Laser projector and camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962764-B2
Application number	US-201615089157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An optical system including multiple lenses to receive respective laser beams, and including a combiner (an optical device) to receive the laser beams from the multiple lenses and to combine the laser beams into a single beam. The optical assembly includes a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror to reflect the single beam from the combiner and provide a reflected beam as an exit beam through a window to an object. The optical assembly includes a single-pixel photodetector to collect light reflected from the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical system comprising:
multiple lenses to receive respective laser beams;
a combiner comprising an optical device to receive the laser beams from the multiple lenses and to combine the laser beams into a single beam, wherein the laser beams comprise an infrared (IR) laser beam, a red laser beam, a green laser beam, and a blue laser beam;
a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror to reflect the single beam from the combiner and provide a reflected beam comprising an exit beam through a window to an object; and
a single-pixel photodetector to collect light reflected from the object, wherein the single-pixel photodetector is positioned behind the MEMS mirror such that light reflected from the object passes through the window, is then reflected by the MEMS mirror to the combiner, and then directed by the combiner to the single-pixel photodetector.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple lenses are collimating lenses.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , comprising laser sources to provide the respective laser beams, wherein the laser sources comprise laser diodes comprising an infrared (IR) laser, a red laser, a green laser, and a blue laser.

4. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS mirror comprises a steering/scanning mirror, and wherein the single-pixel photodetector comprises a lens to collect light reflected from the object.

5. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is a component of a laser projector to create a projected image.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a laser projector to give a reconstructed two-dimensional (2D) image from the single-pixel photodetector, wherein the 2D image comprises a multispectral image or hyperspectral image.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a laser projector to give a reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) image via the single-pixel photodetector.

8. An electronic device comprising:
a processor and memory; and
an optical system comprising:
multiple collimating lenses to receive respective laser beams;
a combiner comprising an optical device to receive the laser beams from the multiple lenses and to combine the laser beams into a single beam, wherein the laser beams comprise an infrared (IR) laser beam, a red laser beam, a green laser beam, and a blue laser beam;
a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror to reflect the single beam from the combiner and provide a reflected beam comprising an exit beam through a window to an object; and
a single-pixel photodetector to collect light reflected from the object, wherein the single-pixel photodetector is positioned behind the MEMS mirror such that light reflected from the object passes through the window, is then reflected by the MEMS mirror to the combiner, and then directed by the combiner to the single-pixel photodetector.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , comprising laser sources to provide the respective laser beams, wherein the laser sources comprise laser diodes comprising an infrared (IR) laser, a red laser, a green laser, and a blue laser.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the MEMS mirror comprises a steering mirror, and wherein the single-pixel photodetector comprises a lens to collect the light reflected from the object.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device comprises a laser projector to create a projected image.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device comprises a laser projector to give a reconstructed two-dimensional (2D) image from the single-pixel photodetector, wherein the 2D image comprises a multispectral image or hyperspectral image.

13. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device comprises a laser projector to give a reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) image via the single-pixel photodetector.

14. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device comprises a computing device.

15. A method of manufacturing an optical system, comprising:
disposing multiple collimating lenses to receive laser beams from laser diodes, respectively, and to discharge the laser beams to a combiner;
providing the combiner to combine the laser beams into a single beam, wherein the laser beams comprise an infrared (IR) laser beam, a red laser beam, a green laser beam, and a blue laser beam, and wherein the combiner is an optical device;
disposing a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) steering mirror to reflect the single beam as an exit beam projected to an object; and
positioning a single-pixel photodetector such that the single-pixel photodetector is exposed only to a current projected pixel from the object and not to an entire scene, wherein the single-pixel photodetector is positioned behind the MEMS mirror such that light reflected from the object passes through the window, is then reflected by the MEMS mirror to the combiner, and then directed by the combiner to the single-pixel photodetector, and wherein the single-pixel photodetector comprises a lens to collect the light reflected from the object.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising providing the laser diodes as an IR laser source, a red laser source, a green laser source, and a blue laser source, respectively.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising manufacturing a laser projector comprising the optical system.

18. A method of operating an optical system, comprising:
emitting laser beams from laser sources through respective lenses to a combiner, wherein the combiner is an optical device;
combining the laser beams into a single beam at the combiner, wherein the respective laser beams comprise an infrared (IR) laser beam, a red laser beam, a green laser beam, and a blue laser beam;
reflecting, via a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror, the single beam through a window to an object; and
receiving light reflected from the object through the window and reflecting, via the MEMS mirror, the light to the combiner;
directing the light from the combiner to a single-pixel photodetector positioned behind the MEMS mirror; and
collecting, via the single-pixel photodetector, the light reflected from the object.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the MEMS mirror comprises a steering mirror.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising projecting from the single-pixel photodetector a reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) image or a reconstructed two-dimensional (2D) image comprising a multispectral image.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Hirshberg Arnon
• Menashe Ohad
• Freedman Barak
• Berkovitch Nikolai

Classifications

• G09G3/346

  based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors (micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833) · CPC title

• G06F3/0423

  using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror · CPC title

• G09G3/025

  with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• G02B26/0833 Primary

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title