System for operating one or more suspended laser projectors to project a temporary visible image onto a surface

• US 7,219,438 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thought Development, Inc.
• Original Assignee: First Down Laser, LLC
• Inventors: Dinicola, Brian K., Amron, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US11/109,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 332/27, 332/86, 332/89, 33D/IG.21, 353/28, 362/233, 362/244, 362/250, 362/259, 362/285, 362/553, 473/415, 473/490
• US Class Current: 33/289
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/12 Electrically powered or heated
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/14 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A temporary visible image, such as a first down reference line, corporate logo, or text is projected onto a target surface by an orientation-stabilized, fiber-fed laser projector. The projector may include at least one cylindrical lens or at least one pair of X-Y scanners. One or more remotely located lasers, supplying optical energy at a single wavelength to the projector, accommodate projection of a monochromatic line pattern. Multi-colored images are accommodated by supplying, to the projector, the output of a plurality of lasers operating at different wavelengths within the visible band. The projector is suspended and conveyed as a unitary assembly by a suspension system adapted to maintain the projectors angular orientation and dynamically stabilize the image. If desired, two or more independently-suspended projection modules or groups of modules adapted to move in unison or independently over the length of the field may be employed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a temporary visible image upon a target surface, comprising:

at least one laser operative to emit optical energy;

a first projection module optically coupled to said at least one laser, said first projection module being dimensioned and arranged to project optical energy received from said at least one laser downwardly onto the target surface;

and a suspension system for supporting said first projection module at an elevated location above the target surface and for conveying said first projection module in response to user input commands, said suspension system including a position stabilization system adapted to detect and correct angular deviations relative to a desired orientation of the first projection module,

whereby said first projection module may be conveyed from a first, position-stabilized location from which an image can be projected upon a first region of the target surface to a second, position-stabilized location from which an image can be projected upon a second region of the target surface,

wherein said first projection module includes a lens dimensioned and arranged to spread the optical energy received from said at least one laser into a first straight line extending between opposite lateral sides of the target surface, and

wherein said at least one laser is operative to emit a sufficient amount of optical energy such that said first projection module projects therefrom an image that is visible during daylight ambient lighting conditions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one laser includes a plurality of lasers operative to emit optical energy at a wavelength of between 380 and 750 nm.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 further including a control module configured to operate each of said plurality of lasers to produce respective sequences of pulses less than 0.25 seconds in duration and to aggregate corresponding pulses from each laser so as to supply a series of composite pulses at least 0.25 seconds in duration to said first projection module.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a control module configured to operate said at least one laser.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a second projection module supported and conveyed by said suspension system.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a second projection module;

at least a second laser optically coupled to said second projection module; and

a second suspension system for supporting said second projection module at an elevated location above the target surface and for conveying said second projection module in response to user input commands, said second suspension system including a position stabilization system adapted to detect and correct angular deviations relative to a desired orientation of the second projection module,

wherein said second projection module includes a lens dimensioned and arranged to spread the optical energy received from said at least a second laser into a second straight line extending between opposite lateral sides of the target surface and colinear with the first straight line.

7. An apparatus for providing a temporary visible image upon a target surface, comprising:

a plurality of lasers each operative to emit optical energy at a wavelength of between 380 and 750 nm;

first and second projection modules optically coupled to said plurality of lasers, said first projection module being adapted to project optical energy received from said plurality of lasers downwardly onto the target surface;

a controller responsive to input user commands to operate, in accordance with a first mode of operation, the first projection module and at least one of said plurality of lasers to project a straight, visible reference line upon the target surface and to operate, in accordance with a second mode of operation, the first and second projection modules and said plurality of lasers to project a temporary, visible, multicolored image upon the target surface;

and a suspension system for supporting said first projection module at an elevated location above the target surface and for conveying said first projection module in response to user input commands, said suspension system including a position stabilization system adapted to detect and correct angular deviations relative to a desired orientation of the first projection module,

wherein said plurality of lasers are operative to emit a sufficient amount of optical energy such that the reference line projected by said first projection module is visible during daylight ambient lighting conditions, and

wherein each of said first and second projection modules includes a corresponding X-Y scanning assembly operative to project optical energy along selectable paths upon the target surface,

whereby said first projection module may be conveyed from a first, position-stabilized location from which the reference line can be projected upon a first region of the target surface to a second, position-stabilized location from which the reference line can be projected upon a second region of the target surface.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a first and a second of said plurality of lasers are adapted to emit optical energy at a respectively different wavelength between 380 nm and 750 nm.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first and second projection modules and said first and second lasers are operative, in accordance with said second mode of operation, to project a multicolored image having at least one curvilinear portion.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first projection module and the first laser are operative, in accordance with said first mode of operation, to project a continuous temporary line having a length of about fifty three yards.

11. A method, comprising the steps of:

responsive to receiving a command to generate a temporary visible image upon a first selected region of grass-covered athletic field, conveying a projection module suspended above the grass-covered athletic field and optically coupled to at least one laser to a first location;

operating the projection module and at least one laser so as to project, during daylight ambient conditions, the visible image upon the first selected region and

while performing said operating step, detecting and correcting angular deviations relative to a desired orientation of the projection module to substantially fix the visible image at the first selected region for a desired time interval.

12. The method of claim 11, further including a step of responsive to receiving a command to generate a temporary visible image upon a second selected region of the grass-covered athletic field, conveying the projection module from the first location to a second location above the grass-covered athletic field;

and operating the projection module and at least one laser so as to project a visible image upon the second selected region.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said projection module includes an X-Y scanning assembly and said method further includes a step of operating said projection module, in accordance with a first mode of operation, to project a temporary, visible reference line upon the grass-covered athletic field, and a step of operating said projection module, in accordance with a second mode of operation, to project a temporary visible image having at least one curvilinear segment upon the grass-covered athletic field.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said projection module is optically coupled to a plurality of lasers operating at respectively different wavelengths between 380 and 750 nm, said method further comprising a step of operating said projection module and plurality of lasers to project a multi-colored, temporary visible image upon the grass-covered athletic field.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of operating the projection module includes spreading the optical energy supplied by the at least one laser into a straight line image using a cylindrical lens.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of operating comprises operating a plurality of lasers sequentially to form a series of composite pulses each having a duration of at least 0.25 seconds.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein during said step of conveying, first and second projection modules each optically coupled to a corresponding laser and suspended above the grass-covered athletic field are moved independently of each other to first and second locations, respectively;

and wherein during said step of operating, the first and second projection modules and the plurality of lasers are operated so as to project, during daylight ambient conditions, the visible image.