Radiant energy transducing apparatus with constructive occlusion

Abstract

A radiant energy transducer system includes a base. The base has a diffusely reflective surface and an optical area defining a horizon district with respect to the transducer system. A mask occludes a portion of the optical area so as to present a substantially constant portion of the optical area over a range of angles above the horizon district. An electromagnetic transducer converts between radiation associated with the optical area and corresponding signals. Examples of the transducing systems provide emission of radiant energy with a tailored intensity distribution over an area illuminated by the system. Other examples of the transducing systems detect radiant energy, and the position of the mask relative to the optical area of the detector system serves to tailor the sensitivity of the detector over a field of view. The emitters and detectors can be used together, for example in a system for tracking the position of an object.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.