COMPACT MULTI-ZONE INFRARED LASER ILLUMINATOR
First Claim
1. An infrared illumination system, comprising:
- a plurality of infrared illumination sources each configured to provide illumination to at least one zone of a plurality of zones corresponding to at least part of a field of view of an image sensor; and
an image processor in communication with the plurality of infrared illumination sources and configured to separately control each of the plurality of infrared illumination sources to provide an adjustable illumination power to at least one of the plurality of separate zones.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems are described for selectively illuminating different zones of a field of view by a multi-zone illumination device. In one aspect, a multi-zone illuminator may include a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and a plurality of micro-optical devices aligned with apertures of individual or groups of VCSELs, which are configured to be individually activated to provide adjustable illumination to different zones of a field of view of an image sensor. In another aspect, a method of selective illumination may include receiving information specifying a field of view of a camera, and controlling at least two sub arrays or individual illuminators of an illuminating array to output light at independently adjustable illumination powers, wherein each of the at least two sub arrays are independently configurable to illuminate at least one of a plurality of separate zones corresponding to the field of view of the camera.
137 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An infrared illumination system, comprising:
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a plurality of infrared illumination sources each configured to provide illumination to at least one zone of a plurality of zones corresponding to at least part of a field of view of an image sensor; and an image processor in communication with the plurality of infrared illumination sources and configured to separately control each of the plurality of infrared illumination sources to provide an adjustable illumination power to at least one of the plurality of separate zones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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4. The system of claim 4, wherein the image processor is configured to turn on or off a number of the plurality of infrared illumination sources sequentially or based on a timing pattern.
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11. A laser array for illuminating different zones of a field of view, comprising:
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a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) attached to a common submount, wherein individual or groups of the plurality of VCSELs are independently electrically connectable to external driver circuitry; and a plurality of micro-optical devices aligned with apertures of the individual or the groups of the plurality of VCSELs, wherein the individual or the groups of the plurality of VCSELs are configured to be individually activated through the independent electrical connection to provide adjustable illumination to different zones of the field of view of an image sensor defined by the plurality of micro-optical devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of infrared illumination, comprising:
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receiving information specifying a field of view of a camera; controlling at least two sub arrays or individual illuminators of an illuminating array to output light at independently adjustable illumination powers, wherein each of the at least two sub arrays are independently configurable to illuminate at least one zone of a plurality of separate zones corresponding to the field of view of the camera. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification