Optical gesture sensor having a light modifying structure
First Claim
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1. A device comprising:
- a segmented photo sensor comprising a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments being configured to detect light and to output time dependent signals in response thereto;
a first light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a first one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the first one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the first one of the plurality of segments, the first light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion with respect to a center axis defined perpendicular to a surface of the first one of the plurality of segments; and
a second light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a second one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor structure and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the second one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the second one of the plurality of segments, the second light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion with respect to a center axis defined perpendicular to a surface of the second one of the plurality of segments, wherein the first one of the plurality of segments and the associated first light modifying structure faces a first direction and the second one of the plurality of segments and the associated second light modifying structure faces a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction such that the first one of the plurality of segments has a field of view that is different than the second one of the plurality of segments.
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Abstract
A gesture sensing device includes a single light source and a multiple segmented single photo sensor, or an array of photo sensors, collectively referred to herein as segmented photo sensors. A light modifying structure relays reflected light from the light source onto different segments of the segmented photo sensors. The light modifying structure can be an optical lens structure or a mechanical structure. The different segments of the photo sensor sense reflected light and output corresponding sensed voltage signals. A control circuit receives and processes the sensed voltage signals to determine target motion relative to the segmented photo sensor.
32 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a segmented photo sensor comprising a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments being configured to detect light and to output time dependent signals in response thereto; a first light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a first one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the first one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the first one of the plurality of segments, the first light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion with respect to a center axis defined perpendicular to a surface of the first one of the plurality of segments; and a second light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a second one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor structure and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the second one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the second one of the plurality of segments, the second light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion with respect to a center axis defined perpendicular to a surface of the second one of the plurality of segments, wherein the first one of the plurality of segments and the associated first light modifying structure faces a first direction and the second one of the plurality of segments and the associated second light modifying structure faces a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction such that the first one of the plurality of segments has a field of view that is different than the second one of the plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device comprising:
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a segmented photo sensor comprising a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments being configured to detect light and to output time dependent signals in response thereto; a first light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a surface of a first one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the first one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the first one of the plurality of segments, the first light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion; and a second light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a surface of a second one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the second one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the second one of the plurality of segments, the second light modifying structure comprising a plurality of layers offset in a stair-step fashion, wherein the first one of the plurality of segments and the associated first light modifying structure faces a first direction and the second one of the plurality of segments and the associated second light modifying structure faces a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction such the first one of the plurality of segments has a field of view that is different than the second one of the plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A sensing device comprising:
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a segmented photo sensor comprising a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments being configured to detect light and to output time dependent signals in response thereto; a first light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a surface of a first one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the first one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the first one of the plurality of segments, the first light modifying structure comprising a first plurality of layers horizontally offset with respect to an underlying layer in a direction extending from a vertical axis defined with respect to the surface of the first one of the plurality of segments of the photo sensor; and a second light modifying structure disposed adjacent to a surface of a second one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor and configured to selectively block a portion of the light with respect to the second one of the plurality of segments and to influence how the light is directed to the second one of the plurality of segments, the second light modifying structure comprising a second plurality of layers horizontally offset with respect to an underlying layer in a direction extending from a vertical axis defined with respect to the surface of the second one of the plurality of segments of the segmented photo sensor, wherein the first one of the plurality of segments and the associated first light modifying structure faces a first direction and the second one of the plurality of segments and the associated second light modifying structure faces a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction such that the first one of the plurality of segments has a field of view that is different than the second one of the plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification