Cognex has filed a patent for an opto-electronic system that uses a laser beam, an optical element with multiple beam-shaping portions, and a beam deflector to modify the optical parameters of the output light. The system is controlled by electronics that selectively impinge the laser beam onto specific beam-shaping portions. GlobalData’s report on Cognex gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Cognex, AI-assisted repair estimation was a key innovation area identified from patents. Cognex's grant share as of September 2023 was 66%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Opto-electronic system with selective impingement on beam-shaping portions
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230273427A1) describes an opto-electronic system that utilizes a laser beam and an optical element with multiple beam-shaping portions to modify the optical parameters of the output light. The system includes a beam deflector that sweeps the laser beam across the optical element, and electronics that control the impingement of the laser beam onto specific beam-shaping portions.
The opto-electronic system consists of a laser that produces a laser beam, an optical element with two or more beam-shaping portions, a beam deflector that sweeps the laser beam across the optical element, and electronics that control the impingement of the laser beam onto specific beam-shaping portions. The electronics can be configured to selectively modify one or more optical parameters of the output light by causing the laser beam to impinge on a proper subset of the beam-shaping portions.
The beam-shaping portions of the optical element can be distinct and arranged in two dimensions. The electronics can obtain data indicating the proper subset of beam-shaping portions that provide the desired optical properties and control the impingement of the laser beam accordingly. A laser controller within the electronics can switch the laser on or off based on the configuration of the beam deflector, ensuring that the laser beam only impinges on the desired beam-shaping portions.
The electronics can also alter the emission power of the laser and the sweep range of the beam deflector to further control the impingement of the laser beam. A lens can be included in the system to collimate the laser beam and produce parallel laser beams for different deflection directions.
The optical element can be a single printed optic that includes the beam-shaping portions, and these portions can have different optical properties such as focal distances. The modified optical parameters of the output light can include the shape, projection direction, fan angle, pattern of structured light, polarization, and illumination lines.
The beam deflector can be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, and the system can also include a camera sensor and an image processor. The camera sensor captures an image of the object onto which the output light is projected, and the image processor analyzes the pattern of the output light to determine the surface topology of the object.
Overall, this patent describes an opto-electronic system that allows for precise control and modification of the optical parameters of the output light using a laser beam and an optical element with multiple beam-shaping portions.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
