1081 results about "Scanning mirror" patented technology

A method for displaying an image viewable by an eye, the image being projected from a portable head worn display, comprises steps of: emitting a plurality of light beams of wavelengths that differ amongst the light beams; directing the plurality of light beams to a scanning mirror; modulating in intensity each one of the plurality of light beams in accordance with intensity information provided from the image, whereby the intensity is representative of a pixel value within the image; scanning the plurality of light beams in two distinct axes with the scanning mirror to form the image; and redirecting the plurality of light beams to the eye using a holographic optical element acting as a reflector of the light beams, whereby the redirecting is dependent on the wavelength of the light beam, to create for each light beam an exit pupil at the eye that is spatially separated from the exit pupils of the other light beams.

The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for near-to-eye (e.g., retinal) displaying with exit-pupil expansion using a scanning component (e.g., a scanning mirror) and an exit-pupil expander (e.g., diffractive exit-pupil expander) for providing a retinal scanning display with a large exit pupil.

A camera module (170) includes a miniature scanning mirror (120), lens elements (163a to 163d) corresponding to thin lateral lens slices, and a short, wide imaging sensor (165). As the scanning mirror (120) pivots to scan a scene, the imaging sensor (165) captures successive image segments. Multiple image segments are stitched together by software running on a digital processor to provide a complete image. The assembly of lens elements (163a to 163d) may include moveable elements to allow variable focus, variable magnification and image stabilization, and may utilize refraction, reflection, diffraction and/or planar optical elements. The camera module (170) may be less than 5 millimeters thick while allowing long focal length lenses and increased light collecting area. Other embodiments include a switchable scan mirror with two apertures and a dual-camera system that provides binocular images and video.

An optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging probe 500 comprises a reference arm, and a sample arm which are both preferably disposed in a hollow outer tube 515. The sample arm comprises a MEMS scanning mirror 210 disposed inside and secured to the tube 515 for providing lateral scanning of a first and second optical beam provided. The scanning mirror has a highly reflective top 211 and highly reflective bottom surface 212, wherein the first beam is incident on the top surface and the second beam is incident on the bottom surface. The scanning mirror 210 is rotatable through at least 90° along a first axis to provide 180° scanning on each of its surfaces to cover a full 360° circumferential view of a sample to be imaged.

A confocal optical device is described. The device includes a tri-axial scanning mirror that can provide for three-dimensional scanning of objects. In particular, the scanning mirror has a deformable reflective membrane mounted on two annular gimbaled members to provide for rotation about two orthogonal axes. The deformable membrane, which can be provided at other suitable locations in the device, is used to control the focusing spot of the light beam transmitted from the device to the object being scanned. Various methods relating to the confocal optical device are also described.

Various embodiments of the invention are directed to various microdevices including sensors, actuators, valves, scanning mirrors, accelerometers, switches, and the like. In some embodiments the devices are formed via electrochemical fabrication (EFAB™).

The invention discloses a laser three-dimensional imaging device based on a single-photon detector, belonging to the technical field of photoelectric instruments. A target to be detected is irradiated by the laser pulse emitted by a pulsed laser via a scanning system; the returning photons are received by a receiving/emitting co-axial optical system, i.e., the returning photons are received by a double-gating single-photon detecting module via a spectral filter and a spatial filter and an arriving pulse is outputted, so that the photon flight time of the target measuring point can be measured by combining the laser emission detection and the multi-photon arriving pulse time; and a data processing unit is used for carrying out the coordinate conversion based on the position and attitude data, scanning mirror targeting data, and photon flight time of the three-dimensional imaging device, de-noising and three-dimensional image construction and correction, so as to output the reliable target three-dimensional range image. The invention solves the problems that the existing laser three-dimensional imaging device is incapable of penetrating vegetation and camouflage and being miniaturized when conducting long-distance operations.

This invention uses a real-time holographic medium to record the amplitude and phase information collected from a moving platform at the aperture plane of a side-looking optical sensor over the collection time. A back-scan mirror is used to compensate platform motion during the synthetic aperture integration time. Phase errors caused by a nonlinear platform motion are compensated by controlling the phase offset between the illumination beam and the reference beam used to write the hologram based on inertial measurements of the flight path and the sensor line-of-sight pointing angles. In the illustrative embodiment, a synthetic aperture ladar (SAL) imaging system is mounted on a mobile platform. The system is adapted to receive a beam of electromagnetic energy; record the intensity and phase pattern carried by the beam; and store the pattern to compensate for motion of the platform relative to an external reference. In the illustrative embodiment, the image is stored as a holographic image. The system includes a back-scan mirror, which compensates the stored holographic pattern for motion of the platform. The medium and back-scan mirror may be replaced with a digital camera and one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays may be used. In a specific embodiment, a two-dimensional array is used with a time delay and integration (TDI) scheme, which compensates for motion of the platform in the storage of the optical signals. In an alternative embodiment, a back-scanning mirror is used to compensate for motion of the platform. Consequently, the interference pattern between a relayed image of the aperture plane and a reference beam is continuously stored. In this embodiment, the instantaneous location of the received beam on the recording medium is controlled to compensate for motion of the platform.

The invention provides a method and apparatus for guiding a weapon to a target using an optical seeker having dual semi-active laser (SAL) and laser radar (LADAR) modes of operation. The dual mode seeker incorporates a laser light source, an optical package including a quadrant detector for operating in SAL mode and a LADAR receiver for operating in LADAR mode. The seeker further includes a high speed scanning mirror for switching between modes to guide the weapon to the target. The method for guiding a weapon to a target includes receiving radiation from the target and tracking the radiation to guide the weapon; monitoring the detected radiation such that if the radiation falls below a predetermined level, a laser system on-board the weapon continues guiding the weapon by generating a laser beam; reflecting the laser beam off the target so that the reflected laser radiation is received from the target to track the radiation and guide the weapon to the target.

A system and method for providing a resonant beam sweep about a first axis. A mirror or reflective surface supported by a first pair of torsional hinges is driven into resonant oscillations about the first axis by inertially coupling energy through the first pair of torsional hinges. A light source reflects a beam of light from the mirror such that the oscillating mirror produces a beam sweep across a target area. The resonant beam sweep is moved orthogonally on the target area by a gimbals portion of the mirror pivoting about a second axis according to one embodiment. A second independent mirror provides the orthogonal movement according to a second embodiment.

A scanning range sensor includes an outer cover having a transparent window that is horizontally annular, a vertical type cylindrical rotary member inside the outer cover, a light receiving window with an optical lens of the cylindrical rotary member, a light projector between the outer cover and the cylindrical rotary member, an optical system for leading light from the light projector along the direction of the rotational axis of the cylindrical rotary member by the mirrors on the inner surface of the cylindrical rotary member, a photodetector that within the interior of the cylindrical rotary member is fixed and arranged separately from the cylindrical rotary member so as to coincide with the rotational axis of the cylindrical rotary member and is connected to a distance computation circuit, and a reflecting mirror and scanning mirror along the rotational axis of the cylindrical rotary member.

A distance measuring device capable of being used in microscopes or other optical systems. Embodiments of the invention employ one or more scanning mirrors to scan a reference beam over a target to be inspected. The reference beam is returned and detected by a photodetector. The reference beam may be created by using a knife-edge element which allows the outgoing reference beam and incoming reference beam to follow the same path so that the apparent motion of the spot on the target surface is not detected by the photodetector. The photodetector generates an electronic signal corresponding to the displacement of the target away from the ideal focal point. The electrical signal may be used to drive a servomechanism to displace either the target or the microscope objective lens to bring the target in focus.

The invention provides an optical-scanning examination apparatus with a simple configuration, in which the resolution of acquired images can be freely changed and in which the fluorescence image intensity and examination depth can be adjusted to suit the purpose of examination. The optical-scanning examination apparatus includes a light source unit; a focusing lens for forming a first intermediate image of excitation light; an imaging lens; a first objective lens; an optical fiber bundle; a second objective lens; and an imaging unit for imaging return light that returns via the second objective lens, the optical fiber bundle, the first objective lens, and the imaging lens. In addition, a scanning mirror device, which is disposed at the first intermediate image position, is formed of a plurality of mirrors that simultaneously receive the first intermediate image and that can be selectively turned on and off.

A scanning image display apparatus includes a light source section that emits a laser beam, a scan mirror that scans the laser beam two-dimensionally in a first direction and a second direction which intersects the first direction, and a control section that drives the scan mirror. Herein, the control section drives the scan mirror such that a scan frequency in the first direction becomes higher than a scan frequency in the second direction, and changes the scan frequency in the first direction in synchronization with a period of the scan frequency in the second direction to change a scan amplitude in the first direction.