Patents by Inventor Todd Ashcraft

Todd Ashcraft 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).

  • Common lens helmet mounted display
    Patent number: 7375894
    Abstract: A common lens HMD is shown and described. The use of a common lens in a biocular or binocular helmet mounted display (HMD) system provides a means to manipulate light rays from an image(s) which are traveling from two or more separate upstream optics trains to the helmet visor and onward to each eye, with fields of view which overlap at the midpoint of the visor. The common lens changes the optical paths of each individual ray going to a single eye, and changes the corresponding ray traveling to the other eye in a mirrored fashion (i.e. with the opposite component in the Left/Right direction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Ashcraft, Kenneth Scott Ellis, Richard Nicholas Pfisterer
  • Common lens helmet mounted display
    Publication number: 20070211348
    Abstract: A common lens HMD is shown and described. The use of a common lens in a biocular or binocular helmet mounted display (HMD) system provides a means to manipulate light rays from an image(s) which are traveling from two or more separate upstream optics trains to the helmet visor and onward to each eye, with fields of view which overlap at the midpoint of the visor. The common lens changes the optical paths of each individual ray going to a single eye, and changes the corresponding ray traveling to the other eye in a mirrored fashion (i.e. with the opposite component in the Left/Right direction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Todd Ashcraft, Kenneth Ellis, Richard Pfisterer
  • Fiber optic light source for display devices
    Patent number: 7146084
    Abstract: A light source includes at least one optical fiber having a length and first and second ends and at least one electromagnetic wave source disposed along at least a portion of the length of the fiber for transmitting electromagnetic waves through a side surface of the fiber. A reflective surface is disposed at the first end of the fiber for directing light generated within the fiber toward the second end. A heads-up display can make effective use of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: CMC Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Atac, Todd Ashcraft
  • Fiber optic light source for display devices
    Publication number: 20040252940
    Abstract: A light source includes at least one optical fiber having a length and first and second ends and at least one electromagnetic wave source disposed along at least a portion of the length of the fiber for transmitting electromagnetic waves through a side surface of the fiber. A reflective surface is disposed at the first end of the fiber for directing light generated within the fiber toward the second end. A heads-up display can make effective use of the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Atac, Todd Ashcraft