Light collecting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151876-B2
Application number	US-201615741855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2016
Priority date	Jul 7, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A light collecting device is adapted to collect and guide light to a light sensor. The device includes a monocular collecting module including at least one light collector configured to collect light from the environment of the device, a binocular collecting module including a first and a second distant light collector configured to collect light from the environment of the device, and an optical waveguide configured to guide the light collected from the monocular and binocular collecting modules to a light sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light collecting device adapted to collect and guide light to a light sensor, the device comprising:
a monocular collecting module comprising at least one light collector configured to collect light from the environment of the device,
a binocular collecting module comprising a first and a second distant light collector configured to collect light from the environment of the device,
an optical waveguide configured to guide the light collected from the monocular and binocular collecting modules to a light sensor so that:
the light collected by the monocular collecting module is guided to a monocular zone of the light sensor,
the light collected by the first light collector of the binocular collecting module is sent to a first zone of the light sensor, and
the light collected by the second light collector of the binocular collecting module is sent to a second zone of the light sensor,

wherein the optical waveguide is configured so that said first zone and said second zone of the light sensor have no overlap.

2. The light collecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide is configured so that the monocular zone of the light sensor and the first and second zones of the light sensor have no overlap.

3. The light collecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
in said monocular state, the light collected by the first and second light collector of the binocular collecting module is not sent to the first and second zone of the light sensor; and
in said binocular state, the light collected by the monocular light collector is not sent to the monocular zone of the light sensor.

4. The light collecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises an optical switch configured between a monocular state wherein the light collected by the monocular collecting module is guided to the monocular zone of the light sensor and a binocular state wherein the light collected by the first light collector of the binocular collecting module is sent to the first zone of the light sensor, and the light collected by the second light collector of the binocular collecting module is sent to the second zone of the light sensor.

5. The light collecting device according to claim 4 , wherein in the monocular state the optical switch is configured to send directly the light received by the monocular collecting module to the light sensor and in the binocular state the optical switch is configured to reflect the light received by the first light collector of the binocular collecting module to the first zone of the light sensor and the light received by the second light collector of the binocular collecting module to the second zone of the light sensor.

6. The light collecting device according to claim 4 , wherein the optical switch is mechanically controllable between the different states.

7. The light collecting device according to claim 4 , wherein the optical switch comprises a switchable mirror configured to switch between a reflection state reflecting the light received by said first and second light collector of the binocular collecting module to said first and second zone of the light sensor and a transparent state allowing the light received by the monocular collecting module to be focused directly on said monocular zone of the light sensor.

8. The light collecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the switchable mirror comprises a liquid crystal with a cholesteric phase.

9. The light collecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the switchable mirror comprises a gazochromic switch.

10. The light collecting device according to claim 1 , wherein said first light collector of the binocular collecting module comprises a first optical lens configured to focus light from the environment into the optical waveguide and said second light collector of the binocular collecting module comprises a second optical lens configured to focus light from the environment into the optical waveguide.

11. The light collecting device according to claim 10 , wherein the first optical lens has a first optical function and the second optical lens has a second optical function different from said first optical function, said first optical function comprises a first spectral light filter and said second optical function comprises a second spectral light filter different from said first spectral light filter.

12. The light collecting device according to claim 11 , wherein the first and/or second distant light collectors of the binocular module is/are configured so that the first and second light collectors are disposed at an adjustable distance.

13. A light acquisition device comprising:
a light sensor, and
a light collecting device according to claim 1 configured to guide the light collected by the collecting module guided to said light sensor.

14. A method for calibrating the light acquisition device according to claim 13 , wherein the first and second zones of the light sensor are determined by alternatively masking said first and second light collector of the binocular collecting module.

15. A method for personalizing the light collecting device according to claim 1 for a user, wherein the binocular collecting module is personalized so that a distance between the two distant light collectors is substantially equal to an interpupillary distance of the user.

Assignees

• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Rousseau Denis
• Archambeau Samuel

Classifications

• G03B35/10 Primary

  having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system · CPC title

• G02B6/10 Primary

  of the optical waveguide type (G02B6/02, G02B6/24 take precedence; devices or arrangements for the control of light by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic or acoustic means G02F1/00; transferring the modulation of modulated light G02F2/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00) · CPC title

• G02B30/35

  using reflective optical elements in the optical path between the images and the observer · CPC title

• G02B5/20

  Filters (polarising elements G02B5/30) · CPC title

• G02B23/18

  for binocular arrangements {(focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12)} · CPC title