Patents by Inventor Yuval Gerson

Yuval Gerson 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: 11977259
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device (20, 50) includes a planar substrate (30), an optical bus (40, 82, 84, 96, 140, 150, 180, 182, 224) disposed on the substrate and configured to convey coherent radiation through the bus, and an array (32, 72) of sensing cells (34, 74, 90, 160, 170, 200, 212, 380) disposed on the substrate. Each sensing cell includes at least one tap (92, 94, 144, 146, 226, 228) coupled to extract a portion of the coherent radiation propagating through the optical bus, an optical transducer (36, 108, 162, 172, 202, 204, 214) configured to couple optical radiation between the sensing cell and a target external to the substrate, and a receiver (114, 174, 178, 216, 218), which is coupled to mix the coherent radiation extracted by the tap with the optical radiation received by the optical transducer and to output an electrical signal responsively to the mixed radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: LYTE AI, INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Yuval Gerson, Alexander Shpunt
  • Publication number: 20240069285
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device (20, 50) includes a planar substrate (30), an optical bus (40, 82, 84, 96, 140, 150, 180, 182, 224) disposed on the substrate and configured to convey coherent radiation through the bus, and an array (32, 72) of sensing cells (34, 74, 90, 160, 170, 200, 212, 380) disposed on the substrate. Each sensing cell includes at least one tap (92, 94, 144, 146, 226, 228) coupled to extract a portion of the coherent radiation propagating through the optical bus, an optical transducer (36, 108, 162, 172, 202, 204, 214) configured to couple optical radiation between the sensing cell and a target external to the substrate, and a receiver (114, 174, 178, 216, 218), which is coupled to mix the coherent radiation extracted by the tap with the optical radiation received by the optical transducer and to output an electrical signal responsively to the mixed radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Yuval Gerson, Alexander Shpunt
  • Patent number: 11875714
    Abstract: A display system may display image frames. The system may include a scanning mirror and an array of staggered light emitting elements. The light emitting elements may emit image light and collimating optics may direct the light at the scanning mirror, which reflects the image light while rotating about an axis. Control circuitry may selectively activate the light emitting elements across tangential and sagittal axes of the image frame while controlling the scanning mirror to scan across the sagittal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Robert S. Upton, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11815677
    Abstract: Image projection apparatus includes an image generating assembly, which is configured to project a sequence of line images extending in a first direction. A scanning mirror is positioned to receive and to reflect the line images while rotating about a mirror axis parallel to the first direction. A pupil expander has an edge positioned to receive the line images reflected by the scanning mirror and a face extending in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction and to the edge, and which is configured to direct simultaneously through the face multiple, parallel replicas of the expanded line images arrayed along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Alexander Shpunt, Robert S. Upton, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11719927
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a mirror tilt actuator include a chassis, one or more magnetic yoke structures affixed to the chassis, and a carriage moveably mounted to the chassis. In some embodiments, the chassis includes an indentation for affixing one or more magnetic yoke structures, and the chassis further includes one or more bearing receivers for mounting a mirror carriage. In some embodiments, the carriage includes one or more bearing members. In some embodiments, the one or more bearing members rest in one or more respective bearing receivers of the chassis. In some embodiments, the one or more edge members terminate in one or more curved leading edge faces. Some embodiments further include a magnet fixedly mounted to the carriage, a magnetic coil wrapped around a coil shaft mounted to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11604347
    Abstract: A scanning device includes a planar scanning mirror disposed within a frame and having a reflective upper surface. A pair of flexures have respective first ends connected to the frame and respective second ends connected to the mirror at opposing ends of a rotational axis of the mirror. A rotor including a permanent magnet is disposed on the lower surface of the mirror. A stator includes first and second cores disposed in proximity to the rotor on opposing first and second sides of the rotational axis and first and second coils of wire wound respectively on the cores. A drive circuit drives the first and second coils with respective electrical currents including a first component selected so as to control a transverse displacement of the mirror and a second component selected so as to control a rotation of the mirror about the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Noel Axelrod, Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11550038
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transmitter, which emits a beam of optical radiation, and a receiver, which includes a detector configured to output a signal in response to the optical radiation. An active area of the detector has a first dimension along a first axis and a second dimension, which is less than the first dimension, along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. An anamorphic lens, which collects and focuses the optical radiation onto the active area of the detector, has a first focal length in a first plane containing the first axis and a second focal length, greater than the first focal length, in a second plane containing the second axis. A scanner scans the beam across a target scene in a scan direction that is aligned with the first axis, and directs the optical radiation that is reflected from the target scene toward the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Robert S. Upton, Alexander Shpunt, Andrew J. Sutton, Chandra S. Kakani, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11237332
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an optically transparent slab waveguide including first and second, mutually-parallel planar faces and an edge non-parallel to the planar faces. A radiation source directs a beam of optical radiation to enter the waveguide through the first planar face at an entrance location and entrance angle selected so that the beam subsequently exits the waveguide at an exit location in a surface selected from among the second planar face and the edge. A scanning mirror is positioned to receive the beam that has exited through the surface and to reflect the beam back through the surface into the waveguide while the scanning mirror rotates about an axis parallel to the surface over a range of angles selected so as to cause the beam, after reflection back into the waveguide through the surface, to propagate within the waveguide by total internal reflection (TIR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Robert S. Upton, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 11056032
    Abstract: A display system may display image frames. The system may include multiple sets of laser dies. Each set of laser dies may emit a respective set of beams of light to a photonic integrated circuit. Each set of beams may include light in at least three wavelength ranges that include visible and/or infrared wavelengths. Channels in the photonic integrated circuit may receive the sets of beams with a first pitch and may emit the set of beams with a second pitch that is finer than the first pitch and at a given angular separation to tangential and sagittal axis scanning mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Robert S. Upton, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10985524
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a silicon substrate, with a silicon waveguide layer disposed over the silicon substrate and including an optical waveguide. One or more through-silicon vias (TSVs) extend through the silicon substrate and contact the silicon waveguide layer. A III-V base layer is disposed over the silicon waveguide layer, and an optical amplifier is disposed on the III-V base layer and optically coupled to the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Igal I. Bayn, Andrew J. Sutton, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Publication number: 20210048662
    Abstract: A scanning device includes a planar scanning mirror disposed within a frame and having a reflective upper surface. A pair of flexures have respective first ends connected to the frame and respective second ends connected to the mirror at opposing ends of a rotational axis of the mirror. A rotor including a permanent magnet is disposed on the lower surface of the mirror. A stator includes first and second cores disposed in proximity to the rotor on opposing first and second sides of the rotational axis and first and second coils of wire wound respectively on the cores. A drive circuit drives the first and second coils with respective electrical currents including a first component selected so as to control a transverse displacement of the mirror and a second component selected so as to control a rotation of the mirror about the rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Noel Axelrod, Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10908361
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving and position sensing in a comb-drive actuator includes a generator, a driver circuit, sensing circuitry, and signal processing circuitry. The generator is configured to apply a sensing-voltage to a first electrode of the comb-drive actuator. The driver circuit is configured to apply a drive-voltage to a second electrode of the comb-drive actuator, having an opposite polarity relative to the first electrode. The sensing circuitry is configured to measure at the second electrode a sensed-waveform resulting from the sensing-voltage applied to the first electrode. The signal processing circuitry is configured to estimate a position of the first electrode relative to the second electrode based on the sensed-waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Fluegel, Andrew J. Sutton, Bryce T Bradford, Yuval Gerson
  • Publication number: 20200355911
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a mirror tilt actuator include a chassis, one or more magnetic yoke structures affixed to the chassis, and a carriage moveably mounted to the chassis. In some embodiments, the chassis includes an indentation for affixing one or more magnetic yoke structures, and the chassis further includes one or more bearing receivers for mounting a mirror carriage. In some embodiments, the carriage includes one or more bearing members. In some embodiments, the one or more bearing members rest in one or more respective bearing receivers of the chassis. In some embodiments, the one or more edge members terminate in one or more curved leading edge faces. Some embodiments further include a magnet fixedly mounted to the carriage, a magnetic coil wrapped around a coil shaft mounted to the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10823955
    Abstract: An optical device includes a laser light source configured to emit a collimated beam of light, and a scanning mirror, which is configured to reflect and scan the beam of light over a predefined angular range. The optical device further includes a volume holographic grating (VHG), which is positioned to receive and reflect the collimated beam emitted by the laser light source toward the scanning mirror by Bragg reflection at a predefined Bragg-angle, while transmitting the beam reflected from the scanning mirror over a part of the angular range that is outside a cone containing the Bragg-angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Sutton, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10775612
    Abstract: Optical apparatus includes a shaft, which is configured to rotate about an axis of the shaft relative to a base. A mirror is fixed to the shaft so that the mirror rotates about the axis. A rotor including a permanent magnet is fixed to rotate with the shaft. A stator is configured to generate a magnetic field having a DC component in a vicinity of the rotor. A torsion spring, extending along the axis, has a first end that is attached to rotate with the shaft and a second end attached to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10768411
    Abstract: A scanning device includes a base containing one or more rotational bearings disposed along a gimbal axis. A gimbal includes a shaft that fits into the rotational bearings so that the gimbal rotates about the gimbal axis relative to the base. A mirror assembly includes a semiconductor substrate, which has been etched and coated to define a support, which is fixed to the gimbal, at least one mirror, contained within the support, and a connecting member connecting the at least one mirror to the support and defining at least one mirror axis, about which the at least one mirror rotates relative to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10739460
    Abstract: Apparatus for mapping includes an illumination assembly, which projects a line of radiation extending in a first direction across a scene. A detection assembly receives the radiation reflected from the scene within a sensing area that contains at least a part of the line of the radiation, and includes a linear array of detector elements and objective optics, which focus the reflected radiation from the sensing area onto the linear array. A scanning mirror scans the line of radiation and the sensing area together over the scene in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. Processing circuitry processes signals output by the detector elements in response to the received radiation in order to construct a three-dimensional (3D) map of an object in the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10725288
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a mirror tilt actuator include a chassis, one or more magnetic yoke structures affixed to the chassis, and a carriage moveably mounted to the chassis. In some embodiments, the chassis includes an indentation for affixing one or more magnetic yoke structures, and the chassis further includes one or more bearing receivers for mounting a mirror carriage. In some embodiments, the carriage includes one or more bearing members. In some embodiments, the one or more bearing members rest in one or more respective bearing receivers of the chassis. In some embodiments, the one or more edge members terminate in one or more curved leading edge faces. Some embodiments further include a magnet fixedly mounted to the carriage, a magnetic coil wrapped around a coil shaft mounted to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10644548
    Abstract: Scanning apparatus includes a rotor, including a permanent magnet, which is configured to rotate about an axis. A stator includes a magnetic core, which is configured to generate a static magnetic field in a vicinity of the rotor and defines an equilibrium angle of rotation of the rotor, at which the permanent magnet is aligned with the static component of the magnetic field. At least one coil is wound on the magnetic core so that when the coil driven with an AC electrical current at a selected frequency, the stator generate a time-alternating magnetic field, which causes the rotor to oscillate on the axis at the selected frequency about the equilibrium angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Noel Axelrod, Rashed Mahameed, Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
  • Patent number: 10634770
    Abstract: Optical systems that may, for example, be used in remote sensing systems, for example in systems that implement combining laser pulse transmission in LiDAR and that include dual transmit and receive systems. A dual receiver system may include a receiver including an optical system with a relatively small aperture and wide field of view for capturing reflected light from short-range (e.g., <20 meters) objects, and a receiver that includes an optical system with a relatively large aperture and small field of view for capturing reflected light from long-range (e.g., >20 meters) objects. The optical systems may refract the reflected light to photodetectors (e.g., single photo-avalanche detectors (SPADs)) that capture the light. Light captured at the photodetectors may, for example, be used to determine range information for objects or surfaces in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chandra S. Kakani, Alexander Shpunt, Mina A. Rezk, Robert S. Upton, Yuval Gerson