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 10924675
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aurelien R. Hubert, Qiang Yang, Douglas S. Brodie, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210044727
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera having one or more bumper arrangements to cushion lateral movement of one or more camera components. In some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may cushion lateral movement of a moveable platform as the moveable platform approaches a stationary structure. According to some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may include one or more bumper features attached to (and/or defined by) the moveable platform and/or the stationary structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Zachary W. Birnbaum
  • Patent number: 10890734
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift a lens and/or an image sensor along multiple axes. The VCM actuator may include a bottom flexure and a top flexure that connect one or more dynamic members to one or more static members. The VCM actuator may include stationary magnets and coils held by dynamic members. In some cases, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor along an optical axis, to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, and/or to tilt the image sensor relative to the orthogonal axis. In some examples, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, to move the lens along the optical axis, and/or to tilt the lens relative to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Douglas S. Brodie, Scott W. Miller
  • Patent number: 10863094
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift an image sensor along multiple axes. Some embodiments include a magnet and coil arrangement. Some embodiments include a position sensing arrangement. Some embodiments include a flexure arrangement. Some embodiments include a coil structure and coil carrier assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller
  • Publication number: 20200381248
    Abstract: A method of post-treating a dielectric film formed on a surface of a substrate includes positioning a substrate having a dielectric film formed thereon in a processing chamber and exposing the dielectric film to microwave radiation in the processing chamber at a frequency between 5 GHz and 7 GHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Yong SUN, Praket Prakash JHA, Jingmei LIANG, Martin Jay SEAMONS, DongQing LI, Shashank SHARMA, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Publication number: 20200382709
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit may include a first actuator. The second camera unit may include a second actuator. In some embodiments, the first actuator may move one or more components of the first camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the first camera unit. In some embodiments, the second actuator may move one or more components of the second camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the second camera unit. In some examples, the first camera unit may be configured to capture a first image of a first visual field. The second camera unit may be configured to capture, simultaneously with the first camera unit capturing the first image, a second image of a second visual field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller, Aurelien R. Hubert
  • Publication number: 20200357993
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a memory structure may include forming a layer of a transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material overlying a substrate. The substrate may include a first electrode material. The methods may include annealing the transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material at a temperature greater than or about 500° C. The annealing may occur for a time period less than or about one second. The methods may also include, subsequent the annealing, forming a layer of a second electrode material over the transition-metal-and-oxygen-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Louis Gabriel Breil, Siddarth Krishnan, Shashank Sharma, Ria Someshwar, Kai Ng, Deepak Kamalanathan
  • Patent number: 10828777
    Abstract: A method for redundancy-optimized planning of the operation of a redundant mobile robot having a robot arm includes using a tool center point (TCP) associated with the robot arm and assigned a Cartesian TCP coordinate system having a first, second, and third TCP-coordinate axes; using a Cartesian world coordinate system having first, second, and third world coordinate axes, wherein the first and second world coordinate axes span a plane on which the mobile robot moves, a height of the TCP from which the plane is assigned, and one of the TCP coordinate axes and the plane enclose an angle; creating at least one graph wherein a redundancy is presented as a function of the height and the angle, wherein the redundancy is a measure of possible configurations of the mobile robot depending on the height and the angle; and planning operation of the mobile robot using the graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Scheurer, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20200266068
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Xuebin LI, Wei LIU, Gaurav THAREJA, Shashank SHARMA, Patricia M. LIU, Schubert CHU
  • Patent number: 10750096
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit may include a first actuator. The second camera unit may include a second actuator. In some embodiments, the first actuator may move one or more components of the first camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the first camera unit. In some embodiments, the second actuator may move one or more components of the second camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the second camera unit. In some examples, the first camera unit may be configured to capture a first image of a first visual field. The second camera unit may be configured to capture, simultaneously with the first camera unit capturing the first image, a second image of a second visual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller, Aurelien R. Hubert
  • Publication number: 20200259993
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Brodie, Aurelien R. Hubert, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20200203481
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a processing system and a method of forming a contact. The processing system includes a plurality of process chambers configured to deposit, etch, and/or anneal a source/drain region of a substrate. The method includes depositing a doped semiconductor layer over a source/drain region, forming an anchor layer in a trench, and depositing a conductor in the trench. The method of forming a contact results in reduced contact resistance by using integrated processes, which allows various operations of the source/drain contact formation to be performed within the same processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Gaurav THAREJA, Takashi KURATOMI, Avgerinos V. GELATOS, Xianmin TANG, Sanjay NATARAJAN, Keyvan KASHEFIZADEH, Zhebo CHEN, Jianxin LEI, Shashank SHARMA
  • Patent number: 10686974
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens carrier that houses a lens, electrical components of optical path modifiers positioned on the lens carrier, an image sensor, and a controller that is to generate commands for operating the optical path modifiers. A printed circuit assembly positioned on the lens carrier is electrically coupled to suspension wires. The printed circuit assembly includes a printed circuit that has installed thereon a serial bus communications interface circuit that is to receive the commands from the controller through one of the suspension wires, and a translation circuit that is to translate the commands into control signals that are to operate or drive the optical path modifiers via the electrical components and according to the commands, respectively. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Douglas S. Brodie
  • Patent number: 10638031
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Brodie, Aurelien R. Hubert, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 10578886
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a camera unit of a multifunction device include an actuator for moving the optical package relative to the image sensor. In some embodiments, the actuator includes one or more lateral magnets situated at one or more sides of the optical package. In some embodiments, the actuator includes one or more optical image stabilization coils for circulating electric current in a plane perpendicular to the an optical axis of the optical package to generate magnetic interactions with a respective one of the one or more lateral magnets. In some embodiments, each of the optical image stabilization coils has an interior surface boundary, and a space enclosed by the interior surface boundary has a width smaller at a center of a length of the optical image stabilization coil than at the ends of the optical image stabilization coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller
  • Patent number: 10564517
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera unit of a multifunction device may include an optical package and an actuator for moving the optical package. In some embodiments, the actuator may include an asymmetric magnet arrangement. The asymmetric magnet arrangement may include a lateral position control magnet situated at a first side of the optical package, and a pair of transverse position control magnets situated at respective second and third sides of the optical package opposite one another with respect to an axis between the optical package and the lateral magnet. In some embodiments, the actuator may include one or more position sensor magnets attached to the optical package, and one or more magnetic field sensors for determining a position of the position sensor magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20200026095
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera includes a lens assembly in a lens carrier, an image sensor for capturing a digital representation of light transiting the lens, and a voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the voice coil motor includes a spring suspension assembly for moveably mounting the lens carrier to an actuator base, a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the actuator base through a magnet holder assembly and a focusing coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier and mounted to the actuator base through the suspension assembly. In some embodiments, the permanent magnets each generate a magnetic field of a respective permanent magnet field strength, and the magnet holder assembly generates a holder magnetic field of a holder magnetic field strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Steven Webster, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 10504779
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a sequential hydrogenation and nitridization process for reducing interfacial and bulk O atoms in a conductive structure in a semiconductor device. A hydrogenation and plasma nitridization process is performed on a metal nitride layer in a conductive structure prior to deposition of a second metal layer, thereby reducing interfacial oxygen atoms formed on a surface of the metal nitride and oxygen atoms present in the bulk metal layers of the conductive structure. As a result, adhesion of the second metal layer to the metal nitride layer is improved and the electrical resistance of the contact structure is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Johanes S. Swenberg, Wei Liu, Houda Graoui, Shashank Sharma, Shankar Muthukrishnan, Rene George