Miniature pattern projector using microLEDs and micro-optics
An apparatus projecting light onto a projection surface comprises: a substrate having disposed thereon two or more LED clusters and two or more micro-lenses, each LED cluster comprising a plurality of LEDs and each of the micro-lenses being disposed the plurality of LEDs. Each of the LED clusters is arranged to emit light through each of the micro-lenses in a pattern of dots. A center of at least one LED cluster is off-set from an optical center of the micro-lens of its LED cluster. A projected image includes arrangements of individual dots and/or areas of smooth light resulting from the pattern of dots.
1. An apparatus for projecting light onto a projection surface, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate having disposed thereon two or more LED clusters, each LED cluster comprising a plurality of LEDs and a micro-lens disposed over the plurality of LEDs; and
each of the LED clusters being arranged to emit light through each of the micro-lenses in a pattern of dots, and a center of at least one LED cluster is off-set from an optical center of the micro-lens of its LED cluster.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the micro-lenses is disposed on a top surface of a transparent plate, and a bottom surface of the transparent plate opposite the top surface is on a top surface of the substrate.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the micro-lenses is integral to the top surface of the transparent plate.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein portions of the bottom surface of the transparent plate define cavities for receiving the two or more LED clusters.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the LEDs is greater than or equal to 2 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the LED clusters, when the LEDs of each of the LED clusters are illuminated, the micro-lens of each LED cluster projects a tile of light onto the projection surface.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of dots comprises a fixed pattern.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the LEDs is individually illuminable.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of LEDs comprises indium gallium nitride (InGaN) or aluminum indium gallium phosphide (AlInGaP).
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a height of the apparatus is 4 millimeters or less.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board (PCB).
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the micro-lenses comprises a projection lens.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the LED clusters is independently addressable.
14. An apparatus for projecting light onto a projection surface, the apparatus comprising:
a LED dot projector module comprising:
a substrate having disposed thereon two or more LED clusters, each LED cluster comprising a plurality of LEDs and a micro-lens disposed over the plurality of LEDs; and
each of the pluralities of LEDs being arranged to emit light through each of the micro-lenses in a pattern of dots, and a center of at least one LED cluster is off-set from an optical center of the micro-lens of its LED cluster;
a sensing module for detecting the pattern of dots; and
a 3D sensing application for processing the detected pattern of dots to determine at least one 3D feature of the surface.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each of the micro-lenses is disposed on a top surface of a transparent plate, a bottom surface of the transparent plate opposite the top surface is on a top surface of the substrate.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein for each of the LED clusters, when the LEDs of each of the LED clusters are illuminated, the micro-lenses of each LED cluster projects a tile of light onto the projection surface.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a width of each of the LEDs is greater than or equal to 2 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.
18. A method of projecting light onto a projection surface, the method comprising:
activating an apparatus comprising:
a substrate having disposed thereon two or more LED clusters, each LED cluster comprising a plurality of LEDs and a micro-lens disposed over the plurality of LEDs; and each of the pluralities of LEDs being arranged to emit light through each of the micro-lenses in a pattern of dots, and a center of at least one LED cluster is off-set from an optical center of the micro-lens of its LED cluster;
projecting the pattern of dots onto the surface;
detecting the projected pattern of dots; and
determining at least one 3D feature of the surface using the detected projected pattern of dots.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a width of each of the LEDs is greater than or equal to 2 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.
20. A method of making an apparatus comprising:
placing a plurality of LEDS on a substrate in two or more LED clusters; and
arranging a plurality of micro-lenses over each of the two or more LED clusters, each of the micro-lenses having an optical center;
a center of at least one of the LED clusters being off-set from the optical center of the micro-lens of its LED cluster.