HIGH SPEED OPTICAL SHUTTER, METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME AND APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME
First Claim
1. An optical shutter comprising an electro-optical medium, the electro-optical medium being transparent and in an active solid state, and comprising a total internal reflection surface at which an angle of total internal reflection is changed by an input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high speed optical shutter, a method of operating the high speed optical shutter, and an optical apparatus including the high speed optical shutter. The optical shutter includes a transparent electro-optical medium in an active solid state having a total internal reflection surface on which an angle of total internal reflection is changed by an external action. The transparent electro-optical medium may be a prism or a prism array whose angle of total internal reflection is changed by the external action. An incident light path changing unit may be further arranged in front of the transparent electro-optical medium. Also, a light path changing unit may be further arranged so as to allow light passing through the electro-optical medium to be perpendicularly incident on an incidence target object.
20 Citations
39 Claims
- 1. An optical shutter comprising an electro-optical medium, the electro-optical medium being transparent and in an active solid state, and comprising a total internal reflection surface at which an angle of total internal reflection is changed by an input.
- 31. A method of operating an optical shutter including an electro-optical medium, the electro-optical medium being transparent and in an active solid state, and includes a total internal reflection surface at which an angle of total internal reflection is changed by an input, the method comprising changing an angle of total internal reflection of the electro-optical medium by applying a voltage to the electro-optical medium.
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37. An optical apparatus comprising:
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a refractive element having one of at least two indices of refraction, the refractive element having one of the at least two indices of refraction when a first input is received and another of the least two indices of refraction when a second input is received; and an image sensor which is operable to receive light refracted and transmitted by the refractive element, wherein the refractive element refracts light toward the image sensor when the first input is received and reflects light away from the image sensor when the second input is received. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification