Apparatus for remotely imaging a region

• US 7,190,329 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T., Lewis, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/601,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345/32, 348/53, 348/54, 359196-225, 359629-633, 382321-323
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted

Abstract

A device for image transmission includes a first scanner at a first location and a second scanner at a second location, with an optical fiber linking the scanners. The first scanner scans the first location and couples light from the first location to the optical fiber. The fiber transmits the light to the second location where the second scanner constructs an image of the second location from the light. The two scanners are synchronized so that the constructed image corresponds directly to the scanned scene. The second scanner may be part of a retinal scanner, so that the image is formed directly on the user'"'"'s retina. In another embodiment, the each of the scanners acts as a transceiver so that imaging is bi-directional.

Claims

1. An apparatus for remotely imaging a region, comprising:

a light source;

a first fiber having an input end coupled to the light source and an output end;

a scanner having input coupled to the fiber output end and being alignable to the region, the scanner being configured to direct light from the output end through a scan pattern across a region;

a first optical detector optically coupled to the scanner and aligned to receive light indicative of the location of the scanner in the scan pattern;

a second optical detector configured to receive scanned light scattered from the region; and

a controller coupled to the first and second optical detectors, the controller being responsive to the first and second optical detectors to identify information about the region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the region comprises a variable field of view.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first optical detector is aligned to receive light directly from the scanner.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first optical detector is responsive to light in a visible wavelength.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is operable to decode a bar code symbol in the region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the bar code symbol includes a two-dimensional symbol.