A laser system includes a housing and a laser. The laser can be positioned in the housing such that its laser beam is transmitted at an angle and its path forms a cone as the housing rotates. The laser device may also contain two or more lasers, the angle of each laser may be the same or different, and the angular position of each laser may be fixed or variable. The laser system may be stationary or mobile and used in a variety of methods to detect an object or topography and produce a three dimensional image. That information can be further used to provide maps, terrain data, volumetric measurements, landing guidance, obstacle avoidance warnings, mining profiles and other useful material.

A laser marking system for marking a product includes a marking head having an electromagnetic radiation steering mechanism configured to steer electromagnetic radiation to address a specific location within a two-dimensional field of view. The electromagnetic radiation steering mechanism comprises a first optical element having an associated first actuator configured to rotate the first optical element about a first rotational axis to change a first coordinate of a first steering axis in the two-dimensional field of view and a second optical element having an associated second actuator configured to rotate the second optical element about a second rotational axis to change a second coordinate of a second steering axis in the two-dimensional field of view. The electromagnetic radiation steering mechanism comprises an electromagnetic radiation manipulator configured to introduce a difference between a first angle and a second angle (defined between the first and second rotational and steering (respectively) axes).

An optical scanner system comprises a housing, a detector contained within the housing configured to produce at least two resolvable azimuth fields-of-view relative to a center-axis of the housing, and an external scanner rotating relative to the center-axis of the housing, and switching between at least two elevations relative to a nominal optical axis of a receiver. Motion of the housing azimuthally results in the receiver producing a continuous coverage pattern at multiple elevations produced by the external scanner.

A boresight module includes a housing including an input window and an exit window. The boresight module further includes a lateral transfer hollow, dichroic beam splitter, retro-reflector (LTHSR) assembly supported by the housing. The LTHSR assembly includes a dichroic beam splitter. The boresight module further includes a corner cube coupled to the housing and a collimator including a collimator housing coupled to the housing and a target supported by the collimator housing. The target is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the input window to emit electromagnetic radiation through the exit window. A method of aligning a device with a boresight alignment module is further disclosed.

Laser radar systems include a pentaprism configured to scan a measurement beam with respect to a target surface. A focusing optical assembly includes a corner cube that is used to adjust measurement beam focus. Target distance is estimated based on heterodyne frequencies between a return beam and a local oscillator beam. The local oscillator beam is configured to propagate to and from the focusing optical assembly before mixing with the return beam. In some examples, heterodyne frequencies are calibrated with respect to target distance using a Fabry-Perot interferometer having mirrors fixed to a lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic tube.

Scanning Tele cameras (STCs) based on two optical path folding element (OPFE) field-of-view scanning and mobile devices including such STCs. A STC may comprise a first OPFE (O-OPFE) for folding a first optical path OP1 to a second optical path OP2, an O-OPFE actuator, a second OPFE (I-OPFE) for folding OP2 to a third optical path OP3, an I-OPFE actuator, a lens, a lens actuator and an image sensor, wherein the STC has a STC native field-of-view (n-FOV.sub.T), wherein the O-OPFE actuator is configured to rotate the O-OPFE around a first axis and the I-OPFE actuator rotates the I-OPFE around a second axis for scanning a scene with the n-FOV.sub.T, wherein the lens actuator is configured to move the lens for focusing along a third axis, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis and parallel to the third axis.

An optical scanning device includes a rotary light-projecting element that is rotatable about a rotation axis and that emits incidence light in different directions, a rotary drive device that rotates the rotary light-projecting element, a light deflection device that deflects incidence light from a light source into a plane including the rotation axis and that causes the deflected light to be incident on the rotary light-projecting element, and a control device that controls the rotary drive device so that a normal line of a light projection emitting surface through which light is emitted from the rotary light-projecting element is included in the plane.

A distance measuring device includes a scanning module including a rotor assembly, the rotor assembly including a rotor, the rotor including a receiving cavity and an optical element disposed in the receiving cavity, the optical element rotating synchronously with the rotor assembly, the optical element including a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being respectively positioned at two ends in a radial direction of the optical element, a thickness of the first end being greater than a thickness of the second end, a notch being formed on a side of the first end of the rotor or/and the optical element; and a distance measuring module configured to emit a laser pulse to the scanning module.

Motors for driving multi-element optical scanning devices and associated systems and methods include an exemplary optical system. The optical system includes at least one optical element positionable along an optical path to receive radiation, with the at least one optical element having an opening therethrough; a shaft extending through the opening; at least one bearing operably coupled to the shaft; and a motor operably coupled to the at least one optical element to rotate the at least one optical element.

An apparatus and method of step-scanning frames in a field of interest (FOI) includes continuously rotating prism elements of a Risley prism assembly (RPA) while periodically rotating and resetting a fast-steering mirror (FSM) to provide static pointing during each frame. A gain factor is calculated for each frame according to actual and hypothetical prism element orientations and ray tracing, and the RPA and/or FSM rotation rates and FSM timing are adjusted accordingly. In embodiments, light from the frames is directed to a camera, and the RPA and/or FSM rotation rates and timing are adjusted to maintain adjacent frames with minimum overlap. Calculating the gain factor can include calculating hypothetical prism element rotations by a ray trace and root finding method of false position. The RPA can be achromatic. Step-scanning can be at a constant rate. Frames can be of equal duration, or of durations proportionate to their sizes.