Microvision, Inc.

Smart Picture Technologies, Inc.

Mark O Freeman

Margaret K Brown

Karlton David Powell

Joshua Owen Miller

Alban N Lescure

Randall Brian Sprague

Christopher A Wiklof

Markus Stefan Duelli

Maarten Niesten

Christian Dean DeJong

Bin Xue

Mark Alan Champion

Shawn Michael Swilley

Kelly D Linden

Joshua Mark Hudman

John R Lewis

P Selvan Viswanathan

Randy Sprague

Witold R Teller

Aarti Raghavan

Mathew David Watson

Wyatt Owen Davis

Bruce Rothaar

George Thomas Valliath

Mark P Helsel

Jari Honkanen

David Skurnik

Dejan Jovanovic

Thomas W Montague

Maciej Jakuc

Keith Beardmore

Stephen R Willey

David Lashmet

David Roy Bowman

Kari Myllykoski

Harpal Singh Sira

V G Veeraraghavan

Dejan Jovanovich

Eugenia Pasca

Jacques P Lincoln

David Scott Wright

Jim Bovee

Sridhar Madhavan

A Quantified Image Measurement System that creates accurate physical measurement data from digital pictures is disclosed. The system can use any image format and enhances the image file with measurement data and data transformation information that enables the creation of any type of geometrical or dimensional measurement from the stored photograph. This file containing the original digital image along with the supplemental data is referred to as a Quantified Image File or QIF. The QIF can be shared with other systems via email, cloud syncing or other types of sharing technology. Once shared, existing systems such as CAD applications or web/cloud servers can use the QIF and the associated QIF processing software routines to extract physical measurement data and use the data for subsequent processing or building geometrically accurate models of the objects or scene in the image. Additionally smart phones and other portable devices can use the QIF to make measurements on the spot or share between portable devices. In addition, the quantified image measurement system of this invention eliminates the need for capturing the image from any particular viewpoint by using multiple reference points and software algorithms to correct for any off-angle distortions.

Image based measurement system

An imaging system () includes a housing (). A control circuit () disposed within the housing (). A projector () is disposed within the housing () and is operable with the control circuit (). The projector () is configured to create images () with an image cone (). A gesture recognition device () is disposed within the housing () and is operable with the control circuit (). The gesture recognition device () is configured to detect gestures () in a gesture recognition cone (). The projector () and the gesture recognition device () can be arranged within the housing () such that the image cone () and the gesture recognition cone () exit the housing () without overlap.

Scanned image projection system with gesture control input

An imaging system () configured to reduce perceived flicker in three-dimensional images is provided. The imaging system () can include a plurality of light sources (), a light combiner (), a light modulator () and a polarization rotator (). The light combiner () combines light received from each of the light sources into a combined beam (). A first light portion () in the combined beam has a first light portion polarization state that is different from a second light portion polarization state of a second light portion (). The light modulator () produces images by modulating the combined beam () along a projection surface (). The polarization rotator () selectively rotates a polarization state of the combined beam () in synchrony with an image refresh cycle of the imaging system. A circular polarizer () can be used to transform linear polarization states to circular polarization states.

Mixed polarization imaging system for three-dimensional projection and corresponding methods

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a scanned beam display, comprises a light source to generate a beam to be scanned and a scanning platform to scan the beam into an exit cone. The scanning platform receives the beam at a selected feed angle, and the scanning platform has a surface structure to redirect the exit cone at an exit angle that is less than the feed angle.

Scanned beam display having a redirected exit cone using a diffraction grating

A scanning projector includes a MEMS device with a scanning mirror that sweeps a beam in two dimensions. Actuating circuits receive scan angle information and provide signal stimulus to the MEMS device to control the amount of mirror deflection on two axes. The period of movement on one or both axes may be modified to effect changes in line density in a resultant display.

Scanning projector with dynamic scan angle

A laser-based imaging system () is configured to reduce perceived speckle in images (). The imaging system () includes one or more laser sources (), a light modulator () configured to produce the images () with light () from the laser sources (), and one or more active polarization switches () disposed in an optical path of the imaging system (). The active polarization switch () is configured to alternate a polarization orientation of the light in synchrony with an image refresh cycle of the system. The active polarization switch can be clocked in accordance with a clocking angle to optimize speckle reduction. Additionally, one or more light preconditioners () may be used to help optimize speckle reduction.

Active polarization switch for speckle reduction in laser projection sources

A scanned beam display device scans a beam to paint an image. The beam is scanned in two dimensions and includes at least one sinusoidal component. Phase offsets are introduced to provide different scan trajectories for successive traversals of the image field of view.

Projection system with multi-phased scanning trajectory

An imaging system (), such as a scanned laser projection system, includes one or more laser sources () configured to produce one or more light beams (), and a light modulator () configured to produce images () from the light beams (). Optional optical alignment devices () can be used to orient the light beams () into a combined light beam (). A beam separator (), which can be any of a birefringent wedge, compensated birefringent wedge, or a polymerized liquid crystal layer, is disposed between at least one of the laser sources () and the light modulator (). The beam separator () is configured to receive light from the laser sources () and deliver two angularly separated and orthogonally polarized light beams () to the light modulator () so as to reduce speckle appearing when the images () are displayed on a display surface ().

Scanned projection system using polymerized liquid crystal layer for speckle reduction

An integrated photonics module may include a selective fold mirror configured to pass at least a portion of emitted light toward the MEMS scanner and reflect scanned light through to a field of view. The selective fold mirror may use beam polarization to select beam passing and reflection. The integrated photonics module may include a beam rotator such as a quarter-wave plate to convert the polarization of the emitted light to a different polarization adapted for passage through the fold mirror. The integrated photonics module may include one or more light detectors.

Integrated photonics module and devices using integrated photonics modules

An imaging system () is configured to reduce perceived speckle () in images () by introducing angular diversity into consecutively projected images. The imaging system () includes one or more laser sources () that are configured to produce one or more light beams (). A light modulator () scans these light beams () to produce images. A light translation element () introduces the angular diversity by physically altering a light reception location () on the light modulator () between refresh sweeps. To preserve image stability, image data () in a memory () can be correspondingly shifted.

Laser scanning imaging system with reduced speckle

An imaging system (), such as a scanned laser projection system, includes one or more laser sources () configured to produce one or more light beams (), and a light modulator () configured to produce images () from the light beams (). A polarization diversity element (), which can be manufactured from a birefringent material or from a polymerized liquid crystal layer, is disposed within the imaging system (). The polarization diversity element () is configured to alter the polarization of an incident beam to create a transmitted beam comprising diverse polarization patterns, thereby reducing speckle in projected images.

Laser projection source with polarization diversity element for speckle reduction

An image generation apparatus provides interpolation and distortion correction. The interpolation and distortion correction may be provided in one or two dimensions. Nonlinear image scan trajectories, such as sinusoidal and bi-sinusoidal trajectories are accommodated. Horizontal and vertical scan positions are determined using a linear pixel clock, and displayed pixel intensities are determined using interpolation techniques.

Image generation with interpolation of pixels on a grid to pixels on a scan trajectory

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, beam position diversity or beam offset diversity in pupil space performs the complement to angular diversity by maintaining angular content of a beam while changing its position and/or polarization properties in pupil space over time.

Apparent speckle reduction via beam offset diversity in pupil space

An image generation apparatus provides correction for color offsets. Color offsets may be caused by misalignments in laser diodes or optics assemblies in a laser projector. The offsets may be measured during or after manufacture of the laser projector. An image buffer is responsive to the offset data to translate each color plane separately. The image buffer may include separately addressable portions for each color. Further, variable delay elements on the output of the image buffer may provide color offset correction. Interpolation provides further offset correction.

Electronic alignment of primary color pixels in a scanned display

A optical apparatus () for use in an laser imaging system () is provided. The optical apparatus () includes one or more optical elements () that are configured to create an intermediate image plane () in the laser imaging system (). A diffractive optical element () is then disposed at the intermediate image plane () to reduce speckle. The diffractive optical element () includes a periodically repeating phase mask () that can be configured in accordance with steps, vortex functions, Hermite-Gaussian functions, and so forth. Smooth grey-level phase transitional surface () can be placed between elements () to improve brightness and image quality. The periodically repeating phase mask () makes manufacture simple by reducing alignment sensitivity, and can be used to make applicable safety standards easier to meet as well.

Diffractive optical element having periodically repeating phase mask and system for reducing perceived speckle

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Snohomish, WA, United States of America

Mark O Freeman