Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120327288 | IMAGING METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH ANGLE-DISCRIMINATION LAYER - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an imaging system that includes a light guide having light-turning features that are configured to receive ambient light incident on the light guide, including light scattered from a scene to be imaged, and to direct the received ambient light towards an image sensor. The light-turning features may have angle-discriminating properties so that some light-turning features capture light incident upon the light guide at certain angles of incidence, but not others. Light scattered from multiple parts of a scene to be imaged may then be directed to correlated locations on an image sensor, which provides electronic data representing an image. | 12-27-2012 |
20130082980 | OPTICAL TOUCH DEVICE WITH PIXILATED LIGHT-TURNING FEATURES - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a touch screens configured to determine a position of a touch event by selectively redirecting light to correlated locations on a light sensor. In one aspect, the touch screen apparatus can include a light guide forming a touch interface, a light source for injecting light into the light guide, a light sensor for detecting the injected light, and a pixilated light-turning layer. The pixilated light-turning layer can include a plurality of light-turning features forming pixels. The pixels can receive incident light corresponding to the emitted light scattered by an object contacting the light guide. The pixels can redirect the incident scattered light towards the light sensor such that light selectively propagates to one or more correlated light receiving locations. A processor can map the light receiving location to an area contacted by the object, thereby determining a position of a touch event. | 04-04-2013 |
20130118547 | PHOTOVOLTAIC WINDOW WITH LIGHT-TURNING FEATURES - This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for directing light incident on a window towards photovoltaic cells. In one aspect, photovoltaic cells are arranged the perimeter of a window pane. The pane also includes light-turning features that divert a portion of the incident light towards the photovoltaic cells on the perimeter, while simultaneously transmitting a portion of incident light through the pane. The dimensions and arrangement of the light-turning features can be adjusted to change the amount of light diverted to the photovoltaic cells, and consequently the amount of light transmitted through the glass. | 05-16-2013 |
20130135188 | GESTURE-RESPONSIVE USER INTERFACE FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing a gesture-responsive user interface for an electronic device. In one aspect, an apparatus or electronic device has an interactive display that provides an input/output (I/O) interface to a user of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a processor, a light emitting source and at least two light sensors. A secondary optical lens structures emitted light from the light emitting source into at least one lobe. Each light sensor outputs, to the processor, a signal representative of a characteristic of received light, where the received light results from scattering of the structured emitted light by an object. The processor effectuates the I/O interface by recognizing, from the output of the light sensors, an instance of a user gesture, and to control the interactive display and/or the apparatus in response to the user gesture. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135189 | GESTURE-RESPONSIVE USER INTERFACE FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A COLOR CODED 3D SPACE - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for three dimensional position determination of an object. In one aspect, a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation and a second EM radiation is emitted, toward a position-sensing volume, the first and second EM radiation each having a respective, different, wavelength. Scattered radiation, resulting from interaction of the emitted first and second EM radiation with an object located in the position-sensing volume, is detected. Characteristics of the detected scattered radiation have a correlation with a position of the object in the position-sensing volume. A three dimensional position of the object is determined, from the correlation. The position-sensing volume may be proximate to, and extend above, an external surface of a display screen. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135219 | Touchscreen Having A Color Coded 2-D Space - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for two dimensional position determination of an object. In one aspect, a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation and a second EM radiation is emitted, along a plane, toward a position-sensing region, the first and second EM radiation each having a respective, different, wavelength. Scattered radiation, resulting from interaction of the emitted first and second EM radiation with an object located in the position-sensing region, is detected. Characteristics of the detected scattered radiation have a correlation with a position of the object in the position-sensing region. A two dimensional position of the object is determined, from the correlation. The position-sensing region may be co-planar with, and/or disposed proximate and parallel to an external surface of a display screen. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135358 | LIGHT COLLIMATING MANIFOLD FOR PRODUCING MULTIPLE VIRTUAL LIGHT SOURCES - The present disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus to produce a plurality of virtual light sources and at least partially collimate light. In one aspect, a manifold to collimate light can produce a plurality of virtual light sources used to inject light into a light guide for illuminating a display. The manifold can be formed of optically transmissive material and can have a backside for receiving light from a light source and a front wall, opposite the backside, for outputting light. The front wall can include first and second output portions separated by a non-light emitting area, each of the output portions providing a separate virtual light source. The upper, bottom, and side walls of the manifold can extend along a curve from the backside to the front wall and can be configured to collimate light propagating in directions extending out of the plane of the light guide. | 05-30-2013 |
20130169606 | LIGHT DIRECTION DISTRIBUTION SENSOR - This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for measuring the direction distribution of light. In some implementations, an ambient light direction distribution sensor device can include, for example, a light steering layer that is designed to steer light from different incident angles toward associated locations on a light detector. The light detector can then output one or more signals that are indicative of the amount of light that is incident upon the sensor device from different incident angles. These measurements can be used to control various parameters of a display in response to the detected ambient lighting conditions. | 07-04-2013 |
20130314447 | Method and Apparatus for Display Calibration - A calibration system may be provided for calibrating displays in electronic devices during manufacturing. The calibration system may include calibration computing equipment and a test chamber having a light sensor. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to operate the light sensor and the display to gather display intensity performance data for obtaining a display gamma model. The display intensity performance data may be gathered using a range of display control settings that will be used in performing color calibration operations for the display. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to operate the light sensor and the display to gather display color performance data for determining a display white point calibration. Display white point calibration data may be provided to the electronic device and stored in volatile or non-volatile memory in the device or may be permanently stored in circuitry associated with the display. | 11-28-2013 |
20140028858 | Displays and Temperature Adaptive Display Calibration - A calibration system may be provided for calibrating displays in electronic devices during manufacturing. The calibration system may include calibration computing equipment and a test chamber having a light sensor. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to operate the light sensor and the display to gather display white point information such as the native white point of the display. Temperature data may be gathered from the electronic device during display calibration operations using a thermal sensor. The calibration computing equipment may determine a temperature adaptive target white point based on the gathered temperature data. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to compare the native white point of the display with the temperature adaptive target point. Based on the comparison, the calibration computing equipment may generate corresponding display calibration parameters. The display calibration parameters may be provided to and stored in the electronic device. | 01-30-2014 |
20140085265 | Directional Light Sensors - A directional light sensor may be provided having an array of beam steering elements and an array of corresponding light sensors. Each beam steering element may be configured to direct light from a given angle onto a particular light sensor so that the angular distribution of light may be mapped onto a planar grid of light sensors. Each beam steering element may be formed using holographic, refractive, diffusive or other structures for redirecting a beam of light. An electronic device may be provided having a directional light sensor. The directional light sensor in the electronic device may provide ambient light data or user input data to the electronic device. A test system may be provided having a directional light sensor for gathering ambient light data during testing and manufacturing of an electronic device. | 03-27-2014 |