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Publication Number
US-9025911-B2
Publication Date
2015-05-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A scanning projector for projecting an image comprising a plurality of wavelength signals (i.e., light signals having different wavelengths) is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of surface waveguides arranged to define a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port. Different wavelength signals received at the input ports are combined into a composite output beam that is scanned over a region. The projector (1) scans a first wavelength signal over a plurality of image points in the region, (2) detects an amount of the first wavelength signal reflected from each image point, whose reflectivity at the first wavelength is based on a measure and, and (3) projects an image onto the region using a second wavelength signal, where the image is based on the reflected first wavelength signal at each of the image points.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a scanning projector that combines first and second light signals characterized by different wavelengths into a composite output signal using a planar lightwave circuit beam combiner. The beam combiner includes a plurality of waveguides arranged to define a first input port, a second input port, a mixing region, and an output port, and each input port includes a mode-matching region comprising a facet that is substantially mode-matched to an output facet of a corresponding light source and an interface optically coupled with a corresponding waveguide.
In multi-wavelength configurations, the planar lightwave circuit includes a plurality of input ports and a mixing region that combines multiple light signals characterized by different wavelengths into a composite output signal. The wavelengths are irregularly spaced, and the mixing region combines the plurality of light signals into the composite output signal provided at the output port. A scanner receives the composite output signal and scans the composite output signal over a plurality of image points in a first region.
The invention additionally supports wavelength-composite control and feedback using a photodetector and a processor. The photodetector receives reflected light from each of the plurality of image points and generates an electrical signal based on a characteristic of the received light, and the processor controls a second light source based on that electrical signal.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00013. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage focuses on two inventive features: scanning projection with a planar lightwave circuit beam combiner, and combining multiple differently, including irregularly, spaced wavelength light signals into a composite output that is scanned over image points by a scanner.
Planar lightwave circuit beam combiner for two-wavelength composite output scanning
A scanning projector comprising a first light source providing a first light signal characterized by a first wavelength; a second light source providing a second light signal characterized by a second wavelength; a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit with a plurality of waveguides arranged to define a first input port, a second input port, a mixing region, and an output port; wherein the beam combiner receives the first light signal at the first input port, receives the second light signal at the second input port, combines the first light signal and the second light signal into a composite output signal, and provides the composite output signal at the output port; wherein the first input port includes a mode-matching region comprising a first facet that is substantially mode-matched to an output facet of the first light source and an interface that is optically coupled with a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides; and a scanner receiving the composite output signal from the beam combiner and scanning the composite output signal over each of a plurality of image points in a first region.
Irregularly spaced multi-wavelength composite output scanning with planar lightwave circuit
A scanning projector comprising a plurality of light sources, wherein each of the plurality of light sources provides a different one of a plurality of light signals, each of the plurality of light signals being characterized by a different wavelength, and wherein the plurality of wavelengths are irregularly spaced; a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, a plurality of waveguides that optically couples the plurality of input ports and the mixing region, and an output port, wherein each of the plurality of input ports receives a different one of the plurality of light signals, and wherein the mixing region combines the plurality of light signals into a composite output signal that is provided at the output port; and a scanner, the scanner receiving the composite output signal from the beam combiner and scanning the composite output signal over each of a plurality of image points in a first region.
Across clm-00001 and clm-00013, the claims cover a scanning projector that uses a planar lightwave circuit beam combiner to combine light signals into a composite output signal, with mode-matching at an input port and scanning over image points. The multi-wavelength independent claim additionally requires irregularly spaced wavelengths among the plurality of light sources and light signals.
Stated Advantages
Reduced size/cost, as compared with prior free-space-combiner approaches, is stated in the provided partial content.
Real-time operation is stated in the provided partial content.
Documented Applications
Vein visibility: interrogate with an IR wavelength absorbed by blood, detect reflected intensity drops per pixel using a photodetector/processor, and conditionally add a visible second wavelength to enhance real-time visualization.
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