Patents by Inventor Steve Herman

Steve Herman 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).

  • Method and system for reducing returns from retro-reflections in active illumination system
    Patent number: 11792383
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING RETURNS FROM RETRO-REFLECTIONS IN ACTIVE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20220303522
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman
  • Method and system for reducing returns from retro-reflections in active illumination system
    Patent number: 11272162
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING RETURNS FROM RETRO-REFLECTIONS IN ACTIVE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20220021866
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING RETURNS FROM RETRO-REFLECTIONS IN ACTIVE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20200221068
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman