Optical projector having switchable light emission patterns
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsOnur Can Akkaya, Cyrus Bamji
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Abstract
An optical projector comprises a collimated light source, a pattern generating optical element, and a variable optical element positioned optically between the collimated light source and the pattern generating optical element. The variable optical element is configured to adjust a divergence of a light beam incident on the pattern generating optical element. The pattern generating optical element is configured to emit patterned light when the variable optical element is in a first state, and to emit non-patterned light when the variable optical element is in a second state.
Claims20
An optical projector, comprising:
- a light source;
- a pattern generating optical element configured to shape collimated light into a fixed output pattern;
- and
- a variable optical element positioned optically between the light source and the pattern generating optical element, the variable optical element configured to adjust a divergence of a light beam incident on the pattern generating optical element, and wherein the pattern generating optical element is configured to emit non-patterned light when the variable optical element is in a first state that emits diverging light, and to emit patterned light when the variable optical element is in a second state that emits collimated light.
A method for operating an optical projector, comprising:
- during a first condition, directing collimated light through a switchable diffuser such that uncollimated light exits the switchable diffuser so as to be incident on a pattern generating optical element, thereby generating non-patterned light;
- and
- during a second condition, directing collimated light through the switchable diffuser such that collimated light exits the switchable diffuser so as to be incident on the pattern generating optical element;
- thereby generating patterned light in a fixed pattern.
An optical projector, comprising:
- a light source;
- a pattern generating optical element;
- an actuatable lens positioned optically between the laser light source and the pattern generating optical element, the actuatable lens configured to adjust a divergence of a light beam incident on the pattern generating optical element;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively adjust a conformation of the actuatable lens between a first state and a second state, such that the pattern generating optical element emits patterned light when the actuatable lens is in a first state, and emits non-patterned light when the actuatable lens is in a second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.