Control instructions are transmitted to receivers by modulating light sources to generate light beams that are modulated with digital data streams for inducing control instructions in the light beams. Each light beam is applied to a pixel shaper element of a pixel shaper assembly to produce a light pixel, each light pixel carrying the control instructions of the light beam, each light pixel having a perimeter defined by the pixel shaper element. The pixel shaper assembly combines the light pixels into an image without significant overlap or voids between the light pixels. The light pixels are directed toward a projector lens for transmission toward the receivers. In a receiver, an optical receiver detects a light pixel. A controller decodes the control instructions received in the detected light pixel and uses the control instructions to control a function of the receiver.

A non-imaging concentrator is employed in an upside down configuration in which light enters a smaller aperture and exits a larger aperture. The input angle of light rays may be as large as 180 degrees, while the maximum exit angle is limited to the acceptance angle of the non-imaging concentrator. A dichroic filter placed at the larger aperture has a maximum angle of incidence equal to the acceptance angle of the non-imaging concentrator.

A laser radar includes: a light source including a laser diode; an optical system configured to shape laser light emitted from the laser diode, into a line beam that is long in one direction, and project the line beam to a target area; and a scanner configured to perform scanning with the line beam in a short side direction of the line beam. The laser diode is disposed such that a fast axis of the laser diode extends along a direction corresponding to the short side direction of the line beam.

The present invention relates to ultrafast laser inscribed structures for signal concentration in focal plan arrays, focal plan arrays, imaging and/or sensing apparatuses comprising said focal plan arrays, as well as methods of making and/or using ultrafast laser inscribed structures for signal concentration in focal plan arrays, focal plan arrays, imaging and/or sensing apparatuses comprising said focal plan arrays. Such ultrafast laser inscribed structures are particularly adapted to condense broad band radiation, thus allowing increased sensing efficiencies to be obtained from imaging and/or sensing apparatuses. Such ultrafast laser inscribed structures can be efficiently produced by the processes provided herein.

An infrared light radiation device includes a radiation unit and a condenser. The radiation unit includes a heater and a metamaterial structure. The metamaterial structure is able to radiate, when heat energy is input from the heater, infrared light having a peak wavelength of a non-Planck distribution. The condenser includes at least one condensing lens that concentrates and transmits toward outside the infrared light radiated from the radiation unit.

A time of flight based depth detection system is disclosed that includes a projector configured to sequentially emit multiple complementary illumination patterns. A sensor of the depth detection system is configured to capture the light from the illumination patterns reflecting off objects within the sensor's field of view. The data captured by the sensor can be used to filter out erroneous readings caused by light reflecting off multiple surfaces prior to returning to the sensor.

There is provided an illumination system of a navigation device including a light beam shaping optics, and a first light source and a second light source having different characteristics. The light beam shaping optics is used to shape light beams emitted by the first light source and the second light source to illuminate a work surface with substantially identical incident angles and/or beam sizes.

A diverged beam optical transmitter is provided that includes a laser source configured to emit a light beam, and one or more lenses. The diverged beam optical transmitter also includes a diffuser placed between the laser source and the one or more lenses, and configured to increase an intrinsic divergence of the light beam and to fill some portion of the one or more lenses such that the light beam is eye safe after the one or more lenses.

Disclosed herein are techniques for providing an illumination system that emits illumination into an environment while also enabling that system to be undetectable to certain types of external light detection systems. The system includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) low light (LL) detection device and a light emitting device. The light emitting device provides illumination having a wavelength of at least 950 nanometers (nm). An intensity of the illumination is set to a level that causes the illumination to be undetectable from a determined distance away based on the roll off rate of the light. While the light emitting device is providing the illumination, the SPAD LL detection device generates an image of an environment in which the illumination is being provided.

A time-of-flight sensor system (100) comprising an illumination source (102), an optical system (106) and a sensor (108). The illumination source (102) illuminates a subject (104) to which a time-of-flight is to be measured. The optical system (106) transitions the illumination source (102) between spot illumination and flood illumination. A sensor (108) configured to sense light scattered by the subject (104) from the illumination source (102) and to provide data dependent on sensed light. The time-of-flight sensor system (100) is configured to use the data when the illumination is within a range from spot illumination and/or in a range from flood illumination to provide time-of-flight data.