Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080219673 | Optical Transceiver with Reduced Height - A transceiver having a light source die, a photodetector die and a substrate is disclosed. The substrate has a first well in which the light source die is mounted and a second well in which the photodetector die is mounted. The substrate has a reflective surface which blocks light leaving the light source from reaching the photodetector unless the light is reflected by an object external to the transceiver. The reflecting surface of the second well in the substrate is shaped to concentrate light received from outside the transceiver onto the photodetector, and in one aspect of the invention it comprises a non-imaging optical element. The light source is powered by applying a potential between first and second contacts on the light source die. A signal is generated between first and second contacts on the photodetector die in response to illumination of the photodetector die. | 09-11-2008 |
20100282951 | Metal Shield and Housing for Optical Proximity Sensor with Increased Resistance to Mechanical Deformation - An optical proximity sensor is provided that comprises an infrared light emitter operably connected to and driven by a light emitter driving circuit and a light detector operably connected to and driven by a detector sensing circuit. A metal housing or shield formed of metal and comprising first and second apertures surrounds the light emitter and the light detector such that at least a first portion of light emitted by the light detector passes through the first aperture, and at least a second portion of the first portion of light reflected from an object of interest in proximity to the sensor passes through the second aperture for detection by the light detector. The metal housing or shield further comprises first and second modules within which the light detector and light detector are disposed, respectively. The first and second modules comprise adjoining optically opaque metal inner sidewalls that provide optical isolation between the first and second modules, where the first and second inner sidewalls are separated from one another by at least one metal tab foldably disposed therebetween. The at least one metal tab is configured to transfer a vertical force applied to one end of one module to an opposite end of the other module. | 11-11-2010 |
20100315368 | Controller, System and Method for Identifying a Number of Interactions with a Computer Input Area - Disclosed is a method for identifying a number of interactions with a computer input area defined by at least first and second intersecting sets of detection paths. First, indications of which of the detection paths are affected by the interactions are received. Then, for each of the detection path sets, the set's indications of affected detection paths are parsed to identify up to N extents of adjacent, affected detection paths (N≧2). A controller having logic to implement the method, and a system incorporating a control system that implements the method, are also disclosed. | 12-16-2010 |
20110057104 | Miniaturized Optical Proximity Sensor - Various embodiments of a miniaturized optical proximity sensor are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ambient light sensor and a light detector are mounted on first and second spacers, which in turn are mounted to a top surface of an integrated circuit die-attached to a substrate. An optically-transmissive infrared pass compound is molded over the ambient light sensor, the light detector, the integrated circuit, alight emitter and peripheral portions of the substrate. Next, an optically non-transmissive infrared cut compound is molded to over the optically-transmissive infrared pass compound to provide a miniaturized optical proximity sensor having no metal shield but exhibiting very low crosstalk characteristics. | 03-10-2011 |
20110057108 | Compact Optical Proximity Sensor with Ball Grid Array and Windowed Substrate - Various embodiments of a compact optical proximity sensor with a ball grid array and windowed or apertured substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, the optical proximity sensor comprises a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate comprising an aperture and a lower surface having electrical contacts disposed thereon, an infrared light emitter and an infrared light detector mounted on an upper surface of the substrate, an integrated circuit located at least partially within the aperture, a molding compound being disposed between portions of the integrated circuit and substrate, an ambient light detector mounted on an upper surface of the integrated circuit, first and second molded infrared light pass components disposed over and covering the infrared light emitter and the infrared light detector, respectively, and a molded infrared light cut component disposed between and over portions of the first and second infrared light pass components. | 03-10-2011 |
20110121181 | Infrared Proximity Sensor Package with Improved Crosstalk Isolation - Disclosed are various embodiments of an infrared proximity sensor package comprising an infrared transmitter die, an infrared receiver die, a housing comprising sidewalls, a first recess, a second recess, a partitioning divider disposed between the first and second recesses, and an overlying shield comprising an infrared-absorbing material. The transmitter die is positioned in the first recess, and the receiver die is positioned within the second recess. The partitioning divider comprises liquid crystal polymer (LCP) such that the partitioning divider and the infrared-absorbing material of the shield cooperate together to substantially attenuate and absorb undesired infrared light that might otherwise become internally-reflected within the housing or incident upon the receiver as a false proximity or object detection signal. | 05-26-2011 |
20110186736 | Optical Proximity Sensor Package with Lead Frame - Various embodiments of an optical proximity sensor having a lead frame and no overlying metal shield are disclosed. In one embodiment, a light emitter and a light detector are mounted on a lead frame comprising a plurality of discrete electrically conductive elements having upper and lower surfaces, at least some of the elements not being electrically connected to one another. An integrated circuit is die-attached to an underside of the lead frame. An optically-transmissive infrared pass compound is molded over the light detector and the light emitter and portions of the lead frame. Next, an optically non-transmissive infrared cut compound is molded over the optically-transmissive infrared pass compound to provide an optical proximity sensor having no metal shield but exhibiting very low crosstalk characteristics. | 08-04-2011 |
20110204233 | Infrared Attenuating or Blocking Layer in Optical Proximity Sensor - An optical proximity sensor is provided that comprises an infrared light emitter an infrared light detector, a first molded optically transmissive infrared light pass component disposed over and covering the light emitter and a second molded optically transmissive infrared light pass component disposed over and covering the light detector. Located in-between the light emitter and the first molded optically transmissive infrared light pass component, and the light detector and the second molded optically transmissive infrared light pass component is a gap. Layers of infrared opaque, attenuating or blocking material are disposed on at least some of the external surfaces forming the gap to substantially attenuate or block the transmission of undesired direct, scattered or reflected light between the light emitter and the light detector, and thereby minimize optical crosstalk and interference between the light emitter and the light detector. | 08-25-2011 |
20110297832 | Proximity Sensor - A proximity sensor includes a printed circuit board (PCB); a first cup and a second cup embedded in the PCB; an electromagnetic radiation transmitter operably mounted in the first cup; and an electromagnetic radiation receiver operably mounted in the second cup. | 12-08-2011 |
20120008964 | Printable Media Sensing Device, System and Method - Printable media sensing devices, systems and methods are disclosed herein. An array of light emitters projects light through a printable media sheet for detection by a corresponding array of light sensors. A processor is operably connected to the array of light emitters and light sensors, and is configured to activate the light emitters, and receive output signals from the light sensors, and permit the accurate detection and determination of the locations of top of form (TOF) and bottom of form (BOF) for a given printable media sheet, as well as multiple widths corresponding to such sheet. According to some embodiments, the locations of labels on a sheet may also be detected with heightened accuracy, as may regions having no labels disposed thereover. | 01-12-2012 |
20120145932 | PROXIMITY SENSOR DEVICE AND METHOD - A proximity sensor device is provided in compact unit that has the ability to sense or monitor in different directions, such as sensing or monitoring in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Methods are also provided. In an illustrative embodiment, the proximity sensor device includes a first transmitting/receiving pair and a second transmitting/receiving pair on a printed circuit board along with an IC to control the transmitters and receivers, as well as, in some embodiments, to provide signal filtering, amplification or other desired features. | 06-14-2012 |
20120160994 | HOUSING FOR OPTICAL PROXIMITY SENSOR - An optical proximity sensor and housing for the same are disclosed. The housing is provided with at least two support structures and at least two modules. A first of the support structures transfers vertical forces applied to one end of a module to an opposite end of the opposite module. A second of the support structures inhibits a pivoting of the modules about the first support structure. | 06-28-2012 |
20140103199 | Proximity Sensor Device With Internal Channeling Section - A proximity sensor device, which may detect the presence of external objects at close proximity is disclosed. The proximity sensor device may comprise an emitter, a detector, a separation wall and an internal channeling section. In one embodiment, the internal channeling section may be configured to direct light from the emitter to the detector when the external object is present at close proximity. In other embodiments, a proximity sensor assembly, an optical structure and an electronic device having similar internal channeling section are disclosed. | 04-17-2014 |
20150041630 | Optical Device With Reduced Crosstalk - In one embodiment, an optical device comprising an emitter, first and second emitter optical elements and a receiver is disclosed. The emitter and the receiver may be arranged substantially along a longitudinal axis. The first and second emitter optical elements may be interposing the longitudinal axis. One other embodiment discloses an optical device comprising an emitter and a receiver arranged on a longitudinal axis. The optical device may further comprise first and second emitter optical elements arranged along an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis but interposing the longitudinal axis. In another embodiment, a proximity sensor having first and second emitters interposing a longitudinal axis is disclosed. | 02-12-2015 |