Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: An active illumination three-dimensional sensor device is configured with a number of diagnostic functions that can satisfy the requirements of industrial safety within the context of a single-channel safety sensor architecture. The sensor diagnostic functions provide sufficient diagnostic coverage for an optical safety sensor (e.g., a time-of-flight safety sensor) to achieve a desired safety integrity level without the need for multiple channels. The diagnostic features can be applied to one or more components along the single-channel path (e.g., the sequencer, the illumination source, input and/or output optics, image sensor pixel, etc.) to provide a level of diagnostic coverage that renders the optical safety sensor suitable for use within industrial safety applications requiring high safety integrity levels.

Abstract: A droplet sensor system is configured to detect the presence of droplets or other foreign bodies on the surface of a window. The sensor system emits light rays that are coupled into the window, where the window serves as a waveguide that guides the confined electromagnetic radiation across the window. Foreign bodies present on the surface of the glass outcouples a subset of the light as it propagates across the window, attenuating the power of outcoupled light measured at a photodetector mounted near an edge of the window. The system initiates a notification or a control action in response to detecting this attenuation of power due to outcoupling of the propagating light by foreign bodies.

Abstract: A camera system comprises illumination and optical components that manage illumination from the illumination source to the camera sensor in a highly efficient manner to image a wide field of view. The camera sensor comprises a modular compound imaging lens and a corresponding illuminator. The illuminator is capable of emitting a field of illumination that is wide in one plane (e.g., the tangential plane) and relatively narrow in the orthogonal plane (e.g., the sagittal plane). The modular compound lens receives scattered light from the viewing field and focuses the light to one or more imaging sensors (e.g., 3D imaging sensors). The modular lens images a wide field of view substantially equal to the field of illumination of the illuminator and is oriented such that the field of view of the lens substantially overlaps the field of illumination of the illuminator, yielding a high collection efficiency.

Abstract: For imaging objects in a field-of-view, a compound lens includes a primary lens, a secondary lens, and a tertiary lens. A combination of the primary lens, the secondary lens, and the tertiary lens has an F-number of not more than 1.25, a field-of-view of at least 70 degrees, and images objects from the field-of-view on a sensor.

Abstract: A droplet sensor system is configured to detect the presence of droplets or other foreign bodies on the surface of a window. The sensor system emits light rays that are coupled into the window, where the window serves as a waveguide that guides the confined electromagnetic radiation across the window. Foreign bodies present on the surface of the glass outcouples a subset of the light as it propagates across the window, attenuating the power of outcoupled light measured at a photodetector mounted near an edge of the window. The system initiates a notification or a control action in response to detecting this attenuation of power due to outcoupling of the propagating light by foreign bodies.

Abstract: For lens testing, a telecentric lens aims light from a light source on an exit pupil formed relative to a device lens of a device-under-test. A sensor receives light from the device-under-test.

Abstract: A camera system comprises illumination and optical components that manage illumination from the illumination source to the camera sensor in a highly efficient manner to image a wide field of view. The camera sensor comprises a modular compound imaging lens and a corresponding illuminator. The illuminator is capable of emitting a field of illumination that is wide in one plane (e.g., the tangential plane) and relatively narrow in the orthogonal plane (e.g., the sagittal plane). The modular compound lens receives scattered light from the viewing field and focuses the light to one or more imaging sensors (e.g., 3D imaging sensors). The modular lens images a wide field of view substantially equal to the field of illumination of the illuminator and is oriented such that the field of view of the lens substantially overlaps the field of illumination of the illuminator, yielding a high collection efficiency.

Abstract: An arched, cylindrical Fresnel lens is designed to collimate an optical beam in one plane while allowing the beam to propagate in the orthogonal plane with minimal reflection and efficient transmission. The lens comprises a thin lens body that arches about a vertical axis to yield a hollow cylindrical shape. The lens can comprise refractive areas on one or both of its outward-facing surface or inward-facing surface, the refractive areas comprising a series of parallel angled grooves etched into the lens' substrate. The lens can also be realized by a gradient change of the refractive index in the bulk of the lens material, or can comprise diffractive gratings comprising parallel binary structures. The lens may also comprise a holographic imprint on one of its surface or its bulk, thereby attributing diffractive optical power.

Abstract: An arched, cylindrical Fresnel lens is designed to collimate an optical beam in one plane while allowing the beam to propagate in the orthogonal plane with minimal reflection and efficient transmission. The lens comprises a thin lens body that arches about a vertical axis to yield a hollow cylindrical shape. The lens can comprise refractive areas on one or both of its outward-facing surface or inward-facing surface, the refractive areas comprising a series of parallel angled grooves etched into the lens' substrate. The lens can also be realized by a gradient change of the refractive index in the bulk of the lens material, or can comprise diffractive gratings comprising parallel binary structures. The lens may also comprise a holographic imprint on one of its surface or its bulk, thereby attributing diffractive optical power.

Abstract: A method for detecting light sources, including capturing an image including a sub-infrared light emitter, applying a filter to a pixel of the captured image to isolate a signal strength of a range of frequencies, and comparing the signal strength of the filtered pixel to an expected signal strength of a background spectra for the range of frequencies. As a result of a difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength exceeding a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as corresponding to a light emitter. As a result of the difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength not a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as not corresponding to a light emitter.

Abstract: A method for detecting light sources. The method includes capturing an image including a sub-infrared light emitter, applying a filter to a pixel of the captured image to isolate a signal strength of a range of frequencies, and comparing the signal strength of the filtered pixel to an expected signal strength of a background spectra for the range of frequencies. As a result of a difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength exceeding a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as corresponding to a light emitter. As a result of the difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength not a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as not corresponding to a light emitter.

Abstract: A modular compound lens comprises an elementary unit with five powered optical elements capable of imaging a field of view of approximately 100 degrees with an F-number of 1.7. The compound lens exhibits image distortion of no more than 10% and a nearly diffraction limited modulation transfer function (MTF) of up to 100 line-pairs per millimeter. Additional optical components can be added to the compound lens to widen the field of view as desired without changing the F-number and without significant increase in image aberrations.

Abstract: A modular illumination system is capable of producing a light beam having a wide field of view—e.g., in excess of ninety degrees—while maintaining a high collection efficiency as well as a high degree of beam homogeneity. The illumination system comprises an elementary unit having a linear array of light sources. Light from the light sources is collimated using a corresponding array of catadioptric lenses, and the collimated light is homogenized in the tangential plane using two cylindrical lens arrays set in tandem to one another. The homogenized light is then collimated in the sagittal plane using a cylindrical lens that is set perpendicular to the lenses of the two cylindrical lens arrays to yield a wide linear beam. To produce an area beam, the linear array of light sources can be replaced with a two-dimensional array, and the cylindrical lenses can be replaced with spherical lenses.

Abstract: A modular illumination system is capable of producing a light beam having a wide field of view—e.g., in excess of ninety degrees—while maintaining a high collection efficiency as well as a high degree of beam homogeneity. The illumination system comprises an elementary unit having a linear array of light sources. Light from the light sources is collimated using a corresponding array of catadioptric lenses, and the collimated light is homogenized in the tangential plane using two cylindrical lens arrays set in tandem to one another. The homogenized light is then collimated in the sagittal plane using a cylindrical lens that is set perpendicular to the lenses of the two cylindrical lens arrays to yield a wide linear beam. To produce an area beam, the linear array of light sources can be replaced with a two-dimensional array, and the cylindrical lenses can be replaced with spherical lenses.

Abstract: A modular compound lens comprises an elementary unit with five powered optical elements capable of imaging a field of view of approximately 100 degrees with an F-number of 1.7. The compound lens exhibits image distortion of no more than 10% and a nearly diffraction limited modulation transfer function (MTF) of up to 100 line-pairs per millimeter. Additional optical components can be added to the compound lens to widen the field of view as desired without changing the F-number and without significant increase in image aberrations.

Abstract: A display system includes an optical component having a first and second surface, wherein the first surface comprises a diffractive optical element, and a projector system to create a projected image on the optical component. The projector includes an illumination source that emits electromagnetic radiation within a predetermined spectral band, an image generator that ascribes image characteristics to the radiation, and an optically-powered component that directs the radiation at the first surface of the optical component. The diffractive optical element reflects at least a portion of the radiation in a predetermined direction. The optical component has zero optical power for transmitted light. The optical component transmits at least a portion of the ambient scenery within a predetermined spectral band within a field-of-view of the projected image. The projected image maintains substantial boresight alignment with the ambient image.

Abstract: A method for detecting light sources. The method includes capturing an image including a sub-infrared light emitter, applying a filter to a pixel of the captured image to isolate a signal strength of a range of frequencies, and comparing the signal strength of the filtered pixel to an expected signal strength of a background spectra for the range of frequencies. As a result of a difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength exceeding a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as corresponding to a light emitter. As a result of the difference between the signal strength of the filtered pixel and the expected signal strength not a predetermined threshold, the method includes identifying the pixel as not corresponding to a light emitter.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a system comprises a projection system. The system further includes an image generator disposed in the projection system. The image generator is operable to generate a plurality of rays. The system further includes an objective lens disposed in the projection system. The objective lens is operable to refract the plurality of rays. The system further includes a component operable to reflect the refracted rays onto a target in order to form an image. The image is operable to be moved in relation to the target. The movement of the image is independent of any displacement of the projection system in relation to the target.