Joseph H Summers

US Patent:

20200326563, Oct 15, 2020

Filed:

Apr 12, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/383258

Inventors:

- Seattle WA, US
Joseph Andrew SUMMERS - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

G02F 1/01
G02F 1/03
G01S 7/491
G01S 7/499
G01S 7/481
G01S 17/10
G01S 17/89

Abstract:

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system with a large field-of-view (FOV) and low operating power includes an intensity modulator, a controller, and one or more camera sensors. The intensity modulator includes a modulating cell that is configured to receive an optical signal and change a polarization state of the optical signal, in response to an electrical signal received from the controller. The modulating cell includes a material that (i) has at least one of a first order electro-optic effect and a second order electro-optic effect and (ii) has an amount of birefringence that is less than or equal to a predefined amount of birefringence. The camera sensor(s) are configured to measure an intensity of the optical signal and determine range information of an object based on the measured intensity.

US Patent:

20200195836, Jun 18, 2020

Filed:

Dec 13, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/219665

Inventors:

- Kanagawa-ken, JP
Joseph Andrew Summers - Seattle WA, US
Scott Ellis Hemmings - Edmonds WA, US
Mark Lawrence Delaney - Shoreline WA, US
Paul Gerard Gladnick - Seattle WA, US
Bjorn Erik Bertil Jansson - Snohomish WA, US

International Classification:

H04N 5/232
G03B 13/36
G02B 21/02
G02B 21/24

Abstract:

A method is provided for operating a tunable acoustic gradient (TAG) lens imaging system. The method includes: (a) providing a smart lighting pulse control routine/circuit (SLPCRC) that provides a first mode of exposure control corresponding to a points from focus (PFF) mode of the TAG lens imaging system and a second mode of exposure control corresponding to an extended depth of focus (EDOF) mode of the TAG lens imaging system; (b) placing a workpiece in a field of view of the TAG lens imaging system; and (c) periodically modulating a focus position of the TAG lens imaging system without macroscopically adjusting the spacing between elements in the TAG lens imaging system, wherein the focus position is periodically modulated over a plurality of focus positions along a focus axis direction in a focus range including a surface height of the workpiece, at a modulation frequency of at least 30 kHz.

US Patent:

20200004103, Jan 2, 2020

Filed:

Jun 29, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/023148

Inventors:

- Kanagawa-ken, JP
Joseph Andrew Summers - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

G02F 1/29
H04N 5/238
G01N 21/21

Abstract:

A imaging ellipsometer system is provided including a lens configuration with tunable acoustic gradient index of refraction (“TAG”) lens. The imaging ellipsometer system further includes a light source, a polarizer, a compensator, an analyzer and a camera. Light from the light source passes through the polarizer and is directed toward a workpiece. In various implementations, the compensator is located and configured to elliptically polarize the light either before or after the light is reflected from the workpiece. The lens configuration receives the reflected workpiece light and the TAG lens is controlled to provide a modulation of a focus position. The camera receives workpiece light that passes through the TAG lens and the analyzer during an image exposure and provides a corresponding camera image. An ellipsometry analysis is performed (e.g., to determine at least one of a refraction index, or a thickness of one or more layers of the workpiece, etc.)