| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080204740 | Distortion measurement imaging system - A distortion measurement and inspection system is presented. In one embodiment, a vision system is implemented. The vision system performs dual focal plane imaging where simultaneous imaging of two focal planes is simultaneously performed on a sample substrate and a reference substrate to determine distortion. In addition, a highly reflective background is implemented to provide for more resolution during distortion measurement. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080204760 | Swept wavelength imaging optical interrogation system and method for using same - A swept wavelength imaging optical interrogation system and a method for using the same to interrogate one or more biosensors are described herein. The swept wavelength imaging optical interrogation system is built upon a swept wavelength optical interrogation technology where a 2-D label free image is extracted from a series of high speed spectral images of the biosensor(s) without the need of performing mechanical scanning. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080279234 | Alignment of lasing wavelength with wavelength conversion peak using modulated wavelength control signal - According to one embodiment of the present invention, a programmable light source comprises one or more semiconductor lasers, a wavelength conversion device, and a laser controller. The controller is programmed to operate the semiconductor laser using a modulated feedback control signal. The wavelength control signal is adjusted based on the results of a comparison of a detected intensity signal with a feedback signal to align the lasing wavelength with the conversion efficiency peak of the wavelength conversion device. Laser controllers and projections systems operating according to the control concepts of the present invention are also provided. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20090021733 | Position sensitive detectors in wavelength monitoring - Particular embodiments of the present invention relate generally to wavelength monitoring in frequency doubling and other optical applications. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for monitoring the wavelength of a light source is provided. The system comprises a light directing section, an optical vector generator, and one or more position sensitive detectors. The optical vector generator comprises a grating coupled waveguide configured to exhibit a reflective or transmissive optical resonance effect in response to variable wavelength input light. The optical resonance effect comprises a wavelength-dependent output vector that is generated from a localized output vector area of the grating coupled waveguide in response to variable wavelength input light. The position of the localized output vector area along a dimension of the grating coupled waveguide varies with the wavelength of the variable wavelength input light. The position sensitive detector is positioned in the optical path of the wavelength-dependent output vector and is configured to facilitate generation of a signal indicative of the position of the localized output vector area along the dimension of the grating coupled waveguide. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090022182 | Conversion efficiency expansion in wavelength converting optical packages - Particular embodiments of the present invention relate generally to altering the effective conversion efficiency curve of an optical package employing a semiconductor laser and an SHG crystal or other type of wavelength conversion device. For example, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling an optical package is provided where the optical package is tuned such that ascending portions of a transmission curve representing a spectral filter are aligned with descending portions of a conversion efficiency curve representing a wavelength conversion device. With the filter and wavelength conversion device so aligned, the optical package is further tuned such that the wavelength of the fundamental laser signal lies within a wavelength range corresponding to aligned portions of the ascending and descending portions of the transmission and conversion efficiency curves. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090022183 | Intensity modulation in wavelength converting optical package - Particular embodiments of the present invention relate generally to methods of controlling an optical package comprising a semiconductor laser, a spectral filter, and a wavelength conversion device. The spectral filter and the wavelength conversion device collectively define a wavelength transfer function comprising a transmission bandwidth component attributable to the spectral filter and a conversion bandwidth component attributable to the wavelength conversion device. The transmission bandwidth component of the wavelength transfer function is less than one free spectral range of the semiconductor laser. The method comprises directing the native laser output through the spectral filter and the wavelength conversion device and tuning the semiconductor laser to modulate the intensity of a wavelength-converted laser output of the optical package by shifting the native wavelength spectrum by less than one free spectral range of the semiconductor laser. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090110013 | Multi-component wavelength conversion devices and lasers incorporating the same - According to one embodiment of the present invention, a frequency-converted laser source is provided wherein the wavelength conversion device comprises a plurality of waveguide components comprising respective input faces positioned in an effective focal field of the laser source. Individual ones of the waveguide components contribute different elements to a set of distinct wavelength conversion properties, defining a set of distinct wavelength conversion properties attributable to the waveguide components. The set of distinct wavelength conversion properties comprises properties representing phase matching wavelengths of the waveguide components, spectral widths of the waveguide components, conversion efficiency of the waveguide components, or combinations thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090129414 | Wavelength control in phase region of semiconductor lasers - Particular embodiments of the present invention relate generally to semiconductor lasers and laser scanning systems and, more particularly, to schemes for controlling semiconductor lasers. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a laser is configured for optical emission of encoded data. At least one parameter of the optical emission is a function of a drive current I | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090135375 | Color and brightness compensation in laser projection systems - A multi-color laser projection system comprising a multi-color laser source, laser projection optics, an optical intensity monitor, and a projection controller is provided. The multi-color laser source is configured to generate a frequency-converted optical beam λ | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090138205 | OPTIMIZED METHOD FOR LID BIOSENSOR RESONANCE DETECTION - An optical interrogation system is described herein that can interrogate a label-independent-detection (LID) biosensor and monitor a biological event on top of the biosensor without suffering from problematical parasitic reflections and/or problematical pixelation effects. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using a low pass filter algorithm to digitally remove problematic parasitic reflections contained in the spectrum of an optical resonance which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor. In another embodiment, the optical interrogation system is capable of interrogating a biosensor and using an oversampling/smoothing algorithm to reduce oscillations in the estimated location of an optical resonance caused by the problematical pixelation effect which makes it easier to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on the biosensor. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090161075 | Laser projection utilizing spatial beam misalignment - Laser projection systems are provided comprising a laser source, scanning optics, beam splitting optics, and a scanning controller. According to one embodiment, the laser source is configured to produce at least two optical beams having different emission wavelength spectrums. The beam splitting optics are positioned downstream of the scanning optics and are configured to generate wavelength-dependent spatial misalignment of the two optical beams in the image plane by splitting the two optical beams into spatially misaligned propagating axes. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the beam splitting optics are positioned downstream of the scanning optics and are configured to generate polarization-dependent spatial misalignment of the two optical beams. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090161705 | Laser projection utilizing beam misalignment - A laser projection system is provided comprising a laser source, projection optics, scanning optics, and a scanning controller. The laser source comprises at least two punctual sources P | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090162003 | SINGLE MODE (SM) FIBER OPTICAL READER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERROGATING RESONANT WAVEGUIDE-GRATING SENSOR (S) - An optical reader system is described herein which has a single mode (SM) optical fiber launch/receive system that uses one or more SM optical fibers to interrogate a biosensor and does not use multimode (MM) optical fibers to interrogate the biosensor. The use of the SM optical fiber launch/receive system effectively reduces angular sensitivity, reduces unwanted system reflections, improves overall angular tolerance, and improves resonant peak reflectivity and resonant peak width. Two specific embodiments of the SM optical fiber launch/receive system are described herein which include: (1) a dual fiber collimator launch/receive system; and (2) a single fiber launch/receive system that interrogates the biosensor at a normal incidence. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090168818 | Systems and methods for polarization modulation of an optical signal - According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a laser source is provided. The laser source comprises a laser configured to generate an optical signal, and a polarization split and delay unit that is coupled to the optical signal. The polarization split and delay unit is configured to split the optical signal into a first and second orthogonally polarized component, create an optical path difference ΔL between the first and second orthogonally polarized components and combine the first and second orthogonally polarized components into a combined signal. The method comprises modulating the optical signal by applying a wavelength modulation signal to the laser such that the modulated optical signal comprises at least a first wavelength λ | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090190131 | Methods and system for aligning optical packages - A method for aligning a beam spot with a waveguide portion of a wavelength conversion device includes scanning a beam spot over the input face of the wavelength conversion device while measuring the output intensity of the device such that an output intensity for each of a plurality of fast scan lines is generated. A first alignment set point is then determined based on the output intensity of each fast scan line. A second scan of the beam spot is then performed over the fast scan line containing the first alignment set point while measuring the output intensity for each point along the fast scan line. A second alignment set point is then determined based on the output intensities measured during the second scan. The beam spot is then aligned with the waveguide portion using the first alignment set point and the second alignment set point. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090190624 | Optical Packages and Methods for Aligning Optical Packages - An optical package includes a semiconductor laser, a wavelength conversion device and a MEMS-actuated mirror oriented on a base module to form a folded optical pathway between an output of the semiconductor laser and an input of the wavelength conversion device. An optical assembly is located in a mechanical positioning device and the mechanical positioning device is disposed on the base module along the optical pathway such that the beam of the semiconductor laser passes through the optical assembly, is reflected by the MEMS-actuated mirror back through the optical assembly and into the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The MEMS-actuated mirror is operable to scan the beam of the semiconductor laser over the input of the wavelength conversion device. The optical assembly may be adjusted along the optical pathway with the mechanical positioning device to focus the beam into the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090219954 | Conversion device with multi-faceted output face and laser projection system incorporating the same - The present invention relates generally to multi-faceted wavelength conversion devices and laser projection systems incorporating the same. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090244684 | Systems and methods for speckle reduction - A laser projection system including a system controller, a visible light source, and a light disrupting element is provided. The visible light source includes at least one laser and the laser projection system is programmed to scan a scanned optical signal of the visible light source across a plurality of image pixels. The scanned optical signal comprises a low spatial frequency beam and a high spatial frequency beam, and the low spatial frequency beam generates a low spatial frequency image having spatial frequencies below a spatial frequency threshold, the high spatial frequency beam generates a high spatial frequency image having spatial frequencies that are above the spatial frequency threshold, and the scanned laser image is a sum of the high spatial frequency image and the low spatial frequency image. The low spatial frequency beam is altered by an out of focus light disrupting element. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090274178 | Optical Package Having Deformable Mirrors For Focus Compensation - An optical package includes a semiconductor laser, an adjustable mirror and a wavelength conversion device comprising a waveguide portion. The semiconductor laser, adjustable mirror, and wavelength conversion device are oriented to form an optical pathway between an output of the semiconductor laser and an input of the wavelength conversion device. The beam of the semiconductor laser is directed along the optical pathway and onto the adjustable mirror where the beam is reflected by the adjustable mirror onto the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The adjustable mirror may also be either thermally or mechanically deformable such that, when the adjustable mirror is deformed, the path of the beam along the optical pathway is altered thereby focusing the beam on the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The adjustable mirror may be adjusted such that the beam of the semiconductor laser is positioned on the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20100053571 | Wavelength Conversion Devices Having Multi-Component Output Faces and Systems Incorporating The Same - The present invention relates generally to wavelength conversion devices and laser projection systems incorporating the same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, wavelength conversion devices are provided without limitation of their field of use to laser projection systems. For example, the wavelength conversion device may comprise an axial waveguide portion and a pair of lateral planar waveguide portions confined between a pair of relatively low index cladding layers. The effective index of refraction in the axial waveguide portion of the waveguide region and the effective index of refraction in the lateral planar waveguide portions of the waveguide region are established such that the relatively low intensity laterally distributed parasitic light is characterized by a scattering angle θ that is at least as large as the beam divergence angle of the relatively high intensity light propagating in the axial waveguide portion. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100098116 | Optimized signal control in frequency-doubled laser sources - The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor lasers and laser projection systems. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating a laser projection system is provided. According to the method, the laser projection system is utilized to display a sequence of pixelized image frames comprising an alternating sequence of relatively high intensity active projection periods Mod | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100103967 | CORRECTION OF POWER VARIATIONS IN LASER SOURCES - The present invention relates generally to semiconductor lasers and laser projection systems. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of correcting output power variations in a semiconductor laser is provided. According to the method, an output power feedback loop is utilized to generate optical intensity feedback signals representing actual output power of the laser source for discrete portions V | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100110524 | Speckle Mitigation In Laser Scanner Projector Systems - Laser scanner projection systems that reduce the appearance of speckle in a scanned laser image are provided. The laser projection system includes a visible light source having at least one laser, a scanning element and a system controller. The system controller is programmed to generate a scanned laser image. The system further includes a first lens that focuses a scanned output beam onto an intermediate image and a second lens that projects the intermediate image onto a projection surface. A periodic phase mask having a period that is approximately equal to or greater than the beam waist diameter of the scanned output beam is positioned at the intermediate laser image. The period of the periodic phase mask is such that the projection of the scanned output beam jumps progressively from pixel to pixel, thereby reducing speckle contrast in the scanned laser image. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100150185 | MULTI-VARIABLE CONTROL METHODS FOR OPTICAL PACKAGES - According to one embodiment of the present invention, an optical package comprises one or more semiconductor lasers coupled to a wavelength conversion device with adaptive optics. The optical package also comprises a package controller programmed to operate the semiconductor laser and the adaptive optics based on modulated feedback control signals supplied to the wavelength selective section of the semiconductor laser and the adaptive optics. The wavelength control signal supplied to the wavelength selective section of the semiconductor laser may be adjusted based on the modulated wavelength feedback control signal such that the response parameter of the wavelength conversion device is optimized. Similarly, the position control signals supplied to the adaptive optics may be adjusted based on the modulated feedback position control signals such that the response parameter of the wavelength conversion device is optimized. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100214652 | Folded Optical System and a Lens for Use in the Optical System - An optical system having an optical axis, the optical system comprising: (I) a light source; (II) a reflector; (III) a lens component situated between the light source and the reflector; (IV) a receiver, wherein the light source and the receiver are situated substantially symmetrically and are decentered with respect to the optical axis, and are separated by a distance d from one another; wherein: (a) the lens component is positioned to provide a collimated beam when intercepting light from the light source, and (b) the reflector is situated to intercept the collimated beam and to reflect the collimated beam to the receiver through the lens; and such that the collimated beam is at an angle Θ′ to the optical axis; and (c) the lens component is structured to provide on the receiver an image of the light source, the image characterized by (i) astigmatism of more than 0.05 waves RMS, and less than 0.1 waves RMS, when the lens component is not misaligned with respect to the average emission angle of the light source; and (ii) astigmatism of less than 0.05 for tilt angles of 2 to 5 degrees, when the lens component is tilted by of 2 to 5 degrees with respect to the average emission angle of the light source. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100254412 | Phase Modulation In A Frequency-Converted Laser Source Comprising An External Optical Feedback Component - A method of controlling a frequency-converted laser source is provided where the laser source comprises a laser cavity, an external optical feedback component, a wavelength selective component, and a wavelength conversion device and the method comprises driving a phase section of the laser cavity with a phase control signal that comprises a modulation component having a modulation amplitude φ | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100254417 | Method Of Controlling A Frequency-Converted Laser Source Comprising An External Optical Feedback Component - A method of controlling a frequency-converted laser source is provided where the laser source comprises a laser cavity, an external optical feedback component, a wavelength selective component, and a wavelength conversion device and the method comprises driving a gain section of the laser cavity with a gain signal that comprises a data component and a modulation component. The modulation component of the gain signal comprises a gain modulation amplitude I | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100254654 | Optical Package With Multi-Component Mounting Frame - An optical package is provided comprising a laser diode, coupling optics, a wavelength conversion device, and a multi-component mounting frame. The coupling optics comprises a first lens component that creates a virtual magnified image V of the waveguide of one of the opposing facets with a magnification factor M | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100272134 | Rapid Alignment Methods For Optical Packages - A method for aligning an optical package including a semiconductor laser operable to emit an output beam having a first wavelength, a wavelength conversion device operable to convert the output beam to a second wavelength and adaptive optics configured to optically couple the output beam into a waveguide portion of an input facet of the wavelength conversion device includes measuring a power of light having a first wavelength emitted by or scattered from the wavelength conversion device as the output beam is scanned over the input facet of the wavelength conversion device along a first scanning axis. A power of light emitted from the wavelength conversion device is then measured as the output beam is scanned over the input facet along a second scanning axis. A position of the second scanning axis relative to an edge of the wavelength conversion device is based on the measured power of light having the first wavelength. The output beam is then aligned with the waveguide portion of the input facet based on the measured power of light having the second wavelength. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100277702 | Laser Projection System With a Spinning Polygon for Speckle Mitigation - A laser projection system comprises: (i) a coherent light source including at least one laser configured to emit an output beam carrying signal data; (ii) a scanning optics, the scanning optics comprising at least one scanning reflector, the scanning reflector positioned in an optical path of the output beam; and (iii) a rotating polygon prism; wherein
| 11-04-2010 |
| 20100277704 | Speckle Mitigation in Laser Projection Systems - Particular embodiments relate generally to laser projection systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods of reducing the appearance of speckle in laser projection images. According to one embodiment, a laser projection system comprising a light source and scanning optics is provided. The scanning optics include a plurality of frame generating optics configured to scan the output beam across a given projection surface to generate an image frame. The frame generating actuators are spatially separated such that output beams scanned by the frame generating actuators illuminate each common pixel portion of the image frames at a different incidence angle. The scanning optics also include an actuator selector positioned in an optical path of the output beam and configured to direct the output beam towards a selected one of the plurality of frame generating actuators. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100277705 | Spinning Optics for Speckle Mitigation in Laser Projection Systems - Particular embodiments relate generally to systems and methods of reducing the appearance of speckle in laser projection images. According to one embodiment, a laser projection system includes a light source, scanning optics and spinning optics. The light source includes at least one laser configured to emit an output beam. The scanning optics is positioned in an optical path of the output beam and configured to scan the output beam across a plurality of image pixels onto the spinning optics. The spinning optics is configured to create a virtual image of the scanning optics, translate the virtual image and change the angle of incidence of the output beam. The laser projection system is programmed to generate at least a portion of a scanned laser image, execute the translation of the virtual image by moving the spinning optics, and compensate for a relative image shift resulting from the translated virtual image. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100296084 | Inspection Systems for Glass Sheets - Glass inspection systems are provided for detecting particles and defects in or on a glass sheet or glass ribbon ( | 11-25-2010 |
| 20110043828 | OPTICAL READER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND CORRECTING LATERAL AND ANGULAR MISALIGNMENTS OF LABEL INDEPENDENT BIOSENSORS - An optical reader system and method are described herein that can detect a lateral and/or angular misalignment of one or more biosensors so that the biosensors can be properly re-located after being removed from and then reinserted into the optical reader system. In one embodiment, the biosensors are incorporated within the wells of a microplate. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110130969 | Resonant-Wavelength Measurement Method For Label-Independent Scanning Optical Reader - A method of measuring a resonant wavelength of a resonant waveguide (RWG) biosensor in an array of RWG biosensors supported by a microplate in a label-independent optical reader is disclosed. An exemplary method includes scanning a light spot over the RWG biosensor to obtain a plurality of spectra from both a central portion and at least one edge portion of the RWG biosensor. The method includes calculating a weighted-average spectrum for the biosensor by averaging the plurality of spectra while applying greater weight to the central portion than to the at least one edge portion. The method includes determining the resonant wavelength from the weighted-average spectrum. The resulting resonant wavelength measurement has substantially reduced noise and provides improved performance for label-independent scanning optical reader systems that use scanned optical beams. | 06-02-2011 |
