Jo A Etter

US Patent:

20220236568, Jul 28, 2022

Filed:

May 20, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/611449

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Timothy L. Wong - West St. Paul MN, US
Susan L. Kent - Shorewood MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
John D. Le - Woodbury MN, US
Jo A. Etter - Stillwater MN, US

International Classification:

G02B 27/01
G02B 3/00
G02B 5/08
G02B 5/26
G02B 5/30

Abstract:

Optical systems for displaying an image are described. The optical systems include a first and second optical lenses separated by air. A partial reflector is disposed on and conforms to a major surface of the first optical lens where the major surface can have a best-fit spherical radius of curvature in a range from 20 mm to 200 mm. A reflective polarizer is disposed on and conforms to a major surface of the first optical lens where the major surface can have a best-fit spherical radius of curvature greater than about 500 mm. A retarder layer is disposed between the reflective polarizer and the partial reflector. The first optical lens can have an optical birefringence of less than 15 nm/cm and the second optical lens can have an optical birefringence of greater than 15 nm/cm. A method of fabricating an optical assembly is described.

US Patent:

20220229306, Jul 21, 2022

Filed:

Apr 4, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/712377

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Timothy L. Wong - West St. Paul MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
Zhisheng Yun - Sammamish WA, US
Gilles J. Benoit - Minneapolis MN, US
Jo A. Etter - Stillwater MN, US

International Classification:

G02B 27/09
G02B 3/00
G02B 27/01
G02B 27/28
G02B 27/30

Abstract:

A display system including an imager for forming an image, and a projection lens system for projecting the image formed by the imager is described. For each pixel in the plurality of pixels, the imager is configured to emit a cone of light having a central ray having a direction that varies with location of the pixel in the imager. The variation may increase a brightness of an image projected through the projection lens system by at least 30 percent. The display system may include a light guide having a light insertion portion adapted to receive light; a light transport portion disposed to receive light from the light insertion portion; and a light extraction portion disposed to receive light from the light transport portion.

US Patent:

20230115202, Apr 13, 2023

Filed:

Jul 26, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/873420

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Michael L. Steiner - New Richmond WI, US
Jo A. Etter - Kirkland WA, US
Timothy L. Wong - St. Paul MN, US
Gilles J. Benoit - Minneapolis MN, US
John D. Le - Woodbury MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
Susan L. Kent - Shorewood MN, US

International Classification:

G02B 5/30
G02B 27/01

Abstract:

An optical element includes an optical surface configured to receive light at a predetermined wavelength in a range from about 400 nm to about 1000 nm. The optical surface is defined by a vertical axis and a horizontal axis defining four Cartesian quadrants sequentially numbered in a counter-clockwise direction. A first longitudinal section of the optical surface is centered on the vertical axis and a second longitudinal section of the optical surface is centered on the horizontal axis. The first and second longitudinal section each extend across opposite edges of the optical surface and have a same substantially uniform retardance for substantially normally incident light. The optical element includes four discrete retarder sections. Each retarder section is disposed on a respective Cartesian quadrant of the optical surface and has a retardance difference from the substantially uniform retardance of the optical surface that is greater than zero.

US Patent:

20230089314, Mar 23, 2023

Filed:

Nov 30, 2022

Appl. No.:

18/060033

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Gregg A. Ambur - River Falls WI, US
Jo A. Etter - Kirkland WA, US
Benjamin G. Sonnek - Mahtomedi MN, US
Zhisheng Yun - Sammamish WA, US

International Classification:

G02B 5/30
G02B 6/27
B32B 7/035
G02B 27/14
G02B 6/293

Abstract:

A curved reflective has at least one location having a radius of curvature in a range from about 6 mm to about 1000 mm. Each location on the reflective polarizer has a maximum reflectance greater than about 70% for a block polarization state, a maximum transmittance greater than about 70% for an orthogonal pass polarization state, and a minimum transmittance for the block polarization state. For a continuous first portion of the reflective polarizer extending between different first and second edges of the reflective polarizer and defining disjoint second and third portions of the reflective polarizer, the minimum transmittance of the reflective polarizer for the block polarization state is higher at each location in at least 70% of the first portion than at each location in at least 70% of the second portion and at each location in at least 70% of the third portion.

US Patent:

20230003929, Jan 5, 2023

Filed:

Sep 7, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/939183

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Jo A. Etter - Stillwater MN, US
Susan L. Kent - Shorewood MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
Timothy L. Wong - West St. Paul MN, US
Zhisheng Yun - Sammamish WA, US

International Classification:

G02B 5/30
G02B 27/01
G02B 5/10

Abstract:

A reflective polarizing imaging lens includes at least one optical film having an active area that is curved in two orthogonal directions. Edges of the optical film are arranged to form seams between segments of the optical film in the active area of the reflective polarizing imaging lens.

US Patent:

20210364682, Nov 25, 2021

Filed:

Jun 7, 2019

Appl. No.:

17/044685

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Benjamin G. Sonnek - Mahtomedi MN, US
Jo A. Etter - Kirkland WA, US
Timothy L. Wong - St. Paul MN, US
Thomas P. Klun - Lakeland MN, US
Richard J. Pokorny - Maplewood MN, US
Benjamin R. Coonce - South St. Paul MN, US
Douglas S. Dunn - Woodbury MN, US
Christopher S. DeGraw - Eagan MN, US
John R. Jacobson - Newport MN, US
Chunjie Zhang - Shoreview MN, US
Jung-Sheng Wu - Woodbury MN, US

International Classification:

G02B 5/28
G02B 1/04

Abstract:

An optical assembly including an optical element insert molded directly onto an optical stack is provided. The optical stack includes an optical film and may include a liner with the optical film being disposed between the optical element and the liner. The liner, if included, is removable from the optical film without substantial damage to the optical film. An outermost layer of the optical film may be diffusion bonded to a major surface of the optical element. The optical film includes a protective coating having an average thickness of no more than 30 micrometers. The protective coating includes an at least partially cured composition. The composition includes 70 to 96 weight percent of urethane (meth)acrylate compound having an average (meth)acrylate functionality of 2 to 9.5, and 2 to 20 weight percent of (meth)acrylate monomer having a (meth)acrylate functionality of 1 to 2.

US Patent:

20210278677, Sep 9, 2021

Filed:

May 25, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/329678

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Zhisheng Yun - Sammamish WA, US
Timothy L. Wong - St. Paul MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
Jo A. Etter - Kirkland WA, US
Robert M. Jennings - Shoreview MN, US

International Classification:

G02B 27/01
G02B 13/00
B29D 11/00
G02B 17/08
G02B 5/30
G02B 27/14
G02B 27/28
G02B 27/00
G02B 27/09
G03B 21/28

Abstract:

A display system includes an optical system and a curved display disposed to emit light toward the optical system. The optical system includes at least a first optical lens, a partial reflector and a reflective polarizer. The optical system has an optical axis such that a light ray propagating along the optical axis passes through the first optical lens the partial reflector and the reflective polarizer without being substantially refracted. At least one major surface of the optical system can be rotationally asymmetric about the optical axis. A major surface of the optical system may have a first portion defined by a first equation and a second portion adjacent the first portion defined by a different equation. The first optical lens may have a contoured edge adapted to be placed adjacent an eye of a viewer and substantially conform to the viewer's face.

US Patent:

20210278679, Sep 9, 2021

Filed:

May 25, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/329331

Inventors:

- St. Paul MN, US
Timothy L. Wong - St. Paul MN, US
Erin A. McDowell - Afton MN, US
Zhisheng Yun - Sammamish WA, US
Gilles J. Benoit - Minneapolis MN, US
Jo Anne Etter - Kirkland WA, US

International Classification:

G02B 27/09
G02B 3/00
G02B 27/01
G02B 27/28
G02B 27/30

Abstract:

A display system includes a pixelated display being curved about at least one axis and including a plurality of groups of pixels; a plurality of light redirecting elements where each light redirecting element corresponds to a different group of pixels in the plurality of groups of pixels; and an optical lens system adapted to receive light emitted by the pixelated display and transmitted by the plurality of light redirecting elements. The optical lens system transmits at least a portion of the received light. For at least one pixel in the plurality of groups of pixels, the light redirecting element corresponding to the pixel reduces an angle between a central light ray emitted by the pixel and a chief light ray emitted by the pixel.