Light module interlock system
Described is a light module interlock system comprising: an optical cable enabled to transmit light of a first wavelength and a second wavelength different than the first wavelength; a first light module enabled to provide the first wavelength to the optical cable; a second light module enabled to provide the second wavelength to the optical cable; a sensor enabled to detect the first wavelength transmitted by the optical cable, the sensor located at an opposite end of the optical cable as the first light module; and an interlock in communication with the sensor, the interlock enabled to: disable the second light module when the sensor fails to detect the first wavelength, such that the second wavelength is no longer provided to the optical cable.
1. A light module interlock system comprising:
a plurality of optical cables, each of the plurality of optical cables configured to transmit light of a respective first wavelength and a respective second wavelength different than the respective first wavelength, each of the plurality of optical cables further configured to convey the second wavelength to projection optics;
a plurality of first light emitters in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of optical cables, each respective first light emitter, of the plurality of first light emitters, configured to emit the respective first wavelength to a respective optical cable of the plurality of optical cables, each of the plurality of first light emitters comprising a non-visible light emitter and the respective first wavelength comprises a non-visible wavelength that is non-visible to a human eye, each of respective first wavelengths emitted by the plurality of first light emitters being different from each other;
a plurality of second light emitters in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of optical cables, each respective second light emitter, of the plurality of second light emitters, configured to emit the respective second wavelength to the respective optical cable, the respective second light emitter located at an opposite end of the respective optical cable as the respective first light emitter of the plurality of optical cables, each of the plurality of second light emitters comprising a laser and the light of the respective second wavelength comprises laser light that is visible to the human eye;
a sensor configured to: detect, and distinguish between, the respective first wavelengths transmitted by respective optical cables from each of the plurality of first light emitters, the sensor located at a respective opposite end of the plurality of optical cables as the respective first light emitters, the sensor configured to detect when an intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths falls below a threshold intensity, the threshold intensity lower than a respective initial intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths; and
an interlock in communication with the sensor, the interlock configured to:
when the sensor detects that a respective intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths falls below the threshold intensity, disable the plurality of second light emitters associated with the respective first wavelengths that have fallen below the threshold intensity.
2. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein the interlock is further configured to: enable the plurality of second light emitters associated with the respective first wavelengths that have fallen below the threshold intensity when the sensor detects that the intensity of is above the threshold intensity.
3. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to: transmit respective fail data to the interlock when the sensor detects that the intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths falls below the threshold intensity.
4. The light module interlock system of claim 3 , wherein the interlock disables the respective second light emitter one or more of: simultaneous of receipt of respective fail data from sensor; and upon receipt of the respective fail data from the sensor.
5. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one mirror configured to: separate the respective first wavelength and the respective second wavelength; and one or more of:
direct the respective first wavelength to the sensor;
direct the respective first wavelength to the respective optical cable;
direct the respective second wavelength to the respective optical cable; and
direct the respective second wavelength transmitted by the respective optical cable to the projection optics.
6. The light module interlock system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one mirror comprises one or more of a hot mirror, a cold mirror and a dichroic mirror.
7. The light module interlock system of claim 5 , wherein the projection optics comprises one or more of a digital micromirror device (DMD), a projection lens, a mirror, a filter and a prism.
8. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein the first light module comprises an infrared light module and the first wavelength comprises an infrared wavelength.
9. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one integrator configured to homogenize the light of respective second wavelengths transmitted by the plurality of optical cables.
10. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical cables is further configured to transmit the light of the respective first wavelength and the light of the respective second wavelength simultaneously.
11. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein the interlock comprises one or more of a switch configured to cut power to each of the plurality second light emitters, independent of one another, and a computer module configured to power down each of the plurality of second light emitters, independent of one another.
12. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , wherein the interlock disables each of the plurality the second light emitters by preventing at least a portion of the light of the respective second wavelength from being transmitted to the respective optical cable.
13. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one integrator configured to homogenize light of each respective second wavelengths transmitted by the plurality of optical cables.
14. The light module interlock system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of interlocks, including the interlock configured to:
disable a respective second light emitter when the sensor detects that the intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths falls below the threshold intensity.
15. The light module interlock system of claim 14 , wherein:
when the sensor detects that the intensity of one or more of the respective first wavelengths falls below the threshold intensity an associated one of the plurality of interlocks disables an associated second light emitter, such that the respective wavelength is no longer provided to the respective associated optical cable.