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US 10,310,281 B1Granted
Optical projector with off-axis diffractive element
AssigneeK Laser Technology, Inc.
InventorWai-Hon Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for projecting a pattern includes a laser source, a collimating lens and a diffractive optical element (DOE) to diffract the collimated laser beam into a specific dot pattern for sensing the depth of a three dimensional (3D) surface.
Claims17
An apparatus comprising:
- a laser configured to produce a laser beam;
- a collimating lens mounted to intercept the laser beam and produce a collimated beam;
- a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an off-axis diffraction pattern and mounted to intercept the collimated beam and produce an off-axis diffracted beam pattern including an off-center 0th order beam;
- and
- a projection element mounted to intercept the off-axis diffracted beam pattern and project a portion of the pattern excluding the 0th order beam;
- wherein the projection element comprises:
- a reflective component mounted at a non-45 degree angle to the 0th order beam;
- and
- a block mounted to intercept the 0th order beam.
6 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a laser configured to produce a laser beam;
- a collimating lens mounted to intercept the laser beam and produce a collimated beam;
- a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an off-axis diffraction pattern and mounted to intercept the collimated beam and produce an off-axis diffracted beam pattern including an off-center 0th order beam;
- and
- a projection element mounted to intercept the off-axis diffracted beam pattern and project a portion of the pattern excluding the 0th order beam;
- wherein the projection component includes an aperture positioned to not pass the 0th order beam.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a laser configured to produce a laser beam;
- a collimating lens mounted to intercept the laser beam and produce a collimated beam;
- a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an off-axis diffraction pattern and mounted to intercept the collimated beam and produce an off-axis diffracted beam pattern including an off-center 0th order beam;
- and
- a projection element mounted to intercept the off-axis diffracted beam pattern and project a portion of the pattern excluding the 0th order beam;
- wherein the projection element comprises:
- a block mounted to intercept the 0th order beam, the block having a low reflective, light diffusing surface such that any reflected portion of the 0th order beam is less bright than a second order diffraction beam.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- producing a laser beam;
- intercepting the laser beam and producing a collimated beam;
- intercepting the collimated beam and producing an off-axis diffracted beam pattern including an off-center 0th order beam;
- and
- intercepting the off-axis diffracted beam pattern and projecting a portion of the pattern excluding the 0th order beam
- wherein the projecting step comprises:
- reflecting a portion of the pattern excluding the 0th order beam using a non-45 degree angle to the 0th order beam;
- and
- blocking the 0th order beam.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.