US4836629A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device to control a light beam in a wide angle field and application to a sensing device
Assignee: Thales SA
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Filing: 1988-05-17
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Granted: 1989-06-06
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Expires: 2008-05-17
Abstract
Abstract The device to control the direction of a light beam comprises mainly the following elements substantially aligned in the direction of a laser beam emitted by a source: a low-deflection, controlled deflection device; a holographic multiplexer comprising several recorded zones and giving several possible deflections depending on the direction of the beam that it receives; a system of shutters enabling the choice of the direction of the laser beam to be transmitted.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Pierre Huignard
- 👤 Jean Louis Meyzonnette
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 03:43
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/106; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A device to control the direction of a first light beam, emitted by a laser source comprising the following different, successive elements aligned in the direction of this first light beam: A low-deflection, controlled deflection device, that receives the first light beam and transmits a second beam along a second direction which is chosen from among several directions and makes an angle with the direction of the first beam; a holographic multiplexer comprising several recorded zones, each giving, for each beam received by each zone along said second direction, a third beam, the direction of which depends on said second direction; shutters with open/close control, each placed in one possible direction of the third beam, enabling the choice of transmission of one or more defined third beams.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A device to control the direction of a first light beam, emitted by a laser source comprising the following different, successive elements aligned in the direction of this first light beam: A low-deflection, controlled deflection device, that receives the first light beam and transmits a second beam along a second direction which is chosen from among several directions and makes an angle with the direction of the first beam; a holographic multiplexer comprising several recorded zones, each giving, for each beam received by each zone along said second direction, a third beam, the direction of which depends on said second direction; shutters with open/close control, each placed in one possible direction of the third beam, enabling the choice of transmission of one or more defined third beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam, wherein the controlled deflection device is an acousto-optic deflection device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam wherein the controlled deflection device is a grating of electro-optic phase-shifting devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam wherein the shutters are made with a liquid crystal display screen controlled by an array of column electrodes and an array of line electrodes, each intersection between a column electrode and a line electrode constituting a shutter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam wherein the shutters are made with a layer of an electro-absorbent material, electrically controlled by line electrodes and column electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam wherein the deflection device is arranged along a line so as to enable an angular deflection in a plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam wherein the deflection device is arranged along a plane so as to enable an angular deflection in space.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam, further comprising a light beam amplifier placed at the outlet of the shutters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device, according to claim 8, to control the direction of a beam, wherein the amplifier is a light-refracting crystal amplifier device that receives the beam coming from the shutters and an amplification pump beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam, further comprising a phase corrector placed in the path of the beam coming from the laser source and set so as to counter-balance the phase distortions due to the various optic elements of the control device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device, according to claim 1, to control the direction of a beam, further comprising a beam output optic system placed at the outlet of the control device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A detection device, applying the control device according to claim 1, wherein an electro-optic detection device is associated with the pumped beam by a semi-reflecting strip so as to receive a detection light beam coming from outside the device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A detection device according to claim 12, wherein a light beam, of a frequency shifted with respect to that of the pumped wave, is mixed with the detection light beam so as to achieve heterodyne detection.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR2041059A1
Cited
US3703328A
Cited
FR2243573A1
Cited
FR2303433A1
Cited
US3976873A
Cited
US4309602A
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US4447149A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-06-05 | 1992-12-05 | 1993-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-05 | 1996-12-05 | 1997-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-05 | 2000-12-05 | 2001-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |