Nlight, Incorporated

Tetravue, Inc.

Charles Stewart Tuvey

Paul S Banks

Bodo Schmidt

Christopher Allen Ebbers

Lorenzo N Venneri

Apparatuses, systems and methods for modulating returned light for acquisition of 3D data from a scene are described. A 3D imaging system includes a Fabry-Perot cavity having a first partially-reflective surface for receiving incident light and a second partially-reflective surface from which light exits. An electro-optic material is located within the Fabry-Perot cavity between the first and second partially-reflective surfaces. Transparent longitudinal electrodes or transverse electrodes produce an electric field within the electro-optic material. A voltage driver is configured to modulate, as a function of time, the electric field within the electro-optic material so that the incident light passing through the electro-optic material is modulated according to a modulation waveform. A light sensor receives modulated light that exits the second partially-reflective surface of the Fabry-Perot cavity and converts the light into electronic signals. Three-dimensional (3D) information regarding a scene-of-interest may be obtained from the electronic signals.

Electro-optic modulator and methods of using and manufacturing same for three-dimensional imaging

Systems and methods for reducing the deleterious effects of specular reflections (e.g., glint) on active illumination systems are disclosed. An example system includes an illuminator or light source configured to illuminate a scene with electromagnetic radiation having a defined polarization orientation. The system also includes a receiver for receiving portions of the electromagnetic radiation reflected or scatter from the scene. Included in the receiver is a polarizer having a polarization axis crossed with the polarization orientation of the emitted electromagnetic radiation. By crossing the polarizer with the polarization of the emitted electromagnetic radiation, the polarizer may filter out glint or specular reflections in the electromagnetic radiation returned from the scene.

System and method for glint reduction

Imaging systems and methods are disclosed that use multiple illumination pulses to irradiate a scene of interest. An example system includes optics to receive a sequence of returned light pulse portions scattered or reflected from the scene. A modulator is configured to modulate the intensity of the returned light pulse portions to form a sequence of modulated light pulse portions. A means of selectively exposing a sensor during a sequence of exposure periods is also included, so that each modulated light pulse portion is received by the sensor during one of the exposure periods, respectively. The sensor is configured to generate a sequence of sensor signals as a result of receiving the modulated light pulse portions and to accumulate the sensor signals to form a sensor output signal. A processor may read the sensor output signal and process the image based on that signal.

System and method of imaging using multiple illumination pulses

An electro-optic modulator (EOM) includes a first electro-optic (EO) material configured to receive light. The first EO material has an optic axis that is not parallel to the optical axis of the EOM. The optic axis indicates the direction through the first EO material along which a ray of light passing through the first EO material experiences no birefringence. The EOM also includes a polarization rotator that receives light output from the first EO material. The rotated light passes through a second EO material. The second EO material is positioned in the EOM such that its optic axis is not parallel to the optical axis of the EOM. The second EO material compensates for the birefringence and/or higher-order optical effects of the first material, thus reducing optical transmission errors of the EOM. The EOM may provide a wider field of view for imaging systems.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Charles Stewart Tuvey