Microvision, Inc.

Fluke Corporation

Fluke Networks, Inc.

Index Sensors and Controls, Inc.

Robert James Jackson

P Selvan Viswanathan

Jari Honkanen

Margaret K Brown

Scott Woltman

Jonathan A Morarity

Bin Xue

Steve Holmes

David W Armour

Mark Alan Champion

Joshua Owen Miller

Bruce Rothaar

George Thomas Valliath

Christopher Brian Adkins

Bruce C Rothaar

Michael Lee Schaaf

Lifford McLauchlan

Clint Charles Rollins

Mehrube Mehrubeoglu

Gregory Schneider

Robert L Champoux

A scanning display system includes two detectors for rangefinding. Round trip times-of-flight are measured for reflections of laser pulses received at the detectors. A proportional correction factor is determined based at least in part on the geometry of the scanning display system. The proportional correction factor is applied to the measured times-of-flight to create estimates of more accurate times-of-flight.

Scanned beam display with multiple detector rangefinding

A scanning rangefinding system includes a MEMS device with a scanning mirror that sweeps a beam in two dimensions. Actuating circuits receive angular extents and offset information and provide signal stimulus to the MEMS device to control the amount and direction of mirror deflection on two axes. The scan angle and offset information may be modified to create a repeating pattern of different fields of view.

Scanning rangefinding system with variable field of view

A scanning light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a scanning apparatus that scans laser light pulses sinusoidally in a vertical direction, and quasi-statically through angular extents in a horizontal direction. Multiple light sensors, each with a substantially nonoverlapping field of view, are multiplexed during the scan of the laser light pulses. Multiple scanning LIDAR systems may be combined to increase the effective horizontal angular extents.

Multiplexed LIDAR transceiver

Devices and methods are described that provide for scanning surfaces and generating 3-dimensional point clouds that describe the depth of the measured surface at each point. In general, the devices and methods utilize. Specifically, the depth mapping devices and methods utilize multiple receiver channels, with each receiver channel configured to have a different effective sensing range. These multiple receiver channels together provide the depth mapping device with an increased overall effective sensing range. Thus, the depth mapping device can effectively map surfaces that are closer and/or farther than could be mapped using only one receiver channel.

Laser scanning devices and methods for extended range depth mapping

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a MEMS scanned beam projector includes a light source to emit a light beam, a scanning platform to redirect the light beam impinging on the platform, and a display controller to control the light source and the scanning platform to cause the scanning platform to scan the light beam in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction in a scan pattern to project an image onto a projection surface. The display controller is configured to correct for image distortion in the projected image by providing a compensated drive signal to the scanning platform to compensate for the image distortion.

MEMS scan controlled keystone and distortion correction

A scanning projector and method is provided that generates a feedback signal from at least one photodetector. In the scanning projector, a scanning mirror is configured to reflect laser light into an image region and an over scanned region. The at least one photodetector is configured to receive a portion of the reflected laser light impacting the over scanned region, and provides the feedback signal responsive to the received portion of light. This feedback signal can then be used to provide precise control of the scanning mirror.

Scanning projector with feedback from border fixture

System and method for feedback control in scanning projectors

Laser light pulses are reflected off a scanning mirror. A time-of-flight distance measurement device receives reflected light pulses and determines distances. The light pulses have abrupt changes in amplitude. Reflected pulses are differentiated to reduce sensitivity to amplitude variations. Differentiated pulses may be compressed to keep the receiver from saturating. Distance measurements are combined with location information to produce a 3D image of a surface.

Scanning laser time of flight 3D imaging

A scanning laser projector includes a proximity sensor and a planarity detector. When the proximity sensor detects an object closer than a proximity threshold, laser power is turned down. The scanning laser projector can measure distance at a plurality of projection points in the projector's field of view. If the projection points lie substantially in a plane, laser power may be turned back up.

Scanning laser planarity detection

A scanning laser projector drives laser light sources with waveforms for higher efficiency. Optical light power values for pixels are mapped to amplitude/duration pairs. Laser diodes are driven with electrical currents having the amplitude for time period specified by the duration. For increasing optical light power values, amplitude values are increased, and then durations are increased.

High efficiency laser modulation

A scanning laser projector detects obstructions in a projector field of view using a proximity detector that detects infrared light at a photodetector. The photodetector is tested with an additional infrared light source. The additional infrared light source may also be used as proximity detector that can detect a local obstruction blocking the photodetector.

Scanning laser proximity detection

A scanning projector includes a scanning mirror that sweep a beam in two dimensions. The beam is created by multiple laser light sources, at least two of which create light at substantially the same wavelength. A first of the two light sources is driven up to a transition point past which both of the two light sources are driven (equally or unequally).

Multiple laser drive method, apparatus and system

A scanning laser projector includes a scanning mirror that moves in a sinusoidal motion on at least one axis. Pixels are displayed by modulating a laser beam that is reflected by the scanning mirror. Pixels are generated using light pulses of different duty cycles based on the position and/or angular velocity of the laser beam.

Scanned beam intensity modulation using amplitude and drive duty cycle

A scanning projector includes a mirror that scans in two dimensions. The scanning mirror oscillates at a resonant frequency on a fast-scan axis, and is phase locked to an incoming frame rate on a slow-scan axis. An interpolation component interpolates pixel intensity data from adjacent pixels based on the position of the mirror when a pixel clock arrives. Incoming video data is stored in a buffer. Less than a complete frame of video data may be stored in the buffer.

Growing community of inventors

Monroe, WA, United States of America

Robert James Jackson