# US 10,768,343 B2 · Illumination modules and optoelectronic systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,343 B2 - Document ID: US10768343B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/074,262 - Filed: 2017-01-31 - Published: 2020-02-27 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-01 - Assignees: ams Sensors Singapore Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Ams Sensors Singapore Pte. Ltd. - Inventors: Mai-Lan Elodie Boytard; Philipp Müller; Martin Lukas Balimann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768343B2 ## CPC - G01B 11/25: by projecting a pattern, e.g. {one or more lines,} moiré fringes on the object (G01B11/255 takes precedence {; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50}) - G01B 11/2513: {with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns} - G02B 3/0037: {characterized by the distribution or form of lenses} - G02B 27/0961: {Lens arrays (lens arrays per se G02B3/0006)} - H01S 5/423: {having a vertical cavity} - H04N 13/254: in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - H01S 5/005: {Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence)} - H01S 2301/20: Lasers with a special output beam profile or cross-section, e.g. non-Gaussian - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An illumination module for generating a patterned illumination with minimal ambiguity includes an array of light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles. The illumination module also includes an optical assembly. The optical assembly and the array of light sources can be operable to substantially replicate the different respective near-field intensity profiles of the light sources in the far-field thereby generating a patterned illumination. The patterned illumination can exhibit reduced ambiguity in some instances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illumination module for generating a patterned illumination, the illumination module comprising: an array of light sources having a common emission plane, each light source generating light having a near-field intensity profile at the common emission plane; the array of light sources comprising at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles at the common emission plane, and the at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles being operable to generate light having the same wavelength and/or range of wavelengths; and an optical assembly mounted at a distance from the common emission plane, the optical assembly and the array of light sources being operable to substantially replicate the different respective near-field intensity profiles of the at least two light sources in a far-field, the optical assembly being a microlens array, the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses respectively arranged at a microlens pitch, wherein the microlens pitch is substantially equal to the square root of the product of the integer two divided by an integer greater than or equal to one, the wavelength and/or range of wavelengths, and the distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illumination module of claim 1, the array of light sources respectively arranged at a light-source pitch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The illumination module of claim 2, wherein the microlens pitch is substantially equal to the light-source pitch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The illumination module of claim 1, wherein the distance is substantially equal to an optical path length established by the common emission plane and the microlens array. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The illumination module of claim 1, wherein the array of light sources comprises an array of laser diodes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The illumination module of claim 5, the array of laser diodes comprising an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The illumination module of claim 5, in which the array of light sources further comprises an array of auxiliary apertures, the auxiliary apertures being operable to generate the at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The illumination module of claim 1, wherein the integer greater than or equal to one is any of the following integers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The illumination module of claim 1, in which the patterned illumination comprises an encoded light pattern. ### Claim 10 An optoelectronic system operable to generate three-dimensional data, the optoelectronic system comprising: an illumination module for generating a patterned illumination; and an imager configured to operably capture and/or collect light reflected from the patterned illumination generated by the illumination module; wherein the illumination module includes an array of light sources having a common emission plane, each light source generating light having a near-field intensity profile at the common emission plane, the array of light sources respectively arranged at a light-source pitch, the array of light sources including at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles at the common emission plane, the at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles being operable to generate light having the same wavelength and/or range of wavelengths, and a microlens array mounted at a distance from the common emission plane, the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses respectively arranged at a microlens pitch, the microlens array, the distance, and the array of light sources being operable to substantially replicate the different respective near-field intensity profiles of the at least two light sources in a far-field, wherein the microlens pitch is substantially equal to the square root of the product of the integer two divided by an integer greater than or equal to one, the wavelength and/or range of wavelengths, and the distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, wherein the microlens pitch is substantially equal to the light-source pitch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, wherein the integer greater than or equal to one is any of the following integers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, wherein the patterned illumination comprises an encoded light pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, wherein the array of light sources comprises an array of laser diodes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optoelectronic system of claim 14, the array of laser diodes comprising an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, wherein the array of light sources further comprises an array of auxiliary apertures, the auxiliary apertures being operable to generate the at least two light sources having different respective near-field intensity profiles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The optoelectronic system of claim 10, further including a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium for operating the optoelectronic system, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor, perform steps for generating a patterned illumination with the illumination module, capturing light reflected from the patterned illumination with the imager, converting the captured light to signals, and generating three-dimensional data from the signals.