Abstract: A scanned beam display is operable to compensate for variations in apparent pixel brightness arising from variations in beam scanning velocity and/or pixel dwell times. A compensation circuit modifies pixel values according to their scanning velocity and/or dwell time.

Abstract: Substrate-guided relays that employ light guiding substrates to relay images from sources to viewers in optical display systems. The substrate-guided relays are comprised of an input coupler, an intermediate substrate, and an output coupler. In some embodiments, the output coupler is formed in a separate substrate that is coupled to the intermediate substrate. The output coupler may be placed in front of or behind the intermediate substrate, and may employ two or more partially reflective surfaces to couple light from the coupler. In some embodiments, the input coupler is coupled to the intermediate substrate in a manner that the optical axis of the input coupler intersects the optical axis of the intermediate substrate at a non-perpendicular angle.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a compressed microlens array comprises an array of lenslets arranged in the array to have the lenslet centers spaced apart at a first distance in a first direction and to have the lenslet centers spaced apart at a second distance in a second direction such that the first direction is greater than the second direction. A raster scan of an image projected onto the array of lenslets results in the image being displayed in an eyebox having an aspect ratio having a length in the first direction being longer than a length in second direction via virtual vignetting of the diffraction patterns resulting from the raster scan.

Abstract: A scan assembly of an image generator sweeps an image beam in a first dimension at a first rate and bi-directionally in a second dimension at a slower rate. Sweeping the beam bi-directionally in the vertical dimension (generally the dimension of the lower sweep rate) can reduce the scanning power by eliminating the flyback period, and, where the scan assembly includes a mechanical reflector, can reduce the error in the beam position without a feedback loop by reducing the number of harmonics in the vertical sweep function. Furthermore, because the image beam is “on” longer due to the elimination of the flyback period, the scanned image is often brighter for a given beam intensity. The scan assembly may also sweep the image beam non-linearly in the vertical dimension, and this sweep may be bi-directional or uni-directional. Sweeping the beam non-linearly can also reduce the error in the beam position by reducing the number of harmonics in the vertical sweep function.

Abstract: An optical element includes a microlens array and a reflective surface. The microlens array has a focal curve and a focal length, and the reflective surface is spaced from the focal curve. When used as an exit-pupil expander, such an optical element can often generate output beamlets that have a more uniform brightness than the output beamlets generated by a diffractive optical element. Furthermore, such an optical element can define an output-beamlet envelope having an aperture that is less wavelength-dependent than the aperture of an output-beamlet envelope defined by an exit-pupil expander that incorporates a diffractive optical element. In addition, such an optical element can often produce an image having less speckle than an exit-pupil expander that incorporates a diffractive optical element when used with one or more coherent light sources.

Abstract: An optical substrate guided relay (300) includes a light homogenizing device (321) coupled to an optical input device (301) in an offset orientation along a first interface (331). The light homogenizing device (321) receives light from an image-producing source (804), which can be a scanned beam source, and creates multiple copies of the received light by way of a light homogenizing device (321). The light and copies are delivered to the optical input device (301). An optical substrate (302) receives light from the optical input device (301) as the light spirals down the optical input device (301) due to the offset coupling with the light homogenizing device (321). An optical output device (303), coupled to the optical substrate (302) distally from the optical input device (301) delivers the light to a user (803) with one or more partially reflective surfaces (304).

Abstract: A device for driving a plant such as a beam scanner includes a memory, drive-signal generator, and a calibrator. The memory stores data corresponding to the drive signal, and the generator generates the drive signal from the data and couples the drive signal to the plant. The calibrator measures a response of the plant to the drive signal, calculates a difference between the measured response and a corresponding target response, and reduces the difference by altering the drive signal. Such a device can force the output response of the driven plant to equal a target output response, or to be sufficiently close to the target response for a particular application, while the device is operating in an open-loop configuration. Furthermore, while operating in an open-loop configuration, such a device often has a greater stability margin and greater noise immunity than a comparable device that operates in a closed-loop configuration.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for identifying a digital fingerprint. One embodiment compensates for the inaccuracies resulting from the unstable nature of the circuits that yield digital fingerprints and, therefore, allows for reliable identification of these digital fingerprints. According to one embodiment, the digital fingerprint (identification) is divided into a plurality of sections and stored in a database. According to this embodiment, fingerprints are identified by comparing the sections of the fingerprint to be identified with corresponding sections of the fingerprints stored in the database. The matching fingerprint, in one embodiment, is the fingerprint associated with a statistically sufficient number of matching fingerprint sections. Other embodiments of the present invention optimize the section lookup methodology based on the stability of the sections of the fingerprint.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, an operational state of a MEMS device of a scanner system may be determined. In the event it is determined that the MEMS device is possibly operating in an unsafe mode, the laser may be turned off and/or the MEMS device may be shut down. An operational state of the MEMS device may be determined for example by obtaining a MEMS drive voltage sense signal and/or a MEMS drive current sense signal, and a potentially unsafe mode of operation may be identified if one or more of such signals are not at proper values with respect to predetermined threshold values.

Abstract: An endoscope system and method includes an endoscope tip coupled to a endoscope console for providing images of anatomical features imaged using the endoscope system. The system also includes a calibration device having known optical properties. The calibration device is imaged using the endoscope system, and data corresponding to the image is obtained. This data are compared to data corresponding to the known optical properties of the calibration device. Based on this comparison, calibration data corresponding to imaging errors of the endoscope system are obtained. The calibration data are used to calibrate the endoscope system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selecting and displaying an image with the best focus are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of displaying a captured image includes capturing a plurality of images of a field of view (FOV) using an image capture device, selecting one of the images having the best focus, and displaying the selected image on the image capture device. In another aspect, a method of displaying a captured image includes capturing a plurality of images of a FOV, dividing each of the images into a plurality of regions, and comparing corresponding regions from each of the images. The regions having the best focus are selected. A composite image is constructed formed from the regions with the best focus and the composite image is displayed. Image capture devices configured to effect the above methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A portable end device, such as a bar code scanner, may be equipped with auxiliary interfaces. The auxiliary interfaces may be easily added to the end device as a replaceable cover, such as a replaceable battery door. A signal path conducts signals to and from the replaceable cover. One auxiliary interface is a Bluetooth radio. Data integrity protocols may be selected to guarantee delivery and guarantee no duplicate deliveries. Host pairing algorithms may provide standard or strong pairing with a host computer. Ergonomic interface features allow a user to control and monitor the operation of the end device and the data link with minimal hardware cost and battery life impact. Host software programs provide data routing, automatic reestablishment of the data link, and other functions. The system is adaptable to a wide array of use environments through the selection of timer parameters in the end device.

Abstract: A MEMs scanning device has a variable resonant frequency. In one embodiment, the MEMs device includes a flexible arm that extends from an oscillatory body. An electrical field applies a force to the flexible arm, thereby bending the flexible arm to change the moment of inertia of the oscillatory body and a secondary mass carried by the flexible arm. The shifted combined center of mass changes the resonant frequency of the MEMs device. In another embodiment, an absorptive material forms a portion of a torsional arm that supports the oscillatory body. The mechanical properties of the absorptive material can be varied by varying the concentration of a gas surrounding the absorptive material. The varied mechanical properties change the resonant frequency of the scanning device. A display apparatus includes the scanning device and the scanning device scans about two or more axes, typically in a raster pattern.

Abstract: A MEMS oscillator, such as a MEMS scanner, has an improved and simplified drive scheme and structure. Drive impulses may be transmitted to an oscillating mass via torque through the support arms. For multi-axis oscillators drive signals for two or more axes may be superimposed by a driver circuit and transmitted to the MEMS oscillator. The oscillator responds in each axis according to its resonance frequency in that axis. The oscillator may be driven resonantly in some or all axes. Improved load distribution results in reduced deformation. A simplified structure offers multi-axis oscillation using a single moving body. Another structure directly drives a plurality of moving bodies. Another structure eliminates actuators from one or more moving bodies, those bodies being driven by their support arms.

Abstract: A scanned beam imager or laser scanner is operable to scan an object moving through its field-of-view. The system may include means for detecting direction and/or speed of the object. The velocity detection means may include sensors, an interface for receiving velocity information from other system elements, or image analysis that examines the skew, stretch, or compression in images. Responsive to object movement direction and speed, the scanned beam imager may alter its pixel capture rate and/or its scan rate to compensate. Alternatively or in combination, the imager may perform software-based image motion compensation. In some embodiments, the system may allow the image capture region to pace objects moving rapidly through its field-of-view.

Abstract: According to embodiments, scanned beam source may include a first beam shaping optical element aligned to receive a composite beam of light carrying a plurality of wavelength components and a second beam shaping optical element aligned to receive the composite beam of light from the first beam shaping optical element and configured to modify the first plurality of wavelength components of the composite beam to a plurality of dimensions proportional to wavelength. The first beam shaping optic may be, for example, a top-hat converter. The second beam-shaping optic may be, for example, a polarization-sensitive clipping aperture, a wavelength-dependent clipping aperture, and/or an achromatic corrector.

Abstract: A circuit for detecting a phase error between a clock signal and a beam position includes a beam generator, a sensor, and a phase detector. The beam generator directs a beam toward a beam sweeper in response to the clock signal, and the sensor detects the beam as directed from the beam sweeper. The phase detector determines from the detected beam the error in the clock phase relative to the beam position. Such a circuit can automatically detect the phase error in the pixel clock and correct this error, thus eliminating the need for a manual phase-error corrector. The circuit may also be able to adjust the width and/or the height of a scan region, and thus may also be able to adjust the width and/or height of an image frame within the scan region.

Abstract: A light beam scanner may include a polymeric material and a soft magnetic material.