Back to results
US 2023/0400680 A1Published application
Ladar Transmitter with Ellipsoidal Reimager
AssigneeAeye, Inc.
InventorsLuis Carlos Dussan, David R. Demmer, John Stockton, Allan Steinhardt, David Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a compact beam scanner assembly that includes an ellipsoidal reimaging mirror.
Claims20
A ladar scanning system comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- an elliptical conjugate reflector (ECR) assembly that scans light from the light source into a scan area;
- and
- wherein the ECR assembly comprises a first scan mirror, a second scan mirror, and an ellipsoidal mirror;
- wherein the first scan mirror is rotatable about a first rotation axis;
- wherein the second scan mirror is rotatable about a second rotation axis;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror reimages light from the first scan mirror onto the second scan mirror;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror has a reflective face that is shaped as a section of a hollow ellipsoid, wherein the hollow ellipsoid is rotationally symmetric about a symmetry axis, wherein the hollow ellipsoid defines an ellipse that lies in a plane that includes the symmetry axis, and wherein the ellipse exhibits a first focus and a second focus that lie on the symmetry axis;
- wherein the light source is positioned to emit light onto the first focus, wherein the first rotation axis passes through the first focus, and wherein the second rotation axis passes through the second focus;
- wherein the first scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the emitted light from the light source to scan light toward the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the first scan mirror rotates about the first rotation axis;
- wherein the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror is positioned as an offset ellipsoidal reimager over the second scan mirror so that the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror receives and reflects the scanned light from the first scan mirror toward the second focus;
- wherein the second scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the scanned light from the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the second scan mirror rotates about the second rotation axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second rotation axes are arranged to produce scanning by the ECR assembly of the emitted light from the light source through different azimuths and elevations in the scan area in response to rotations of the first and second scan mirrors about the first and second rotation axes respectively.
12 more elements
A ladar scanning system comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- an elliptical conjugate reflector (ECR) assembly that scans light from the light source into a scan area;
- and
- wherein the ECR assembly comprises a first scan mirror, a second scan mirror, and an ellipsoidal mirror;
- wherein the first scan mirror is rotatable about a first rotation axis;
- wherein the second scan mirror is rotatable about a second rotation axis;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror reimages light from the first scan mirror onto the second scan mirror;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror has a reflective face that is shaped as a section of a hollow ellipsoid, wherein the hollow ellipsoid is rotationally symmetric about a symmetry axis, wherein the hollow ellipsoid defines an ellipse that lies in a plane that includes the symmetry axis, and wherein the ellipse exhibits a first focus and a second focus that lie on the symmetry axis;
- wherein the light source is positioned to emit light onto the first focus, wherein the first rotation axis passes through the first focus, and wherein the second rotation axis passes through the second focus;
- wherein the first scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the emitted light from the light source to scan light toward the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the first scan mirror rotates about the first rotation axis;
- wherein the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror is positioned as an offset ellipsoidal reimager so that the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror receives and reflects the scanned light from the first scan mirror toward the second focus, and wherein the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror intersects with a point on the hollow ellipsoidal that intersects with a line passing through the second focus that is perpendicular to the symmetry axis;
- wherein the second scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the scanned light from the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the second scan mirror rotates about the second rotation axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second rotation axes are arranged to produce scanning by the ECR assembly of the emitted light from the light source through different azimuths and elevations in the scan area in response to rotations of the first and second scan mirrors about the first and second rotation axes respectively.
12 more elements
A ladar scanning system comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- an elliptical conjugate reflector (ECR) assembly that scans light from the light source into a scan area;
- and
- wherein the ECR assembly comprises a first scan mirror, a second scan mirror, and an ellipsoidal mirror;
- wherein the first scan mirror is rotatable about a first rotation axis;
- wherein the second scan mirror is rotatable about a second rotation axis;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror reimages light from the first scan mirror onto the second scan mirror;
- wherein the ellipsoidal mirror has a reflective face that is shaped as a section of a hollow ellipsoid, wherein the hollow ellipsoid is rotationally symmetric about a symmetry axis, wherein the hollow ellipsoid defines an ellipse that lies in a plane that includes the symmetry axis, and wherein the ellipse exhibits a first focus and a second focus that lie on the symmetry axis;
- wherein the light source is positioned to emit light onto the first focus, wherein the first rotation axis passes through the first focus, and wherein the second rotation axis passes through the second focus;
- wherein the first scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the emitted light from the light source to scan light over a first ray fan toward the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the first scan mirror rotates about the first rotation axis, wherein the first ray fan is defined by rays of light that are coplanar with each other;
- wherein the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror is positioned as an offset ellipsoidal reimager so that the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror receives and reflects the scanned light from the first scan mirror toward the second focus over a second ray fan, wherein the second ray fan is defined by rays of light that are coplanar with each other;
- wherein the second scan mirror is positioned to receive and reflect the scanned light from the reflective face of the ellipsoidal mirror as the second scan mirror rotates about the second rotation axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second rotation axes are arranged to produce scanning by the ECR assembly of the emitted light from the light source through different azimuths and elevations in the scan area in response to rotations of the first and second scan mirrors about the first and second rotation axes respectively.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.