Flood and dot emitter
View Patent ↗The present disclosure is directed to a device configured to act as a flood illuminator and a dot projector. The device utilizes a dual channel light source configured to switch between first and second polarizations, and a polarization sensitive metaoptic that outputs dot projection and flood illumination in response to receiving the first polarization and the second polarization, respectively.
1 . A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a light source positioned on the substrate and including a first plurality of emitters configured to transmit a first light signal having a first polarization state, and a second plurality of emitters configured to transmit a second light signal having a second polarization state transverse to the first polarization state,
wherein the first plurality of emitters are arranged in a first plurality of columns,
wherein the second plurality of emitters are arranged in a second plurality of columns,
wherein each column of the first plurality of columns is spaced from another column of the first plurality of columns by a column of the second plurality of columns,
wherein each of the first plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column,
wherein the first plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns is unaligned with the first plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the first plurality of columns extends,
wherein each of the second plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column, and
wherein the second plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns is unaligned with the second plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the second plurality of columns extends;
a first optic configured to receive the first light signal and generate a first light pattern with the first light signal, and receive the second light signal and generate a second light pattern with the second light signal;
a second optic configured to receive the first light signal reflected off of a target object and the second light signal reflected off of the target object; and
a detector positioned on the substrate and configured to measure the first light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic, and measure the second light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic.
2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the first polarization state is linear, and the second polarization state is orthogonal to the first polarization state.
3 . The device of claim 1 wherein the light source includes a first connector that electrically couples the first plurality of emitters to each other, and a second connector that electrically couples the second plurality of emitters to each other.
4 . The device of claim 3 wherein the first connector is spaced from the second connector by the first plurality of emitters and the second plurality of emitters.
5 . The device of claim 1 wherein the first optic includes a plurality of meta-elements that extend in a propagation direction of the first light signal and the second light signal.
6 . The device of claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of meta-elements has an asymmetrical shape.
7 . The device of claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of meta-elements has an elliptical shape.
8 . The device of claim 7 wherein the plurality of meta-elements includes a first set of meta-elements having lengths extending in a first direction, and a second set of meta-elements having lengths extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction.
9 . The device of claim 5 wherein
the plurality of meta-elements are made of a first material, and are encapsulated with a second material.
10 . The device of claim 1 wherein the first light pattern is a flood illumination pattern, and the second light pattern is a dot projection pattern.
11 . A method, comprising:
providing a light source on a substrate,
wherein the light source includes a first plurality of emitters configured to transmit a first light signal having a first polarization state, and a second plurality of emitters configured to transmit a second light signal having a second polarization state transverse to the first polarization state,
wherein the first plurality of emitters are arranged in a first plurality of columns,
wherein the second plurality of emitters are arranged in a second plurality of columns,
wherein each column of the first plurality of columns is spaced from another column of the first plurality of columns by a column of the second plurality of columns,
wherein each of the first plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column,
wherein the first plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns is unaligned with the first plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the first plurality of columns extends,
wherein each of the second plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column, and
wherein the second plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns is unaligned with the second plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the second plurality of columns extends;
providing a detector on the substrate;
activating the first plurality of emitters of the light source;
transmitting, by the first plurality of emitters of the light source, a first light signal having a first polarization state;
generating, by a first optic, a first light pattern with the first light signal;
receiving, by a second optic, the first light signal reflected off of a target object;
measuring, by the detector, the first light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic;
activating the second plurality of emitters of the light source;
transmitting, by the second plurality of emitters of the light source, a second light signal having a second polarization state transverse to the first polarization state;
generating, by the first optic, a second light pattern different from the first light pattern with the second light signal;
receiving, by the second optic, the second light signal reflected off of the target object; and
measuring, by the detector, the second light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first polarization state is linear, and the second polarization state is orthogonal to the first polarization state.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first light pattern is a flood illumination pattern, and the second light pattern is a dot projection pattern.
14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first optic includes a plurality of meta-elements that are asymmetrical shape.
15 . A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a light source positioned on the substrate and including a first channel and a second channel, the first channel including a first plurality of emitters configured to transmit a first light signal having a first polarization, the second channel including a second plurality of emitters configured to transmit a second light signal having a second polarization transverse to the first polarization,
wherein the first plurality of emitters are arranged in a first plurality of columns,
wherein the second plurality of emitters are arranged in a second plurality of columns,
wherein each column of the first plurality of columns is spaced from another column of the first plurality of columns by a column of the second plurality of columns,
wherein each of the first plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column,
wherein the first plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns is unaligned with the first plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the first plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the first plurality of columns extends,
wherein each of the second plurality of columns includes a first sub-column and a second sub-column, and
wherein the second plurality of emitters included in the first sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns is unaligned with the second plurality of emitters included in the second sub-column of each of the second plurality of columns in a direction in which the each of the second plurality of columns extends;
a first optic configured to alter a phase of the first light signal to produce a first light pattern, and a phase of the second light signal to produce a second light pattern different from the first light pattern;
a second optic configured to receive the first light signal reflected off of a target object and the second light signal reflected off of the target object; and
a detector positioned on the substrate and configured to measure the first light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic, and measure the second light signal reflected off of the target object and passing through the second optic.
16 . The device of claim 15 wherein the first polarization is linear, and the second polarization is orthogonal to the first polarization.
17 . The device of claim 15 wherein the first light pattern is a flood illumination pattern, and the second light pattern is a dot projection pattern.
18 . The device of claim 15 wherein the first optic includes a plurality of meta-elements that extend in a propagation direction of the first light signal and the second light signal.