Allen Nordstrom Tanner

US Patent:

6496160, Dec 17, 2002

Filed:

Apr 29, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/301947

Inventors:

Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT
Calvin L. Simmons - Bountiful UT

Assignee:

Evans Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345 31, 345 32, 345 10, 345 14, 345 17, 345 27, 345545, 348399, 348440, 348571, 348572

Abstract:

An apparatus for converting analog stroke display signals representing electron beam generated stroke traces into raster display information for producing a raster-scan image display. The apparatus includes a sampling circuit for sampling the analog stroke display signals to produce pixel data representing sub-pixel locations covered by the stroke traces. A frame buffer is coupled to the sampling circuit to temporarily store pixel data. A filter is coupled to the frame buffer for calculating brightness of pixels based upon the amount of coverage of the pixels by a stroke trace. In addition, a raster-scan display device is coupled to the filter for receiving the pixel data from the filter to produce a raster-scan image.

US Patent:

6711187, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Apr 22, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/127987

Inventors:

Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT
Dennis F. Elkins - Draper UT
Cameron C. Farmer - Sandy UT
Yuri S. Grapov - Sandy UT

Assignee:

Evans Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

H01S 313

US Classification:

372 30, 372 25

Abstract:

A rapidly oscillating laser light source is produced that exhibits extended pulse duration having a substantially uniform amplified output. A pulsed beam of laser light having a given wavelength, frequency, duration and intensity is produced such that the pulse shape is controlled. The pulsed beam is amplified using a fiber amplifier which exhibits inherent changes in amplifier gain at the frequencies of interest. The fiber amplifier is continuously pumped. A feedback signal is provided with the amplified pulse characteristics and is used to adjust the pulse shape of the pulsed beam of laser light before amplifying, such that the intensity is changed over the pulse duration to generate a substantially uniform amplified output during each pulse.

US Patent:

6751001, Jun 15, 2004

Filed:

Jan 24, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/350917

Inventors:

Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT
Aaron S. McAllister - Sandy UT

Assignee:

Evans Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G02F 101

US Classification:

359238, 359276, 359278

Abstract:

A device for the passive conversion of one format to another includes: a laser light source at a predetermined frequency, a line converter configured to produce a fan of light, a movable lens configured to collimate the fan of light, and an array of light modulators placed such that the collimated light is incident on a portion of the light modulators. Vertical pixels of an input image are reproduced on either 1, 2, 3, etc, adjacent light modulators depending on the target image size to produce a modulated light column. Any discrepancy between the modulated light column height and the target image height is compensated for using a zoom lens. The modulated light column is then reflected to a display surface. An entire image is produced by changing the state of the array of light modulators to correspond with each of the vertical columns of the image and sweeping the vertical columns across the display surface. The method accomplishes the format conversion passively, in that, simple calculations are performed only once for each input image size.

US Patent:

6763042, Jul 13, 2004

Filed:

Dec 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/017162

Inventors:

Forrest L. Williams - Sandy UT
Yuri S. Grapov - Sandy UT
Dennis F. Elkins - Draper UT
Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT

Assignee:

Evans Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

H01S 330

US Classification:

372 6, 372 20, 372 21, 372 22, 372 29011, 372 28

Abstract:

A method and device for the nonlinear combination of laser light which produces a beam of uniform intensity, high spatial purity, and high conversion efficiency. The method includes emitting a laser light from a tunable distributed feedback fiber laser having both thermal and piezoelectric control elements which produces a laser light at a given frequency, wavelength, and intensity; converting the laser light in a nonlinear resonator which uses a nonlinear optical crystal for frequency conversion or mixing; and measuring the resonant frequency of the nonlinear resonator and adjusting the laser light frequency using both the thermal and piezoelectric elements of the fiber laser light source to match the resonant frequency conditions within the nonlinear resonator.

US Patent:

6856449, Feb 15, 2005

Filed:

Jul 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/617145

Inventors:

Bret D. Winkler - South Jordan UT, US
Dennis F. Elkins - Draper UT, US
Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT, US

Assignee:

Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G02B026/00

US Classification:

359298, 359291

Abstract:

A microscopic optical structure controller for providing singular control of individual microscopic optical structures of a microelectromechanical optical device by a multiplexed stream of individual pixel values generated by a pixel value source. The microscopic optical structure controller includes at least one interconnect coupled to the pixel value source for receiving the multiplexed stream of individual pixel values and at least one mapper communicating with the interconnect for extracting individual pixel values from the multiplexed stream and applying the individual pixel values to one or more individual microscopic optical structures according to a configurable mapping. A method and a driver for providing singular control of individual microscopic optical structures of a microelectromechanical optical device are also disclosed.

US Patent:

7110624, Sep 19, 2006

Filed:

Mar 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/807808

Inventors:

Forrest L. Williams - Sandy UT, US
Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT, US
David Marceau - Salt Lake City UT, US
Dennis F. Elkins - Draper UT, US

Assignee:

Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G02B 6/00

US Classification:

385 12, 385 13

Abstract:

A tunable fiber optic component providing environmental isolation, thermal tuning, and mechanical tuning and a method of tuning a fiber optic component using application of substantially simultaneous varying of temperature and mechanical strain is disclosed. A method of using a tunable fiber optic component, for example, a distributed feedback fiber laser, to compensate variations in an optical system, and a method of making a tunable fiber optic component are also disclosed.

US Patent:

7113320, Sep 26, 2006

Filed:

Feb 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/361056

Inventors:

Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT, US

Assignee:

Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G02B 26/00

US Classification:

359290, 359572

Abstract:

A communications transmitter is disclosed that utilizes a grating light valve (GLV) to impose information on an optical signal. The communications transmitter further includes at least one laser light source, a frequency dispersing device, an electrostatic modulator that serves as a GLV, and at least one data input source. The laser light source is configured to produce a light beam having a specific optical bandwidth and the frequency dispersing device is optically coupled to the light source and configured to disperse the light beam to produce a frequency dispersed light. The electrostatic modulator includes an electrostatically responsive reflective ribbon oriented to receive a portion of the frequency dispersed light having a specified bandwidth. The signal input source typically serves as an analog input source and is electronically coupled to each electrostatic modulator and is configured to cause electrostatic deformation of the reflective ribbon to modify the frequency of light received thereon to produce a modulated reflected light beam.

US Patent:

7420177, Sep 2, 2008

Filed:

Jan 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/336510

Inventors:

Forrest Williams - Sandy UT, US
Robert R. Christensen - Salt Lake City UT, US
Allen H. Tanner - Sandy UT, US

Assignee:

Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G03B 21/00

US Classification:

25037008, 353 31, 353 98, 348756, 348 36, 359245, 359634

Abstract:

A system and method for generating a high-resolution image using a scanned-column projector is disclosed. The method includes the operation of generating a time-varying line image. A further operation includes collimating the time-varying line image in at least one plane. An additional operation involves scanning the collimated time-varying line image using a scan mirror. A further operation includes projecting the scanned collimated time-varying line image onto a surface. The scanned collimated time-varying line image is projected with at least one imaging element.