Light Wave Directional Modulation (e.g., Deflection Or Scanning Is Representative Of The Modulating Signal) Patents (Class 359/298)
  • Patent number: 11901169
    Abstract: A secondary electron emissive layer resistant to infiltration and fouling. A barrier layer is formed by atomic layer deposition. The barrier layer may be an emissive layer and/or an interlayer. The barrier layer may form an interlayer that is a part of an electron amplifier positioned between an emissive layer and a resistive layer. The barrier layer is resistive to fluorine migration from either the emissive layer or the resistive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC, INCOM, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane, Mark Popecki, Michael Minot
  • Patent number: 11835710
    Abstract: A scanning system includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning structure configured with a desired rotational mode of movement based on a driving signal; a plurality of comb-drives configured to drive the MEMS scanning structure according to the desired rotational mode of movement based on the driving signal, each comb-drive including a rotor comb electrode and a stator comb electrode that form a capacitive element that has a capacitance that depends on the deflection angle of the MEMS scanning structure; a driver configured to generate the at least one driving signal; a sensing circuit selectively coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of comb-drives for receiving sensing signals therefrom, wherein each sensing signal is representative of the capacitance of a corresponding comb-drive; and a processing circuit configured to determine a scanning direction of the MEMS scanning structure in the desired rotational mode of movement based on the sensing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Brunner, Stephan Gerhard Albert, Franz Michael Darrer, Georg Schitter, Richard Schroedter, Han Woong Yoo
  • Patent number: 11747611
    Abstract: An optical module includes an optical detector, laser emitter, and first and second support structures, each carried by a substrate. An optical layer includes first and second fixed portions carried by the support structures, a movable portion affixed between the fixed portions by a spring structure, and a lens system carried by the movable portion, the lens system including an objective lens and a beam shaping lens. The optical layer includes a comb drive with a first comb structure extending from the first fixed portion to interdigitate with a second comb structure extending from the movable portion, a third comb structure extending from the second fixed portion to interdigitate with a fourth comb structure extending from the movable portion, and actuation circuitry applying voltages to the comb structures to cause the movable portion of the optical layer to oscillate back and forth between the fixed portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Christopher Townsend, Roberto Carminati
  • Patent number: 11705200
    Abstract: A method of switching between first and second states of a van der Waals heterostructure, vdWH, memory device, a vdWH memory device, and a method of fabricating a vdWH memory device. The vdWH memory device comprises a first two-dimensional, 2D, material; and a second 2D material, wherein, in a first storage state of the memory device, an interface between the first and second 2D material comprises interfacial states; and wherein, in a second storage state of the memory device, interfacial states are modulated compared to the first memory state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: National University of Singapore and, National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Du Xiang, Tao Liu
  • Patent number: 11417824
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sensor module includes at least one sensor and at least one switch. The sensor includes a first piezoelectric element. The first piezoelectric element includes a first electrode. The first piezoelectric element is set with a resonance frequency to resonate at a vibration frequency of a detection target. The switch includes a second piezoelectric element. The second piezoelectric element includes a second electrode connected to the first electrode and a third electrode electrically separated from the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yongfang Li, Takahiro Omori, Takashi Usui, Osamu Nishimura, Kazuo Watabe
  • Patent number: 11402721
    Abstract: A method for controlling an optical device including a movable section including an optical section that refracts incident video image light and outputs the refracted video image light and a holding section that supports the optical section, and an actuator that causes the movable section to swing, the method including applying a drive signal to the actuator to cause the movable section to swing. The drive signal is a wave having a trapezoidal waveform, and the trapezoidal wave has a first flat section where first voltage is applied for a first period, a second flat section where second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied for a second period, and a third flat section where third voltage higher than the first voltage and lower than the second voltage is applied for a third period after the first voltage is applied and before the second voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Hirakura
  • Patent number: 11287677
    Abstract: A display apparatus comprises at least one spatial light modulator and at least one curved view angle control element that comprises plural retarders arranged between the display polariser of each spatial light modulator, and an additional polariser. The curvature of the view angle control element provides increased luminance uniformity for a head-on user and increased visual security to an off-axis snooper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: RealD Spark, LLC
    Inventors: Ben Ihas, Robert A. Ramsey, Graham J. Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold, Michael G. Robinson
  • Patent number: 11165000
    Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus includes a first light-emitting device, a second light-emitting device, separated from the first light-emitting device by a first distance, a diffusion layer, covering the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device, a prism layer, disposed on the diffusion layer and an LCD module, disposed on the prism layer. The first light-emitting device includes a light-field with a radius on the LCD module and the radius is two or more times larger than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: EPISTAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsung-Xian Lee, Jian-Fong Jhou, Yun-Jie Huang, Bo-Song Chen
  • Patent number: 11131915
    Abstract: A light source device of the present disclosure includes a light source, a wavelength conversion element having a fluorescent material that a light output from the light source enters and a supporting substrate that supports the fluorescent material, an optical element guiding the light output from the light source to the fluorescent material, a holding member holding the optical element, and a housing part providing a housing space in an optical path of the light output from the light source and housing at least the optical element and the holding member in the housing space, wherein the supporting substrate is fixed to the holding member, the holding member is fixed to the housing part, and an elastic member is provided between the supporting substrate and the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Iwashita, Kenshi Sakai, Hiroaki Yanai, Tomohiro Yokoo, Makoto Zakoji
  • Patent number: 11126060
    Abstract: A tunable light projector including a light source, a fixed optical phase modulator, a tunable liquid crystal panel, and a driver is provided. The light source is configured to emit a light beam. The fixed optical phase modulator is disposed on a path of the light beam and configured to modulate phases of the light beam. The tunable liquid crystal panel is disposed on the path of the light beam from the fixed optical phase modulator and configured to switch the light beam between a structured light and a flood light. The driver is electrically connected to a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer of the tunable liquid crystal panel and configured to change a voltage difference between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, so as to switch the light beam between the structured light and the flood light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: LIQXTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Shan Chen, Ming-Syuan Chen
  • Patent number: 10983422
    Abstract: A projection device including a lens module and an actuating module is provided. The lens module includes at least one lens and is used for transferring an image beam. The actuating module is disposed beside the lens module, and is relatively close to the at least one lens. The actuating module includes a frame, a transparent element and at least one actuator. The transparent element is fixed on the frame. The actuator is disposed on at least one side edge of the frame, and is connected to the frame. In a light emission direction of the lens module, an orthographic projection of the actuator on a first reference plane does not overlap with an orthographic projection of the at least one lens on the first reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Hao Chen, Shu-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 10859891
    Abstract: An imaging module includes a display element, a prism and an image displacement device. The display element includes an active display surface. The prism includes an optical surface. The image displacement device is disposed between the display element and the prism. The image displacement device includes an optical element, a carrier, a base and at least one actuator. The optical element is disposed on the carrier. The at least one actuator drives the optical element on the carrier to swing relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chung-Ting Wei, Chuan-Te Cheng
  • Patent number: 10840922
    Abstract: A system for driving a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillating structure includes a phase error detector configured to generate a phase error signal based on measured event times and expected event times of the MEMS oscillating structure oscillating about a rotation axis; a disturbance event detector configured to detect a disturbance event based on the phase error signal and a disturbance threshold value; and a phase frequency detector (PFD) and correction circuit configured to, in response to the detected disturbance event, monitor for a plurality of measured crossing events of the MEMS oscillating structure oscillating about the rotation axis, generate a first compensation signal based on at least a first measured crossing event and a second measured crossing event to correct a frequency of the MEMS oscillating structure, and generate a second compensation signal based on a third measured crossing event to correct a phase of the MEMS oscillating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Philipp Stelzer, Norbert Druml, Christian Steger, Andreas Strasser
  • Patent number: 10735715
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) display, in which a multi view structure is configured by using a lenticular lens, includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels, and an aperture area disposed at each pixel; and a lens film disposed on a front surface of the display panel and including a plurality of lenticular lenses, the lenticular lenses having a slanted axis and continuously arrayed along to a lateral direction, in which the aperture area includes a parallelogram shape, and the slanted axis is parallel with any one diagonal axis of the aperture area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youyong Jin, Byungjoo Lee, Wonsik Lee
  • Patent number: 10720095
    Abstract: A method of potential regulation of display panel, a potential regulation system and a storage apparatus are provided. The method comprising: obtaining a display bias value ?Vth of the display panel; calculating an outputting voltage value Vt=Vi+?Vth which currently needs according a currently inputting voltage value Vi and the display bias value ?Vth; determining whether the currently inputting voltage value Vi is in regulation range of the potential regulator; if yes, controlling the potential regulator to output correspondingly regulation voltage value according to the outputting voltage value Vt; if no, regulating the regulation range of the potential regulator according to the outputting voltage value Vt. Therefore, it could efficiency improve the problem of potential deviation in the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-hong Lai, Shen-sian Syu
  • Patent number: 10630963
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an autostereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) display in which the multi view structure is configured by using a lenticular lens. The autostereoscopic 3D display includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels, and an aperture area disposed at each pixel; and a lens film disposed on a front surface of the display panel and including a plurality of lenticular lenses, the lenticular lenses having a slanted axis and continuously arrayed along to a lateral direction, wherein the aperture area includes at least two sub-aperture areas having a same size and same shape of a parallelogram, and the slanted axis is parallel with any one diagonal axis of the sub-aperture area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youyong Jin
  • Patent number: 10545357
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a programmable metamaterial which comprises an array of phase-change material elements. A domain inducing component may be coupled to at least one phase-change material element of the array of phase-change material elements. The domain inducing component may be configured to program the refractive index of the at least one phase-change material element and reprogram the refractive index of the at least one phase-change material element by inducing a phase transition in a domain of the at least one phase-change material element. A method for programming the metamaterial may include selecting the phase-change material element for programming and programming the refractive index of the selected phase-change material element by inducing a phase transition in a domain of the selected phase-change material element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Gooth, Bernd Gotsmann, Fabian Menges
  • Patent number: 10488595
    Abstract: A photonic component that includes a photonically integrated chip and a fiber holder that is mechanically connected to said chip. The fiber holder includes at least one groove with an optical fiber laid therein. The chip includes a substrate whose substrate base material is a semiconductor material, an integrated optical waveguide that is integrated into one or more material layers of the chip, which layers are wave guiding and positioned on the substrate, a coupler formed in the optical waveguide or connected to said optical waveguide, particularly a grating coupler, and an optical diffraction and refraction structure that is integrated into one or more material layers of the chip which are positioned above the optical coupler when viewed from the substrate, and that shapes the beam prior to its being coupled into the waveguide or after being coupled out of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Sicoya GmbH
    Inventors: Moritz Grehn, Sven Otte, Christoph Theiss, Stefan Meister, David Selicke, Hanjo Rhee
  • Patent number: 10439715
    Abstract: Disclosed are antenna systems, wireless antenna controllers, and related methods. An antenna system includes a configured to receive an electromagnetic (EM) signal and propagate the EM signal as an EM reference wave. The antenna system also includes a tunable EM scattering elements, and a wireless controller. A wireless antenna controller includes an EM emitter configured to emit EM radiation to EM filters. The EM filters are configured to pass different sub-ranges of a frequency range of the EM radiation to the tunable EM scattering elements. A method includes wirelessly controlling the tunable EM scattering elements to deliver a different information streams to different far-end locations. A method includes controlling the EM emitter to modulate frequency content of the EM radiation to cause the tunable EM scattering elements to operate collectively according to different modulation patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Black, Brian Mark Deutsch, Alexander Remley Katko, Melroy Machado, Jay Howard McCandless, Yaroslav A. Urzhumov
  • Patent number: 10427602
    Abstract: An optical system for a vehicle includes a rearview display configured to display an image of an area behind the vehicle and a positive optical device in optical communication with the rearview display. As such, the image displayed by the rearview display is projected to a virtual image plane that is spaced apart from the positive optical device by a predetermined virtual image distance in order to minimize an accommodation and a convergence of the vehicle operator's eyes when the vehicle operator's eyes switch focus between the rearview display and an object located outside and in front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC.
    Inventors: Gary P. Bertollini, Kai-Han Chang
  • Patent number: 10412279
    Abstract: Provided are a lens driving device, a camera module, and a camera-mounted device for which the miniaturization and weight reduction can be achieved and the reliability can also be improved. The lens driving device includes AF and shake-correcting driving parts utilizing a voice coil motor. An AF fixing part includes an AF control part controlling the energization current through an AF coil part. The AF driving part includes upper and lower elastic supporting parts, auto-focusing power-source lines connected to power-supplying suspension wires functioning as a shake-correcting supporting part, signal lines connected to signal suspension wires functioning as a shake-correcting supporting part, and coil power-supply lines electrically connecting the AF control part to the AF coil part. The upper elastic supporting part functions at least as the AF power-supply lines or the signal lines, and the lower elastic supporting part functions as the coil power-supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Osaka, Takashi Ishizawa
  • Patent number: 10295834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display apparatus includes a display panel which includes display devices; a micro lens group located above a light-emitting side of the display panel, and the micro lens group includes micro lens devices, and the micro lens devices are disposed to correspond to the display devices, respectively, and distances between centers of the micro lens devices and centers of the corresponding display devices are gradually increased along a direction from a center position to an edge position of the display panel. Further, a liquid lens disposed on a side of the micro lens group away from the display panel, and the liquid lens is configured for realizing multi-layer display of a suspension image by changing a phase of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yaoyang Liu, Lei Niu, Jian Xu, Jialing Li
  • Patent number: 10241333
    Abstract: A light guide includes a light-guide member including an incidence portion through which image light emitted from an image display element enters the light-guide member; an exit portion through which the image light exits the light-guide member to an outside of the light-guide member; a retroreflection portion to reverse a direction of travel of the image light guided through the light-guide member; and an extraction portion to guide the image light reversed by the retroreflection portion to the exit portion. The retroreflection portion has a plurality of surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Nakamura, Toshiaki Tokita, Shiori Ohsugi, Takashi Kubota
  • Patent number: 10139618
    Abstract: A multi-mirror array including displaceable mirror elements includes a passive electric damping mechanism for damping disturbances of the displacement positions of the mirror elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Horn, Stefan Tuerk, Oscar Noordman, Ulrich Bihr
  • Patent number: 10126466
    Abstract: A multifunctional dielectric gradient metasurface optical device has a layer of nanoscale dielectric gradient metasurface optical antenna elements deposited on a substrate layer, arranged with spatially varying orientations, shapes, or sizes in the plane of the device such that the optical device has a spatially varying optical phase response capable of optical wavefront shaping. The spatially varying optical phase response is a spatial interleaving of multiple distinct phase profiles corresponding to multiple optical sub-elements, thereby providing multifunctional wavefront shaping in the single optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Technion Research and Development Foundation Limited
    Inventors: Dianmin Lin, Mark L. Brongersma, Erez Hasman, Pieter G. Kik, Aaron L. Holsteen
  • Patent number: 10078259
    Abstract: An optical scanning control device includes a scanner that scans light emitted from a laser in accordance with an image signal to form an image on a screen; a first optical detector that detects light scanned by the scanner; a second optical detector that detects light scanned by the scanner; and a controller that controls a deflection angle of the scanner based on a time difference between an output of the first optical detector and an output of the second optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kimura, Riichiro Hibiya
  • Patent number: 10078986
    Abstract: An active matrix electro-wetting on dielectric (AM-EWOD) device includes a plurality of array elements arranged in an array, each of the array elements including array element circuitry, an element electrode, and a reference electrode. The array element circuitry includes an actuation circuit configured to apply actuation voltages to the electrodes, and an impedance sensor circuit configured to sense impedance at the array element electrode to determine a droplet property at the array element. The impedance sensor circuit is operated by perturbing a potential applied to the reference electrode. The AM-EWOD device includes a common row addressing line. The impedance sensor circuit further is operated by supplying voltage signals over the common addressing line to effect both a reset operation and an operation for selecting a row in the array to be sensed. The circuitry isolates the array element from the actuation voltage during operating the impedance sensor circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Life Science (EU) Limited
    Inventor: Benjamin James Hadwen
  • Patent number: 10031288
    Abstract: An optical structure and a system includes a Hyperuniform Disordered Solid (“HUDS”) structure and a waveguide. The HUDS structure is formed by walled cells organized in a lattice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Etaphase, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruth Ann Mullen, Marian Florescu, Milan M. Milosevic
  • Patent number: 9977233
    Abstract: An electrowetting display comprises a first support plate, a second support plate substantially parallel to the first support plate, an electrolyte solution disposed between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a plurality of transparent diffuser elements protruding into the electrolyte solution from non-contiguous areas of the second support plate. Recesses separate the transparent diffuser elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Sakai, Tulasi Sridhar Reddy Guntaka
  • Patent number: 9837788
    Abstract: A method and system for amplifying optical signals includes generating idler signals for input signals using an optical pump at a first non-linear element (NLE). An intermediate stage including a Raman amplifier performs pump amplification using the output from the first NLE along a single optical path. Optical power monitoring of the input signals may be used for power equalization. The intermediate stage may include a wavelength selective switch for a certain degree of phase modulation. The phase-sensitive amplified signal is generated at a second NLE using the optical pump. Optical power monitoring of the input signals may be used for power equalization and other control functions to achieve low-noise operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Youichi Akasaka, Motoyoshi Sekiya
  • Patent number: 9833626
    Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) is configured to be implanted within a patient. The IMD may include a controller configured to adjust a communication frequency, a housing formed of an electrically common material, and an insulating cover coupled to the housing. The insulating cover may include one or both of at least one opening or at least one thinned area over portions of the housing. Multiple sub-electrodes are formed in the housing through the opening(s) or the thinned area(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Gleb Klimovitch, Timothy Edward Ciciarelli
  • Patent number: 9759935
    Abstract: An optical modulator is described. This optical modulator may be implemented using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. In particular, a semiconductor layer in an SOI platform may include a photonic crystal having a group velocity of light that is less than that of the semiconductor layer. Moreover, an optical modulator (such as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer) may be implemented in the photonic crystal with a vertical junction in the semiconductor layer. During operation of the optical modulator, an input optical signal may be split into two different optical signals that feed two optical waveguides, and then subsequently combined into an output optical signal. Furthermore, during operation, time-varying bias voltages may be applied across the vertical junction in the optical modulator using contacts defined along a lateral direction of the optical modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ying Luo, Shiyun Lin, Xuezhe Zheng, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 9706193
    Abstract: A display device has a display panel that switches a display region of a two-dimensional image between a transparent state in which the two-dimensional image is not displayed to be transparent and an opaque state in which the two-dimensional image is displayed to be opaque, and a stereoscopic projection device arranged on a back surface side of the display panel. The stereoscopic projection device projects a stereoscopic projection image to a position overlapping the display region of the display panel when viewed from a front surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 9696605
    Abstract: A method for fabricating crystalline dielectric material on top of metal layers to produce an apparatus for non-mechanical steering of an input laser beam is provided. The apparatus may include a plurality of stacked parallel dielectric waveguides, each waveguide of which is fabricated by separating layers of dielectric material from a donor wafer and bonding the separated layers of dielectric material to a receiving wafer. A plurality of voltages is applied across the stacked parallel dielectric waveguides. Each of the stacked parallel dielectric waveguides is electrically phase modulated to deflect an output beam in a predictable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Peter N. Russo, Jeffrey L. Jew, Paul R. Moffitt
  • Patent number: 9678004
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate and a conductive layer disposed over an upper surface of the transparent substrate. The conductive layer defines at least one groove inwardly extending from an upper surface and includes an aperture that is spaced apart from the at least one groove. An interface between the upper surface of the conductive layer and an ambient medium defines an optical branch along which surface plasmon polariton modes are excited in response to at least partially coherent light being received by the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventors: Filbert Bartoli, Qiaoqiang Gan, Yongkang Gao
  • Patent number: 9664894
    Abstract: A micro optical switch device, an image display apparatus including the same, and a method of manufacturing the micro optical switch device are provided. The micro optical switch device includes a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate and having a plurality of openings; a second electrode disposed above and spaced apart from the first electrode, and having a plurality of openings; and support units disposed on the substrate and configured to support the second electrode, wherein the support units include deformation preventing portions protruding beyond a top surface of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-sik Shim, Woon-bae Kim, Hyung Choi
  • Patent number: 9579153
    Abstract: A device and a method for the femtosecond laser surgery of tissue, especially in the vitreous humor of the eye. The device includes an ultrashort pulse laser with pulse widths in the range of approximately 10 fs-1 ps, especially approximately 300 fs, pulse energies in the range of approximately 5 nJ-5 ?J, especially approximately 1-2 ?J and pulse repetition rates of approximately 10 kHz-10 MHz, especially 500 kHz. The laser system is coupled to a scanner system which allows the spatial variation of the focus in three dimensions (x, y and z). In addition to the therapeutic laser/scanner optical system, the device includes a navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Manfred Dick, Marcus Blum, Matthias Reich
  • Patent number: 9407837
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a modulated light projector to project an infrared light pattern and an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of photosensors and a filter array overlying the array of photosensors. The filter array comprises a mosaic of color filter elements and infrared filter elements, each color filter element overlying a corresponding photosensor of a first subset of photosensors and each infrared filter element overlying a corresponding photosensor of a second subset of photosensors. The electronic device further includes a controller to, in a first mode, control the image sensor to capture a color image using the first subset of photosensors and, in a second mode, control the image sensor to capture a depth image representing a reflection of the infrared light pattern using the second subset of photosensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Johnny C. Lee
  • Patent number: 9277299
    Abstract: A line switching device includes multiple input ports to which signals are input and that include first input ports and second input ports different from the first input ports; multiple output ports that include given output ports; a branch unit that branches first signals input from the first input ports; and a switch that selectively outputs, among second signals input from the second input ports and branched signals branched from the first signals by the branch unit, signals that are to be switched to an output port among the given ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigeo Tani, Takashi Umegaki
  • Patent number: 9239457
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes an array of light modulators. Each light modulator has a first actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a first state and a second actuator configured to drive the light modulator into a second state. The display apparatus also includes a control matrix including, for each light modulator in the array, a single actuation voltage interconnect. The actuation voltage interconnect is configured to apply a first drive voltage to the first actuator of the light modulator and apply a second drive voltage to the second actuator of the light modulator. In addition, the actuation voltage interconnect is configured to control application of a data voltage to a latch circuit to control the application of the first and second drive voltages to the first and second actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Stephen English, Jianguo Yao, John DeRoo, Roger W. Barton
  • Patent number: 9217861
    Abstract: Micro-mirror arrays configured for use in a variable focal length lens are described herein. An example variable focal length lens comprises a micro-mirror array having a plurality of micro-mirror elements arranged in at least a first section and a second section. Each micro-mirror element has a tilt axis and comprises, on each of two opposing sides of the tilt axis, (i) at least one actuation electrode, (ii) at least one measurement electrode, and (iii) at least one stopper. Additionally, each micro-mirror element in the first section has a first tilt angle range, and each micro-mirror element in the second section has a second tilt angle range, with the first tilt angle range being less than the second tilt angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Murali Jayapala, Geert Van der Plas, Veronique Rochus, Xavier Rottenberg, Simone Severi
  • Patent number: 9086571
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) micromirror array has an array of micromirrors on a support structure. Each micromirror is pivotally attached to the support structure by a resilient structure. The resilient structure defines a pivot axis. There is an array of electrostatic actuators for pivotally driving the array of micromirrors about the pivot axis. Each electrostatic actuator comprises a first part carried by the support structure, and a second part carried by the corresponding micromirror. An electrostatic sink is mounted to the support structure that shields at least one micromirror from spurious electrostatic actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventor: Tiansheng Zhou
  • Patent number: 9052510
    Abstract: A micromechanical component has a holding device and an adjustable component, which is adjustable with respect to the holding device at least from a first position into a second position, and which is connected via at least one spring to the holding device. The micromechanical component also includes at least one silicide-containing line segment situated on the at least one spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Steffi Lindenkreuz, Gerhard Kiesewetter, Stefan Pinter, Joerg Muchow
  • Patent number: 9047830
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of display elements arranged in an array and a control matrix coupled to the plurality of display elements to communicate data and drive voltages to the display elements. For each display element, the control matrix includes an actuation circuit coupling a voltage source to the display element. The control matrix is configured to apply an actuation voltage to an actuator of the display element throughout an actuation stroke of the actuator and to initiate the actuation of the actuator after a pre-charging signal that initiated the application of the actuation voltage to the actuator has been deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen English, Stephen R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 9045329
    Abstract: The invention relates to deflectable micromechanical elements which can preferably be deflected in translation and optionally also in an oscillatory manner. With respect to known solutions, it is the object of the invention to enable larger deflections with a simultaneously improved resistance toward lateral forces and torques. In this connection, a suspension having at least one spring system is present at elements in accordance with the invention. Levers pivotally connected to torsion spring elements are present at spring systems. Torsion spring elements of a spring system are aligned in a common axis and/or a plurality of axes arranged parallel to one another and at least one torsion spring element is fixedly clamped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Wolter, Thomas Klose
  • Publication number: 20150146280
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to the field of graphical elements and is directed to an optical effect layer (OEL), a device and a method for producing same. The disclosure provides an optical effect that is easy to detect as such and exhibits a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion of image features over an extended length if the viewing angle with respect to the OEL changes. An OEL includes a binder material being at least partially transparent and a plurality of particles dispersed within the layer. Each particle has a non-isotropic reflectivity and may be magnetic or magnetizable. The orientation of the particles forms an orientation pattern extending over a length within an extended surface of the OEL, such that the local average of an angle between (i) a straight line along an observed longest dimension within the corresponding cross-section shape, and (ii) said first direction x varies according to a function (?) of a position (P) along said first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SICPA HOLDING SA
    Inventors: Pierre Degott, Mathieu Schmid, Claude Alain Despland, Cédric Amerasinghe
  • Patent number: 9042001
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display apparatus includes an array substrate, an opposite substrate facing the array substrate, and an electrophoretic layer disposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate. The electrophoretic layer includes a non-polar solvent and a plurality of polar particles dispersed in the non-polar solvent. At least one of the array substrate or the opposite substrate includes a plurality of electric field forming electrodes respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Eun Kim, Sangil Kim, Gilhwan Yeo, Yujin Kim, Byungseok Choi
  • Patent number: 9042018
    Abstract: A leaky-mode resonant retarder is described. The retarder may include a substrate and a spatially modulated periodic layer coupled to the substrate, where the spatially modulated periodic layer is configured to shift a phase between two perpendicular electric-field components of incident light. The retarder may operate as a half-wave plate or a quarter-wave plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Robert Magnusson, Mehrdad Shokooh-Saremi
  • Publication number: 20150138486
    Abstract: Provided are a directional backlight unit, a method of operating the directional backlight unit, and a display device. More particularly, provided are a directional backlight unit including a light source, a first optical plate layer disposed to be adjacent to the light source, a second optical plate layer disposed on the first optical plate layer and to which light from the light source is incident, and an optical sheet through which light emitted from the second optical plate layer passes, a method of operating the directional backlight unit, and a display device including the directional backlight unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Sei Hyoung LEE
  • Patent number: 9036243
    Abstract: On/off digital drive signals are used to create arbitrary spatial and temporal ribbon movement patterns in MEMS ribbon arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Alces Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David M Bloom, Matthew A Leone