US 11,953,236 B2
Characterization device for characterizing the quality of light beams reflected from a surface of a reflective element and method therefor
Iñigo Les Aguerrea, Navarra (ES); Amaia Mutuberria Larrayoz, Navarra (ES); Adrian Peña Lapuente, Navarra (ES); Marcelino Sanchez Gonzalez, Navarra (ES); Carlos Heras Vila, Saragossa (ES); Iñigo Salina Áriz, Saragossa (ES); David Izquierdo Núñez, Saragossa (ES); and Javier Garcia-Barberena Labiano, Navarra (ES)
Assigned to FUNDACIÓN CENER-CIEMAT, Sarriguren (ES)
Appl. No. 17/262,330
Filed by FUNDACIÓN CENER-CIEMAT, Sarriguren (ES)
PCT Filed Jul. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/ES2019/070524
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 22, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/021147, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 201830756 (ES), filed on Jul. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0318033 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. G01B 9/00 (2006.01); F24S 20/20 (2018.01); F24S 23/30 (2018.01); F24S 50/20 (2018.01); F24S 50/80 (2018.01); G01J 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC F24S 50/80 (2018.05) [F24S 20/20 (2018.05); F24S 23/30 (2018.05); G01B 9/00 (2013.01); G01J 1/0411 (2013.01); F24S 2050/25 (2018.05)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A characterization device for characterizing a shape and deformations of a surface of a reflective element through a combination of light beams reflected by the surface and images of the surface, the device comprising:
at least two variable-gain detectors for capturing the reflected light beams,
at least one pin-hole camera for taking images of the surface of the reflective element,
wherein the at least two variable-gain detectors and at least one pin-hole camera are located on a structure for receiving the light beams reflected by the reflective element, and
the device further comprising a processor unit that calculates an orientation of said surface and a deviation with respect to a design shape of said surface based on a combination of the reflected light beams and the images of the surface; and
wherein each of the at least two variable-gain detectors comprises:
a lens with an aperture angle smaller than 15° for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of the light beams,
at least one optical sensor on which the light beams captured by the lens are focused,
an automatic gain selection system, associated with the at least one optical sensor, with a data capture and processing unit, to select or adjust a gain of the variable-gain detector, in an automated manner, as a result of the data capture and processing unit, with respect to the light beams reflected by the surface of the reflective element, and
data communication means associated with the variable-gain detector;
wherein the automatic gain selection system comprises variable-gain electronics for selecting the gain of an optical sensor of the at least one optical sensor most suited to the light intensity of the light beam received by said at least one optical sensor.