Using A Hologram As An Optical Element Patents (Class 359/15)
  • Patent number: 12189229
    Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element, an image display apparatus, and a head mounted display where occurrence of a ghost in a head mounted display such as VR glasses can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yonemoto, Masaaki Suzuki, Koji Iijima, Hiroshi Sato, Ayato Sekine
  • Patent number: 12181122
    Abstract: A holographic lighting device for vehicles with a light source for emitting light and with an optical unit containing a hologram element which is set up in such a way that a hologram image is generated in a given field of view. In the hologram element, such hologram information is inserted that by changing a viewing angle from a center position of the viewer, in which the viewer is arranged vertically to a surface of the hologram element, in the direction of a lateral boundary position of the viewer in which a boundary of the field of view is reached, at least in some areas, a distance between the generated hologram image and the hologram image in the center position is increased or is rotated by a vertical and/or horizontal axis, and/or a brightness of the hologram image is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Carsten Hohmann, Martin Muegge
  • Patent number: 12165682
    Abstract: A method of writing data to a transparent substrate comprises forming a first voxel by focusing a first laser pulse on a first location in a transparent substrate; and forming a second voxel by focusing a second laser pulse on a second location in the transparent substrate. The first laser pulse and the second laser pulse have different amplitudes, resulting in the first and second voxels having different strengths. Also provided are a system useful for implementing the method; an optical data storage medium obtainable by the method; and a method of reading data from the optical data storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Torsten Dr Winkler, Rokas Drevinskas, Ariel Gomez Diaz, Charles Ernest Whittaker, Timothy John Deegan, James Hilton Clegg, Daniel Jonathan Finchley Cletheroe, Hugh David Paul Williams, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Richard John Black, Masaaki Sakakura, Teodora Ilieva, Bridgette Rosanna Doris Cooper, Ioan Alexandru Stefanovici, Erika Blancada Aranas, Pablo Rafael Andreas Wilke Berenguer
  • Patent number: 12150028
    Abstract: A system including a processor and memory may provide for automated support communications, such as communications with individuals who need assistance. Automated communications may use one or more factors to determine how to adjust communications according to the needs of a user. For example, automated communications may be adjusted based on, e.g., a keyword used by a user in the user's communications, or a location associated with the user's mobile device or user vehicle. Automated communications may be adjusted in timing, frequency, or content. One or more external events (e.g., phone call, dispatch request, additional automated communication) may be triggered based on the automated communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Wilton Hunt, III, Bret M. McDermitt, Anna Reifman
  • Patent number: 12078821
    Abstract: An optical product can be configured to be an anti-counterfeit feature such as a patch, a window, or a thread on a banknote. The optical product can be configured, when illuminated, to reproduce by reflected or refracted light, a 3D image of at least a part of a 3D object. The optical product can include a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface can include a plurality of portions. Each portion can correspond to a point on a surface of the 3D object. Each portion can include features corresponding to non-holographic elements on the optical product. A gradient in the features can correlate to an inclination of the surface of the 3D object at the corresponding point. An orientation of the features can correlate to an orientation of the surface of the 3D object at the corresponding point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: WAVEFRONT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Chapman Rich, Phillip Christopher Harvey, Joel Mikael Petersen
  • Patent number: 12078815
    Abstract: A lens may include optically anisotropic molecules arranged in helical structures. The lens may include a first portion, a second portion located around the first portion, and a third portion located around the second portion. The first portion may include a first helical structure having a first helical pitch. The second portion may include a second helical structure having a second helical pitch distinct from the first helical pitch. The third portion may include a third helical structure having a third helical pitch distinct from the first helical pitch and the second helical pitch. The second helical pitch may have a length that is between a length of the first helical pitch and a length of the third helical pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Charles McEldowney, Lu Lu, Babak Amirsolaimani
  • Patent number: 12066648
    Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes a first polarization hologram element configured to operate as a half-wave plate for a first light having a first wavelength, and as a full-wave plate for a second light having a second wavelength. The device also includes a second polarization hologram element stacked with the first polarization hologram, and configured to operate as the half-wave plate for the second light and as the full-wave plate for the first light. The first polarization hologram element is configured to forwardly diffract or transmit the first light depending on a handedness of the first light. The second polarization hologram element is configured to forwardly diffract or transmit the second light depending on a handedness of the second light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Hsien-Hui Cheng, Junren Wang, Mengfei Wang
  • Patent number: 12061411
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining surface defects of an object under study. A photographic tool is employed to produce real-time blending of a series of images of a static object where each of the individual images are illuminated under a different lighting condition with respect to the static object. The achieved effect is similar to what is experienced when looking at a painted surface from different perspectives in order to see if there are any imperfections. For example, in the case of automotive photography, paint problems, sheen differences, scratches, dents, and small dings may only be visible when the vehicle is lit from a specific or correct angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Inventor: Davo Scheich
  • Patent number: 12056965
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to computing platforms that apply augmented reality techniques for vehicle diagnostics. A computing platform may receive images of a vehicle. By applying image recognition and machine learning algorithms to the images of the vehicle, the computing platform may identify the vehicle. The computing platform may identify schematics corresponding to the vehicle. Using the schematics, the computing platform may generate x-ray image information corresponding to the vehicle. The computing platform may send the images, the x-ray image information, and commands directing an enterprise user device to display an x-ray image, which may cause the enterprise user device to: modify the images of the vehicle based on the x-ray image information, and display an x-ray vehicle interface depicting a portion of the vehicle that: is not visible in the images, but would be visible if an exterior portion of the vehicle was displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventor: Clint J. Marlow
  • Patent number: 12055742
    Abstract: A polarization diffraction element comprising including a film including a liquid crystalline material having photosensitivity, the film having at least one hologram recorded therein, and thereby having a property as a fork-shaped polarization grating having an anisotropic structure in which an optical axis continuously rotates toward a direction of a grating vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignees: HAYASHI TELEMPU CORPORATION, NAGAOKA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF HYOGO
    Inventors: Takeya Sakai, Moritsugu Sakamoto, Hiroshi Ono, Nobuhiro Kawatsuki
  • Patent number: 12055714
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a compact head-up display device. The head-up display device of the present invention includes an image forming unit that emits image light containing image information, and an eyepiece optical system that displays a virtual image by reflecting the image light, in which the eyepiece optical system includes a concave lens, a free curved surface lens, and a free curved surface concave mirror disposed in order from the image forming unit side along the emission direction of the image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignees: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Yatsu, Koji Hirata, Shigeki Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11988854
    Abstract: A holographic skew mirror has a reflective axis, or skew axis, that can be tilted with respect to its surface normal. Tilting the skew axis in two dimensions with respect to the surface normal expands the holographic skew mirror's possible field of view, e.g., to 60 or more. These additional angles can be accessed using an out-of-plane writing geometry with matched total internal grazing extension rotation (TIGER) prisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Akonia Holographics LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Ayres, Adam Urness, Kenneth E. Anderson, Friso Schlottau
  • Patent number: 11982818
    Abstract: Augmented reality glasses can include a first laser, a second laser, and a scanning mirror. The augmented reality glasses can also include a first polarization selective reflector and a second polarization selective reflector. The first polarization selective reflector is arranged to receive light from the first laser and reflect light received from the first laser at a first angle to the scanning mirror, and the second polarization selective reflector is arranged to receive light from the second laser and reflect light received from the second laser at a second angle to the scanning mirror. The augmented reality glasses can also have an eyepiece having an input coupling port arranged to receive light reflected by the scanning mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Barak Freedman, Asaf Pellman, Ori Weinstein
  • Patent number: 11967989
    Abstract: An optical communications transmitter for use in free space communication from the transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter including a light input and an optical fiber array for directing the light input. The optical communications transmitter further includes an optical phased array for receiving the light input from the optical fiber array and transmitting a light output, the optical phased array being configured for modifying a relative phase of the light input such that the light output exhibits a predetermined far-field intensity pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BridgeComm, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Searcy, Barry A. Matsumori
  • Patent number: 11953856
    Abstract: Provided is a holographic display apparatus including: a spatial light modulator that modulates a wavefront of a reference beam to form a hologram image; an optical element arranged to change a position of a viewing window of the hologram image off-axis by a first angle; and an image processor that generates hologram data according to the position of the viewing window of the hologram image and a hologram image to be reproduced, and provides the hologram data to the spatial light modulator. The hologram image formed by the spatial light modulator is viewable from a side of the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hoon Song, Dukho Lee, Jong-Young Hong, Hongseok Lee, Chilsung Choi
  • Patent number: 11935267
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device (HMD) configured to be worn by a user is provided. The HMD comprises an at least partially see-through display, a front-facing camera operative to capture a first image of a real-world scene, and processing means which is operative to select a calibration object from one or more real-world objects, or parts thereof, which are visible in the first image, and derive a calibration transformation for calculating a display position based on a real-world position, such that a virtual object which is displayed on the display at the display position is aligned with a corresponding real-world object located at the real-world position, as seen by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: José Araújo, Soma Tayamon
  • Patent number: 11927758
    Abstract: A display system includes a wearable eyewear arrangement with a projector for propagating display light associated with an image and a waveguide for propagating the display light to an eye box. The waveguide includes volume Bragg gratings (VBGs), which may be in groups of three or more gratings with same horizontal period allowing each color to be coupled out from the waveguide by the same type of grating, thus, at the same angle, reducing or eliminating image blurriness and ghost images while allowing a smaller size waveguide. A 100% reflective mirror or mirror array is used for broad spectrum reflection into the waveguide for light input. Selection of two or more wavelengths for each color at the projector provides spectral response matching to the waveguide allowing wider field of view (FOV) coverage for the entire wavelength spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Wai Sze Tiffany Lam, Wanli Chi, Dominic Meiser, Yang Yang, Ningfeng Huang
  • Patent number: 11924956
    Abstract: An apparatus for measurement of Thomson scattering signals from a plasma includes a light emitting device, configured to emit a light beam into the plasma, along an axis. In addition, the apparatus includes a collector configured to collect the Thomson scattering from the plasma at an angle less than 90 degrees from the axis of the light beam. Further, the apparatus includes a sensor assembly to detect the Thomson scattering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Richard B. Miles, Christopher Limbach, Alexandros Gerakis
  • Patent number: 11906773
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a diffraction light guide plate including: a light guide unit; an input diffraction optical element configured to diffract light which is outputted from a light source and inputted to the input diffraction optical element, to guide the inputted light on the light guide unit; and two diffraction optical elements configured to receive the diffracted light from the input diffraction optical element and one-dimensionally expand the received light by diffraction, wherein each of the two diffraction optical elements receives the expanded light from the other of the diffraction optical elements and outputs the received light from the light guide unit by the diffraction, and there is no region where the two diffraction optical elements overlap each other on the light guide unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Seong Min Park, Jeong Ho Park, Sang Choll Han, Bu Gon Shin
  • Patent number: 11835746
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing coherent diffraction in an optical device are disclosed. An optical device may include a grating medium with a first hologram having a first grating frequency. A second hologram at least partially overlapping the first hologram may be provided in the grating medium. The second hologram may have a second grating frequency that is different from the first grating frequency. The first and second holograms may be pair-wise coherent with each other. A manufacturing system may be provided that writes the pair-wise coherent holograms in a grating medium using a signal beam and a reference beam. Periscopes may redirect portions of the signal and reference beams towards a partial reflector, which combines the beams and provides the combined beam to a detector. A controller may adjust an effective path length difference between the signal and reference beams based on a measured interference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Akonia Holographics LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Ayres, Adam Urness, Kenneth E. Anderson, Friso Schlottau
  • Patent number: 11822078
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted display may have a display system that produces images. The display system may have one or more pixel arrays (26-1, 26-2) such as liquid-crystal-on-silicon pixel arrays. Images from the display system may be coupled into a waveguide (116) by an input coupler system (114X, 114Y) and may be coupled out of the waveguide in multiple image planes using an output coupler system (120X, 120Y). The input and output coupler systems may include single couplers, stacks of couplers, and tiled arrays of couplers. Multiplexing techniques such as wavelength multiplexing, polarization multiplexing, time-division multiplexing, multiplexing with image light having different ranges of angular orientations, and/or tunable lens techniques may be used to present images to a user in multiple image planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hyungryul Choi, Eric J. Hansotte, Guolin Peng
  • Patent number: 11796881
    Abstract: A device includes a polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystal (“PS-BPLC”) layer. The device also includes an alignment structure coupled with the PS-BPLC layer. LC molecules disposed in contact with the alignment structure are configured to have a spatially varying in-plane orientation pattern that is at least partially defined by the alignment structure. The PS-BPLC layer is configured to forwardly deflect a polarized light having a predetermined handedness, and transmit a polarized light having a handedness that is orthogonal to the predetermined handedness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yuge Huang, Nicholas John Diorio, Jr., Lu Lu
  • Patent number: 11789273
    Abstract: A head worn imaging system includes a light source configured to generate a light beam. The system also includes a light guiding optical element having a thickness between 0.1 and 1.5 mm and configured to propagate at least a portion of the light beam by total internal reflection. The system further includes an entry portion and an exit portion of the light guiding optical element configured to selectively allow light addressing the exit portion to exit the light guiding optical element based on the angle of incidence of the light, the radius of curvature of the light and/or the wavelength of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventor: Pierre St. Hilaire
  • Patent number: 11784465
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser beam combining device includes at least two modular laser input equipments, a second diffraction grating, and an output coupler. The modular laser input equipment includes a semiconductor laser, a beam shaping component, a transformation lens, and a first diffraction grating arranged along an optical path in sequence. The semiconductor laser generates a beam. The semiconductor laser is located at a front focal point of the transformation lens. The first diffraction grating is located in front of a back focal point of the transformation lens. Each beam is gathered by the transformation lens and diffracted by the first diffraction grating to the second diffraction grating. Each beam is combined at an identical position and an identical diffraction angle on the second diffraction grating to generate a combined beam. The combined beam from the second diffraction grating enters the output coupler vertically and is outputted by the output coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI Suwtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashan Li, Yaping Zhao, Qian Zhang, Quan Zhou
  • Patent number: 11732860
    Abstract: With a simple configuration, a clear illumination area with suppressed blurring is formed, and a form such as position, shape, and size thereof is changed. Divergent light from a point light source is shaped by a collimating optical system and emitted to a hologram element. Since the point light source is arranged at a front focal position of the collimating optical system, the light emitted from the collimating optical system is emitted to the hologram element as parallel light, and diffracted light therefrom forms an illumination area at a predetermined position on an illumination target surface. A light scanning part rotating about a predetermined rotation axis is arranged between the point light source and the collimating optical system, and light incident on the collimating optical system is scanned. By this scanning, an incident angle of the parallel light incident on the hologram element changes, and the illumination area changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makio Kurashige, Shumpei Nishio
  • Patent number: 11693241
    Abstract: An optical system for transmitting a source image includes a light guide, which defines a light transmission channel, an optical coupling arrangement and an optical decoupling arrangement, the coupling arrangement being designed to couple light emerging from the source image into the light guide arrangement in such a way that the light can propagate in the light guide arrangement by total reflection, and the decoupling arrangement being designed to decouple light that has propagated in the light guide arrangement from the light guide arrangement. The light guide arrangement comprises an optical deflection device, which, as viewed in the direction of propagation of the light in the light guide arrangement, is arranged between the coupling arrangement and the decoupling arrangement and is designed to deflect light ray bundles, emerging from the coupling arrangement at different beam angles and impinging divergently on the deflection device, in bundled manner towards the decoupling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: tooz technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Hillenbrand, Hans-Juergen Dobschal, Artur Degen, Holger Muenz
  • Patent number: 11675114
    Abstract: A structured light projector for generating a far-field image of light dots in a defined pattern is proposed, where the structured light projector includes a light source providing as an output a non-collimated light beam and a specialized diffractive optical element disposed to intercept the non-collimated light beam. The specialized diffractive optical element is formed to exhibit a non-uniform pattern of grating features configured to compensate for the non-planar wavefront and phase retardation of the non-collimated output beam, providing as an output of the projector an interference pattern of light dots exhibiting the desired configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean Axel Edmond Teissier, Julien Boucart
  • Patent number: 11675194
    Abstract: Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer file to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lends around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens' applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens' and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Lloyd Frederick Holland, Matthew Bailey
  • Patent number: 11668935
    Abstract: A waveguide image combiner is used to transmit a monochrome or full-color image in an augmented reality display. The combiner uses multiple stacked substrates and multiple pairs of incoupling and outcouping VHOEs to expand a first FOV and an image expander to expand the second or perpendicular FOV. This suitably provides an expanded FOV that offers a diagonal FOV?50°, a horizontal FOV?40 and a vertical FOV?25°. The combiner also delivers a large horizontal eye box up to 20 mm and a vertical eye box of 10 mm while maintaining high light efficiency of the real scene (e.g. >80%). The system is able to use a light engine based on broadband (10 nm????40 nm) LEDs and maintain a large horizontal field of view and high transmission of the real imagery. The approach resolves issues with current embodiments including astigmatism, image overlap, color balance, and small light engine pupils leading to reduced eye boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Arkady Bablumyan, Erfan Fard
  • Patent number: 11639846
    Abstract: An optical dimensioning system includes one or more light emitting assemblies configured to project one or more predetermined patterns on an object; an imaging assembly configured to sense light scattered and/or reflected off the object, and to capture an image of the object while the patterns are projected; and a processing assembly configured to analyze the image of the object to determine one or more dimension parameters of the object. The light emitting assembly may include a single piece optical component configured for producing a first pattern and second pattern. The patterns may be distinguishable based on directional filtering, feature detection, feature shift detection, or the like. A method for optical dimensioning includes illuminating an object with at least two detectable patterns; and calculating dimensions of the object by analyzing pattern separate of the elements comprising the projected patterns. One or more pattern generators may produce the patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Tao Xian, Chen Feng, Paul Poloniewicz, Scott Bracken
  • Patent number: 11630306
    Abstract: A spectacle lens for smartglasses can include at least one light source arrangement at the edge of the spectacle lens that emits coherent light, or at least one region at the edge of the spectacle lens for coupling in light from a light source arrangement that emits coherent light, or at least one light source arrangement that is embedded in the spectacle lens. A transparent or partly transparent display can provided to the spectacle lens such that coherent light emanating from the light source arrangement emits coherent light passing through the display or is reflected by the display. The wavefront of the coherent light is modulable in terms of its amplitude and/or its phase by an actuation of the display. A deformation device for deforming the wavefront of the coherent light before or after the modulation by the display can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: tooz technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Hillenbrand, Norbert Kerwien
  • Patent number: 11630318
    Abstract: There is provided an optical element which includes a medium including a diffractive optical element (DOE). The medium is to receive a beam of light via a light guide. If the beam is incident upon the medium at an incidence angle within a first range of angles, the DOE is to direct a first portion of the beam out of the light guide along a second direction to form an outcoupled beam, and cause a second portion of the beam to propagate towards a surface of the light guide. Furthermore, if the incidence angle is within a second range of angles, the DOE is to split from the beam a third portion and a fourth portion each propagating towards the surface of the light guide. The third and fourth portions are to propagate along a third and a fourth direction respectively, which third direction is different than the fourth direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Shreyas Potnis, Timothy Paul Bodiya
  • Patent number: 11619817
    Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a pancake lens block. The pancake lens block includes a first waveplate to form first nonlinearly polarized light, a Fresnel surface to reflect and transmit a portion of the first nonlinearly polarized light, a second waveplate to form first linearly polarized light, and a linear reflective polarizer to transmit linear polarized light of a particular polarization rotation direction and to reflect light of other polarization rotation directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacques Gollier, Ying Geng, Brian Wheelwright, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11609476
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a light deflection device having a simple structure suitable for reducing the size and weight where a deflection angle can be increased. The object can be achieved with a light deflection device including: a light deflection element that deflects incident light in one direct to be emitted; a driving unit that drives the light deflection element; and a diffraction element that is disposed on a light emission side of the light deflection element in which a periodic structure pitch gradually changes from a center of deflection from the light deflection element toward an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukito Saitoh, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11609331
    Abstract: A frequency shift light modulator includes a resonator and a diffraction grating including a plurality of grooves arranged in parallel in a displacement direction of the resonator, and the diffraction grating is provided on the resonator. By providing the diffraction grating on the resonator, it is easy to realize miniaturization and increase in accuracy of the frequency shift light modulator. Further, it is easy to realize application to a high frequency region in a MHz band, that is, high frequency modulation. It is possible to efficiently obtain an effect based on a combination of the resonator and the diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventor: Kohei Yamada
  • Patent number: 11598632
    Abstract: An intra-oral optical scanning method for intra-oral optical scanning including projecting a pattern, the pattern including at least a first area illuminated by a first color of light and a second area illuminated by a second color of light and at least one non-illuminated area onto an intra-oral feature, making a first image of the first area, the second area and the non-illuminated area differentiating between the first color of light and the second color of light in the first image of the projected pattern, and determining from the image of the non-illuminated area at least one of an ambient light level, a level of scattered light, a level of light absorption and a level of light reflected from at least one of the first area and the second area. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: DENTLYTEC G.P.L. LTD.
    Inventors: Benny Pesach, Amitai Reuvenny, Dana Shemuly
  • Patent number: 11592525
    Abstract: A filter device for an optical sensor, including a hologram having a defined number of holographic functions, which are developed in such a way that the filter device blocks optical radiation that impinges upon the filter device from a defined first solid angle and optical radiation that impinges upon the filter device from a defined second solid angle is able to pass through the filter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Annette Frederiksen, Simone Hoeckh, Stefanie Hartmann
  • Patent number: 11585901
    Abstract: According to one aspect, an optical transceiver includes a substrate and a laser fixed to a first surface of the substrate, the laser generating output light for transmission along a transmission axis into a region. An optical detection element is fixed to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, the optical detection element receiving input light reflected from the region along a reception axis through an opening in the substrate between the first and second surfaces of the substrate, the transmission axis and the reception axis being substantially parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: VEONEER US, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Hansson, Emil Hallstig, Bernard De Mersseman
  • Patent number: 11526129
    Abstract: An interference structure having a nanovoided hologram material is described. The nanovoided hologram material may have an index of refraction difference of approximately 0.4. The interference structure may include about 10% to 90% nanovoids by volume. The interference structure may be formed using a mixture of a monomer, an initiator, and solvent. The mixture may be disposed on a substrate and irradiated with two sources of light spaced apart from each other and shining on the same region of the mixture to generate an interference pattern in the mixture, leading to the selective polymerization of regions of the mixture where there is constructive interference of light. Various other devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Qi Zhang
  • Patent number: 11526008
    Abstract: A head-up display and a multiview head-up display system provide a plurality of different views of a multiview image combined with a view of a physical environment to an eye box as a combined view. The head-up display includes a multibeam element-based display configured to provide the different views of the multiview image and an optical combiner configured to relay the different views to the eye box along with the view of the physical environment view. The multibeam element-based display includes an array of multibeam elements configured to provide a plurality of directional light beams having directions corresponding to respective view directions of the plurality of different views and an array of light valves configured to modulate the plurality of directional light beams to provide the multiview image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: LEIA INC.
    Inventor: David A. Fattal
  • Patent number: 11474352
    Abstract: A device includes a waveguide. The device also includes a plurality of grating sets coupled with the waveguide and configured to, during a plurality of time periods, couple a plurality of input image lights into the waveguide and couple the input image lights out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights. The plurality of input image lights have a substantially same input field of view (“FOV”) with a substantially same symmetry axis. A combined output FOV of the output image lights is larger than the input FOV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Giuseppe Calafiore, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Barry David Silverstein
  • Patent number: 11472554
    Abstract: An aircraft cabin assembly is depicted and described having a cabin wall, which surrounds a cabin interior space and has a wall surface facing the cabin interior space, and having a light source, which is provided in order to emit light onto the wall surface. The problem of providing an aircraft cabin assembly which, irrespective of the light outside of the aircraft cabin assembly, as effectively as possible gives a passenger in the cabin interior space the impression that the cabin interior space is larger than it actually is, is solved in that the wall surface has a holographic image of an object and in that the light source is designed to emit the kind of light onto the wall surface that allows the holographic image to be seen as a three-dimensional image of the object which is the subject of the holographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Lutzer
  • Patent number: 11467331
    Abstract: An optical device includes a display configured to generate an image light; and a waveguide optically coupled with the display and configured to guide the image light to an exit pupil of the optical device. The waveguide includes an in-coupling element configured to couple the image light into the waveguide, and an out-coupling element configured to decouple the image light out of the waveguide. The out-coupling element includes a grating having a diffraction efficiency gradient along a predetermined direction at a plane of the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yun-Han Lee, Lu Lu, Mengfei Wang, Fenglin Peng, Junren Wang, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Yingfei Jiang, Babak Amirsolaimani, Scott Charles Mceldowney
  • Patent number: 11461890
    Abstract: A system for capturing VIN numbers and vehicles images to track vehicle damage through vehicle supply chains which includes a mobile software application and/or robot(s) which moves autonomously around parking lots. The mobile application can direct the user to capture VIN images and/or vehicle images from certain views and collect GPS positions of the same and the robot includes various cameras and sensors to identify vehicles and take pictures of them. All of the captured images of vehicles are sent to a central server/storage where the vehicle images can be checked for damage as compared to locations so that it can be determined who was in possession of the vehicle when damage occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Fulpruf Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Richard T. Megherby, Tyler Crain, Aleksander V. Tropp, Michael T. McClure, Emily S. Yale, Domenico Marco Di Donna
  • Patent number: 11460628
    Abstract: A waveguide display system may include an eyepiece waveguide that can have a first surface and a second surface, the waveguide including an incoupling diffractive optical element (DOE) and an outcoupling DOE. The waveguide display system may include a light source and a scanning mirror, and may include reflective and collimating optical elements. The incoupling DOE can be configured to selectively propagate incident light beams to the outcoupling DOE in the waveguide through total internal reflection (TIR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Steven Alexander-Boyd Hickman, Charles David Melville, Samuel Scott Frank
  • Patent number: 11449146
    Abstract: The interactive holographic human-computer interface (H2CI) includes a local system in communication with an external system, and a holographic display unit for constructing and displaying one or more holograms. The one or more holograms emits electromagnetic radiation. The interface further includes a motion detector for detecting motion, type of motion, dwell time, and location of a physical command object relative to the displayed hologram, and sensors on the external system to determine the location of two or more physical objects relative to each other. Emission and detection by the one or more displayed holograms of electromagnetic radiation is used to simulate electrical, vibration, or other physical phenomena characteristic of the physical objects represented by the one or more displayed holograms. The emitted electromagnetic radiation is converted into a command signal when the electromagnetic radiation is detected by another hologram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventor: Wayne Patrick O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11448880
    Abstract: A light guide unit forms an optical path to guide a display light emitted from a display unit toward a projection portion. The light guide unit includes a negative optical element and a positive optical element. The negative optical element is placed on the optical path and has a negative optical power. The positive optical element is placed on the optical path and is closer to the projection portion than the negative optical element. The positive optical element has a positive optical power. The positive optical element is a diffractive optical element having a diffractive structure configured to diffract the display light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Onda, Hiroshi Ando
  • Patent number: 11442279
    Abstract: A glasses-type device can include a display part configured to emit image light serving as an image source of a virtual image; a diffraction element configured to reflect and diffract the image light at a predetermined angle; and a first holographic optical element disposed on at least a portion of glass of the glasses-type device, in which the first holographic optical element is configured to cancel dispersion of the image light that is reflected and diffracted by the diffraction element, and reflect the light in which dispersion is canceled to display a virtual image corresponding to the image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seungyong Shin, Changkyu Hwang, Seungsu Yang, Hwi Kim, Sangyoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11440136
    Abstract: A method and a laser assemblage are described for material processing, such that in a laser assemblage, a laser beam is focused onto a processing/imaging plane and the laser beam can be adapted in terms of its intensity distribution by way of at least one beam shaper. Provision is made in this context that in order to avoid uniformity defects in the processing/imaging plane, the laser beam is split by way of at least one beam splitter into at least two partial or individual beams, and the partial or individual beams are differently influenced, or each partial or individual beam is constituted from a laser source having a different wavelength, in such a way that after they are combined and focused onto the processing/imaging plane they form an output beam having an intensity profile, adjacent intensity maxima of the intensity profile differing in terms of their light properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Gauch, Dmitriy Mikhaylov, Tobias Graf
  • Patent number: 11442306
    Abstract: An optical display system includes an information display (image-generating) component, a polarization rotator, a polarization dependent optical element, an input holographic coupler, a light guide and an output holographic coupler. By controlling the polarization of the displayed light through the polarization rotator, the polarization dependent optical element changes the viewable content to different distances from the viewer. This enables the generation of a proper light field which will then be coupled into the light guide through the input holographic coupler, and finally go through the output holographic coupler to a user's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc
    Inventors: Yun-han Lee, Fenglin Peng, Guanjun Tan, Yishi Weng, Shin-Tson Wu