Apparatus and method for projecting laser pattern with reduced speckle noise
First Claim
1. An illuminating apparatus for use with a visual sensory apparatus, for projecting a light pattern onto a surface to be viewed by said sensory apparatus, said surface having a characteristic roughness, said illuminating apparatus comprising:
- a. a light source;
b. means for constraining light emitted from said source to produce on said surface, a light pattern having a light interface, said interface having an extended dimension; and
c. means for causing said light pattern to move relative to said surface, parallel to said extended dimension of said light interface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An illuminating apparatus is for use with a visual sensory apparatus, for projecting a light pattern onto a surface to be viewed by the sensory apparatus. The illuminating apparatus comprises: a light source; a patterniser for constraining light emitted from the source to produce on the surface, a light pattern having a light interface, the interface having an extended dimension. The light pattern is caused to move relative to the surface, parallel to the extended dimension of the light interface. The pattern may comprise a plurality of extended straight line interfaces, each interface being parallel to the other interfaces of the plurality. Rather than straight, the plurality may be circular and concentric. Rather than a plurality, the pattern may comprise a single straight line or circular light interface. The motion of the light pattern relative to the surface minimizes any speckle pattern that might arise from optical interference, below the degree of speckle that would be presence if the pattern were not moving. The pattern may be made to move by moving the light source, or a mirror or prism interposed in the optical path from the light source to the surface.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An illuminating apparatus for use with a visual sensory apparatus, for projecting a light pattern onto a surface to be viewed by said sensory apparatus, said surface having a characteristic roughness, said illuminating apparatus comprising:
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a. a light source; b. means for constraining light emitted from said source to produce on said surface, a light pattern having a light interface, said interface having an extended dimension; and c. means for causing said light pattern to move relative to said surface, parallel to said extended dimension of said light interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for registering the configuration of a surface extending over a portion of a viewing field, said surface having a characteristic roughness, said apparatus comprising:
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a. means for projecting a light pattern onto said surface, said projection means comprising; i. a light source; ii. means for constraining light emitted from said source to produce, on said surface, a light pattern having a plurality of light interfaces spaced from each other, said light interfaces being extended and parallel to each other; and iii. means for causing said light pattern to move relative to said surface, parallel to the extended dimension of said lighted interfaces; and b. a visual sensory apparatus that views said projected pattern of light interfaces, said sensory apparatus having a characteristic exposure interval and being located so that said projected pattern is visible to said sensory apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for projecting a light interface pattern onto a surface having a characteristic roughness, said method comprising:
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a. projecting a light interface pattern onto said surface, said pattern comprising a light interface having an extended dimension; and b. causing said light interface pattern to move, relative to said surface, parallel to said extended dimension. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification