Scanning mirror device

Abstract

A scanning mirror apparatus includes a mirror placed on a mirror holder. The scanning mirror apparatus also includes a first pair of actuators consisting of a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator is positioned on a first side of the mirror bracket. The second actuator is positioned on a second side of the mirror bracket opposite the first side of the mirror bracket. The first actuator and the second actuator are connected to a mirror support along a first rotation axis. The scanning mirror apparatus also includes a second pair of actuators consisting of a third actuator and a fourth actuator. The third actuator is positioned on the first side of the mirror bracket. The fourth actuator is positioned on the second side of the mirror bracket. The third actuator and the fourth actuator are connected to the mirror holder along a second rotation axis.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Scanning mirrors can be used in many types of optical devices. For example, a time-of-flight depth sensing system can use one or more micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors to direct illumination light into an environment. The illumination light is used to generate a depth image of the environment, with each pixel in the depth image representing the distance to a corresponding point in the environment determined based on the round-trip time interval for the illumination light to reflect from a surface and return to the image sensor of the depth sensing system. Summary of the invention

[0002] An example of a scanning mirror device is provided. The scanning mirror device includes a mirror placed on a mirror support. The scanning mirror device also includes a first pair of actuators, which include a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator is positioned on a first side of the mirror support, and the second actuator is positioned on a second side of the mirror support opposite to the first side of the mirror support. The first actuator and the second actuator are connected to the mirror support along a first rotation axis. The scanning mirror device also includes a second pair of actuators, which include a third actuator and a fourth actuator. The third actuator is positioned on the first side of the mirror support, and the fourth actuator is positioned on the second side of the mirror support. The third actuator and the fourth actuator are connected to the mirror support along a second rotation axis.

[0003] Another example provides a scanning mirror device including a mirror placed on a mirror support. A first actuator is connected to the mirror support at a first angle relative to the mirror support. A second actuator is connected to the mirror support at a second angle relative to the mirror support, and a third actuator is connected to the mirror support at a third angle relative to the mirror support.

[0004] This summary is intended to introduce in simplified form selected concepts that will be further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that address any or all of the shortcomings noted in any part of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 Example electronic devices that may include a scanning mirror device are shown.

[0006] Figure 2 Aspects of an example time-of-flight depth sensing system are shown.

[0007] Figure 3 An example scanning mirror device is shown.

[0008] Figure 4 Another example scanning mirror device is shown.

[0009] Figure 5 Yet another example scanning mirror device is shown.

[0010] Figure 6 An example of a time-of-flight projection device that may include a scanning mirror device according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0011] Figure 7 A block diagram of an example computing system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] As described above, scanning mirrors can be used in a variety of electronic devices. For example, a depth camera (eg, a time-of-flight (ToF) depth camera) can use one or more scanning mirrors to direct illumination light toward an environment for acquiring a depth image.

[0013] In some examples, a scanning mirror system can include two mirrors that rotate along a transverse axis to scan light (e.g., in a Lissajous pattern). Using a separate mirror for each axis of rotation can help provide stability and control because the mirror can be constrained to prevent off-axis motion. However, a system including two or more mirrors may be larger than a system based on a single mirror.

[0014] In other examples, a mirror can be mounted in a double-gimbal configuration. The mirror is suspended within an inner gimbal, which in turn is nested within an outer gimbal. In this way, the mirror can be controlled to scan light in two or more directions. However, in this example, controlling the orientation of the mirror can be challenging. In addition, wires or other electrical conduits used to detect the orientation of the mirror and provide feedback to the controller may be susceptible to strain and breakage due to the movement of the inner and outer gimbals.

[0015] Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to a scanning mirror device in which a single mirror can scan in two or more directions without the use of a dual gimbal structure. In short, in the disclosed example, two or more pairs of actuators are connected to a mirror bracket supporting the mirror. Each pair of actuators is operably configured to tilt the mirror relative to one of two or more different rotation axes. This enables the mirror to be controllably scanned in different directions, for example, to guide incident light into a grating pattern. Advantageously, the disclosed example actuator can be used to tilt the mirror to a target orientation, regardless of whether a strain gauge or other orientation sensor is selected. For example, in a ToF depth camera, the image sensor uses positioning optics to form a depth image of the illuminated environment, so it may not be necessary to precisely control the direction of the light via the mirror. In addition, the disclosed actuator arrangement example may enable the scanning mirror device to occupy less space than other scanning mirror devices (e.g., a dual gimbal device or a dual-mirror Lissajous scanning device).

[0016] Figure 1Various different example electronic devices 100A-E that may employ a scanning mirror device in a depth sensing system are shown. Device 100A is a smartphone that includes a depth sensing system 102A. Device 100B is a personal computer that includes a depth sensing web camera 102B. Device 100C is a video game system that includes a peripheral camera system that includes depth sensing system 102C. Device 100D is a virtual reality headset that includes a camera system that includes depth sensing system 102D.

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic depiction of an example time-of-flight (ToF) depth imaging system 200 that can utilize a scanning mirror system is shown. The ToF depth imaging system includes a ToF camera 202. The ToF camera 202 includes a sensor array 204 that includes a plurality of ToF pixels 206, each of which is configured to collect light samples, a controller 208, and an objective lens system 210 configured to focus an image of an object 220 onto the sensor array 204. In some examples, the objective lens system 210 can be omitted. The controller 208 is configured to collect and process data from the ToF pixels 206 of the sensor array 204, and thereby construct a depth image. Reference will be made to Figure 7 An example hardware implementation for a computing device configured to perform one or more aspects of collecting and processing data from the sensor array 204 and constructing a depth image is described in further detail.

[0018] The depth imaging system 200 also includes a projector device 230 controlled via a controller 208. The projector device 230 is configured to project electromagnetic radiation of any frequency detectable by the ToF pixel 206 into the environment for depth imaging. The projector device 230 includes light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or laser diodes (LDs) as examples. As described in more detail below, the projector device 230 also includes a scanning mirror device configured to guide electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined pattern (e.g., a grating pattern) for scanning the environment. The sensor array 204 is configured to sample light emitted from the light source 230 and reflected back to the ToF camera 202 via the object 220. Using the round-trip propagation time of the light reflected back from the object 220, a depth value (e.g., the distance between the ToF depth sensing system 200 and the object 220) can be obtained for each pixel. Reference will be made to Figure 6 Detailed examples of projectors suitable for use with projector device 230 are described in more detail.

[0019] Figure 3 An example of a scanning mirror device 302 is shown. The scanning mirror device 302 can be used with Figure 22. An example of a scanning mirror device for use with the projector device 230 in FIG. 302 includes a mirror 304 configured to reflect incident electromagnetic radiation (eg, visible light, infrared light, or microwave radiation) into a controllable direction.

[0020] Mirror 304 is located within aperture 308 in a central region of frame 306 of scanning mirror device 302. As described in more detail below, the location of mirror 304 within the central region of aperture 308 enables other components of scanning mirror device 302, such as an actuator, to be arranged around mirror 304. This configuration may take up less space than some other possible configurations of scanning mirror devices.

[0021] In other examples, the mirror may be located in any other suitable area of ​​the scanning mirror device. Figure 4 Another example of a scanning mirror device 402 is shown. Figure 3 Similar to the scanning mirror device 302 in FIG. 4 , the scanning mirror device 402 includes a mirror 404. However, in Figure 4 , mirror 404 is located at the corner of aperture 408 within frame 406 of scanning mirror device 402. Figure 4 Positioning the mirror outside the central area as shown can provide similar Figure 3 The illustrated positioning of the mirror within the central region provides different design possibilities. For example, the mirror positioned outside the central region can be configured to have a relatively larger size (e.g., a larger actuator or a larger mirror), and / or can be configured to have different characteristics (e.g., a different resonant mode or frequency than the scanning mirror device 302).

[0022] Reference again Figure 3 , the mirror 304 is placed on a mirror support 310. In the depicted example, the mirror support 310 takes the form of a rod, but other forms may be used in other examples. As described in more detail below, the mirror support 310 couples the mirror 304 with a plurality of actuators that are operatively configured to move the mirror 304.

[0023] In the depicted example, the mirror support 310 is oriented diagonally relative to the sides of the frame 306 of the scanning mirror device 302. The mirror support 310 extends from the corners of the aperture 308 to the central area of ​​the aperture 308. The scanning mirror device 302 also includes a counterweight 318, which is placed on the mirror support 310 opposite the mirror 304. The function of the counterweight 318, for example, can be to prevent the weight of the mirror 304 from causing the mirror support 310 to deviate from the xy plane. The counterweight 318 can also help prevent the mirror rotation from coupling with the linear acceleration, thereby stabilizing the mirror.

[0024] The counterweight 318 of the scanning mirror device 302 is placed on the mirror support 310 at the end of the mirror support 310 closest to the frame 306. In other examples, the counterweight 318 can be located in any other suitable position. For example, Figure 4 The scanning mirror device 402 in FIG. 4 includes a counterweight 418 located in a central area of ​​the frame 406 , wherein the counterweight 418 is centered within the aperture 408 .

[0025] In other examples, Figure 3 The mirror support 310 in the scanning mirror device 302 can be positioned at any other suitable location within the scanning mirror device 302 (e.g., in the central area 316). In addition, in other examples, the mirror support 310 can also have any other suitable orientation. For example, the mirror support 310 can be oriented parallel to one or more sides of the frame. This can enable the scanning mirror device to accommodate Figure 3 Other components may have different dimensions than those shown in the examples and / or may provide alternative characteristics for the scanning mirror device (eg, a different resonant mode or frequency than scanning mirror device 302).

[0026] The scanning mirror device 302 also includes a first pair of actuators, including a first actuator 322A and a second actuator 322B. The first actuator 322A is positioned on a first side 324 of the mirror support 310, and the second actuator 322B is positioned on a second side 326 of the mirror support 310 opposite to the first side 324 of the mirror support 310. The first actuator 322A and the second actuator 322B are connected to the mirror support 310 along a first rotation axis 328. The first actuator 322A is anchored to the frame 306 at a distal end 334 of the first actuator 322A opposite to the mirror support 310, and the second actuator 322B is anchored to the frame 306 at a distal end 336 of the second actuator 322B opposite to the mirror support 310. In some examples, the first actuator 322A and the second actuator 322B each include a piezoelectric material that can be operated by applying a suitable voltage. By applying the control voltage, the mirror holder 310 may be rotated or tilted along the first rotation axis 328 .

[0027] The scanning mirror device 302 also includes a second pair of actuators, including a third actuator 330A and a fourth actuator 330B. The third actuator 330A is positioned on the first side 324 of the mirror support 310. The fourth actuator 330B is positioned on the second side 326 of the mirror support 310. The third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B are connected to the mirror support 310 along a second rotation axis 332. In some examples, the third actuator 330A is anchored to the frame 306 at a distal end 338 of the third actuator 330A opposite the mirror support 310, and the fourth actuator 330B is anchored to the frame 306 at a distal end 340 of the fourth actuator 330B opposite the mirror support 310. In this way, and as described in more detail below, the third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B are operatively configured to tilt the mirror 304 about the y-axis. In some examples, the third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B each include a piezoelectric material that can be operated by applying a suitable voltage. The application of the control voltage can tilt the mirror holder 310 along the second rotation axis 332 .

[0028] The voltage used to operate the third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B can be the same or different from the voltage used to operate the first actuator 322A and the second actuator 322B. In some examples, the third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B are operated to move at half the maximum displacement of the first actuator 322A and the second actuator 322B. This can reduce the complexity of the scanning mirror device in the case where less displacement is required along one of the two axes (for example, in order to perform a raster scan of a rectangular area where one side is shorter than the other side).

[0029] In some examples, the first rotation axis 328 and the second rotation axis 332 are offset from a central region of the aperture 308. This enables the actuators 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B to be arranged around the mirror 304 and connected to the mirror support 310 near the corner 314. Therefore, the scanning mirror device 302 may occupy less space than other arrangements of the actuators 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B and the mirror 304.

[0030] In some examples, the first rotation axis 328 is orthogonal to the second rotation axis 332. Figure 3In the example shown, the first rotation axis 328 is parallel to the x-axis (e.g., the first actuator 322A and the second actuator 322B are operatively configured to rotate the mirror about the x-axis). The second rotation axis 332 is parallel to the y-axis (e.g., the third actuator 330A and the fourth actuator 330B are operatively configured to rotate the mirror about the y-axis). In this way, the actuators can control the mirror to scan in the x-axis and y-axis directions (e.g., in a raster pattern) with less off-axis motion than using non-orthogonal axes. In other examples, the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis have any other suitable relative orientation.

[0031] Figure 4 The scanning mirror device 400 in FIG. 4 also includes a first pair of actuators 420A, 420B connected to the mirror bracket 410 along a first rotation axis, and a second pair of actuators 422A, 422B connected to the mirror bracket 410 along a second rotation axis. Figure 3 The actuators 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B in are similar. Figure 4 The actuators 420A, 420B, 422A, 422B in the embodiment have diagonal mirror symmetry with respect to the mirror support 410. This configuration may take up less space than some other possible configurations of the scanning mirror device (e.g., a configuration having an asymmetric orientation of the actuators).

[0032] Figure 3 Each of the actuators 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B in Figure 4 Each of the actuators 420A, 420B, 422A, 422B in the embodiment may include a piezoelectric actuator. The movement of the piezoelectric actuator is proportional to the magnitude of the electric field applied to the actuator's piezoelectric material layer, which induces a mechanical change in the piezoelectric material layer. Therefore, reference Figure 3 , applying a higher voltage to the piezoelectric actuator causes a greater displacement of the mirror 304 than applying a lower voltage. In this way, the mirror can be tilted to achieve a target orientation by controlling the voltage applied to the actuator. Any suitable piezoelectric material can be used, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), niobium-doped PZT (PNZT), and aluminum scandium nitride. In other examples, one or more of the actuators 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B may also additionally or alternatively include any other suitable type (multiple) of actuators. Other suitable actuator examples include, but are not limited to, one or more electrostatic actuators, magnetic (e.g., Lorentz force) actuators, or thermal (e.g., bimetallic) actuators.

[0033] Continue to refer Figure 3, each actuator is connected to the mirror support via a connector. For example, the first actuator 322A is connected to the mirror support 310 via a connector 342A. The second actuator 322B is connected to the mirror support 310 via a connector 342B. The third actuator 330A is connected to the mirror support 310 via a connector 344A, and the fourth actuator 330B is connected to the mirror support 310 via a connector 344B. The connectors 342A, 342B, 344A, and 344B are connected to the mirror support 310 via a connector 344A. Figure 3 It is shown in the form of a schematic diagram.

[0034] Illustration 362 shows connectors 342A, 342B, 344A, and 344B in more detail. The functional aspects of each connector 342A, 342B, 344A, and 344B are schematically illustrated by blocks distributed along each connector. Each connector includes a curved portion near the mirror support. External actuators 322A and 330B further include actuator portions, which extend from each actuator in the form of tabs (346 and 348, respectively) and connect the actuators to the corresponding connectors. Connector 342A includes a torsion portion 356A and a curved portion 350A between the tab 346 of actuator 322A and the mirror support 310. The torsion portion 356A enables the connector 342A to be twisted about the y-axis, as indicated by arrow 360. The curved portion 350A enables the connector 342A to bend about the x-axis, as indicated by arrow 364. As described in more detail below, the torsion portion 356A and the flexure portion 350A enable the connector 342A to transmit the motion of the actuator 322A to the mirror support 310 while providing sufficient flexibility in both a torsion yield mode (indicated by arrow 360) and a flexure mode (indicated by arrow 364) to prevent the actuator 322A from straining the connector 342A. Similarly, the connector 344B includes a torsion portion 356B and a flexure portion 352B located between the tab 348 and the mirror support 310. The connector 342B includes a torsion portion 366B and a flexure portion 350B located between the actuator 322B and the mirror support 310, while the connector 344A includes a torsion portion 366A and a flexure portion 352A located between the actuator 330A and the mirror support 310.

[0035] The torsion and flexure portions of each connector are configured to have comparable stiffness with respect to linear bending and rotational torsion. For example, the stiffness of the flexure portion with respect to linear bending and torsional bending can be represented by the flexure modulus and torsional modulus of the connector. These two modes of activity are designed to be at comparable stiffness levels when the mirror is actuated. When the mirror is actuated to tilt along the x-axis, connectors 344A and 344B act as actuation force couplers in the linear bending mode, while connectors 342A and 342B act as mirror supports in the torsional activity mode. For y-axis tilt, the function of the connector is reversed. When actuated to a +x+y angle, the bending and torsion modes of the connector are mixed and activated simultaneously. By using a more rigid connector flexure portion, the frequency response range can be increased.

[0036] Referring to connector 342A, the upward actuator movement of actuator 322A is shown by arrow 354A. The tab 346 connected to connector 342A is relatively rigid in the direction of movement of actuator 322A, and therefore will move in a similar direction and with a similar amplitude, as indicated by arrow 354B. The torsion portion 356A is oriented in a different direction than the actuator 322, and due to the characteristics of the connection symmetry experienced during the actuator movement, it moves not only in direct bending but also in a torsion mode. In response, as indicated by arrow 360, the torsion portion 356A undergoes some torsional deformation while also transmitting some linear movement of the actuator in the upward direction. This causes the mirror mount to tilt in the negative y-axis direction (or rotate along the x-axis). This tilting causes the connectors 344A and 344B to simultaneously experience torsional movement and tilting of the mirror mount.

[0037] Scanning mirror device 302 can be formed in any suitable manner. In some examples, the scanning mirror device is made of a silicon substrate on an insulator. This substrate includes a first silicon layer, a silicon oxide intermediate layer, and a second silicon layer. The first silicon layer can be referred to as a processing layer, and the second silicon layer can be referred to as a device layer. In such an example, mirror 304, mirror bracket 310, balance 318, actuator 322A, 322B, 330A, 330B, and connector 342A, 342B, 344A, 344B can be formed from the silicon of the device layer, while the intermediate oxide layer and the processing layer are etched away. Silicon has compliance and a fracture strength in the range of 1-10GPa. Therefore, this configuration can enable the scanning mirror device to be actuated without damaging the connector. The area for mounting the scanning mirror device to the underlying structure (e.g., a circuit board) can include a processing layer and an oxide layer to provide vertical relief to the mirror relative to the underlying circuit board or other structures. In other examples, the scanning mirror device can be formed by any other suitable substrate type, such as a silicon wafer.

[0038] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4In the example of , the scanning mirror device 300, 400 each includes two pairs of actuators. In other examples, the scanning mirror device may include any other suitable number and arrangement of actuators. Figure 5 An example of a scanning mirror device 502 is shown, which includes a first actuator 504A connected to a mirror support 506 at a first angle relative to the mirror support; a second actuator 504B connected to the mirror support 506 at a second angle relative to the mirror support; and a third actuator 504C connected to the mirror support at a third angle relative to the mirror support. The first actuator 504A is connected to the mirror support 506 via a first connector 510A. The second actuator 504B is connected to the mirror support 506 via a second connector 510B. The third actuator 504C is connected to the mirror support 506 via a third connector 510C. Each of the connectors 510A-510C can be analogous to the connectors 342A, 342B, 344A, 344B. For example, the first connector 510A includes a first curved portion 512A, the second connector 510B includes a second curved portion 512B, and the third connector 510C includes a third curved portion 512C. This enables each connector to have sufficient strength and rigidity to transmit the motion of the actuator to tilt the mirror, while also having sufficient flexibility to prevent the actuator from applying forces to the connector that exceed its motion strength or rupture strength.

[0039] The first actuator 504A, the second actuator 504B, and the third actuator 504C can be controlled to tilt the mirror 508 in various directions. In some examples, the first actuator 504A, the second actuator 504B, and the third actuator 504C are oriented approximately 120 degrees apart. In other examples, the actuators 504A, 504B, and 504C can have any other suitable relative orientations. Compared to a configuration with more actuators, Figure 5 The three-actuator configuration in may allow for a more compact structure.

[0040] The scanning mirror system according to the present disclosure can be configured to scan at any suitable frame rate. In some examples, the scanning mirror system is actuated to keep the mirror statically tilted (e.g., in a servo-like operation). In other examples, the scanning mirror system is actuated to tilt the mirror in an oscillating mode at a suitable frequency. In some examples, the scanning mirror system according to the present disclosure is configured to perform raster scanning at a frame rate of up to 100Hz. In other examples, the scanning mirror system according to the present disclosure can be configured to perform raster scanning at a rate of up to 1000Hz. In yet another other example, the scanning mirror system according to the present disclosure can be configured to perform raster scanning at a rate greater than 1000Hz or less than 100Hz. It should also be understood that the scanning mirror system can be actuated to tilt the mirror in any other suitable mode (e.g., a predetermined or dynamically adjusted mode provided by a user of the scanning mirror system).

[0041] Figure 6 An example of a ToF projector device 602 that may include a scanning mirror device according to the present disclosure is shown. The ToF projector device 602 is Figure 2 6. The ToF projector device 602 includes a light source 604, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), which includes a plurality of laser cavities, each of which is operably configured to emit light 606. As described in more detail below, the light 606 illuminates a portion 608 of a field of view 610 of a segmented ToF camera 612. The segmented ToF camera 612 images the portion 608 illuminated by the light 606 to determine a depth value for the portion 608 of the field of view 610.

[0042] The ToF projector device 602 also includes a scanning mirror device 614 controllable by a controller 616 for projecting light 606 from the light source 604 into the environment. The scanning mirror device 614 can selectively receive the light 606 via a focusing lens 618, a diffusion lens 620, and / or relay lenses 622,624. Figure 3 The scanning mirror device 302, Figure 4 The scanning mirror device 402 or Figure 5 The scanning mirror device 502 in FIG. 6 is an example of a scanning mirror device 614. The controller 616 may include a computing system. Figure 7 Other aspects of controller 616 are described in greater detail.

[0043] The scanning mirror device 614 is configured to direct the light 606 toward a portion 608 of the field of view 610 of the camera 612. The scanning mirror device 614 is also configured to move the reflected light 606 in a predetermined pattern (e.g., in a raster scan pattern) to scan the field of view 610. In some examples, the scanning mirror device 614 is configured to raster scan the field of view 610 at a frame rate of up to 100-1000 Hz. In other examples, the scanning mirror device 614 is configured to scan the field of view 610 at a frame rate higher than 1000 Hz or lower than 100 Hz. With the image of each illuminated portion 608 of the field of view 610, the camera 612 can construct a three-dimensional depth image of the field of view 610. In addition, imaging the field of view 610 using a partitioned ToF method enables the use of a relatively low-intensity light source 604 to illuminate a portion of the field of view, rather than using a higher-intensity light source projected on a larger portion of the field of view. This enables the ToF projector device 602 to occupy less space and consume less power than other ToF depth sensing devices.

[0044] In some examples, the scanning mirror device 614 is additionally or alternatively configured to act as a microwave reflector. For example, the scanning mirror device 614 can project microwaves having a frequency in the range of 0.1 GHz to 1000 GHz into the environment in a predetermined pattern, and similar to the light 606, the camera 612 (or a separate microwave detector) can use these microwaves to obtain a microwave image of the environment. In other examples, the microwaves may have a frequency in the range of 0.3 GHz to 600 GHz. In other examples, the microwaves may have a frequency in the range of 0.3 GHz to 300 GHz. The adaptability of microwaves to weather conditions and lighting and their ability to penetrate many obstacles can make the use of microwaves for ToF depth mapping and / or gesture detection more reliable than using other electromagnetic spectrums.

[0045] In some embodiments, the methods and processes described herein may be associated with a computing system of one or more computing devices. In particular, these methods and processes may be implemented as computer applications or services, application programming interfaces (APIs), libraries, and / or other computer program products.

[0046] Figure 7 A non-limiting embodiment of a computing system 700 capable of implementing one or more of the methods and processes described above is schematically illustrated in simplified form. Figure 1 The devices 100A-D illustrated in FIG. 1 , described above and described in Figure 2 The controller 208 shown in FIG. Figure 6, and the controller 616 shown in the figure are examples of the computing system 700. The components of the computing system 700 can be implemented in one or more personal computers, server computers, tablet computers, home entertainment computers, network computing devices, video game devices, mobile computing devices, mobile communication devices (such as smart phones), wearable computing devices (such as smart watches and head-mounted augmented reality devices), and / or other computing devices.

[0047] The computing system 700 includes a logic processor 702, a volatile memory 704, and a non-volatile storage device 706. The computing system 700 may also optionally include a display subsystem 708, an input subsystem 710, a communication subsystem 712, and / or Figure 7 Other components not shown.

[0048] Logical processor 702 includes one or more physical devices configured to execute instructions. For example, the logical processor can be configured to execute instructions that are part of one or more applications, programs, routines, libraries, objects, components, data structures, or other logical constructs. These instructions can be implemented to perform tasks, implement data types, change the state of one or more components, implement technical effects, or otherwise achieve desired results.

[0049] The logical processor may include one or more physical processors (hardware) configured to execute software instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the logical processor may include one or more hardware logic circuits or firmware devices configured to execute hardware-implemented logic or firmware instructions. The processor of the logical processor 702 may be single-core or multi-core, and the instructions executed thereon may be configured for sequential, parallel and / or distributed processing. The various components of the logical processor may be selectively distributed between two or more separate devices, which may be remotely located and / or configured to coordinate processing. Aspects of the logical processor may be virtualized and executed by a remotely accessible network computing device configured to be cloud computing. In this case, it is understood that these virtualized aspects will run on various different physical logical processors of different machines.

[0050] Volatile memory 704 may include a physical device that includes random access memory. Volatile memory 704 is typically used by logical processor 702 to temporarily store information during processing of software instructions. It should be understood that when volatile memory 704 is powered off, it typically does not continue to store instructions.

[0051] The non-volatile storage device 706 includes one or more physical devices configured to store instructions executable by a logical processor to implement the methods and processes described herein. When implementing such methods and processes, the state of the non-volatile storage device 706 may change, for example, to store different data.

[0052] The non-volatile storage device 706 may include a removable and / or built-in physical device. The non-volatile storage device 706 may include an optical memory (e.g., CD, DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a semiconductor memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH memory, etc.) and / or a magnetic memory (e.g., a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, MRAM, etc.), or other mass storage device technology. The non-volatile storage device 706 may include a non-volatile, dynamic, static, read / write, read-only, sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, and / or content addressable device. It should be understood that the non-volatile storage device 706 is configured to save instructions even when power is off.

[0053] Aspects of the logic processor 702, volatile memory 704, and non-volatile storage device 706 may be integrated together to form one or more hardware logic components. These hardware logic components may include, for example, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), program and application specific integrated circuits (PASIC / ASIC), program and application specific standard products (PSSP / ASSP), systems on chips (SOCs), and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs).

[0054] When included, the display subsystem 708 can be used to present a visual representation of the data stored in the non-volatile storage device 706. The visual representation can take the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). As the methods and processes described herein change the data stored by the non-volatile storage device, thereby changing the state of the non-volatile storage device, the state of the display subsystem may also change accordingly to intuitively represent the changes in the underlying data. The display subsystem 708 may include one or more display devices using almost any type of technology. These display devices can be combined with the logical processor 702, the volatile memory 704 and / or the non-volatile storage device 706 in a shared enclosed space, or these display devices can be peripheral display devices.

[0055] When included, the input subsystem 710 may include or interface with one or more user input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or game controller. In some embodiments, the input subsystem may include or interface with selected natural user input (NUI) components. These components may be integrated or peripheral, and the conversion and / or processing of input actions may be performed internally or externally to the device. Exemplary NUI components may include a microphone for voice and / or speech recognition; an infrared, color, stereo, and / or depth camera for machine vision and / or gesture recognition; a head tracker, eye tracker, accelerometer, and / or gyroscope for motion detection and / or intent recognition; and an electric field sensing component for assessing brain activity; and / or any other suitable sensor.

[0056] When included, the communication subsystem 712 can be configured to communicatively couple the various computing devices described herein to each other and to communicatively couple to other devices. The communication subsystem 712 can include wired and / or wireless communication devices compatible with one or more different communication protocols. As a non-limiting example, the communication subsystem can be configured to communicate via a wireless telephone network or a wired or wireless local area network or a wide area network (such as an HDMI connected via Wi-Fi). In some embodiments, the communication subsystem can allow the computing system 700 to send and / or receive messages from other devices via a network (such as the Internet).

[0057] The following paragraphs discuss several aspects of the present disclosure. One aspect provides a scanning mirror device, comprising: a mirror placed on a mirror support; a first pair of actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator positioned on a first side of the mirror support, the second actuator positioned on a second side of the mirror support opposite to the first side of the mirror support, the first actuator and the second actuator connected to the mirror support along a first rotation axis; and a second pair of actuators including a third actuator and a fourth actuator, the third actuator positioned on the first side of the mirror support, the fourth actuator positioned on the second side of the mirror support, and the third actuator and the fourth actuator connected to the mirror support along a second rotation axis.

[0058] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the mirror mount is additionally or alternatively oriented diagonally relative to a frame of the scanning mirror device.

[0059] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the mirror is additionally or alternatively located in a central region of the scanning mirror device frame.

[0060] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the scanning mirror device additionally or alternatively includes a counterweight placed on the mirror support at a position opposite the mirror.

[0061] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the counterweight is additionally or alternatively located in a central region of the scanning mirror device frame.

[0062] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis are additionally or alternatively offset from a central region of the scanning mirror device frame.

[0063] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the first rotation axis is additionally or alternatively orthogonal to the second rotation axis.

[0064] Further to this aspect, in some examples, each actuator is additionally or alternatively connected to the mirror support via a connector, and the connector additionally or alternatively includes a torsion portion and a bending portion between the actuator and the mirror support.

[0065] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the torsion portion is additionally or alternatively oriented in a different direction than the actuator.

[0066] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the torsion portion is additionally or alternatively configured to move in a torsion mode in response to activation of the actuator.

[0067] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the scanning mirror device is additionally or alternatively fabricated from a silicon-on-insulator substrate.

[0068] Another aspect provides a time-of-flight device, comprising: a controller; a light source configured to emit light; and a scanning mirror device controllable by the controller for projecting light from the light source into an environment, the scanning mirror device comprising: a mirror placed on a mirror support, the mirror being operably configured to receive light from the light source and reflect the light; a first pair of actuators comprising a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator being positioned on a first side of the mirror support, the second actuator being positioned on a second side of the mirror support opposite to the first side of the mirror support, the first actuator and the second actuator being connected to the mirror support along a first rotation axis; and a second pair of actuators comprising a third actuator and a fourth actuator, the third actuator being positioned on the first side of the mirror support, the fourth actuator being positioned on the second side of the mirror support, and the third actuator and the fourth actuator being connected to the mirror support along a second rotation axis.

[0069] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the mirror mount is additionally or alternatively oriented diagonally relative to a frame of the scanning mirror device.

[0070] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the time-of-flight device additionally or alternatively includes a counterweight placed on the mirror support at a position opposite the mirror.

[0071] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are additionally or alternatively offset from a center of the scanning mirror device.

[0072] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the first rotation axis is additionally or alternatively orthogonal to the second rotation axis.

[0073] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the time-of-flight projector additionally or alternatively includes a partitioned time-of-flight projector.

[0074] Another aspect provides a scanning mirror device, comprising: a mirror placed on a mirror bracket; a first actuator connected to the mirror bracket at a first angle relative to the mirror bracket; a second actuator connected to the mirror bracket at a second angle relative to the mirror bracket; and a third actuator connected to the mirror bracket at a third angle relative to the mirror bracket.

[0075] Further to this aspect, in some examples, the mirror is additionally or alternatively located in a central region of the scanning mirror device frame.

[0076] Further in this regard, in some examples, the first angle, the second angle, and the third angle are additionally or alternatively oriented approximately 120 degrees apart.

[0077] It should be understood that the configurations and / or methods described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered to be restrictive, as there may be many variations. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions illustrated and / or described may be performed in the illustrated and / or described order, in other orders, in parallel, or omitted. Similarly, the order of the processes described above may also be changed.

[0078] The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various processes, systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and / or properties disclosed herein, and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A scanning mirror device, comprising: A mirror placed on a mirror support; a first pair of actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator being positioned at a first side of the mirror support, the second actuator being positioned at a second side of the mirror support opposite to the first side of the mirror support, and the first actuator and the second actuator being connected to the mirror support along a first rotation axis; and A second pair of actuators includes a third actuator and a fourth actuator, the third actuator being positioned on the first side of the mirror support, the fourth actuator being positioned on the second side of the mirror support, and the third actuator and the fourth actuator being connected to the mirror support along a second rotation axis.

2. The scanning mirror device of claim 1, wherein the mirror mount is oriented diagonally relative to a frame of the scanning mirror device.

3. The scanning mirror device of claim 1, wherein the mirror is located in a central area of ​​a frame of the scanning mirror device.

4. The scanning mirror apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a counterweight placed on the mirror support opposite to the mirror.

5. The scanning mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the counterweight is located in a central area of ​​a frame of the scanning mirror device.

6. The scanning mirror device of claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are offset from a central region of a frame of the scanning mirror device.

7. The scanning mirror apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis is orthogonal to the second rotation axis.

8. The scanning mirror device of claim 1, wherein each actuator is connected to the mirror mount by a connector, and wherein the connector includes a torsion portion and a bending portion between the actuator and the mirror mount.

9. The scanning mirror apparatus of claim 8, wherein the torsion portion is oriented in a different direction than the actuator.

10. The scanning mirror apparatus of claim 9, wherein the torsion portion is configured to act in a torsion mode in response to activation of the actuator.

11. The scanning mirror device of claim 1, wherein the scanning mirror device is formed of a silicon-on-insulator substrate.

12. A time-of-flight device comprising: Controller; a light source operably configured to emit light; as well as a scanning mirror device controllable by the controller to project the light from the light source into an environment, the scanning mirror device comprising: a mirror positioned on a mirror support, the mirror being operably configured to receive the light from the light source and configured to reflect the light; a first pair of actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator being positioned at a first side of the mirror support, the second actuator being positioned at a second side of the mirror support opposite to the first side of the mirror support, and the first actuator and the second actuator being connected to the mirror support along a first rotation axis; and A second pair of actuators includes a third actuator and a fourth actuator, the third actuator being positioned on the first side of the mirror support, the fourth actuator being positioned on the second side of the mirror support, and the third actuator and the fourth actuator being connected to the mirror support along a second rotation axis.

13. The time-of-flight device of claim 12, wherein the mirror mount is oriented diagonally relative to a frame of the scanning mirror device.

14. The time-of-flight device of claim 12, further comprising a counterweight placed on the mirror support opposite the mirror.

15. The time-of-flight device of claim 12, wherein the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are offset from a center of the scanning mirror device.

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