Holographic Imaging System Using Coherent Light Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging systems for medical and other applications are large, bulky, expensive, and have high power consumption, limiting their portability, image quality, and application range due to size, complexity, and power requirements.
Innovation Solution
A holographic imaging system utilizing a coherent light source to split a beam into reference and object beams, forming an interference beam that captures both magnitude and phase information, allowing for high-quality, lens-less imaging with improved motion sensitivity and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional imaging systems are used to achieve sufficient image quality, then image quality is improved, but device size and complexity increase making the system bulky and non-portable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical lens-based imaging systems with a holographic imaging system that uses coherent light interference patterns. Instead of relying on complex mechanical optical components to focus and form images, the system uses computational methods to reconstruct images from interference patterns captured by a sensor array, thereby reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining or improving image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the optical wavefront information through holographic interference patterns. By capturing the complete complex amplitude information (both intensity and phase) of light waves and reconstructing images computationally, the system eliminates the need for physical optical components, reducing system size while preserving measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If conventional imaging systems are used to achieve high image quality, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces power-intensive mechanical optical processing with computational methods. The holographic system captures interference patterns using a coherent light source and sensor array, then uses algorithms to reconstruct images, eliminating the need for high-power mechanical components while maintaining measurement precision and reducing overall power consumption
3Measurement precision
If conventional imaging systems are used to achieve sufficient imaging capability, then image quality is improved, but system cost increases making the system expensive to procure and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive mechanical optical components with a holographic system using coherent light sources and digital processing. By eliminating complex mechanical lenses, mirrors, and adjustment mechanisms in favor of computational reconstruction, the system reduces procurement and maintenance costs while maintaining or improving image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional holographic imaging system that can perform various imaging tasks using a single integrated platform. The coherent light source, sensor array, and computational algorithms work together to provide versatile imaging capabilities, reducing the need for multiple specialized systems and thereby lowering overall system cost
4Productivity
If conventional imaging systems are used to capture motion, then imaging capability is improved, but motion sensitivity is insufficient for high-speed applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional intensity-based imaging with holographic interferometry that captures phase information. By measuring the complex amplitude of light waves including phase data, the system can detect minute motion-induced phase changes with high precision while operating at high speeds, overcoming the limitations of traditional imaging methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses interference patterns as an intermediary to amplify and make detectable the subtle effects of motion. By combining the object beam (carrying motion information) with a reference beam to create interference patterns, the system translates minute motion-induced phase changes into measurable intensity variations, thereby enhancing motion sensitivity for high-speed applications
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-speed, high-quality imaging with improved motion sensitivity, enabling applications like brain-computer interfaces and real-time analysis, while being more portable and cost-effective due to its compact and efficient design.
Implementation Method 1
a combiner configured to combine the filtered scattered object beam with the reference beam to form an interference beam
Implementation Method 2
an optical source configured to output a source beam
Data Source
AI summary
A holographic imaging system may include an optical source configured to output a source beam and a splitter configured to split the source beam into a reference beam and an object beam that may be incident on a target to form a scattered object beam. The system may also include a combiner configured to combine the filtered scattered object beam with the reference beam to form an interference beam, an imaging array configured to receive the interference beam and generate frames of raw holographic data based on measurements of the interference beam over time, and an image data processor. The image data processor may be configured to receive the frames of raw holographic data from the imaging array, remove data components within the frames that are associated with the particle motion having a motion frequency that is less than a movement frequency threshold to form conditioned raw holographic data, and generate an image based on the conditioned raw holographic data.