Multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer and method of using same
First Claim
1. A multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer comprising:
- a) a single measurement light producing device that produces a coherent light source consisting of a single outgoing light beam;
whereby said single measurement light producing device is configured to transition said single light beam between a fixed light beam to a scanning wavelength light beam;
b) a first distance measurement interferometer comprising;
one or more optics;
whereby said single outgoing light beam is split by a first beam splitter to produce a first reference beam and a first measurement beam;
whereby said first reference beam is configured to travel a path of fixed distance to and from a first reference reflector;
whereby said first measurement beam is configured to travel to a moveable reflective target of unknown distance and reflect back from said moveable reflective target as a return beam;
whereby said first reference beam and said return beam are combined by an interference optics to produce an interference beam;
c) one or more optoelectronic components that convert said interference beam into one or more first electrical signals;
d) a digitizing electronic feature that produces one or more first digital values from said first electrical signals;
e) a processor coupled to said digitizing electronics feature and said single measurement light producing device;
whereby said processor receives said one or more first digital values and calculates a distance to said moveable reflective target;
whereby said processor sends frequency control instructions to said single measurement light producing device to change the frequency of said scanning wavelength light beam;
whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates in an absolute distance mode to provide an absolute distance measurement to said moveable reflective target using frequency scanning interferometry;
whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates a in a relative distance mode to provide a relative distance measurement using fixed frequency interferometry;
whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer is configured to transition between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode to determine a measured distance to said moveable reflective target; and
f) an interface to communicate said measured distance; and
g) an algorithm that controls the transition between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode as a function of the first electrical signalswherein the multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer automatically transitions between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode to determine a measured distance to the moveable reflective target.
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Abstract
A multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer has a single measurement light producing device configured to produce a coherent light source consisting of a single light beam. The single measurement light producing device transitions the single light beam between a fixed light beam and a scanning wavelength light beam. A primary beam splitter produces a first reference beam and a first measurement beam from said single light beam. The first reference beam is configured to travel a fixed path length to a primary reference reflector and the first measurement beam is configured to travel to and from a moveable reflective target over an unknown path length. A first interferometer is created by interfering the first reference beam with the first measurement beam and one or more optoelectronic devices may be configured to determine a measured distance to the movable reflective target.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer comprising:
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a) a single measurement light producing device that produces a coherent light source consisting of a single outgoing light beam; whereby said single measurement light producing device is configured to transition said single light beam between a fixed light beam to a scanning wavelength light beam; b) a first distance measurement interferometer comprising; one or more optics; whereby said single outgoing light beam is split by a first beam splitter to produce a first reference beam and a first measurement beam; whereby said first reference beam is configured to travel a path of fixed distance to and from a first reference reflector; whereby said first measurement beam is configured to travel to a moveable reflective target of unknown distance and reflect back from said moveable reflective target as a return beam; whereby said first reference beam and said return beam are combined by an interference optics to produce an interference beam; c) one or more optoelectronic components that convert said interference beam into one or more first electrical signals; d) a digitizing electronic feature that produces one or more first digital values from said first electrical signals; e) a processor coupled to said digitizing electronics feature and said single measurement light producing device; whereby said processor receives said one or more first digital values and calculates a distance to said moveable reflective target; whereby said processor sends frequency control instructions to said single measurement light producing device to change the frequency of said scanning wavelength light beam; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates in an absolute distance mode to provide an absolute distance measurement to said moveable reflective target using frequency scanning interferometry; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates a in a relative distance mode to provide a relative distance measurement using fixed frequency interferometry; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer is configured to transition between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode to determine a measured distance to said moveable reflective target; and f) an interface to communicate said measured distance; and g) an algorithm that controls the transition between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode as a function of the first electrical signals wherein the multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer automatically transitions between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode to determine a measured distance to the moveable reflective target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer comprising:
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a) a single measurement light producing device that produces a coherent light source consisting of a single outgoing light beam; whereby said single measurement light producing device is configured to transition said single light beam between a fixed light beam to a scanning wavelength light beam; b) a first distance measurement interferometer comprising; one or more optics; whereby said single outgoing light beam is split by a first beam splitter to produce a first reference beam and a first measurement beam; whereby said first reference beam is configured to travel a path of fixed distance to and from a first reference reflector; whereby said first measurement beam is configured to travel to a moveable reflective target of unknown distance and reflect back from said moveable reflective target as a return beam; whereby said first reference beam and said return beam are combined by an interference optics to produce an interference beam; c) one or more optoelectronic components that convert said interference beam into one or more first electrical signals; d) a digitizing electronic feature that produces one or more first digital values from said first electrical signals; e) a processor coupled to said digitizing electronics feature and said single measurement light producing device; whereby said processor receives said one or more first digital values and calculates a distance to said moveable reflective target; whereby said processor sends frequency control instructions to said single measurement light producing device to change the frequency of said scanning wavelength light beam; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates in an absolute distance mode to provide an absolute distance measurement to said moveable reflective target using frequency scanning interferometry; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer operates in a relative distance mode to provide a relative distance measurement using fixed frequency interferometry; whereby said multi-mode frequency sweeping interferometer is configured to transition between the absolute distance measurement mode and the relative distance measurement mode to determine a measured distance to said moveable reflective target, f) an interface to communicate said measured distance; g) a position sensing device that converts a positioning beam from a position sensing beam splitter to electrical signals; and h) digitizing electronics that produce digital values of the position sensing device electrical signals; wherein the position sensing device digital values are converted to a displacement value; and whereby said position sensing device provides a transverse position the moveable target with respect to the measurement beam path.
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Specification