Patent · US Active

Illumination device and method using adaptable source and output format

US7554737B2 · kind B2 · utility

17Cited by
8References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 7, 2005
Grant dateJun 30, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 13, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/48
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing illumination suitable for imaging devices such as laser projection systems, wherein the illumination pattern is adjustable by modifying one or more characteristics of a controlled angle diffuser. In one embodiment, a highly collimated (e.g., laser light) beam is passed through a holographic diffuser to create a well defined cone angle for the light emanating from each point on the diffuser. This light is focused into an illumination image that is controlled by the prescription of the diffuser. In one embodiment, the diffuser can be positioned to alternately place different regions having different prescriptions in the optical path corresponding to the illumination image. In one embodiment, the diffuser can be continually moved to eliminate speckling and “worminess” in the illumination image.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.