Peter W Clark

US Patent:

6598068, Jul 22, 2003

Filed:

Jan 4, 1996

Appl. No.:

08/582661

Inventors:

Peter D. Clark - Cupertino CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 950

US Classification:

709104

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for managing how threads of a multi-threaded computer program share a resource is provided One thread of the program is given priority over other threads of the program by granting to the thread possession of the lock associated with the resource regardless of whether the thread currently requires use of the resource. The other threads are designed to indicate to the priority thread when they require use of the resource. If the priority thread is done using the resource and detects that another thread is waiting to use the resource, the priority thread releases the resource lock for the resource. After releasing the lock for the resource, the priority thread automatically requests the resource lock. After using the resource, any non-priority thread releases the resource lock to the priority thread if the priority thread has requested the resource, without regard to whether any other threads may be waiting for the resource. According to one embodiment, a timer mechanism is used to cause the priority thread to periodically check whether any threads are waiting to use the resource.

US Patent:

20120092543, Apr 19, 2012

Filed:

May 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/318440

Inventors:

Bahram Afshari - Los Altos CA, US
John Toor - Palo Alto CA, US
Samuel Wennyann Ho - Foster City CA, US
Peter Clark - Boxborough MA, US

Assignee:

LENSVECTOR INC. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N 5/225
G02F 1/29

US Classification:

348335, 359315, 349200, 348E05024

Abstract:

An electrically controllable optical lens apparatus makes use of fixed lenses and an active optical element together in a lens enclosure. The enclosure may be a barrel structure that is easily mounted to a camera device having an image sensor. The active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens, receives an electrical signal from the camera device via electrical conductors integral with the lens enclosure that provide electrical pathways between the active element on the interior of the enclosure and surface contacts on the camera device. The enclosure may be a two-piece structure, and the electrical conductors may be attached to either piece of the structure. The lens enclosure may also be threaded for attachment to the camera device. The electrical conductors may also use spring loaded contact portions or molded interconnect devices.

US Patent:

20120200764, Aug 9, 2012

Filed:

May 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/318559

Inventors:

Bahram Afshari - Los Altos CA, US
John Toor - Palo Alto CA, US
Peter P Clark - Boxborough MA, US
Samuel Wennyann Ho - Foster City CA, US

Assignee:

LENSVECTOR INC. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G03B 13/00
H05K 13/00
H04N 5/232

US Classification:

348345, 295921, 29593, 348E05045

Abstract:

A focus free camera module uses fixed lenses within a housing that are combined with an electrically controllable active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens. The fixed lenses provide a desired amount of optical power, but the manufacturing tolerances of the module are insufficient to ensure a proper focus of an image on an image sensor. The active optical element is therefore used to compensate for any variations in the optical power to achieve the desired focus. To ensure an effective compensation, the module may be constructed so that, when the variation in optical power due to manufacturing tolerances is at a maximum, the desired focus is achieved when the active optical element is at zero optical power. All other variations may then be compensated by adjusting the active optical element to increase its optical power.

US Patent:

20130033673, Feb 7, 2013

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/504529

Inventors:

Bahram Afshari - Los Altos CA, US
Karen Asatryan - Quebec, CA
Peter P. Clark - Boxborough MA, US
Tigran Galstian - Quebec, CA
Michael J. Nystrom - San Jose CA, US
Vladimir Presniakov - Quebec, CA
Sergei Yakovenko - Pleasanton CA, US
Armen Zohrabyan - Quebec, CA

Assignee:

LENSVECTOR, INC. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G02F 1/1333
H05K 13/00
G01R 31/00
G02B 7/00

US Classification:

349200, 359894, 2940705, 295921, 29825

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.