Microvision, Inc.

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Seiko Epson Corporation

Wyatt Owen Davis

Dean R Brown

Jason B Tauscher

Joshua Owen Miller

Utku Baran

Mark P Helsel

Randall Brian Sprague

Gregory T Gibson

Richard Allen James

Thomas W Montague

John R Lewis

Hakan Urey

Xiao Chuan Ong

David Roy Bowman

Joshua Mark Hudman

Michael James Nystrom

Matthew Ellis

Roeland Collet

Kai Zang

Kelly D Linden

Jincheng Wang

Jun Yan

Mohammadamin Eftekhar

Chancellor W Brown

Quinn William Haynie

Yunfei Ma

Yujiro Nomura

Mark Alan Champion

Nobumasa Abe

Yoshiro Koga

Mark O Freeman

Robert J Dunki-Jacobs

Michael P Weir

Bin Xue

Matthieu Saracco

Gregory Theodore Gibson

Fei Chen

Taha Masood

Seungwoo Lee

Michael E Sherwood

John Wyatt Coy

David Malametz

Di Sun

Gabriel Castro

A method includes forming a mirror assembly for a scanning device that includes a mirror rotationally supported by flexible beams, the mirror assembly also including a piezoelectric material. The mirror is encased with a cover having a top scanning opening aligned with the mirror to form a scanning assembly. An interior of the scanning assembly is coated with a protective film. Etching is performed through the top scanning opening to remove the protective film from a top of the mirror.

Self-aligned mask for humidity barrier patterning

A strain sensor that has an associated temperature compensation circuit. The strain sensor is temperature-compensated as it has a temperature compensation circuit that, when powered, applies an applied voltage across the applied voltage terminals of the strain sensor that has a compensating temperature dependency. That is, the applied voltage has a temperature dependency of one polarity that is opposite a temperature dependency of the strain sensor. Because of this temperature compensation, the signal representing strain has a more stable scale factor between the endured strain and the signal representing the strain. Thus, the accuracy of the strain sensor is improved.

Temperature compensation for strain sensor

A MEMS scanner may include a first flexible arm extending substantially in a forward direction and a base connected to a proximal end of the first flexible arm, the base being thicker than the first flexible arm in a vertical direction. The MEMS scanner may further include a second flexible arm connected to a distal end of the first flexible arm, the second flexible arm extending substantially in a reverse direction. The MEMS scanner may further include a mirror coupled to a distal end of the second flexible arm. In one implementation, the MEMS scanner may be a non-resonant scanner.

MEMS scanner

Examples are disclosed that relate to pixel-shifting devices for increasing display resolution. An example pixel-shifting device comprises an outer frame, an inner frame coupled to the outer frame via a flexure, a path-shifting optical element mounted to the inner frame, and one or more piezoelectric actuators configured to drive motion of the inner frame.

Pixel shifting device

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanning device comprising a torsional beam flexure that has a variable width in relation to a rotational axis for a scanning mirror. The geometric properties of the torsional beam vary along the rotational axis to increase a desired mode of mechanical strain at a location where a strain sensor is operating within the MEMS scanning device to generate a feedback signal. The torsional beam flexure mechanically suspends the scanning mirror from a frame structure. During operation of the MEMS scanning device, actuators induce torsional deformation into the torsional beam flexure to cause rotation of the scanning mirror about the rotational axis. The degree or amount of this torsional deformation is directly related to the angular position of the scanning mirror and, therefore, the desired mode of mechanical strain may be this torsional deformation strain component.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanner having a torsional beam flexure with variable width

A display device includes a light source, a support structure, and a scanning mirror system. The scanning mirror system includes a mirror, a first anchor located at a first lateral side of the scanning mirror system, a second anchor located at a second lateral side of the scanning mirror system, and a flexure. A first portion of the flexure extends from the first anchor toward a first longitudinal end and turns to meet a first end of the mirror. A second portion extends from the second anchor toward a second longitudinal end and turns to meet to a second end of the mirror opposite the first end. An actuator system is configured to actuate the flexure to thereby vary a scan angle of the mirror.

Display device with compact scanning mirror

A system that includes a substrate for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror systems is provided. The MEMS scanning mirror system includes a substrate that includes a ceramic body. An actuator frame is mounted on the ceramic body of the substrate. The actuator frame includes at least one moveable member. At least one actuator is operatively connected to the at least one moveable member such that the actuator is configured to move the at least one moveable member. A scanning mirror assembly is mounted to the at least one moveable member such that movement of the at least one moveable member moves the scanning mirror assembly.

Substrate for scanning mirror system

Examples are disclosed that relate to scanning display systems. One example provides a display device comprising a controller, a light source, and a scanning mirror system. The scanning mirror system comprises a scanning mirror configured to scan light from the light source in at least one direction at a resonant frequency of the scanning mirror, and an electromechanical actuator system coupled with the scanning mirror and being controllable by the controller to adjust the resonant frequency of the scanning mirror.

Adjusting a resonant frequency of a scanning mirror

Examples are disclosed that relate to actuator frames for scanning mirror systems. In one example an actuator frame for a scanning mirror assembly comprises a mounting member comprising a first side and an opposite second side. A first moveable member comprises a first interior side that defines a first gap and a second gap with the first side of the mounting member. A second moveable member comprises a second interior side that defines a third gap and a fourth gap with the second side of the mounting member. A first hinge connects a central portion of the mounting member with the first moveable member, and a second hinge connects the central portion of the mounting member with the second moveable member.

Actuator frame for scanning mirror

An integrated optical beam steering system is configured in three stages to provide beam steering for image light from an imager (e.g., laser, light emitting diode, or other light source) to downstream elements in a display system such as an exit pupil expander (EPE) in a mixed-reality computing device. The first stage includes a multi-level cascaded array of optical switches that are configurable to spatially route image light over a first dimension of a two-dimensional (2D) field of view (FOV) of the display system. The second waveguiding stage transfers the image light along preformed waveguides to a collimator in the third stage which is configured to collimate the image light along the first dimension of the FOV (e.g., horizontal). The waveguiding and collimating stages may be implemented using lightweight photonic crystal nanostructures.

Integrated optical beam steering system

The present disclosure generally relates to a method, and apparatus implementing the method for removing particulate accumulation from an optical element of a micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) package. The method may select a cleaning mode based, at least in part on, one or more of output of a sensor or a maintenance routine. Cleaning modes may include actuating, using an actuator of the MEMS package, one of a plurality of motion modes across the optical element. Optionally, the cleaning mode may include applying, using a power source of the MEMS package, a charge to the optical element. The disclosed techniques may enable the MEMS package to automatically and dynamically remove particulate matter without introducing additional mechanical elements.

Techniques for removing particulate from an optical surface

An integrated optical beam steering system includes a photonic crystal nanostructure having a plurality of nanoelements, an input surface to receive light from an imager, and a concave output surface which maintains a desired field of view with suitable coupling efficiency. Parameters of the nanoelements are configured to give rise to a photonic bandgap for a predetermined range of wavelengths. Waveguides are disposed in the nanostructure which comprise negative space formed by the absence of nanoelements and are employed to generate a propagating band within the photonic bandgap. The respective waveguides have inputs disposed on the input surfaces of the nanostructure where light propagates in a respective waveguide in total internal reflection. The respective waveguides further have outputs that have paths with curved portions located in the nanostructure and the outputs are configured normal to the concave output surface.

The embodiments described herein provide microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanners with increased resistance to distortion in the mirror surface. Such MEMS scanners, when incorporated into laser scanning devices, are used to reflect laser light into a pattern of scan lines. Thus, by reducing distortion in the scanning surface these MEMS scanners can provide improved performance in scanning laser devices, including scanning laser projectors and laser depth scanners. In general, this is accomplished by providing a MEMS scanner where the connection to the scan plate is made at an intermediate support structure, and at a point on that intermediate support structure that is offset from the scanning surface. Providing the connection to the scan plate at points offset from the scanning surface can reduce the distortion that occurs in the scanning surface as a result of rotational forces in the MEMS scanner.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanners for scanning laser devices

Scanning platforms for use in scanning laser devices are described herein. These scanning platforms are particularly applicable to scanning laser devices that use microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structures to facilitate mirror motion. The scanning platforms include a centrally located stationary mount portion and a movable portion that surrounds the stationary portion. The movable portion is configured to be coupled to a mirror and to facilitate motion of that mirror. Such a scanning platform can facilitate reduced size in scanning mirror assembly, and thus can facilitate a more compact scanning laser device.

Scanning platforms for scanning laser devices

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Wyatt Owen Davis