Patent ID: 8955975
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: G02B,G03B

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: providing a light source having a light emitting diode (LED) that emits a light; providing a polarization conversion system (PCS) adjacent the LED comprising a linear polarizer and a wave plate, the linear polarizer having an axis of polarization and the wave plate being rotatable between a first and second position about an optic axis of the LED; providing a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) adjacent the light source; providing an imaging device adjacent the PBS; rotating the wave plate of the PCS to a first position; emitting a first light from the light source when the wave plate of the PCS is in the first position; converting, at the PCS, the first light to circular polarization; reflecting the first light with the PBS onto the imaging device; rotating the wave plate of the PCS to a second position, the second position being 90 degrees apart from the first position; emitting a second light from the light source when the wave plate is in the second position; converting the second light to circular polarization; and, reflecting the second light with the PBS onto the imaging device subsequent to reflecting the first light onto the imaging device.