Abl IP Holding LLC

James Michael Phipps

Steve Lyons

An Mao

John M Reilly

Alexander Jacob Schultz

David P Ramer

Gregory Malone

Robert M Krass

Rashmi Kumar Rogers

Sean P White

Jenish S Kastee

Alexander Manasseh

In an electrowetting cell or system using the cell, electrode configuration and/or associated control of electrode drive signal(s) compensate for the impact of an external condition such as gravity, vibration or motion, which may otherwise cause distortion or aberration in the optical geometry of the fluid(s) of the electrowetting cell. The compensation technology may allow for larger electrowetting cell designs, whether lenses, prisms or other various electrowetting devices.

Electrowetting with compensation for force that may otherwise cause distortion or aberration

An electrowetting cell includes a substrate that includes a well filled with at least one fluid an external contact surface. The substrate is formed of ceramic or fiberglass mesh infused with resin. A control channel electrode connection pad and a common electrode connection pad are on the external contact surface. A first plate is coupled to the substrate to seal a first end of the well. A second plate is coupled to the substrate to seal a second end of the well. The electrowetting cell further includes a control channel electrode on the substrate configured to control a shape of the at least one fluid via an electric field, a common electrode, a control channel electrode interconnect connected to the control channel electrode and the control channel electrode connection pad, and a common electrode interconnect connected to the common electrode and the common electrode connection pad.

Electrowetting cell constructs

The examples herein relate to assembly techniques and structures for sealing and lateral pressure compensation techniques that can be utilized in, for example, an electrowetting cell. The electrowetting cell can include a substrate that supports a well filled with a liquid. The electrowetting cell can include a control channel electrode to control the liquid via an electric field and a circuit connection to drive the control channel electrode. A seal is coupled to a spacer to seal the well between the substrate and the transparent cover. An expansion space, exterior to the well, is formed with the coupling of the seal and the spacer. As the liquid or the gas thermally expands or contracts, the seal compensates laterally by deforming sideways in an empty space of the expansion space.

Sealing and lateral pressure compensation structures usable with fluidic or gaseous material containers

A control pod includes a controller to control an environmental condition in a space, and a cover plate covering the controller and having a light transmissive area extending along a substantial section of an outer perimeter of the cover plate. Programming configures a processor to detect user inputs of a control command based on a user action detected via user input response sensors, and based on the detected control command, send a control signal to a device to implement a function corresponding to the detected control command. The processor also controls a light source to selectively provide a light output through the light transmissive area of the cover plate for a period of time following the control command detection, as visible feedback corresponding to the detected control command, for observation by the user, along at least a portion of the section of the light transmissive area of the cover plate.

Controller with peripheral visual feedback

A system comprises a driver and an electrowetting cell controlled by the driver that includes a substrate that includes a well filled with at least two non-mixing media. The well has lateral walls and a stepped control channel electrode matrix including multiple stepped control channel electrode arrays. The lateral walls can collectively form a continuous perimeter around the well (e.g., circle shaped). Each stepped control channel electrode array includes a number of stepped control channel electrodes formed at different longitudinal levels along a respective lateral wall. Each stepped control channel electrode is independently controllable to control a shape of the at least two non-mixing media via an electric field. Each lateral wall encloses the at least two non-mixing media inside the well.

Electrowetting cell with stepped lateral wall electrodes

An example lighting device has a luminaire. The luminaire includes an illumination light source matrix including illumination light sources configured to be driven by electrical power to emit light rays for illumination lighting. The luminaire further includes an optical lens positioned and configured to extend over the illumination light source matrix and including an input surface coupled to receive incoming light rays emitted by the illumination light sources and an output surface. Both the input surface and the output surface each include various portions to refract or total internally reflect the incoming light rays emitted by the illumination light sources passing through to shape or steer the illumination lighting into an outputted beam pattern. A coupled illumination light source driver selectively controls the illumination light sources individually or in combination to adjust the outputted beam pattern from the optical lens.

Lighting device with optical lens for beam shaping and illumination light source matrix

An example lighting device has illumination light sources, each configured to be independently driven. The device further includes an optical lens positioned over the illumination light sources. The optical lens has a number of aspheric or spheric convex surfaces, including an input surface and an output surface. The input surface includes an input peripheral portion and an input central portion. The input peripheral portion extends from the illumination light sources and curves from a region of the illumination light sources towards the input central portion. The input central portion curves towards the illumination light sources. The output surface includes an output lateral portion, an output shoulder portion, and an output body portion. Another example uses optical-to-electrical transducers, e.g. light detector or photovoltaic devices, in combination with the optical lens, for light reception transducer applications.

Optical lens for beam shaping and steering and devices using the optical lens

An example lighting device has a luminaire. The luminaire includes an illumination light source matrix including illumination light sources configured to be driven by electrical power to emit light rays for illumination lighting. The luminaire further includes an optical lens positioned and configured to extend over the illumination light source matrix and including an input surface coupled to receive incoming light rays emitted by the illumination light sources and an output surface. Both the input surface and the output surface each include at least two different aspherical, spherical, or planar portions to refract the incoming light rays emitted by the illumination light sources passing through to shape or steer the illumination lighting into an outputted beam pattern. A coupled illumination light source driver selectively controls the illumination light sources individually or in combination to adjust at least a beam angle of the outputted beam pattern from the optical lens.

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Fairfax Station, VA, United States of America

James Michael Phipps