Apparatus, system, and method for capturing an image with a scanned beam of light

• US 7,982,765 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T., Lewis, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOREHEAD III, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US11/717,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20070165016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 348/98, 348/209.99, 348/210.99, 348/326, 348/327
• US Class Current: 348/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an image capture apparatus comprises a light emitter, a beam scanner aligned to receive emitted light and operable to scan the light in a two-dimensional pattern, imaging optics aligned to receive the scanned two-dimensional pattern and image the pattern onto an object, and to collect light scattered from the object, a detector to receive scattered light from the imaging optics, an electronic controller c operable to receive an electrical signal from the detector corresponding to the received scattered light, and an actuator operable to modify the relative alignment between the beam scanner and the imaging optics to change an imaged location on the object. According to an embodiment, a method for capturing an image comprises scanning a beam of light through imaging optics onto a location on a surface, detecting light scattered by the surface, and steering the beam scanner relative to the imaging optics to change the trajectory of the scanned pattern. According to an embodiment, a system for scanning a field of view comprises a light source, an optical fiber, a MEMs scanner aligned to receive the light from the optical fiber and operable to scan the light through a partially-reflective imaging optic in a pattern, and a photo-detector aligned to receive light scattered from the field of view.

Claims

1. An image capture apparatus comprising:

a light emitter operable to emit light;

a beam scanner aligned to receive the emitted light and operable to scan the received light in a two-dimensional pattern;

imaging optics aligned to receive the scanned two-dimensional pattern and image the two dimensional scanned pattern onto an object, and further configured to collect light scattered from the object;

a detector configured to receive scattered light from the imaging optics;

an electronic controller coupled to the detector and operable to receive an electrical signal from the detector corresponding to the received scattered light; and

an actuator coupled to the electronic controller operable to modify the relative alignment between the beam scanner and the imaging optics to change an imaged location on the object.

2. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an optical fiber having a first end configured to receive the emitted light and second end, the optical fiber being configured to transmit the received light from the first end to the second end; and

wherein

the beam scanner is aligned to receive the emitted light from the second end of the optical fiber.

3. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light emitter and the detector are mounted on a common substrate.

4. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator is operable to vary an angle between the beam scanner and the imaging optics.

5. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator is operable to steer the scanned beam.

6. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is operable to automatically control the actuator responsive to a change between relative positions of the imaging optics and the object.

7. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator is operable to modify the alignment of the beam scanner in three axes.

8. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric positioner.

9. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a shape memory alloy-based positioner.

10. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the beam scanner comprises a mechanically resonant scanner.

11. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the beam scanner comprises a MEMs scanner.

12. The image capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein the object includes a portion of a human body.

13. A system for scanning a field of view comprising:

a light source operable to emit light;

an optical fiber having a first end aligned to receive emitted light from the light source and a second end;

a MEMs scanner aligned to receive the light from the second end of the optical fiber and operable to scan the light through a partially-reflective imaging optic in a pattern having a field of view; and

a photo-detector aligned to receive light scattered from the field of view.

14. The system for scanning a field of view of claim 13 wherein the photo-detector is positioned to receive light scattered from the field of view through the partially-reflective imaging optic.

15. The system for scanning a field of view of claim 13 further comprising:

a second optical fiber aligned to receive light scattered from the field of view;

and wherein the photo-detector is aligned to receive light scattered from the field of view through the second optical fiber.