By Changing Physical Characteristics (e.g., Shape, Size Or Contours) Of An Optical Element Patents (Class 359/290)
  • Patent number: 9921404
    Abstract: A method for fabricating electronic displays comprises placing a fluoropolymer layer on a support plate for the electronic display device and etching the fluoropolymer layer. Etching changes a surface of the fluoropolymer layer so that the fluoropolymer layer becomes less hydrophobic. Pixel walls are formed on the hydrophilic surface of the fluoropolymer layer to form an array of electrowetting display elements. The fluoropolymer layer is subsequently immersed in a vapor or a liquid that is heated to heat the surface of the fluoropolymer layer. Such immersion allows the surface of the fluoropolymer layer to reflow and to become more hydrophobic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerben Boon
  • Patent number: 9910264
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to arrangements and techniques that provide for improving contact between spacers of a first substrate of an electrowetting display device and pixel walls of a second substrate of the electrowetting display device by providing an adhesive between the spacers and the pixel walls. An electrowetting display device comprises a first substrate including a plurality of pixel walls and a second substrate including a plurality of spacers. A first fluid is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate within the pixel walls. A second fluid is disposed on the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is immiscible with the second fluid. An adhesive couples the spacers to the pixel walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeroen Cornelis van der Gaag, Maurice Hendrikus Hubertinus Thijssen, Christian Etienne Hendriks
  • Patent number: 9910198
    Abstract: An optical filter includes a first multi-layer having a width W1 and including a first optical layer and a second optical layer that are made of materials different from each other and that are alternately laminated, the first optical layer having a refractive index nH and an average layer thickness dH, and the second optical layer having a refractive index nL lower than nH and an average layer thickness dL, a second multi-layer having a width W2 and including the first and the second optical layers alternately laminated, the first and the second multi-layers are included in each of unit structures arranged being shifted from each other by a shift amount D in a lamination direction of the first and the second optical layers, and predetermined conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kei Ueda
  • Patent number: 9903758
    Abstract: A spectral measurement device includes a light reflection grating having a plurality of movable gratings and a movable grating drive unit that displaces the movable gratings to alter a grating pattern of the light reflection grating, a light detecting element that detects light incident on the light reflection grating, a storage unit storing a relationship between a light quantity to be detected by the light detecting element and corresponding light intensities at differing wavelengths for different grating patterns, and a computation unit that calculates light intensities at the differing wavelengths of the light incident on the light reflection grating based on the light quantity of the incident light detected by the light detecting element for each of the different grating patterns by altering the grating pattern based on the relationship between the light quantity and the corresponding light intensities for the different grating patterns stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Azumi, Hidetaka Noguchi, Hidenori Kato, Masashi Suematsu, Masayuki Fujishima
  • Patent number: 9891461
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. The display panel comprises a base substrate, an opposite substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a plurality of original sub-pixels on at least part of which conversion sub-pixels are provided, and an upper water layer is provided on each of the conversion sub-pixels. The conversion sub-pixel is configured to, when an electric field is generated between the first and second electrodes, shrink to one side of the original sub-pixel so that the upper water layer covers the original sub-pixel from above, and, when no electric field is generated between the first and second electrodes, cover the original sub-pixel located under the conversion sub-pixel from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haifeng Zhou, Zhuo Zhang, Xuelan Wang
  • Patent number: 9880192
    Abstract: A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device includes a sensing element, and a proof mass over and overlapping at least a portion of the sensing element. The proof mass is configured to be movable toward the sensing element. A protection region is formed between the sensing element and the proof mass. The protection region overlaps a first portion of the sensing element, and does not overlap a second portion of the sensing element, wherein the first and the second portions overlap the proof mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shyh-Wei Cheng, Yu-Ting Hsu, Hsi-Cheng Hsu, Chih-Yu Wang, Jui-Chun Weng, Che-Jung Chu
  • Patent number: 9865200
    Abstract: A system and method of driving an electrowetting display device including a plurality of sub-pixels are presented. A target reflectance value for a sub-pixel in the plurality of sub-pixels is determined. A reflectance value of the sub-pixel is set to the target reflectance value by setting the reflectance value of the sub-pixel to a first reflectance value greater than a threshold value, and setting the reflectance value of the sub-pixel to the target reflectance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Petrus Maria de Greef
  • Patent number: 9856133
    Abstract: A sensor which measures parameters such as acceleration, rotation and magnetic field comprises a substrate defining a plane and at least one sensing plate suspended above the substrate for movement in a sensing direction orthogonal to the substrate plane. A detection arm suspended above the substrate is rotational about an axis parallel to the substrate plane. An out-of-plane coupling structure couples the sensing plate to the detection arm for generating rotational movement of the detection arm, which is detected by a rotation detection structure. A pivot element arranged at a distance from the coupling structure facilitates tilting movement of the sensing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TRONICS MICROSYSTEMS S.A.
    Inventors: François-Xavier Boillot, Rémi Laoubi
  • Patent number: 9846128
    Abstract: An inspection system that may include a first detection module, an illumination and collection module, and a processor. The illumination and collection module and the first detection module may be configured to execute one or more illumination and collection iterations. Each inspection iteration may include: illuminating with illuminating radiation multiple points of an object; (ii) directing first collected radiation from the multiple points of the object through one or more first exit pupil regions towards the first detection module; and (iii) generating first detection signals that may be indicative of the first collected radiation. The processor may be configured to process the first detection signals to provide a first mapping between (i) a characteristic of radiation at the first exit pupil, (ii) the multiple points of the object, and (iii) the multiple first exit pupil regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Harel Ilan, Ido Kofler, Ido Dolev
  • Patent number: 9843388
    Abstract: Technology for laser communications is provided. In one example, a method may include generating a communication for transmission from a first terrestrial computing device to a second terrestrial computing device and encoding the communication as an optical transmission from a first laser array in communication with the first terrestrial computing device. The optical transmission may be transmitted, using the first laser array, to a first satellite and relayed from the first satellite to a second satellite using a second laser array at the first satellite. The optical transmission may be further relayed from the second satellite to the second terrestrial computing device using a third laser array at the second satellite. The lasers in the first, second and third laser arrays may be low power laser diodes configured for a power level less than 1 kW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Astakhov, Mathew Wolfgang Walter Lehwess, Kyle Adam Lichtenberg, Thomas Charles Stickle
  • Patent number: 9835848
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device comprising a first support plate including: a surface; and a first electrode, a second support plate; and a protrusion having a protrusion surface. The protrusion is formed as part of at least one of the first or second support plates. The protrusion has an elongate shape extending from one to the other of the first or second support plates. The device further comprises a first fluid adjoining at least one of the protrusion surface or the surface of the first support plate; a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid; a second electrode in electrical contact with the second fluid; and a third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Romaric Mathieu Massard
  • Patent number: 9829699
    Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an electrowetting display comprising: a transparent substrate including glass spacers surrounded by recessed regions corresponding to pixel regions, a layer of transparent conductive material on the glass spacers, color filter material in the recessed regions, and a transparent support plate covering the recessed regions and the glass spacers, wherein the transparent support plate includes an electrowetting oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Sakai, Ivar Schram
  • Patent number: 9810899
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to arrangements and techniques that provide for using a wavelength specific illumination for illuminating a display, for example an electrowetting display. The electrowetting display comprises a first substrate and a second substrate. A plurality of pixel regions is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The electrowetting display further comprises a first fluid within the pixel regions and on the first substrate. The first fluid comprises one or more dyes and a second fluid is disposed on the first fluid. The second fluid is substantially immiscible with the first fluid. An illumination layer is included between the first substrate and the second substrate. The illumination layer comprises one or more LEDs and at least one of the LEDs produces light at a specific wavelength corresponding to a wavelength of absorption of one of the one or more dyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony John Slack
  • Patent number: 9809445
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an electromechanical systems (EMS) assembly. The EMS assembly includes a substrate, an anchor disposed on the substrate, and a suspended planar body supported over the substrate by the anchor. The suspended planar body includes at least one depression extending out of a plane of the suspended planar body and protruding towards the substrate. The suspended planar body also includes a substantially horizontal portion corresponding to a gap in the at least one depression. An extent of the gap is up to 20% of a length of the suspended planar body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark B. Andersson, Joyce H. Wu, Jasper Lodewyk Steyn
  • Patent number: 9810902
    Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a feedback measuring circuit to measure a signal flowing through a movable MEMS mirror. Processing circuitry determines a time at which the signal indicates that a capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at a maximum capacitance. The processing circuitry also determines, over a window of time extending from the time at which the signal indicates that the capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at the maximum to a given time, a total change in capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror compared to the maximum capacitance. The processor further determines the capacitance at the given time as a function of the total change in capacitance, and determines an opening angle of the movable MEMS mirror as a function of the capacitance at the given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Ltd
    Inventor: Offir Duvdevany
  • Patent number: 9804383
    Abstract: An electrowetting element comprising a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. A support plate includes an electrode and, located between the electrode and the first fluid, a first layer and a second layer. The first layer comprises an inorganic material and the second layer comprises an organic material. The first layer is in contact with the second layer and between the second layer and the first fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cristina Maria Petcu, Gerben Boon
  • Patent number: 9800803
    Abstract: An optical system that includes a reconfigurable phase-change material (PCM) layer that includes a plurality of individually controllable pixel areas. Each individually controllable pixel area is variable between a first refractive index and a second refractive index. The PCM layer is configured to pass radiation incident on the PCM layer in accordance with a first mask pattern through the PCM layer in a downstream direction. A PCM controller is configured to control the plurality of individually controllable pixel areas to have respective refractive indices in accordance with the first mask pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Clara Rivero Baleine, Robert Muise
  • Patent number: 9773847
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to emissive displays and, in particular, to emissive displays that include a top surface (111) that has a diffusely reflective inactive surface (116) adjacent a diffusely reflective emissive surface (114). The emissive display further includes a polarization selective antireflection film component (120) that includes a linear absorbing polarizer (126), a reflective polarizer (124), and a quarter-wave retarder (122), and is positioned separated from the top surface. The disclosure also relates to issues arising from these antireflection film components, such as brightness efficiency loss and image degradation such as pixel blur. The enhanced antireflection stack performs well in commercial OLED displays, with a 20% or greater brightness gain, a 30% or greater ambient light reflectance gain and no visually apparent image degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Epstein, Adam D. Haag, Seong Taek Lee, Sergey Lamansky
  • Patent number: 9768901
    Abstract: An assembly of waveguide wavelength multiplexers and demultiplexers, together with continuous wave (CW) laser transmitters that interface to grating couplers on a silicon photonics chip, providing CW sources, multiplexed output and optionally multiplexed input, all using a single photonic lightwave circuit (PLC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: KAIAM CORP.
    Inventors: Lucas Soldano, Bardia Pezeshki, John Heanue
  • Patent number: 9759906
    Abstract: Structures for representing images comprise a plurality of tile elements which, when illuminated by a light source, each direct an amount of light toward an observer at a viewing location dependent on their orientation angles. The orientation angles of each tile element may be selected based on a characteristic of a corresponding pixel of an image, such that the observer sees a representation of that image created by the varying amount of light directed to the viewing location by the tile elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: QUIN MEDIA ARTS AND SCIENCES INC.
    Inventor: Roderick Thomas Quin
  • Patent number: 9733467
    Abstract: A smart glass uses a guided self-assembled photonic crystal, including a photonic crystal layer that is interposed between a pair of conductive glass plates. The smart glass includes a first material and a second material having a different refractive index from the first material and surrounding the first material. Thereby, the smart glass has a color, even when a dye is not included, by strongly reflecting light in a specific wavelength range incident to the photonic crystal layer. This is because the first material is formed regularly to have a constant distance by guided self-assembly, and the smart glass thereby may obtain a target color by randomly adjusting the distance between the first materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation of Sejong University
    Inventors: Hyun Sub Kim, Nak Kyoung Kong, Young Sub Oh, Jin Hee Lee, Yong Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 9733468
    Abstract: The invention concerns an electrically controllable display element (1) for an optical display device, with a structured layer (2) that has a plurality pixels (3), and with at least one electrode layer (6) directly or indirectly over a structured side (2.1) of the structured layer (2), as well as with an active matrix (7) having thin film transistors, which has selectively controllable electrodes, such that individual or multiple particular pixels (3) can be charged with an electric field, characterized by the fact that the at least one electrode layer (6) extends in one piece over the structured side (2.1) of the structured layer (2), and that the active matrix (7) in the viewing direction is arranged on the display element (1) above the electrode layer (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: advanced display technology AG
    Inventors: Oliver Muller-Marc, Dieter Jerosch, Andriy Bitman, Markus Rawert
  • Patent number: 9715102
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing tilt instability in an electromechanical systems (EMS) device, where the EMS device includes a plurality of hinges supporting a movable mirror over a stationary electrode and having identical hinge lengths. The EMS device can include a plurality of first anchor points providing connection at the substrate and a plurality of second anchor points providing connection at the movable mirror. Each of the hinges can be positioned between paired first and second anchor points and symmetrically arranged about the center of the movable mirror. In some implementations, the plurality of first anchor points and the plurality of second anchor points can be defined by a single mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SnapTrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Bor-Shiun Lee, Hung-Yi Lin, Chih-Chun Lee, Sheng-Yi Hsiao
  • Patent number: 9709801
    Abstract: In an electro-optical device, a torsion hinge and a mirror support post are formed as one piece together with a conductive member, and in the mirror support post, a first end portion on a substrate side is an open end which is opened toward the substrate. In the mirror support post, a second end portion on a mirror side is a flat plate which closes an opening of the mirror support post, and the mirror is in contact with a surface of the flat plate at a side opposite to the substrate. The first sacrificial layer which is used for manufacturing the electro-optical device is formed by exposure, development, and etching in a state in which a hard mask is formed, with respect to the photosensitive resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 9696014
    Abstract: A radiation emitting element comprising a radiation transmissive element having a first refractive index, a first surface, a second, opposite surface, a radiation emitter adapted to emit radiation of a predetermined wavelength into the radiation transmissive element, and a plurality of radiation controlling elements, wherein each radiation controlling element comprises: a first liquid having a second refractive index, a second fluid having a third refractive index being lower than the second refractive index, the second refractive index being closer to the first refractive index than the third refractive index, means for altering a shape of the first liquid between two modes wherein: • in a first mode, the first liquid being in contact with the first surface at a first surface part, and an interface between the first liquid and the second fluid, at the first surface part, is not parallel to the first surface part and • in a second mode, a surface of the second fluid, at the first surface part, is at least sub
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: BLACKBRITE APS
    Inventors: Jens Wagenblast Stubbe Østergaard, Niels Agersnap Larsen
  • Patent number: 9684161
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to improving luminance and reducing color shifts in electrowetting displays. The electrowetting display comprises a plurality of electrowetting elements separated by partition walls and spacers. The spacers and/or partition walls are reflective. When incident light that enters a pixel or subpixel is reflected and encounters a spacer and/or partition wall, the light is reflected such that the reflected light exits the pixel or subpixel into which the incident light entered. This improves luminance and reduces color shifts of the electrowetting display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erno Hermanus Antonius Langendijk, Christian Etienne Hendriks, Tulasi Sridhar Reddy Guntaka, Steven Ramos Carneiro, Pavel Novoselov
  • Patent number: 9676616
    Abstract: In a semiconductor pressure sensor, a fixed electrode is formed as the same layer as a diffusion layer formed to extend from a surface of a semiconductor substrate to inside of the semiconductor substrate. A void is formed by removing a sacrifice film, which is a region constituted of the same film as a floating gate electrode. A movable electrode includes an anchor portion which supports the movable electrode via the void relative to the fixed electrode and in which the sacrifice film is at least partially opened. The anchor portion has a first anchor provided to divide the movable electrode into a plurality of movable electrode units when viewed in a plan view such that one pair of adjacent movable electrode units of the plurality of movable electrode units divided share the same first anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimitoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 9671700
    Abstract: A digital exposure device including a GLV or a DMD. The digital exposure device also includes: a stage to support and move a substrate in a scan direction; an optical system disposed between the stage and the GLV or the DMD, to form a pattern on the substrate by modulating light received from the GLV or the DMD; and a control unit to control the a width of the pattern by a unit, the unit being obtained by dividing the width of the pattern by a natural number m, in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: ChangHoon Kim, JaeHyuk Chang, Su-Yeon Sim, KiBeom Lee, HiKuk Lee, Sanghyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9641917
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an optical communications apparatus, where the apparatus includes: an input system, a first optical switch array, and an output system, where the input system includes N input ports that are one-dimensionally arranged on a first plane, a first beam expander, a demultiplexer, and a first optical path changer; the first optical switch array includes N×K first optical switch units that are two-dimensionally arranged on a second plane, and the first optical switch units can rotate in a first axial line direction and a second axial line direction; and the output system includes a second optical path changer, a second beam expander, a second optical switch array, and M output ports that are two-dimensionally arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunfei Yan, Zhiyong Feng, Han Zhao, Liangjia Zong
  • Patent number: 9618708
    Abstract: A first transmissive diffraction grating includes a multiplexed transmission region; a second diffraction grating includes multiple demultiplexed transmission regions that are spatially displaced from one another and characterized by average corresponding grating-normal vector direction, grating wavevector magnitude, and grating wavevector direction. The demultiplexed transmission regions differ with respect to at least one of those parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Christoph M. Greiner, Thomas W. Mossberg, Dmitri Iazikov
  • Patent number: 9599788
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical module, in particular facet mirror, comprising an optical element and a supporting structure for supporting the optical element, wherein the supporting structure comprises a positioning device for actively setting a position and/or orientation of the optical element in at least one degree of freedom. The supporting structure comprises a selectively activatable contacting device having at least one contacting unit having a first contact section, wherein the first contact section, in an activated state of the contacting device, contacts a second contact section of the optical element in order to exert a contact force on the optical element, while the first contact section, in a deactivated state of the contacting device is removed from the second contact section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Horn, Benedikt Knauf
  • Patent number: 9581860
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source that emits primary light and a wavelength conversion element that converts at least a portion of the primary light from the light source. The wavelength conversion element includes a phosphor layer having phosphors that absorb at least a portion of the primary light from the light source to emit secondary light, which is polarized, and polymers having birefringence. The phosphors have an anisotropic structure and are aligned generally along a first direction, and the polymers have polymer molecules that are aligned generally along the first direction. An angle formed by a direction of a transition dipole moment of each of the phosphors to a delayed phase axis of each of the polymer molecules with respect to the secondary light emitted from the phosphors towards the polymer molecules is 0° to 45°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Ryuzo Yuki, Takeshi Ishida, Shinya Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 9575259
    Abstract: An optical cross-connect connecting a series of optical input ports to a series of optical output ports includes at least a first group of input/output port arrays, each including a series of optical input/output ports disposed horizontally and configured to project or receive optical signals. A plurality of steering elements selectively steer optical signals along switching trajectories between the input and output ports. An angle-to-offset conversion unit converts optical signals propagating at the horizontal intra-array angles to corresponding spatial offset signals in the horizontal dimension. An optical interconnect includes a series of input/output regions, each being specific to a corresponding input/output port array and the input/output regions being divided vertically into elongated switching rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventor: Steven James Frisken
  • Patent number: 9577013
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display capable of controlling light transmittance is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a plurality of pixels, each including a first region configured to emit light and a second region configured to transmit light therethrough and a plurality of first electrodes respectively formed in the first regions of the pixels. The OLED display also includes a plurality of organic layers respectively formed over the first electrodes, a second electrode formed over all of the organic layers, and a plurality of third electrodes each formed in the second regions of the pixels. The OLED display further includes a plurality of solvents respectively placed over the third electrodes, wherein each of the solvents is configured to selectively block light and a fourth electrode formed over the solvents for all of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soo-Ran Park
  • Patent number: 9566773
    Abstract: Provided are a method for manufacturing a flexible display apparatus, which allows for easy separation of a flexible substrate from its supporting carrier as well as allowing easy handling of the flexible substrate during processing of the flexible substrate while it is on its supporting carrier. Also provided is a flexible display apparatus manufactured by the method. The method includes forming an adhesive layer including a metallic tin where the adhesive layer is disposed on a supportive carrier and disposing a flexible substrate on the adhesive layer such that the flexible substrate is affixed to the supporting carrier with the adhesive layer interposed therebetween. The method further includes separating the flexible substrate from the carrier by transformatively stressing (disintegration-wise stressing) the adhesive layer for example by means of temperature lowering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hayk Khachatryan
  • Patent number: 9557557
    Abstract: An electro-wetting display panel is provided. The electro-wetting display panel comprises a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and pixel units. The pixel units comprise first electrodes, a first hydrophobic layer, a plurality of first barriers, a second electrode, a polarized liquid and a plurality of first non-polarized liquids. The hysteresis phenomenon of the non-polarized liquids can be prevented by using the recess areas on the hydrophobic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Chun Hsiao, Shih Hsiang Chen, Guofu Tang, Quan Li, Chengling Lv, Chaofan Guo
  • Patent number: 9529188
    Abstract: An electrowetting element comprising a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. A support plate includes an electrode for applying a voltage to control a configuration of the first and second fluids and a plurality of layers between the electrode and at least one of the first or second fluids. The plurality of layers includes a first layer comprising a first plurality of pinholes and a second layer comprising fewer pinholes than the first layer. The first layer is disposed on the second layer, between the second layer and at least one of the first or second fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cristina Maria Petcu, Gerben Boon
  • Patent number: 9522819
    Abstract: Light-detection systems that do not destroy the light to be detected or change the propagation direction of the light are described. In one aspect, a light-detection system includes an optical element composed of a substrate with a planar surface and a polarization insensitive, high contrast, sub-wavelength grating composed of posts that extend from the planar surface. The posts and/or lattice arrangement of the posts are non-periodically varied to impart orbital angular momentum and at least one helical wavefront on the light transmitted through the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: David A. Fattal, Peter George Hartwell, Andrei Faraon, Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 9519131
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a variable wavelength interference filter, and a package adapted to house the variable wavelength interference filter. The package includes a base substrate provided with a light passage hole through which light passes, and a base substrate side light transmissive substrate adapted to block the light passage hole and having a light transmissive property. The base substrate is formed of a laminated body having a plurality of layers stacked on each other, and the light passage hole is formed so that a second opening located on an opposite side to the variable wavelength interference filter is larger in area than a first opening located on the variable wavelength interference filter side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Imai, Yasushi Matsuno
  • Patent number: 9513475
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a black matrix that includes a plurality of openings corresponding to pixels, respectively, a first extension portion extending in a driving direction of an electrowetting layer, the driving direction being a direction in which motion of the electrowetting layer is induced when a voltage difference is applied between a common electrode and a pixel electrode, and a partition wall that partitions the pixels. The first extension portion includes first and second areas respectively extending in opposite directions to each other and a third area having a width substantially the same as a width of the partition wall. The first area has a width less than about half of a first length corresponding to a length extending between both sides of each pixel in the driving direction, and the second area has a width less than the width of the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Bo Shim, Sung-Kyun Park, Yong Jun Park, Hyun-Sup Lee, Jin-Ho Ju
  • Patent number: 9495938
    Abstract: A display apparatus including a display module and a solar cell module is provided. The display module displays image content and provides a charging light, wherein the energy of the charging light is related to the image content. The solar cell module is disposed at one side of the display module to receive the charging light and proceed to charge, wherein the efficiency of charging for the solar cell module is related to the image content displayed by the display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventor: Chueh-Pin Ko
  • Patent number: 9495919
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a support plate for an electrowetting device includes providing a first hydrophobic layer on a substrate, reducing the hydrophobicity of a surface of the first hydrophobic layer and providing a second hydrophobic layer on at least part of the surface with reduced hydrophobicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivar Schram, Chiara Cometti
  • Patent number: 9494791
    Abstract: An electrowetting device comprises a first support plate and a second support plate, pixel regions between the first support plate and the second support plate, pixel walls on the first support plate that delineate the pixel regions from one another, and an electrolyte solution between the first support plate and the second support plate. The electrolyte solution includes an adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lara Tauk, Romaric Mathieu Massard
  • Patent number: 9490607
    Abstract: External cavity lasers with single mode-hop-free tuning are generally described. In an example, an external cavity tunable laser system includes an external cavity, a substrate, a chirped grating reflector, and a tunable filter. The substrate has a gain region disposed on the substrate and also includes an active waveguide. The external cavity tunable laser system has a cavity length of the external cavity tunable laser system that is defined by at least a first length of the chirped grating reflector, a second length of the gain region, and a third length of the tunable filter. The cavity length also has an inherent external cavity longitudinal mode. Further, the tunable filter and the chirped grating reflector are configured to synchronize to the inherent external cavity longitudinal mode over a tuning range of the tunable filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: SANTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Changho Chong
  • Patent number: 9482858
    Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating electronic displays comprises a glass substrate that includes pixel arrays formed on the glass substrate. Individual pixels of the pixel arrays include pixel walls to retain a first fluid, such as oil. The pixel arrays may include an edge seal to retain a second fluid, such as an electrolyte solution, that overlays the pixel walls and the first fluid. A fluid dispenser includes slits that are configured to dispense the first fluid and the second fluid onto the glass substrate at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the pixel arrays. First portions of the pixel walls extend above second portions of the pixel walls to impart a flow of the first fluid and the second fluid in a direction that the first fluid and the second fluid are dispensed by the fluid dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Jannis Phaff, Hermanus Johannes Jansen, Henricus Matheus Josephus Leenen
  • Patent number: 9470948
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display base includes a base; a partition which is disposed on one surface of the base and in which the opposite side of the one surface is open; an electrophoretic dispersion liquid which contains a dispersion medium and charged particles filled in a cell on the base which is defined by the partition; and a lid which is disposed to block an opening of the partition, and has a porosity capable of passing the electrophoretic dispersion liquid therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Abe, Hiroki Nakahara, Kazuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9465207
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrowetting display may include depositing a first material layer on a support plate; placing a first mask on the first material layer, wherein the first mask covers first portions of the first material layer and does not cover second portions of the first photoresist layer; exposing second portions of the first material layer to electromagnetic radiation; depositing a second material layer on the first mask and the exposed second portions of the first material layer; placing a second mask on the second material layer; and etching to remove portions of the second material layer and the second portions of the first material layer. Portions of the first and second material layers that remain subsequent to the etching form spacers and a grid of pixel wall extensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pavel Novoselov, Gor Manukyan, Tulasi Sridhar Reddy Guntaka
  • Patent number: 9467755
    Abstract: An optical switch includes an input port, output ports, and a spatial light modulating section that receives an optical signal from the input port to deflect the optical signal to a selected one of the output ports. A phase distribution with the same radius of curvature as that of a wavefront of the optical signal and a phase distribution that allows the deflected optical signal to be coupled to the output port are set for the spatial light modulating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Kenya Suzuki, Yuzo Ishii, Koichi Hadama, Kazunori Seno
  • Patent number: 9453775
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical pressure sensor structure comprises a planar base, side walls and a diaphragm plate, attached to each other to form a hermetically closed gap that provides a reference pressure. The diaphragm plate extends along a planar inner surface on top of the side walls, and has an outer surface on the opposite side of the diaphragm plate. At least part of the outer surface of the diaphragm plate forms a planar part that includes a recess, a depth of which extends parallel to the side walls and is less than the nominal thickness of the diaphragm. A large part of reasons causing the different bending of the diaphragm and the underlying structures can be eliminated with one or more recesses arranged to the pressure sensor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 9453970
    Abstract: Optical switch based on a micro-mirror device such as a DMD for simultaneous switching light from N inputs to M outputs with switching times of about 10 microseconds, where N and M are generally greater than one. The mirrors of the device are oriented according to a pattern calculated based on a Fourier Transform of spatial distribution of M outputs such as to form, in diffraction of light incident on the device, an diffraction light pattern that in the output plane is substantially congruent with the spatial distribution of M outputs. The device can be configured as a modulator of amplitude and/or a modulator of phase of incident light wavefront.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
    Inventors: Pierre Alexandre Blanche, Nasser N. Peyghambarian, Brittany Lynn