SEPARATION OF ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL COMPONENTS

• US 20110064402A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Embodiments related to establishing and maintaining precision alignment in an optical system are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides an optical device comprising an outer casing and a rigid optical support disposed within an interior of the outer casing and to which a plurality of optical components are mounted. The embodiment further comprises a printed circuit board spatially separated from the optical support and the plurality of optical components, wherein one or more electrical components are mounted to the printed circuit board. The embodiment also comprises one or more electrical conductors electrically connecting the one or more electrical components to the one or more optical components.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

an outer casing;

an optical support disposed within an interior of the outer casing;

a plurality of optical components mounted to the optical support;

a printed circuit board spatially separated from the optical support and the plurality of optical components;

one or more electrical components mounted to the printed circuit board; and

one or more electrical conductors electrically connecting the one or more electrical components to the one or more optical components.

2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the optical device comprises a depth-sensing camera.

3. The optical device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of optical components comprises a projector, a first camera, and a second camera, and wherein the projector, the first camera, and the second camera are each mounted to the optical support.

4. The optical device of claim 3, wherein the projector comprises a laser and a diffractive optical element.

5. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the optical support is formed from one or more of a metal material, a ceramic material, and a polymer material.

6. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprises an electrical component with a heat sink.

7. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the conductors are flexible.

8. The optical device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards.

9. A depth-sensing camera, comprising:

an optical system comprising

a rigid optical support,

a projector mounted to the optical support,

a first camera mounted to the optical support,

a second camera mounted to the optical support; and

an electrical/thermal system comprising

a printed circuit board spatially separated from the optical support;

one or more electronic components mounted to the printed circuit board;

one or more thermal components mounted to the printed circuit board system; and

a plurality of electrical conductors electrically connecting the projector, first image sensor, and second image sensor respectively to the printed circuit board.

10. The depth-sensing camera of claim 9, wherein the optical support is formed from one or more of a metal, ceramic, composite, and polymer material.

11. The depth-sensing camera of claim 9, further comprising a heat sink coupled to the optical support via a gasket.

12. The depth-sensing camera of claim 9, wherein the electrical conductors are flexible.

13. The depth-sensing camera of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards, wherein each printed circuit board comprises one or more electrical components coupled to the optical system.

14. The depth-sensing camera of claim 9, wherein the first camera is an infrared camera, and wherein the second camera is a visible camera.

15. A method of assembling an optical device, the optical device comprising a rigid optical support, a printed circuit board, and an outer casing, the method comprising:

mounting a plurality of optical components to the optical support;

positioning the optical support in the outer casing and fixing a position of the optical support relative to the outer casing;

positioning the printed circuit board in the outer casing and fixing a position of the printed circuit board in a location that is spaced from the optical support; and

connecting one or more optical components to the printed circuit board via one or more electrical conductors.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device is a depth-sensing camera.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein mounting a plurality of optical components to an optical support comprises mounting a projector, a first camera, and a second camera to the optical support.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein fixing the printed circuit board in the outer casing in a location that is spaced from the optical support comprises fixing the printed circuit board in the outer casing in a location that is spaced from thermal components that conduct heat away from the printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein connecting the one or more optical components to the printed circuit board comprises connecting the one or more optical components to the printed circuit board via one or more flexible connectors.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising fixing a plurality of circuit boards in location spaced form the optical support, and connecting the plurality of printed circuit boards to the plurality of optical components via a plurality of electrical conductors.