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).
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Patent number: 9835853Abstract: A scanning device includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis. A first mirror, which has a first area, is mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate about a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis. A second mirror, which has a second area that is at least twice the first area, is also mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate about a third axis, which is parallel to the second axis, in synchronization with the first mirror.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Noel Axelrod, Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
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Patent number: 9810258Abstract: A mechanical device includes a long, narrow element made of a rigid, elastic material. A rigid frame is configured to anchor at least one end of the element, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the element between the beam and the frame, so that the element is free to move within the gap. A solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, fills at least a part of the gap between the element and the frame so as to permit a first mode of movement of the element within the gap while inhibiting a different, second mode of movement.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
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Patent number: 9798135Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 16, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
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Patent number: 9784838Abstract: A scanning device includes a scanner, which includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis. A receive mirror is mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate about a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis. A detector is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis and receive light reflected from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis. A collection lens is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis while collecting the light so as to focus the light onto the detector by reflection from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Noel Axelrod, Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170285325Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170276931Abstract: A scanning device includes a substrate, which is etched to define an array of two or more parallel rotating members and a gimbal surrounding the rotating members. First hinges connect the gimbal to the substrate and defining a first axis of rotation, about which the gimbal rotates relative to the substrate. Second hinges connect the rotating members to the support and defining respective second, mutually-parallel axes of rotation of the rotating members relative to the support, which are not parallel to the first axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Inventors: Yuval Gerson, Naftali Chayat, Noel Axelrod, Alexander Shpunt
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Patent number: 9715107Abstract: A scanning device includes a substrate, which is etched to define an array of two or more parallel rotating members and a gimbal surrounding the rotating members. First hinges connect the gimbal to the substrate and defining a first axis of rotation, about which the gimbal rotates relative to the substrate. Second hinges connect the rotating members to the support and defining respective second, mutually-parallel axes of rotation of the rotating members relative to the support, which are not parallel to the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Yuval Gerson, Naftali Chayat, Noel Axelrod, Alexander Shpunt
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Patent number: 9703096Abstract: A mirror assembly includes a frame having a central opening and a mirror plate, which is contained within the central opening of the frame and is shaped to define separate first and second mirrors connected by a bridge extending between the first and second mirrors. A pair of hinges are connected between the frame and the mirror plate at locations on the central axis on opposing sides of the frame so as to enable rotation of the mirror plate about the central axis relative to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170176596Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2017Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170153445Abstract: A scanning device includes a frame, having a central opening, and an array including a plurality of parallel mirrors contained within the central opening of the frame. Hinges respectively connect the mirrors to the frame and define respective, mutually-parallel axes of rotation of the mirrors relative to the frame. A main drive applies a driving force to the array so as to drive an oscillation of the mirrors about the hinges at a resonant frequency of the array. A sensor is configured to detect a discrepancy in a synchronization of the oscillation among the mirrors in the array, and an adjustment circuit applies a corrective signal to at least one of the mirrors in order to alleviate the detected discrepancy.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2015Publication date: June 1, 2017Inventors: Yuval Gerson, Alexander Shpunt
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Publication number: 20170152887Abstract: A mechanical device includes a long, narrow element made of a rigid, elastic material. A rigid frame is configured to anchor at least one end of the element, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the element between the beam and the frame, so that the element is free to move within the gap. A solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, fills at least a part of the gap between the element and the frame so as to permit a first mode of movement of the element within the gap while inhibiting a different, second mode of movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2016Publication date: June 1, 2017Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170097407Abstract: A scanning device includes a scanner, which includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis of rotation. A transmit mirror and at least one receive mirror are mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate in mutual synchronization about respective second axes, which are parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first axis. A transmitter emits a beam including pulses of light toward the transmit mirror, which reflects the beam so that the scanner scans the beam over a scene. A receiver receives, by reflection from the at least one receive mirror, the light reflected from the scene and generates an output indicative of the time of flight of the pulses to and from points in the scene.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2016Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson, Naftali Chayat, Noel Axelrod
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Publication number: 20170090184Abstract: A mirror assembly includes a frame having a central opening and a mirror plate, which is contained within the central opening of the frame and is shaped to define separate first and second mirrors connected by a bridge extending between the first and second mirrors. A pair of hinges are connected between the frame and the mirror plate at locations on the central axis on opposing sides of the frame so as to enable rotation of the mirror plate about the central axis relative to the frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20170090186Abstract: A scanning device includes a substrate, which is etched to define a recess in the substrate and to define the following structures contained in the recess: At least first and second mirrors are disposed along a common axis of rotation. Torsion hinges extend collinearly along the axis of rotation and connect the first and second mirrors to the substrate so that the first and second mirrors rotate on the torsion hinges about the axis of rotation. Rigid struts are disposed alongside the axis of rotation and connect the first mirror to the second mirror so that the struts rotate about the axis of rotation together with the first and second mirrors.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Yuval Gerson, Alexander Shpunt
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Patent number: 9546508Abstract: A mechanical device includes a long, narrow element made of a rigid, elastic material. A rigid frame is configured to anchor at least one end of the element, which is attached to the frame, and to define a gap running longitudinally along the element between the beam and the frame, so that the element is free to move within the gap. A solid filler material, different from the rigid, elastic material, fills at least a part of the gap between the element and the frame so as to permit a first mode of movement of the element within the gap while inhibiting a different, second mode of movement.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2015Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson
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Patent number: 9528830Abstract: A rotation sensing device is presented. The device comprises: a proof mass arrangement comprising at least one pair of proof masses spaced-apart from one another along a first axis; a suspension assembly comprising flexible suspension beams having a main axis deformable between their substantially straight and curved states, the suspension assembly coupling the proof masses to an anchor assembly, while allowing a drive-mode oscillatory movement of the proof masses at least along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the beams; and an actuation mechanism configured and operable to cause the drive-mode oscillatory movement of the proof masses in opposite directions along said second axis, thereby generating a sense-mode oscillatory movement of the proof masses during the rotation of the device about at least one rotation axis perpendicular to said second axis, said sense-mode movement being indicative of a rate of the rotation.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: RAMOT AT TEL-AVIV UNIVERSITY LTD.Inventors: Yuval Gerson, Viacheslav Krylov, Yotam Bar-On
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Patent number: 9482863Abstract: A method for fabrication of a device (206) from a wafer (170) of semiconductor material includes locally thinning the wafer in an area of the device to a predefined thickness by removing the semiconductor material from at least a first side of the wafer using a wet etching process, and etching through the thinned wafer in the area of the device so as to release a moving part (202) of the device. Other methods and systems for fabrication are also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2013Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Yuval Gerson, Alexander Shpunt
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Patent number: 9470503Abstract: Mechanical apparatus includes a base, a moving element, and a hinge, having a first end attached to the moving element. A supporting structure is attached to the base and to the second end of the hinge and has at least a component perpendicular to the hinge so as to translate rotation of the moving element about the hinge into elongation of the component, whereby the moving element rotates about the hinge relative to the base while the supporting structure is deformed as a result of the rotation of the moving element about the hinge. A strain-based rotation sensor is associated with the supporting structure and is configured to provide a signal indicative of the rotation of the moving element responsively to a strain induced due to deformation of the supporting structure as the result of the rotation of the moving element.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventor: Yuval Gerson
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Patent number: 9435638Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a substrate, which is etched to define an array of two or more parallel micromirrors and a support surrounding the micromirrors. Respective spindles connect the micromirrors to the support, thereby defining respective parallel axes of rotation of the micromirrors relative to the support. One or more flexible coupling members are connected to the micromirrors so as to synchronize an oscillation of the micromirrors about the respective axes.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Naftali Chayat, Yuval Gerson
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Publication number: 20160238834Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2015Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Raviv Erlich, Alexander Shpunt, Yuval Gerson