Patents by Inventor Steven Monroe Penn

Steven Monroe Penn 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: 8353598
    Abstract: Display systems and methods for mobile devices and mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display system for a mobile device is provided. The mobile device is handheld and includes a primary display screen. The display system includes an auxiliary screen and a connecting device coupled to the auxiliary screen and attachable to the mobile device. An image from the mobile device is producible on the auxiliary screen. The display system is removable from the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Leonardo William Estevez, William Robert Krenik, Steven Edward Smith, Yoram Solomon, Jose Vasquez, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Patent number: 8047660
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a projection display system includes a spatial light modulator and a volume illumination hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a digital micromirror device, and the projection system includes a laser light source to produce a sequence of collimated, colored, light beams for the illumination hologram. Waste light produced by the spatial light modulator is transmitted to the illumination hologram, and the illumination hologram emits waste light from at least one of its edges. Waste light emitted from an edge of the illumination hologram is absorbed by a light sensor to control the intensity of the light beams. A projection focusing element is mounted proximate a side of the illumination hologram to focus the image beam from the spatial light modulator for viewing. A projection hologram is interposed between the side of the illumination hologram and the projection focusing element to manage waste light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Monroe Penn, Duane Scott Dewald, Ronald Allen Barry
  • Patent number: 7894121
    Abstract: A light valve assembly comprises a holographic optical element and a light valve that comprises an array of individually addressable pixels. The light valve assemblies can be fabricated on the die level or on a wafer-level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent C. Lopes, Bradley Morgan Haskett, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Publication number: 20100110516
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a projection display system includes a spatial light modulator and a volume illumination hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a digital micromirror device, and the projection system includes a laser light source to produce a sequence of collimated, colored, light beams for the illumination hologram. Waste light produced by the spatial light modulator is transmitted to the illumination hologram, and the illumination hologram emits waste light from at least one of its edges. Waste light emitted from an edge of the illumination hologram is absorbed by a light sensor to control the intensity of the light beams. A projection focusing element is mounted proximate a side of the illumination hologram to focus the image beam from the spatial light modulator for viewing. A projection hologram is interposed between the side of the illumination hologram and the projection focusing element to manage waste light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Steven Monroe Penn, Duane Scott Dewald, Ronald Allen Barry
  • Patent number: 7711017
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a laser that produces light at a first wavelength, an optical element that converts the light at the first wavelength received at an input end thereof into light at a second wavelength, and an optical interface proximate the input end of the optical element that directs light at the second wavelength through the optical element toward an output end of the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven Monroe Penn
  • Publication number: 20100045569
    Abstract: Display systems and methods for mobile devices and mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display system for a mobile device is provided. The mobile device is handheld and includes a primary display screen. The display system includes an auxiliary screen and a connecting device coupled to the auxiliary screen and attachable to the mobile device. An image from the mobile device is producible on the auxiliary screen. The display system is removable from the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Leonardo William Estevez, William Robert Krenik, Steven Edward Smith, Yoram Solomon, Jose Vasquez, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Patent number: 7651227
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a projection display system includes a spatial light modulator and a volume illumination hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a digital micromirror device, and the projection system includes a laser light source to produce a sequence of collimated, colored, light beams for the illumination hologram. Waste light produced by the spatial light modulator is transmitted to the illumination hologram, and the illumination hologram emits waste light from at least one of its edges. Waste light emitted from an edge of the illumination hologram is absorbed by a light sensor to control the intensity of the light beams. A projection focusing element is mounted proximate a side of the illumination hologram to focus the image beam from the spatial light modulator for viewing. A projection hologram is interposed between the side of the illumination hologram and the projection focusing element to manage waste light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Monroe Penn, Duane Scott Dewald, Ronald Allen Barry
  • Publication number: 20090141327
    Abstract: A system and method for increasing display brightness in laser illuminated display systems. An illumination source comprises a light source to produce colored light and a scanning optics unit optically coupled to the light source. The scanning optics unit scans the colored light along a direction orthogonal to a light path of the illumination source. The scanning optics unit comprises a diffuser to transform the colored light in beams of colored light, a scan optics element positioned in the light path after the diffuser, the scan optics element to move beams of colored light in a direction orthogonal to the light path with distinct beams of colored light separated by unilluminated space, and a lens element positioned in the light path after the scan optics element, the lens element to convert an angular refraction of the beams of colored light into a spatial deflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Steven Monroe Penn, Carl W. Davis
  • Publication number: 20090128786
    Abstract: An imaging system comprises a light valve having an array of light valve pixels. For processing grayscale/color images, each light valve pixel represents a discrete grayscale level. During image processing, desired grayscales can be accomplished by imaging the light valve pixels onto the target such that the perceived grayscale of each target pixel is a sum of grayscales represented by a plurality of light valve pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: David Foster Lieb, Jason Ryan Thompson, Terry Alan Bartlett, Steven Monroe Penn, Andrew Ian Russell
  • Publication number: 20090128873
    Abstract: A light valve assembly comprises a holographic optical element and a light valve that comprises an array of individually addressable pixels. The light valve assemblies can be fabricated on the die level or on a wafer-level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent C. Lopes, Bradley Morgan Haskett, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Patent number: 7492108
    Abstract: System and method for improving efficiency in driving LEDs. A preferred embodiment comprises a switch current regulator coupled to a current control signal input, the switch current regulator to control an amount of current provided to the LED based upon a magnitude of a voltage on the current control signal input, a switching voltage regulator coupled to the switch current regulator and the LED, the switching voltage regulator to provide current to the LED, and a sensor coupled to the switch current regulator, the LED, and a signal feedback circuit, the sensor to measure status information regarding the switch current regulator and the LED and provides the information to a controller, wherein the status information can be used to adjust the current on the current control signal input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Getzel Gonzalez Garcia, Stephen Wesley Marshall, Steven Monroe Penn
  • Publication number: 20080159344
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a laser that produces light at a first wavelength, an optical element that converts the light at the first wavelength received at an input end thereof into light at a second wavelength, and an optical interface proximate the input end of the optical element that directs light at the second wavelength through the optical element toward an output end of the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Steven Monroe Penn