In-line stitched image optical system architecture for glv laser line imagers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022011566-A1
Application number	US-202016923881-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2020
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical imager system and method of operating the optical imager system, can include one or more imager modules including a laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system. A group of imager modules can include the one or more imager modules. The group of imager modules is operable in a stacked arrangement to produce an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the one or more imager modules. The illumination optical system can homogenize, shape, and direct a beam from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, and homogenization can occur in a cross-process direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical imager system, comprising:
at least one imager module comprising a laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system; and a plurality of imager modules that includes the at least one imager module, wherein the plurality of imager modules is operable in a stacked arrangement to produce an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the at least one imager module among the plurality of imager modules, wherein the illumination optical system homogenizes, shapes, and directs a beam from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, and wherein homogenization occurs in a cross-process direction.

2 . The optical imager system of claim 1 wherein the image produced from the in-line stitching of the individual images comprises a seamless longer single pixelated line image from the in-line stitching of smaller individual pixelated line images produced by the at least one imager module.

3 . The optical imager system of claim 1 , wherein in the cross-process direction, the beam is shaped in a top-hat irradiance profile or a near top-hat irradiance profile.

4 . The optical imager system of claim 1 , wherein in a process direction, the beam comprises a Gaussian irradiance profile.

5 . The optical imager system of claim 1 , wherein at the grating light valve, an illumination is telecentric or near telecentric in a cross-process direction.

6 . The optical imager of claim 1 wherein the at least one imager module is organized mechanically into a feathered section and an in-line section, wherein the feathered section and the in-line section are sized and arranged in a configuration of at least one upper level and at least one lower level to facilitate stacking of the stacked arrangement in a manner that avoids mechanical interference between imager modules among the plurality of imager modules.

7 . The optical imager system of claim 1 wherein the collimator comprises at least one of: a fast-axis collimator lens, or an aspherical collimator lens.

8 . The optical imager system of claim 1 wherein the laser light source comprises at least one of:
a laser diode array;
a fiber-coupled laser;
a fiber laser;
a diode-pumped solid-state laser; and
a diode laser.

9 . An optical imager system, comprising:
at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to perform:
generating a beam of light by a laser light source included as a part of at least one imager module that comprises the laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system;
producing an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the at least one imager module among a plurality of imager modules operable in a stacked arrangement to produce the image from the in-line stitching of individual images generated by the at least one imager module; and
homogenizing, shaping and directing a beam of light by the illumination optical system from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, wherein the homogenizing occurs in a cross-process direction.

10 . The optical imager system of claim 9 wherein the image produced from the in-line stitching of the individual images comprises a seamless longer single pixelated line image from the in-line stitching of smaller individual pixelated line images produced by the at least one imager module.

11 . The optical imager system of claim 9 wherein the at least one imager module is organized mechanically into a feathered section and an in-line section, wherein the feathered section and the in-line section are sized and arranged in a configuration of at least one upper level and at least one lower level to facilitate stacking of the stacked arrangement in a manner that avoids mechanical interference between imager modules among the plurality of imager modules

12 . The optical imager system of claim 9 wherein in the cross-process direction, the beam is shaped in a top-hat irradiance profile or a near top-hat irradiance profile.

13 . The optical imager system of claim 9 wherein in a process direction, the beam comprises a Gaussian irradiance profile and wherein at the grating light valve, an illumination is telecentric or near telecentric in a cross-process direction.

14 . A method of operating an optical imager system, comprising:
generating a beam of light by a laser light source included as a part of at least one imager module that comprises the laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system; producing an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the at least one imager module among a plurality of imager modules operable in a stacked arrangement to produce the image from the in-line stitching of individual images generated by the at least one imager module; and homogenizing, shaping and directing a beam of light by the illumination optical system from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, wherein the homogenizing occurs in a cross-process direction.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the image produced from the in-line stitching of the individual images comprises a seamless longer single pixelated line image from the in-line stitching of smaller individual pixelated line images produced by the at least one imager module.

16 . The method of claim 14 wherein in the cross-process direction, the beam is shaped in a top-hat irradiance profile or a near top-hat irradiance profile.

17 . The method of claim 14 wherein in a process direction, the beam comprises a Gaussian irradiance profile.

18 . The method of claim 14 wherein at the grating light valve, an illumination is telecentric or near telecentric in a cross-process direction.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one imager module is organized mechanically into a feathered section and an in-line section, wherein the feathered section and the in-line section are sized and arranged in a configuration of at least one upper level and at least one lower level to facilitate stacking of the stacked arrangement in a manner that avoids mechanical interference between imager modules among the plurality of imager modules.

20 . The method of claim 14 wherein:
the collimator comprises at least one of: a fast-axis collimator lens; or an aspherical collimator lens; and
the laser light source comprises at least one of: a laser diode array; a fiber laser; a fiber-coupled laser; a diode-pumped solid-state laser; or a diode laser.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Maeda Patrick Y

Classifications

• G02B26/0808 Primary

  by means of one or more diffracting elements · CPC title

• H04N9/3147 Primary

  Multi-projection systems (video walls G06F3/1446) · CPC title

• H04N9/317

  Convergence or focusing systems (electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53) · CPC title

• G02B27/18

  for optical projection, e.g. combination of mirror and condenser and objective {(photographic, cine and overhead projectors G03B21/00; photographic projection printing G03B27/32; photolithographic projectors G03F7/20; projection television H04N5/74; colour projection television H04N9/31)} · CPC title

• B41J2/465

  using masks, e.g. light-switching masks · CPC title