Optical apparatus with beam steering and position feedback

• US 20180084241A1
• Filed: 05/17/2017
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Denis G., Zhang, Meng
• Granted Patent: US 10,362,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1086 operating by diffraction only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/30 Collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4233 having a diffractive element [DOE] contributing to a non-imaging application diffusers having a diffractive element G02B5/0252; filters having a diffractive element G02B5/203; systems for controlling the direction of light having diffractive elements G02B26/0808; scanning systems having diffractive elements G02B26/106; beam shaping systems using diffractive optical elements G02B27/0944; beam splitting or combining systems operating by diffraction G02B27/1086
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps

Abstract

A method for projection includes projecting a pattern toward a target by directing optical radiation, which is collimated along an optical axis by projection optics, through a diffractive optical element (DOE). An optical signal that is indicative of a shift of the projected pattern is detected. An actuator is driven to translate the projection lens in a direction transverse to the optical axis responsively to the detected optical signal.

Claims

1. Optical apparatus, comprising:

a pattern projector, comprising optical components arranged along an optical axis, the optical components comprising;

a radiation source, which is configured to emit optical radiation;

projection optics configured to collect and collimate the optical radiation emitted by the radiation source; and

a diffractive optical element (DOE), which is positioned to receive the optical radiation collimated by the projection optics and to produce and project a pattern toward a target;

an actuator configured to translate the projection optics in a direction transverse to the optical axis;

an optical sensor configured to detect an optical signal that is indicative of a shift of the projected pattern; and

a processor, which is configured to drive the actuator to translate the projection optics responsively to the optical signal detected by the optical sensor.

2. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source emits the optical radiation with a predefined spatial pattern, and the pattern projected by the DOE comprises multiple replicas of the predefined spatial pattern.

3. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the collimated radiation received by the DOE is diffracted by the DOE to orders that propagate inside the DOE to a side surface of the DOE and exit therefrom, and wherein the sensor comprises at least one radiation detector, which is positioned in proximity to the side surface so as to receive and sense an intensity of the radiation that has exited through the side surface.

4. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a transparent substrate having a face shaped to define a plurality of optical deflectors and positioned parallel to the DOE so as to intercept and reflect a portion of the projected pattern, the transparent substrate comprising at least one side surface which is not parallel to the first face, and wherein the sensor comprises at least one radiation detector, which is positioned so as to receive and sense an intensity of the radiation reflected by the optical deflectors.

5. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising at least one secondary radiation source, which is configured to direct further radiation to impinge on the DOE along a direction non-parallel to the optical axis, and wherein the sensor comprises at least one radiation detector positioned to receive a portion of the further radiation that is diffracted by the DOE.

6. The optical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one radiation detector is mounted on a substrate together with the radiation source that emits the optical radiation projected in the pattern.

7. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises multiple optical detectors disposed on different sides of the optical axis.

8. The optical apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the actuator is configured to translate the projection optics in multiple directions transverse to the optical axis responsively to signals from the multiple optical detectors.

9. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a motion sensor configured to output a motion signal indicative of changes in a position of the optical apparatus, wherein the processor is configured to drive the actuator to both the optical signal and the motion signal.

10. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to drive the actuator responsively to the optical signal so as stabilize the projected pattern.

11. The optical apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a receiver, which is configured to form an image of the pattern on the target, wherein the processor is configured to process the image so as to generate a three-dimensional (3D) map of the target.

12. The optical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to drive the actuator in order to shift the projected pattern so as to enhance a resolution of the 3D map.

13. A method for projection, comprising:

projecting a pattern toward a target by directing optical radiation, which is collimated along an optical axis by projection optics, through a diffractive optical element (DOE);

detecting an optical signal that is indicative of a shift of the projected pattern; and

driving an actuator to translate the projection lens in a direction transverse to the optical axis responsively to the detected optical signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a portion of the collimated radiation received by the DOE is diffracted by the DOE to orders that propagate inside the DOE to a side surface of the DOE and exit therefrom, and wherein detecting the optical signal comprises sensing an intensity of the radiation that has exited through the side surface.

15. The method according to claim 13, and comprising directing further radiation to impinge on the DOE along a direction non-parallel to the optical axis, wherein detecting the optical signal comprises sensing a portion of the further radiation that is diffracted by the DOE.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein detecting the optical signal comprises sensing receiving signals from multiple optical detectors disposed on different sides of the optical axis, and wherein driving the actuator comprises translating the projection optics in multiple directions transverse to the optical axis responsively to the signals from the multiple optical detectors.

17. The optical method according to claim 13, and comprising sensing motion of at least one of the projection optics and the DOE, wherein driving the actuator comprises translating the projection lens responsively to both the optical signal and the sensed motion.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the actuator is driven responsively to the optical signal so as stabilize the projected pattern.

19. The method according to claim 13, and comprising capturing an image of the pattern on the target, and processing the image so as to generate a three-dimensional (3D) map of the target.

20. The optical method according to claim 19, wherein driving the actuator comprises shifting the projected pattern so as to enhance a resolution of the 3D map.