Abstract: A virtual laser projection system and method includes one or more measuring laser projectors, one or more non-measuring laser projectors, an array of reference targets, and a computing system. The one or more measuring laser projectors and one or more non-measuring laser projectors operate under common control of the computing system to register their respective locations using the array of reference targets, detect and locate features of a work object to be illuminated, convert all location information into a common coordinate system, and illuminate the work object with laser light beams using the common coordinate system.

Abstract: A laser projection system is disclosed. The system includes a laser projector that projects a light beam to the surface of an object and scans that projected light beam over at least a portion of the surface, wherein a portion of the projected beam is diffusely reflected from the surface back to the system. The system further includes an optical signal detector that receives the feedback light beam and converts it to an image signal, a light suppression means for suppressing unwanted light from entering the optical signal detector, and a computer for producing a measurement of the distance from the projector to the object surface, and controlling the system to buck the laser projector into a coordinate system of the object using three or more features on the object, wherein at least one of the three or more features serves as a targetless fiducial point.

Abstract: A laser projection system is disclosed. The system includes a laser projector that projects a light beam to the surface of an object and scans that projected light beam over at least a portion of the surface, wherein a portion of the projected beam is diffusely reflected from the surface back to the system. The system further includes an optical signal detector that receives the feedback light beam and converts it to an image signal, a light suppression means for suppressing unwanted light from entering the optical signal detector, and a computer for producing a measurement of the distance from the projector to the object surface, and controlling the system to buck the laser projector into a coordinate system of the object using three or more features on the object, wherein at least one of the three or more features serves as a targetless fiducial point.

Abstract: A 3D pulsed laser projection system scans an object to produce a dense 3D point cloud and projects a laser light beam onto an object as a glowing template. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected beam share the same beam path between steering mirrors and the object. A light suppression component controls stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A time-of-flight measurement subsystem provides a distance-to-object measurement for projected pulses. An acousto-optical modulator, variable gain detected signal amplification and variable photo-detector power together produce a dynamic range for detected reflected feedback signals of at least 100,000, and up to 500,000. Optical fiber cables spatially filter scattered light and isolate the photo-detectors thermally.

Abstract: A 3D pulsed laser projection system scans an object to produce a dense 3D point cloud and projects a laser light beam onto an object as a glowing template. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected beam share the same beam path between steering mirrors and the object. A light suppression component controls stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A time-of-flight measurement subsystem provides a distance-to-object measurement for projected pulses. An acousto-optical modulator, variable gain detected signal amplification and variable photo-detector power together produce a dynamic range for detected reflected feedback signals of at least 100,000, and up to 500,000. Optical fiber cables spatially filter scattered light and isolate the photo-detectors thermally.

Abstract: A method and system for visualizing deviations on an actual surface 10, 30 from a nominal, or designed, surface 28 utilizes a system and method for mapping the spatial (e.g. x, y and z) coordinates of the actual surface 10, 30 into a computer 13, comparing the mapped actual surface to the nominal surface 28 to produce a three-dimensional distribution of deviation values (D), processing this distribution into a topographical pattern 34 of multiple contours or areas 34a . . . 34n, each contour or area having the same, or generally the same, deviation value (D), and optically projecting this topographical pattern 34 onto the actual surface 10, 30 in registry with the initial surface mapping to provide a display of the surface deviations (D) directly on the actual surface 10, 30. The deviations are measured along a direction D normal to the actual surface so that the three-dimensional distribution is given in x, y, D coordinates. The optical projection is preferably a laser projection 38.

Abstract: A laser projection system scans an output laser light beam onto an object to detect features. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected output beam share the same beam path between beam-steering mirrors of the projector and the object. The laser projection system has light suppression components to control stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A computer of the laser projection system calculates fiducial points on the object from detected features to align the projection system with the object without using targets. This feature detection is used in a process to guide assembly and fabrication on or to the object, and to verify the accurate placement of parts and fabrication steps in place after they are assembled or processed. In one form, the detected feature is a light spot on the object produced by a second light source.

Abstract: A laser projection system scans an output laser light beam onto an object to detect features. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected output beam share the same beam path between beam-steering mirrors of the projector and the object. The laser projection system has light suppression components to control stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A computer of the laser projection system calculates fiducial points on the object from detected features to align the projection system with the object without using targets. This feature detection is used in a process to guide assembly and fabrication on or to the object, and to verify the accurate placement of parts and fabrication steps in place after they are assembled or processed. In one form, the detected feature is a light spot on the object produced by a second light source.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image on the surface of a 3D object uses a laser projector that scans a light beam over the surface in an image pattern. The projector operates in a template imaging mode and an image recording mode where the beam scans at a speed that in a single pass/scan mode is typically four to five orders of magnitude slower than in the template imaging mode. A layer of a photosensitive material is applied to the surface of the object either partially or fully. Projection in the template imaging mode can guide the applying. The layer is substantially insensitive to ambient light for at least a period of time necessary to perform a desired processing step on the object. The layer has a maximum spectral sensitivity in the vicinity of the wavelength of the laser light beam. In one or multiple passes of the beam over the image pattern operating in the image record mode, the accumulated light energy dose density is sufficient to react the material and record the image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image on the surface of a 3D object uses a laser projector that scans a light beam over the surface in an image pattern. The projector operates in a template imaging mode and an image recording mode where the beam scans at a speed that in a single pass/scan mode is typically four to five orders of magnitude slower than in the template imaging mode. A layer of a photosensitive material is applied to the surface of the object either partially or fully. Projection in the template imaging mode can guide the applying. The layer is substantially insensitive to ambient light for at least a period of time necessary to perform a desired processing step on the object. The layer has a maximum spectral sensitivity in the vicinity of the wavelength of the laser light beam. In one or multiple passes of the beam over the image pattern operating in the image record mode, the accumulated light energy dose density is sufficient to react the material and record the image.

Abstract: A method and system for visualizing deviations on an actual surface 10, 30 from a nominal, or designed, surface 28 utilizes a system and method for mapping the spatial (e.g. x, y and z) coordinates of the actual surface 10, 30 into a computer 13, comparing the mapped actual surface to the nominal surface 28 to produce a three-dimensional distribution of deviation values (D), processing this distribution into a topographical pattern 34 of multiple contours or areas 34a . . . 34n, each contour or area having the same, or generally the same, deviation value (D), and optically projecting this topographical pattern 34 onto the actual surface 10, 30 in registry with the initial surface mapping to provide a display of the surface deviations (D) directly on the actual surface 10, 30. The deviations are measured along a direction D normal to the actual surface so that the three-dimensional distribution is given in x, y, D coordinates. The optical projection is preferably a laser projection 38.

Abstract: A laser projector for projecting a 3-D image onto an object. The laser projector has an optics module, a controller module, a power module, and a timing module. The timing module coupled with the optics module measures the distance between the laser projector and the object.

Abstract: In an optical-radiation patterning apparatus, a scan mirror (29) so deflects laser light from a source (32) as to draw a pattern on a substrate (26). A focusing system (42) forms a light spot on the substrate that is significantly narrower than the line to be drawn, and it thereby minimizes the sensitivity of the line-edge position to variations in light-spot size. To achieve the intended line width, an acousto-optical device (32) introduces dither in the direction orthogonal to the light-spot motion that the scan mirror (30) causes. The focusing system (42) shapes the spot so that it is wider in the scan direction than it is in the dither direction, and this permits a relatively high scan rate for a given dither frequency.

Abstract: In an optical-radiation patterning apparatus, a scan mirror (29) so deflects laser light from a source (32) as to draw a pattern on a substrate (26). A focusing system (42) forms a light spot on the substrate that is significantly narrower than the line to be drawn, and it thereby minimizes the sensitivity of the line-edge position to variations in light-spot size. To achieve the intended line width, an acousto-optical device (32) introduces dither in the direction orthogonal to the light-spot motion that the scan mirror (30) causes. The focusing system (42) shapes the spot so that it is wider in the scan direction than it is in the dither direction, and this permits a relatively high scan rate for a given dither frequency.

Abstract: In an optical-radiation patterning apparatus, a scan mirror (29) so deflects laser light from a source (32) as to draw a pattern on a substrate (26). A focusing system (42) forms a light spot on the substrate that is significantly narrower than the line to be drawn, and it thereby minimizes the sensitivity of the line-edge position to variations in light-spot size. To achieve the intended line width, an acousto-optical device (32) introduces dither in the direction orthogonal to the light-spot motion that the scan mirror (30) causes. The focusing system (42) shapes the spot so that it is wider in the scan direction than it is in the dither direction, and this permits a relatively high scan rate for a given dither frequency.

Abstract: A surface displacement detection system including a detector for detecting displacement of a surface in a direction normal to the surface as the surface revolves; an encoder which divides the surface into N sectors; a signal processor responsive to the detector for calculating the amount of displacement of the surface in each sector of the surface as it revolves; a displacement value look-up table; and a routine for writing to the table a displacement value for each sector once per M revolutions, and an adjustment system including a focussing actuating element, a routine to read displacement value look-up table, a routine to for updating the position of the focussing actuating element for every sector, according to the displacement values stored in the look-up table.

Abstract: A system for detecting displacement of a surface in a direction normal to the surface, the system including a first grating; a second grating; an optical subsystem for projecting an image of the first grating onto the surface and for directing a secondary image of the first grating reflected off the surface onto the second grating; and a detector, responsive to the fringe pattern formed after the secondary image passes through the second grating, for detecting displacement of the surface in a direction normal to the surface.