Patents by Inventor Tri D. Pham
Tri D. Pham 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).
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Patent number: 12638618Abstract: An optical construction includes a lens film having a plurality of optically transparent first beads at least partially embedded in a first layer. A light blocking second layer is disposed on the lens film and defines a plurality of through openings therein extending at least partially between opposite major top and bottom surfaces of the second layer. The through openings are aligned to the first beads in a one-to-one correspondence.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2022Date of Patent: May 26, 2026Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Bert T. Chien, William B. Kolb, Tri D. Pham, Daoyun Song, Daniel K. Bruesewitz, Stephen P. Maki, James A. Phipps, Jonah Shaver, Zhaohui Yang
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Patent number: 12601860Abstract: An optical construction includes a lens layer and optically opaque first and second mask layers. The lens layer has a first major surface including a plurality of microlenses arranged along orthogonal first and second directions. The first and second mask layers are spaced apart from the first major surface and define respective pluralities of through first and second openings therein arranged along the first and second directions. The first mask layer is disposed between the structured first major surface and the second mask layer. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the microlenses and the first and second openings. The optical construction includes an intermediate layer disposed between the structured first major surface and the first mask layer and including an undulating second major surface facing, and in substantial registration with, an undulating third major surface of first mask layer so as to define a substantially uniform spacing therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2021Date of Patent: April 14, 2026Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Adam T. Ringberg, Vivian W. Jones, James A. Phipps, Tri D. Pham, Przemyslaw P. Markowicz, Mark A. Roehrig, Stephen P. Maki, Bing Hao, David J. Rowe, Serena L. Mollenhauer, Mikhail A. Belkin, Zhaohui Yang, Jathan D. Edwards
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Publication number: 20260093059Abstract: An optically diffusive film includes an optical substrate layer with opposing first and second major surfaces; and an optical layer disposed on the second major surface of the optical substrate layer and including a structured major surface having a plurality of spaced apart elongated structures elongated along a same first direction and arranged at a substantially uniform density, each elongated structure including a peak such that, in a plane of a cross-section of the elongated structure that is parallel to the first direction and comprises the peak, the elongated structure has a substantially flat top region; wherein for substantially normally incident light and a visible wavelength range and an infrared wavelength range, the optical substrate layer has an average total transmittance or reflectance of greater than about 60% in the visible wavelength range and an average specular transmittance of greater than about 60% in the infrared wavelength range.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2025Publication date: April 2, 2026Inventors: Tri D. Pham, David A. Rosen, Qunyi Chen, Lisa A. DeNicola, Quinn D. Sanford, Matthew S. Cole, Bharat R. Acharya, Matthew E. Sousa, Robert D. Taylor, Benjamin J. Forsythe
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Patent number: 12523801Abstract: An optically diffusive film includes an optical substrate layer with opposing first and second major surfaces; and an optical layer disposed on the second major surface of the optical substrate layer and including a structured major surface having a plurality of spaced apart elongated structures elongated along a same first direction and arranged at a substantially uniform density, each elongated structure including a peak such that, in a plane of a cross-section of the elongated structure that is parallel to the first direction and comprises the peak, the elongated structure has a substantially flat top region; wherein for substantially normally incident light and a visible wavelength range and an infrared wavelength range, the optical substrate layer has an average total transmittance or reflectance of greater than about 60% in the visible wavelength range and an average specular transmittance of greater than about 60% in the infrared wavelength range.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2021Date of Patent: January 13, 2026Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Tri D. Pham, David A. Rosen, Qunyi Chen, Lisa A DeNicola, Quinn D. Sanford, Matthew S. Cole, Bharat R. Acharya, Matthew E. Sousa, Robert D. Taylor, Benjamin J. Forsythe
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Patent number: 12510699Abstract: An optical construction includes a lens layer having a structured first major surface including a plurality of microlenses; an optical filter disposed on the lens layer; an optically opaque mask layer disposed between the lens layer and the optical filter and defining a plurality of openings therein; and a low index layer disposed on the optical filter. For a first wavelength in a visible wavelength range, a second wavelength that can be in an infrared wavelength range, the optical filter has: an optical transmission of greater than about 50% for the first wavelength for each of a first incident angle of less than about 10 degrees and a second incident angle of greater than about 30 degrees, and for the second wavelength, an optical transmission of less than about 15% for the first incident angle and of greater than about 30% for the second incident angle.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2023Date of Patent: December 30, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Joseph P. Attard, Kristy A. Gillette, Tri D. Pham, Zhaohui Yang
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Publication number: 20250271605Abstract: A light control film has opposing substantially planar substantially parallel first and second major surfaces spaced apart along a thickness direction of the light control film, and a plurality of substantially parallel optically transparent polymeric columns disposed in, and substantially surrounded by, a light absorbing polymeric material. Each of the polymeric columns has a first column end at the first major surface and an opposite second column end at the second major surface, such that the first column ends are arranged to define a plurality of substantially parallel alternating substantially linear rows of the first column ends and substantially linear rows of continuous light absorbing polymeric material. Methods of fabricating the light control film are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2023Publication date: August 28, 2025Inventors: William T. Fay, Timothy J. Lindquist, Garth V. Antila, Stephen A. Johnson, Li Yu, Tri D. Pham
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Patent number: 12399307Abstract: A light control sheet having opposing first and second major faces and an internal array of disruptive optical interfaces, wherein the light control sheet is light transmissive such that an image incident to one of the major faces is visible from the other major faces within a field of view which is perpendicular to the major faces but wherein the image is obscured outside the field of view.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: August 26, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Tri D. Pham, Corey D. Balts, Raymond J. Kenney, Michael J. Wayne, Brian L. Oldfield
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Patent number: 12399059Abstract: Various embodiments of an optical construction and an electronic device that includes such optical construction are disclosed. The optical construction includes a lens film having an outermost structured first major surface and an opposing outermost substantially planar second major surface. The structured first major surface includes a plurality of microlenses. The optical construction also includes a mask disposed adjacent to the second major surface of the lens film and includes a plurality of laser-ablated openings disposed through the mask. The openings are aligned to the microlenses in a one-to-one correspondence. The mask further includes a UV-cured polymer material and an optically absorptive material.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2021Date of Patent: August 26, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Neeraj Sharma, Przemyslaw P. Markowicz, Timothy J. Reddy, Mark A. Roehrig, Tri D. Pham
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Patent number: 12386103Abstract: An optical film includes a structured film and a light control film formed on the structured film. The structured film includes a substrate and a plurality of polymeric microstructures formed on a major surface of the substrate. Each microstructure includes an optical facet and a sidewall meeting the optical facet at a ridge of the microstructure. The light control film includes an optically transparent material disposed on and covering the plurality of polymeric microstructures, and a plurality of optically absorptive louvers formed in the optically transparent material opposite the structured film. The louvers extend along a longitudinal direction and are spaced apart along an orthogonal transverse direction. The louvers have an average depth D into the optically transparent material and have an average width W in the transverse direction. D/W can be greater than 2. The optical film is integrally formed.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2020Date of Patent: August 12, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Tao Liu, Tri D. Pham, Gary T. Boyd, Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Owen M. Anderson
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Publication number: 20250238102Abstract: A display system for sensing a finger of a user applied to the display system includes a display panel; a sensor for sensing the finger; a sensing light source configured to emit a first light having a first wavelength W1; and a reflective polarizer disposed between the display panel and the sensor. For a substantially normally incident light, an optical transmittance of the reflective polarizer versus wavelength for a first polarization state has a band edge such that for a first wavelength range extending from a smaller wavelength L1 to a greater wavelength L2 and including W1, where 30 nm?L2?L1?50 nm and L1 is greater than and within about 20 nm of a wavelength L3 corresponding to an optical transmittance of about 50% along the band edge, the optical transmittance has an average of greater than about 75%.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2025Publication date: July 24, 2025Inventors: Bharat R. Acharya, Robert D. Taylor, Joseph P. Attard, Benjamin J. Forsythe, David T. Yust, Matthew E. Sousa, Jason S. Petaja, Anthony M. Renstrom, William Blake Kolb, Matthew S. Cole, Matthew S. Stay, Matthew R.D. Smith, Jeremy O. Swanson, Tri D. Pham, David A. Rosen, Qunyi Chen, Lisa A. DeNicola, Quinn D. Sanford, Carl A. Stover, Lin Zhao, Gilles J. Benoit
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Publication number: 20250155613Abstract: An optical film includes a microstructured surface comprising a plurality of prismatic structures, the microstructured surface defining a reference plane and a thickness direction perpendicular to the reference plane; wherein the plurality of prismatic structures includes a plurality of facets, each facet having a facet normal direction forming a polar angle with respect to the thickness direction and an azimuthal angle along the reference plane, and wherein the microstructured surface has a surface azimuthal distribution of the plurality of facets that is substantially uniform, and wherein the microstructured surface has a surface polar distribution of the plurality of facets that has an off-axis peak polar distribution.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2024Publication date: May 15, 2025Inventors: Kristopher J. Derks, Tri D. Pham, Kenneth A. Epstein, David J. Lamb
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Patent number: 12298539Abstract: A curved display includes a display panel having a curved major surface and a light control film disposed proximate the display panel. The curved major surface is curved about a first axis, and a central portion of the curved major surface has a surface normal along a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The light control film includes a major surface having a substantially same shape as the curved major surface and includes a plurality of alternating optically transmissive and optically absorptive regions. In a cross-section orthogonal to the first axis, a transmissive region and adjacent absorptive regions define a central ray transmission direction through the optically transmissive region such that a light ray emitted by the display panel and transmitted through the optically transmissive region along the transmission direction is refracted upon exiting the curved display into a direction substantially parallel to the second axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: May 13, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Tao Liu, Gary T. Boyd, Tri D. Pham, Garth V. Antila, Keith R. Jacobs
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Patent number: 12299239Abstract: A display system for sensing a finger of a user applied to the display system includes a display panel; a sensor for sensing the finger; a sensing light source configured to emit a first light having a first wavelength W1; and a reflective polarizer disposed between the display panel and the sensor. For a substantially normally incident light, an optical transmittance of the reflective polarizer versus wavelength for a first polarization state has a band edge such that for a first wavelength range extending from a smaller wavelength L1 to a greater wavelength L2 and including W1, where 30 nm?L2?L1?50 nm and L1 is greater than and within about 20 nm of a wavelength L3 corresponding to an optical transmittance of about 50% along the band edge, the optical transmittance has an average of greater than about 75%.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2024Date of Patent: May 13, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Bharat R. Acharya, Robert D. Taylor, Joseph P. Attard, Benjamin J. Forsythe, David T. Yust, Matthew E. Sousa, Jason S. Petaja, Anthony M. Renstrom, William Blake Kolb, Matthew S. Cole, Matthew S. Stay, Matthew R. D. Smith, Jeremy O. Swanson, Tri D. Pham, David A. Rosen, Qunyi Chen, Lisa A. DeNicola, Quinn D. Sanford, Carl A. Stover, Lin Zhao, Gilles J. Benoit
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Patent number: 12222599Abstract: An optical system includes a lens layer including a plurality of microlenses arranged along orthogonal first and second directions, and at least one optically opaque mask layer spaced apart from the lens layer and defining a plurality of through openings therein arranged along the first and second directions. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the microlenses and the openings, such that for each microlens, the microlens and corresponding openings are substantially centered on a straight line making a same oblique angle with the lens layer. An optical layer can include the lens layer and the optically opaque mask layer embedded in the optical layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2020Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Zhaohui Yang, Przemyslaw P. Markowicz, Mark A. Roehrig, Tri D. Pham, Serena L. Schleusner, David A. Rosen, Yang Liu
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Publication number: 20250035823Abstract: An optical construction includes a lens film having an outermost structured first major surface and an opposing outermost substantially planar second major surface. The first major surface includes a plurality of microlenses. A radiation cured optically opaque mask layer is disposed on the second major surface of the lens film. The mask layer has an average thickness of less than about 10 microns and defines a plurality of laser-ablated through openings therein. The through openings are aligned to the microlenses in a one-to-one correspondence, such that for a light incident on the structured first major surface along an incident direction forming an incident angle with the second major surface, an optical transmittance of the optical construction as a function of a transmitted angle includes a first transmitted peak having a first peak transmittance T1?40%. The first transmitted peak can be within about 10 degrees of the incident angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2022Publication date: January 30, 2025Inventors: Kundapur Raveesh Shenoy, Tri D. Pham, Charles J. Studiner, Zhaohui Yang, Martin E. Denker, Neeraj Sharma, Jung-Sheng Wu
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Patent number: 12201005Abstract: An optical system includes an optical film curved about a first axis and a light control film curved about the first axis. The light control film can be disposed between a light source and the optical film. The optical film includes a microstructured first major surface and an opposing second major surface. The microstructured first major surface defines a linear Fresnel lens including a plurality of Fresnel elements extending longitudinally along the first axis. The first major surface of the optical film faces the light control film. The light control film can include a plurality of alternating optically transmissive and optically absorptive regions extending longitudinally along the first axis such that in a cross-section orthogonal to the first axis, for at least a majority of the optically transmissive regions, a centerline between adjacent optically absorptive regions is substantially normal to a major surface of the light control film.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2024Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Tao Liu, Gary T. Boyd, Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Owen M. Anderson, Tri D. Pham, Encai Hao, Shu-Ching Fan
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Patent number: 12164120Abstract: An optical film (210) includes a microstructured surface (211) comprising a plurality of prismatic structures (230), the microstructured surface (211) defining a reference plane (241-242) and a thickness direction (243) perpendicular to the reference plane; wherein the plurality of prismatic structures includes a plurality of facets (231), each facet having a facet normal direction forming a polar angle with respect to the thickness direction and an azimuthal angle along the reference plane, and wherein the microstructured surface has a surface azimuthal distribution of the plurality of facets that is substantially uniform, and wherein the microstructured surface has a surface polar distribution of the plurality of facets that has an off-axis peak polar distribution.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Kristopher J. Derks, Tri D. Pham, Kenneth A. Epstein, David J. Lamb
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Publication number: 20240329415Abstract: A light control film includes opposing substantially planar substantially parallel first and second major surfaces spaced apart along a thickness direction of the light control film by less than about 500 microns; and a plurality of substantially parallel optically transparent polymeric columns disposed in, and substantially surrounded by, a light absorbing polymeric material. Each of the polymeric columns has a first column end at the first major surface and an opposite second column end at the second major surface and has an aspect ratio of greater than about 3, such that the first column ends of at least one pair of adjacent polymeric columns include substantially parallel substantially straight sides facing, and substantially coextensive with, each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2022Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Li Yu, Garth V. Antila, Michael R. Berrigan, Andrew C. Clausen, William T. Fay, Timothy J. Lindquist, Tri D. Pham, Samuel E. Marmon, Zhaohui Yang, Steven H. Kong
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Publication number: 20240276851Abstract: An optical system includes an optical film curved about a first axis and a light control film curved about the first axis. The light control film can be disposed between a light source and the optical film. The optical film includes a microstructured first major surface and an opposing second major surface. The microstructured first major surface defines a linear Fresnel lens including a plurality of Fresnel elements extending longitudinally along the first axis. The first major surface of the optical film faces the light control film. The light control film can include a plurality of alternating optically transmissive and optically absorptive regions extending longitudinally along the first axis such that in a cross-section orthogonal to the first axis, for at least a majority of the optically transmissive regions, a centerline between adjacent optically absorptive regions is substantially normal to a major surface of the light control film.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2024Publication date: August 15, 2024Inventors: Tao Liu, Gary T. Boyd, Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Owen M. Anderson, Tri D. Pham, Encai Hao, Shu-Ching Fan
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Publication number: 20240256088Abstract: A display system for sensing a finger of a user applied to the display system includes a display panel; a sensor for sensing the finger; a sensing light source configured to emit a first light having a first wavelength W1; and a reflective polarizer disposed between the display panel and the sensor. For a substantially normally incident light, an optical transmittance of the reflective polarizer versus wavelength for a first polarization state has a band edge such that for a first wavelength range extending from a smaller wavelength L1 to a greater wavelength L2 and including W1, where 30 nm?L2?L1?50 nm and L1 is greater than and within about 20 nm of a wavelength L3 corresponding to an optical transmittance of about 50% along the band edge, the optical transmittance has an average of greater than about 75%.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2024Publication date: August 1, 2024Inventors: Bharat R. Acharya, Robert D. Taylor, Joseph P. Attard, Benjamin J. Forsythe, David T. Yust, Matthew E. Sousa, Jason S. Petaja, Anthony M. Renstrom, William Blake Kolb, Matthew S. Cole, Matthew S. Stay, Matthew R.D. Smith, Jeremy O. Swanson, Tri D. Pham, David A. Rosen, Qunyi Chen, Lisa A. DeNicola, Quinn D. Sanford, Carl A. Stover, Lin Zhao, Gilles J. Benoit