Thermally actuated cantilevered beam optical scanner
AssigneeMagic Leap, Inc.
InventorCharles David Melville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of optical scanners, optical projection systems, and methods of scanning optical waveguides and projecting images are described. The disclosed devices, systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the compactness, robustness, simplicity, and reliability of optical scanners and optical projection systems by implementing a thermally driven actuator for inducing oscillations of a cantilever within the optical scanners and optical projection systems. The stability and accuracy of optical scanners and optical projection systems are further enhanced using capacitive sensing, feedback, and phase correction techniques described herein.
Claims20
An optical scanning device comprising:
- a base;
- a cantilevered beam extending from the base, the cantilevered beam including a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end;
- at least one optical waveguide positioned on the base and the cantilevered beam and extending from the base along the cantilevered beam from the proximate end to the distal end;
- and
- a plurality of heaters disposed on the cantilevered beam.
Augmented reality glasses comprising:
- an optical scanning device comprising:
- a base;
- a cantilevered beam extending from the base, the cantilevered beam including a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end;
- at least one optical waveguide positioned on the base and the cantilevered beam and extending from the base along the cantilevered beam from the proximate end to the distal end;
- and
- a plurality of heaters disposed on the cantilevered beam;
- and
- a transparent eyepiece optically coupled to the optical scanning device, wherein the transparent eyepiece is configured to couple light received from the optical scanning device to an eye position defined in relation to the transparent eyepiece.
An optical scanning system comprising:
- a base;
- a cantilevered beam extending from the base, the cantilevered beam including a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end;
- at least one optical waveguide positioned on the base and the cantilevered beam and extending from the base along the cantilevered beam from the proximate end to the distal end;
- a first capacitive sensing electrode disposed on the cantilevered beam;
- and
- a second capacitive sensing electrode disposed adjacent to the cantilevered beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.