Optical system for improved reliability and performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933669-B2
Application number	US-202217651250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2022
Priority date	Feb 16, 2022
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Described herein is a method and apparatus for an optical system configured to output redundant outputs, where the optical system includes at least one optical device configured to receive an optical signal; at least one optical transducer, wherein each at least one optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the at least one optical device and convert the optical signal to an electrical signal; and at least one electronic device configured to receive each electrical signal and output the redundant outputs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical system configured to output redundant outputs, comprising:
at least one optical device configured to receive an optical signal;
at least one optical transducer, wherein each at least one optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the at least one optical device and convert the optical signal to an electrical signal; and
at least one electronic device configured to receive each electrical signal and output the redundant outputs,
wherein each of the at least one optical device comprises an optical steerer is configured to steer the optical signal to each of the at least one optical transducer one at a time, wherein the optical steerer has a mirrored surface, and
wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a read-out-integrated circuit (ROIC) configured to perform redundant signal processing of outputs of each of the at least one optical transducers.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one optical transducer comprises a plurality of optical elements, and wherein an output of each of the at least one optical transducer is produced by one of a plurality of signal paths through the at least one optical transducer.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the optical steerer is one of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, a rotational mirror, and a shifting prism.

4. The optical system of claim 3 , wherein the redundant signal processing is one of homogeneous redundant signal processing and heterogeneous redundant signal processing, wherein homogeneous redundant signal processing is performing a same function using a same architecture, and wherein heterogeneous redundant signal processing is performing one of the same function using different architectures and different functions using different architectures.

5. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the ROIC is configured to perform signal processing, and wherein each of at least one sub-mount device is a breakout circuit that is not configured to perform signal processing.

6. The optical system of claim 5 , wherein each of the at least one ROIC is further configured to determine if a fault occurs in the redundant outputs and, if so, to reduce the two redundant outputs to one output.

7. The optical system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one ROIC is further configured to be one of multiple integrated circuits and one integrated circuit, wherein each of the multiple integrated circuits outputs one of the redundant outputs, and wherein the one integrated circuit outputs all of the redundant outputs.

8. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical device is one optical device, the at least one optical transducer is a first optical transducer and a second optical transducer, and the at least one electronic device is one read-out-integrated-circuit (ROIC) having two redundant paths for outputting the redundant outputs.

9. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one optical device is one optical device, the at least one optical transducer is a first optical transducer and a second optical transducer, the at least one electronic device is an ROIC having a first processing path, a second processing path that is redundant of the first processing path, and a comparator,
wherein the one optical device is configured to receive the optical signal,
wherein the first optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a first electrical signal,
wherein the second optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a second electrical signal,
wherein the ROIC is configured to receive the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, process the first electrical signal by the first processing path, process the second electrical by the second processing path, and compare the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal to determine if there is an error in either of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal,

and further comprising:
an error criteria function block configured to provide error criteria concerning the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal;
wherein the comparator is configured to receive the error criteria, the processed first electrical signal, and the processed second electrical signal; determine if an error occurred in one of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal; if no error occurred, the ROIC outputs at least one of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal; and if an error occurred, the ROIC outputs an error flag and a function of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal that is determined to be error free.

10. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one optical device is one optical device comprising a first diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the one optical device, the at least one optical transducer is a first optical transducer comprising a second diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the first optical transducer and a second optical transducer comprising a third diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the second optical transducer, the at least one electronic device is an ROIC having a first processing path, a second processing path that is redundant of the first processing path and comprising a fourth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the ROIC, a global pixel reference function block comprising a fifth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the global pixel reference function block, a global time-to-digital converter (TDC) references function block comprising a sixth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the global TDC references function block, a temperature sensor comprising a seventh diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the temperature sensor, a clock and timing synchronization function block comprising an eighth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the clock and timing synchronization function block, a digital converter comprising a comparator and a ninth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the comparator, and a data output channels function block comprising a tenth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the data output channels function block,
wherein the one optical device is configured to receive the optical signal,
wherein the first optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a first electrical signal,
wherein the second optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a second electrical signal,
wherein the ROIC is configured to receive the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, process the first electrical signal by the first processing path, process the second electrical by the second processing path, and compare the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal to determine if there is an error in either of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal,

and further comprising:
an error criteria function block configured to provide error criteria concerning the processed first electrical signal and the

Assignees

• Allegro Microsystems Llc

Inventors

• Marshall Stephen A
• Stewart Logan G
• Munroe Michael

Classifications

• G01J1/44 Primary

  Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} · CPC title

• G01J2001/444

  Compensating; Calibrating, e.g. dark current, temperature drift, noise reduction or baseline correction; Adjusting · CPC title

• G02B26/0833

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

• G02B26/0883

  the refracting element being a prism · CPC title

• G01J1/0477

  Prisms, wedges · CPC title