Optical Module Multi-Array Light Emission for Distance Measurement Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing the resolution of optical modules while minimizing the number of light emitting elements and maintaining efficient multipath correction is challenging due to the limitations in disposing light emitting elements with narrow intervals and the decrease in electro-optical conversion efficiency as the number of light emitting elements increases.
Innovation Solution
An optical module with a light emission unit having a multi-array structure where light emitting elements are disposed at the vertices of a quadrangle, using a diffraction element to separate light beams into multiple directions, optimizing the angle and spacing of light beams to enhance resolution and reduce the influence of multipath correction, while maintaining a manageable number of light emitting elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of light emitting elements is increased to improve resolution, then the resolution is improved, but the electro-optical conversion efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light beam from each light emitting element into multiple beams using a diffraction element, creating multiple spots on the target. This segmentation allows one light emitting element to produce multiple measurement points, effectively increasing resolution without adding more light emitting elements, thus maintaining electro-optical conversion efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If light emitting elements are disposed with narrow intervals to improve resolution, then the resolution is improved, but the area for light emission unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing resolution by adding more light emitting elements in the same plane (two-dimensional expansion), the patent uses diffraction to create multiple beams from each element, effectively utilizing the angular dimension. This allows multiple spots to be formed without increasing the physical area of the light emission unit.
3Measurement precision
If the number of spots is increased to improve resolution, then the resolution is improved, but it becomes difficult to perform multipath correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the ability to perform both spot irradiation and uniform irradiation using the same light emission unit and diffraction element. By controlling the light emission unit to operate in different modes, the system can achieve high-resolution spot measurements and perform multipath correction through uniform irradiation, making the system multi-functional without requiring separate systems for each function.
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
The solution improves distance measurement resolution by increasing the number of spots while maintaining light intensity and reducing the influence of high-order diffracted light, effectively addressing the limitations of existing technologies in multipath correction and light emitting element spacing.
Implementation Method 1
a diffraction element that diffracts a light beam radiated from each of the light emitting elements and separates the light beam into a plurality of light beams
Data Source
AI summary
Resolution is improved while suppressing the number of light emitting elements disposed in an optical module. In the optical module, the light emission unit has a multi-array structure based on a structure in which the light emitting elements are respectively disposed at vertexes forming a quadrangle of which sides facing each other are parallel to each other, a distance between the light emitting elements on a side in a first direction is set to a and a distance between the light emitting elements on a side in a second direction orthogonal to the side in the first direction is set to b, the diffraction element generates diffracted light in an n direction (n is a natural number) and an angle θx formed between one diffraction direction and the side in the first direction satisfies θx=tan−1(b/na), and when angle differences of two light beams generated by inter-light emission distances a and b are set to φa and φb, respectively, and m is set to a natural number excluding an integral multiple of (2n+1), a diffraction angle φx of the diffracted light satisfies φx=m×sqrt{(nφa)2+φb2}/(2n+1).