Diffractive light modulator with dynamically rotatable diffraction plane
First Claim
1. A light modulator comprising:
- a. elongated elements arranged in parallel wherein each element includes a light reflective planar surface; and
b. a support structure coupled to the elongated elements to maintain a position of the elongated elements relative to each other and to enable movement of each elongated element between a first modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein selected groups of elements are deflected and act to diffract the incident light along one or more of a plurality of diffraction planes, wherein the groups of elements are configured according to one of a plurality of selectable group configurations, each group configuration corresponding to one of the plurality of diffraction planes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light modulator includes elongated elements and a support structure. The elongated elements are arranged in parallel. Each element includes a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces lying in one or more parallel planes. The support structure is coupled to the elongated elements to maintain a position of the elongated elements relative to each other and to enable movement of each elongated element between a first modulator configuration and a second modulator configuration. In the first modulator configuration, the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror. In the second modulator configuration, selected groups of elements are deflected and act to diffract the incident light along one or more of a plurality of diffraction planes. The groups of elements are configured according to one of a plurality of selectable group configurations. Each group configuration corresponds to one of the plurality of diffraction planes.
722 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A light modulator comprising:
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a. elongated elements arranged in parallel wherein each element includes a light reflective planar surface; and
b. a support structure coupled to the elongated elements to maintain a position of the elongated elements relative to each other and to enable movement of each elongated element between a first modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein selected groups of elements are deflected and act to diffract the incident light along one or more of a plurality of diffraction planes, wherein the groups of elements are configured according to one of a plurality of selectable group configurations, each group configuration corresponding to one of the plurality of diffraction planes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of modulating light comprising:
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a. supporting a plurality of elongated elements arranged in parallel, each element including a light reflective planar surface; and
b. configuring the plurality of elongated elements between a first modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein selected groups of elements are deflected and act to diffract the incident light along one or more of a plurality of diffraction planes, wherein the groups of elements are configured according to one of a plurality of selectable group configurations, each group configuration corresponding to one of the plurality of diffraction planes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A light modulator comprising:
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a. means for supporting a plurality of elongated elements arranged in parallel, each element including a light reflective planar surface; and
b. means for configuring the plurality of elongated elements between a first modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to reflect an incident light as a plane mirror, and a second modulator configuration wherein selected groups of elements are deflected and act to diffract the incident light along one or more of a plurality of diffraction planes, wherein the groups of elements are configured according to one of a plurality of selectable group configurations, each group configuration corresponding to one of the plurality of diffraction planes.
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Specification