US 11,841,223 B2 · Optical systems with controlled mirror arrangements

Abstract

An optical system can include a mirror that reflects incoming light to a sensor for detection. The position and/or orientation of the mirror can be controlled to reflect incoming light from different locations and/or directions. Position and/or orientation of the mirror may be tracked and/or detected by an optical position sensor. The position sensor can transmit a beam to a reflector on the mirror, and the reflected beam can be received by the position sensor. Characteristics of the reflected beam can be measured to determine the position and/or orientation of the mirror. For example, the beam can be used for interferometric and/or intensity measurements, which can then be correlated with a position and/or orientation of the mirror.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a plate configured to rotate in one or more directions about a pivot;
a retroreflector coupled to the plate;
and
one or more position sensors, each of the position sensors comprising:
a transmit waveguide configured to provide a transmit beam to the retroreflector;
a receive waveguide configured to receive the transmit beam reflected by the retroreflector over a range of motion of the plate, wherein for a range of positions of the retroreflector based on rotation of the plate, the transmit beam reflected by the retroreflector is approximately parallel to the transmit beam transmitted by the transmit waveguide to the retroreflector;
and
an interferometer configured to coherently combine the received transmit beam with a local oscillator signal to generate a first interferometric signal.

5 more elements

A system comprising:

a plate configured to rotate in one or more directions about a pivot;
one or more retroreflectors coupled at different locations to the plate;
one or more flat reflectors coupled to the plate at locations adjacent to each of the retroreflectors;
and
one or more position sensors not attached to the plate, each of the position sensors comprising:
a first transmit waveguide and collimating optic configured to transmit a first transmit beam to a retroreflector, wherein the first transmit beam is reflected by the retroreflector as a first receive beam;
a first receive waveguide and focusing optic configured to receive the first receive beam reflected over a range of motion of the plate;
a waveguide-based interferometer configured to coherently combine the first received beam with a local oscillator signal to generate an interferometric signal;
a second transmit waveguide and collimating optic configured to transmit a second transmit beam to the flat reflector, wherein the second transmit beam is reflected by the flat reflector as a second receive beam;
and
a second receive waveguide and focusing optic configured to receive a beam reflected by the flat reflector over a portion of the range of motion of the plate.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/678,978Filed 23 Feb 2022

Published

US 2023/0266116 A124 Aug 2023

Granted

12 Dec 2023

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G01B 9/02016
Characterised by the beam path configuration: contacting two or more objects
G01B 9/02019
With multiple interactions between the target object and light beams, e.g. beam reflections occurring from different locations: contacting…
G01B 9/02003
Using two or more frequencies: using beat frequencies
G01B 9/02024
Characterised by the beam path configuration: measuring in transmission, i.e. light traverses the object

Optical systems with controlled mirror arrangements

Life of this patent

Optical systems with controlled mirror arrangements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20