Microvision, Inc.

Zenigata LLC

Alga Lloyd Nothern, Iii

Jonathan A Morarity

Gregory A Kirkos

Steven A Rodriguez

Dainia Edwards

Joseph N Kennelly Ullman

Christopher B Harrison

Matthieu Saracco

Eric W Healy

Thomas Ivan Nonn

P Selvan Viswanathan

Roeland Collet

Sumit Sharma

Thomas Byeman

James Patrick McGuire, Jr

Bin Xue

Nenad Nestorovic

Matthew Ellis

Jack H Schmidt

Christopher Brian Adkins

Joel Sandgathe

James Dean

Christopher Cannon

Eric N Healy

Henry J Baron

The embodiments described herein provide systems and methods that can improve performance in scanning laser devices. Specifically, the systems and methods utilize a non-uniform variation in optical expansion coupled with variation in the energy level of laser light pulses to provide an improved effective range over a scanning area. In general, the improved effective range varies over the scan field, with relatively long effective range in some areas of the scan field and relatively short effective range in other areas of the scan field. This varying range over the scan field is facilitated by expansion optics that provide a non-uniform variation in optical expansion for laser light pulses relative to position along a first axis in the scan field and by a light source controller that varies the energy level of the laser light pulses according to position along the first axis of the scan field.

Scanning laser devices and methods with non-uniform optical expansion and pulse energy variation

There is provided an electronically controlled, breath actuated vaporization device for generating vaporized material for inhalation by a user. The vaporization device includes a vaporization chamber for accommodating material to be vaporized and a mesh heater or other heater supported upstream of the vaporization chamber which is operable to heat air that passes through the mesh heater or other heater during an inhalation event. A closed loop control scheme may be employed to control heat generated by the heater to maintain a temperature of the air delivered to the vaporization chamber at or within a predetermined tolerance of a desired vaporization temperature for at least a majority of a duration of the inhalation event.

Vapor delivery systems and methods

An eye-safe light detection and ranging system includes a virtual protective housing. A short range pulse is emitted at every measurement point in a field of view before conditionally emitting a long range pulse. Short range pulses result in accessible emissions that are eye-safe at short distances and long range pulses result in accessible emissions that are eye-safe at longer distances.

Eye-safe scanning lidar with virtual protective housing

The embodiments described herein provide systems and methods that can facilitate increased detector sensitivity and reliability in a scanning laser device. Specifically, the systems and methods utilize detectors with multiple sensors that are configured to receive reflections of laser light pulses from objects within a scan field. These multiple sensors are configured to receive these reflections through the same optical assembly used to scan the laser light pulses out to the scan field. Furthermore, the multiple sensors are configured to at least partially cancel the effects of back reflections from within the optical assembly itself. The cancellation of the effects of back reflections from within the optical assembly can improve the sensitivity of the detector, particularly for the detection of low energy reflections of laser pulses from within the scan field.

Scanning laser devices and methods with detectors for sensing low energy reflections

A light detection and ranging system includes synchronously scanning transmit and receive mirrors that scan a pulsed fanned laser beam in two dimensions. Imaging optics image a receive aperture onto an arrayed receiver that includes a plurality of light sensitive devices. Adaptive methods dynamically modify the size and location of the field of view as well as laser pulse properties in response to internal and external sensors data.

Steered LIDAR system with arrayed receiver

Adaptive LIDAR scanning methods

A light detection and ranging system includes synchronously scanning transmit and receive mirrors that scan a pulsed fanned laser beam in two dimensions. Imaging optics image a receive aperture onto an arrayed receiver that includes a plurality of light sensitive devices. Scanning mirror offsets may be applied to modify a fan angle of the pulsed fanned laser beam. Adaptive methods dynamically modify the size and location of the field of view, laser pulse properties, and/or fan angle in response to internal and external sensors data.

LIDAR system with spatial beam combining

A non-imaging concentrator is employed in an upside down configuration in which light enters a smaller aperture and exits a larger aperture. The input angle of light rays may be as large as 180 degrees, while the maximum exit angle is limited to the acceptance angle of the non-imaging concentrator. A dichroic filter placed at the larger aperture has a maximum angle of incidence equal to the acceptance angle of the non-imaging concentrator.

Method and apparatus for filtering and filtered light detection

A light detection and ranging system includes synchronously scanning transmit and receive mirrors that scan a pulsed fanned laser beam in two dimensions. Imaging optics image a receive aperture onto an arrayed receiver that includes a plurality of light sensitive devices. A phase offset may be injected into a scanning trajectory to mitigate effects of interfering light sources.

Variable phase scanning lidar system

A light detection and ranging system includes multiple scanning mirror assemblies to increase a receive aperture. The multiple scanning mirror assemblies are controlled to mimic the operation of one large scanning mirror. The multiple scanning mirror assemblies may be arranged in one-dimensional arrays or two-dimensional arrays. Two arrays of scanning mirror assemblies provide for scanning in two dimensions.

Arrayed MEMS mirrors for large aperture applications

A projection system emits light pulses in a field of view and measures properties of reflections. Properties may include time of flight and return amplitude. Foreground objects and background surfaces are distinguished, distances between foreground objects and background surfaces are determined based on reflections that are occluded by the foreground objects and other properties of the projection system.

Transmitter/receiver disparity for occlusion-based height estimation

Devices and methods are described herein to measure optical power in scanning laser projectors. In general, the devices and methods utilize a polarizing component and photodiode to measure optical power being generated by at least one laser light source. The polarizing component is configured to polarize at least a portion of the laser beam in a way that improves the accuracy and consistency of this optical power measurement. Specifically, the polarizing component filters at least a portion of the laser beam for one polarization state in a way that facilitates improved reliability in the amount of laser light directed into the photodiode.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Alga Lloyd Nothern, Iii