Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100016662 | Radial Scanner Imaging System - A radial scanner configured to image the interior of a tube includes, in an embodiment, a housing having a transparent window, a photo-sensing array, a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image around a circumference of an interior surface of the tube outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array, and a light source configured to illuminate the interior surface of the tube, wherein the photo-sensing array is configured to receive the image around the circumference as a circular line scan. In an embodiment, the radial scanner is deployed as an ingestible capsule. In another embodiment, the radial scanner is deployed as a fiber optic catheter. | 01-21-2010 |
20100016673 | Ingestible Endoscopic Optical Scanning Device - An ingestible scanning device includes, in an embodiment, a capsule housing having a transparent window and sized so as to be ingestible, a photo-sensing array located within the capsule housing, a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image from a surface outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array, and a light source for illuminating the surface outside the transparent window. | 01-21-2010 |
20110103643 | IMAGING SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED IMAGE PREPROCESSING CAPABILITIES - An electronic device may have a camera module. The camera module may include a camera sensor and associated image preprocessing circuitry. The image preprocessing circuitry may analyze images from the camera module to perform motion detection, facial recognition, and other operations. The image preprocessing circuitry may generate signals that indicate the presence of a user and that indicate the identity of the user. The electronic device may receive the signals from the camera module and may use the signals in implementing power saving functions. The electronic device may enter a power conserving mode when the signals do not indicate the presence of a user, but may keep the camera module powered in the power conserving mode. When the camera module detects that a user is present, the signals from the camera module may activate the electronic device and direct the electronic device to enter an active operating mode. | 05-05-2011 |
20120044339 | OPTO-FLUIDIC MICROSCOPE SYSTEM WITH EVALUATION CHAMBERS - An image sensor integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. The image sensor pixels may form light sensors and imagers. The imagers may gather images of the cells or other particles as the fluid passes over the imagers. The channel may have multiple branches. Gating structures and other fluid control structures may control the flow of fluid through the channel branches. Portions of the channel may be used to form chambers. The chambers may each be provided with one or more light sensors, light sources, and color filters to alter the color of illumination form a light source, one or more reactants such as dyes, antigens, and antibodies, and heaters. The branches may route the fluid to respective chambers each of which has a different set of capabilities. | 02-23-2012 |
20120044341 | OPTOFLUIDIC MICROSCOPE SYSTEM-ON-CHIP - An integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. Channels containing a fluid with samples such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Control circuitry may be formed on the integrated circuit. The image sensor pixels may form light sensors and imagers. Portions of the channel may have multiple chambers such as fluorescence detection chambers. Gating structures and other fluid control structures may control the flow of fluid through the channels and chambers. Portions of the channel may be used to form chambers. The chambers may each be provided with one or more light sensors, light sources, and color filters to alter the color of illumination form a light source, one or more reactants such as dyes, antigens, and antibodies, and heaters. The control circuitry may be configured to control the imagers, the gating structures, the fluid control structures, the light source, the heaters, etc. | 02-23-2012 |
20120045103 | SYSTEM FOR TARGETING CELLS OR OTHER MATERIALS - An image sensor integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Some of the image sensor pixels may form a calibration sensor and some of the image sensor pixels may form an imager. As the fluid and particles flow through the channel at a flow rate, the calibration sensor may measures the flow rate and illumination intensity in the channel. Based on calibration data such as measured flow rate and measured illumination intensity, adjustments may be made to ensure that the imager acquires satisfactory image data. The adjustments may include flow rate adjustments, image acquisition data rate adjustments, and illumination adjustments. A processing unit in the channel may contain a laser or other component to destroy selected cells. A flared region in the channel may be used as a chromatograph. | 02-23-2012 |
20120200533 | SYSTEM WITH OPTICAL SENSOR FOR DETECTING USER INPUT - A light-based input device may be based on a wedge-shaped light-guide structure. Light may be introduced into the interior of the light-guide structure from a light source and corresponding reflected light exiting the light-guide structure may be measured using a light detector such as an image sensor. The location at which a user places an object in contact with an upper surface of the light-guide structure may be detected by analyzing the pattern of reflected light that exits the light-guide structure. Multiple layers of light-guide structures may be separated from each other by opaque material such as plastic so that the device can determine the direction in which the object is traversing the light-guide layers. A light-based input device may be implemented using free-space light beams that are interrupted by the user. Keys may be provided in a light-based input device by movably mounting contact pads to a light-guide structure. | 08-09-2012 |
20120200534 | MULTI-BRANCH LIGHT-BASED INPUT DEVICES - A light-based input device may have multiple branches each based on a respective light-guide structure. A light source may launch light into the light-guide structures. A light sensor may detect light reflected from the light-guide structures or transmitted through the light-guide structures. The light-based input device may be used to gather user input from a user of an electronic device. The user may move an object into contact with the light-guide structures. The light sensor may monitor light intensity fluctuations from the light-guide structures to determine where the light-guide structures have been contacted by the object. Multiple wavelengths of light may be used by the light source and light sensor to reduce crosstalk between adjacent branches of the light-based input device. | 08-09-2012 |
20120326009 | PLASMONIC LIGHT SENSORS - An electronic device may be provided a plasmonic light sensor. Plasmonic light sensors may include arrays of plasmonic image pixels that detect evanescent electron density waves, or plasmons, generated in the plasmonic image pixel through an interaction with incoming light. Plasmonic image pixels may include microlenses that focus the light onto conducting wires in the plasmonic image pixel. Plasmons generated on the surface of the conducting wire may propagate along the conducting wire. Detector circuitry may be coupled to the wire on which the plasmons propagate to detect the light through detection of the evanescent electron density wave. Detector circuitry may include a biasing component for biasing a photodiode such that a small amount of light results in an avalanche of charge, or a sudden increase in current, produced in the detector circuitry in response to the evanescent wave. | 12-27-2012 |
20120326015 | PLASMONIC LIGHT COLLECTORS - An electronic device may be provided with imaging modules or communications modules. Imaging modules and communications modules may be improved with the use of plasmonic light collectors. Plasmonic light collectors exploit the interaction between incoming light and plasmons in the plasmonic light collector to redirect the path of the incoming light. Plasmonic light collectors may be used to form lenses for image pixels in an imaging module or to form light pipes or lenses for use in injecting optical communications into a fiber optic cable. Plasmonic lenses may be formed by lithography of metallic surfaces, by implantation or by stacking and patterning of layers of materials having different dielectric properties. Plasmonic image pixels may be smaller and more efficient than conventional image pixels. Plasmonic light guides may have significantly less signal loss than conventional lenses and light guides. | 12-27-2012 |
20120326256 | SPECTRALLY TUNED PLASMONIC LIGHT COLLECTORS - Electronic devices may be provided with imaging modules that include plasmonic light collectors. Plasmonic light collectors may be configured to exploit an interaction between incoming light and plasmons in the plasmonic light collector to alter the path of the incoming light. Plasmonic light collectors may include one or more spectrally tuned plasmonic image pixels configured to preferentially trap light of a given frequency. Spectrally tuned plasmonic image pixels may include plasmonic structures formed form a patterned metal layer over doped silicon layers. Doped silicon layers may be interposed between plasmonic structures and a reflective layer. Plasmonic image pixels may be used to absorb and detect as much as, or more than, ninety percent of incident light at wavelengths ranging from the infrared to the ultraviolet. Plasmonic image pixels that capture light of different colors may be arranged in patterned arrays to form imager modules or imaging spectrometers for optofluidic microscopes. | 12-27-2012 |
20130027695 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS WITH CHEMICAL PUMPS - A microfluidic system may include an image sensor integrated circuit containing image sensor pixels. A channel containing a fluid with particles such as cells may be formed on top of the image sensor. Flow control components may be mounted to the image sensor integrated circuit for controlling the flow of fluids through the channel. The flow control components may include a chemically powered pump. The chemical pump may include one or more chambers and a valve between the chambers. The valve may be operable to allow chemical reactants stored in the chambers to be mixed to produce gasses for generating pressure in the channel. The pressure in the channel may be used to control the flow of the fluid. As the fluid and particles flow through the channel, the image sensor pixels may be used to capture images of the particles. | 01-31-2013 |
20130070109 | IMAGING SYSTEM WITH FOVEATED IMAGING CAPABILITES - An electronic device may have a camera module. The camera module may include a camera sensor capable of capturing foveated images. The camera sensor may be hardwired to capture foveated images with fixed regions of different quality levels or may be dynamically-reconfigurable to capture foveated images with selected regions of different quality levels. As one example, the camera module may be hardwired to capture a center region of an image at full resolution and peripheral regions at reduced resolutions, so that a user can merely center objects of interest in the image to capture a foveated image. As another example, the camera module may analyze previous images to identify objects of interest and may then reconfigure itself to capture the identified objects of interest at a high quality level, while capturing other regions at reduced quality levels. | 03-21-2013 |
20130100015 | OPTICAL INPUT DEVICES - A system may be provided that includes computing equipment and an optical input accessory. The computing equipment may include an imaging system, storage and processing circuitry, a display, communications circuitry, and input-output devices. The optical input accessory may include one or more light sources and optical markers representing instrument components for multiple instruments. The optical markers may be printed, molded or otherwise formed on a surface of a housing structure. The light sources may each emit a particular type of light. The computing equipment may use the imaging system to track the relative locations of the light sources and to continuously capture images of the optical markers and of user input objects. The computing equipment may generate audio, video or other output based on user input data generated in response to detected changes in position of the user input object with respect to the optical markers in the images. | 04-25-2013 |
20130100020 | ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH CAMERA-BASED USER INTERFACES - Electronic devices may include touch-free user input components that include camera modules having overlapping fields-of-view. The overlapping fields-of-view may form a gesture tracking volume in which multi-dimensional user gestures can be tracked using images captured with the camera modules. A camera module may include an image sensor having an array of image pixels and a diffractive element that redirects light onto the array of image pixels. The diffractive element may re-orient the field-of-view of each camera module so that an outer edge of the field-of-view runs along an outer surface of a display for the device. The device may include processing circuitry that operates the device using user input data based on the user gestures in the gesture tracking volume. The processing circuitry may operate the display based on the user gestures by displaying regional markers having a size and a location that depend on the user gestures. | 04-25-2013 |
20130100082 | TOUCH PANELS WITH DYNAMIC ZOOMING AND LOW PROFILE BEZELS - An electronic device may have a touch panel. The touch panel may detect touch events using one or more cameras. The touch panel may include a planar exterior surface, such as a cover glass, that extends over an active region of a display and an inactive peripheral region. The cameras may be located underneath the inactive peripheral region. The cameras may include a light turning element to allow the cameras to detect touch events, without being raised above the exterior surface of the active region of the display (e.g., without having a raised profile). The touch panel may detect touch events using dynamic zooming techniques. As an example, the touch panel may divide the active region into sections, search for touch events in each section, zoom into sections in which touch events are found, and further search the sections in which touch events were found. | 04-25-2013 |
20130100266 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF OBJECT TOPOLOGY - Electronic devices may include imaging systems with camera modules and light sources. A camera module may be used to capture images while operating one or more light sources. Operating the light sources may generate changing illumination patterns on surfaces of objects to be imaged. Images of an object may be captured under one or more different illumination conditions generated using the light sources. Shadow patterns in the captured images may change from one image captured under one illumination condition to another image captured under a different illumination condition. The electronic device may detect changes in the shadow patterns between multiple captured images. The detected changes in shadow patterns may be used to determine whether an object in an image is a planar object or an object having protruding features. A user authentication system in the device may permit or deny access to the device based, in part, on that determination. | 04-25-2013 |
20130106689 | METHODS OF OPERATING SYSTEMS HAVING OPTICAL INPUT DEVICES | 05-02-2013 |
20130255380 | OPTICAL ACCELEROMETERS - Optical accelerometers may be provided that detect acceleration in up to six axes. An optical accelerometer may include an image sensor and optical elements such as light pipes that extend over the image sensor. Light may be injected into the optical elements by a light source. The optical elements may guide the light onto corresponding portions of an image pixel array on the image sensor. The image pixels may be used to detect changes in the location, size, and intensity of illuminated portions of the pixel array when the optical elements move due to acceleration of the optical accelerometer. The optical accelerometer may include multiple light pipes having various lengths and thicknesses. Light pipes of matching length and thickness may be formed over opposing sides of a pixel array. The light pipes may be coated with a material that responds to electric or magnetic fields. | 10-03-2013 |
20130329921 | OPTICALLY-CONTROLLED SPEAKER SYSTEM - An acoustic system may be provided that includes image sensors and speakers. The system may include control circuitry that operates the speakers based on images captured by the image sensors. The control circuitry may operate the image sensors to capture images of users of the system in the listening environment, extract user attributes of the users from the captured images, and control the volume and phase of sounds generated by each of the speakers based on the extracted user attributes. The user attributes may include a location, a motion, a head height, a head tilt angle, a head rotational angle, the position of each ear of a user or other attributes of each user of the system. The control circuitry may operate the speakers to optimize the acoustic experience of each user by generating sounds based on the user attributes of that user. | 12-12-2013 |
20140221742 | INGESTIBLE ENDOSCOPIC OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE - An ingestible scanning device includes, in an embodiment, a capsule housing having a transparent window and sized so as to be ingestible, a photo-sensing array located within the capsule housing, a mirror located within the housing and oriented to direct an image from a surface outside the transparent window to the photo-sensing array, and a light source for illuminating the surface outside the transparent window. | 08-07-2014 |
20140270640 | Plasmonic Light Collectors - An electronic device may be provided with imaging modules or communications modules. Imaging modules and communications modules may be improved with the use of plasmonic light collectors. Plasmonic light collectors exploit the interaction between incoming light and plasmons in the plasmonic light collector to redirect the path of the incoming light. Plasmonic light collectors may be used to form lenses for image pixels in an imaging module or to form light pipes or lenses for use in injecting optical communications into a fiber optic cable. Plasmonic lenses may be formed by lithography of metallic surfaces by implantation or by stacking and patterning of layers of materials having different dielectric properties. Plasmonic image pixels may be smaller and more efficient than conventional image pixels. Plasmonic light guides may have significantly less signal loss than conventional lenses and light guides. | 09-18-2014 |
20150035966 | HANDHELD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM WITH DISPOSABLE SAMPLE HOLDER AND CHIP-SCALE MICROSCOPE - A handheld diagnostic system may include a disposable sample holder and an analysis module having a chip-scale microscope. The sample holder may have a transparent portion having test chambers for containing respective portions of a biological sample. The analysis module may having a housing with an opening configured to receive the transparent portion of the sample holder. The chip-scale microscope may include an image sensor for capturing images of the biological sample as the transparent portion of the sample holder is inserted into the opening of the analysis module. The analysis module may include a light source for illuminating the sample during image capture operations and optics for gathering light from the sample and focusing the light onto the image sensor. The analysis module may transmit sample imaging information to a portable electronic device, which may in turn display corresponding sample analysis information for a user. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036131 | HANDHELD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM WITH CHIP-SCALE MICROSCOPE AND DISPOSABLE SAMPLE HOLDER HAVING BUILT-IN REFERENCE FEATURES - A handheld diagnostic system may include a disposable sample holder and an analysis module having a chip-scale microscope. The sample holder may have a transparent portion that may be inserted into the analysis module. The transparent portion may have test chambers for containing respective portions of a biological sample. The transparent portion may also include built-in reference features such as reference surfaces, reference markings, and/or reference structures. The chip-scale microscope may include an image sensor for capturing images of the sample and the reference features as the sample holder is inserted into the analysis module. Images of the reference features may be compared with images of the sample and may be used to determine the color, opacity, reflectivity, cell size, and/or cell concentration associated with the sample. The analysis module may transmit sample imaging data to a portable electronic device. | 02-05-2015 |
20150037786 | HANDHELD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM WITH CHIP-SCALE MICROSCOPE AND AUTOMATED IMAGE CAPTURE MECHANISM - A handheld diagnostic system may include a disposable sample holder for receiving and containing a biological sample and an analysis module having a chip-scale microscope. The sample holder may include a plurality of uniformly spaced tick marks. The analysis module may include a sensor for detecting the tick marks as the sample holder is inserted into the analysis module. The chip-scale microscope may include an image sensor for capturing images of the sample. Each time the sensor detects a tick mark, control circuitry may issue a control signal to the image sensor to capture an image of the biological sample. This type of automated image capture mechanism ensures that images are captured at a uniform spatial distribution even when the sample holder is inserted into the analysis module at variable speed. The analysis module may transmit sample imaging data to a portable electronic device. | 02-05-2015 |