Display and a light sensor operable as an infrared emitter and infrared receiver

• US 10,433,398 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Gagne-Keats, Jason Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/838,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20190081114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/08 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for photometry standard sources, also using luminescent or radioactive material
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/22 using a variable element in the light-path, e.g. filter, polarising means G01J1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/2826 Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0235 using means for replacing an element by another, for replacing a filter or a grating
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/108 for measurement in the infrared range
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2803 using photoelectric array detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Presented here is a system to record high-resolution infrared images without the need to include additional stand-alone sensors into the mobile device. According to one embodiment, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is modified to emit IR and near-IR light in a large field. The modified display allows for depth sensing and infrared imaging without a stand-alone emitter. Additionally, an IR shutter filter can be applied to the existing front facing red, green, blue (RGB) camera that would only be in place when the display is in IR emission mode. The combination of these two technologies allows a facial recognition system using existing hardware, and not require additional sensors or emitters to achieve face recognition.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a dual-mode display screen comprising a plurality of display members, in a first mode of operation of the dual-mode display screen the plurality of display members transmitting visible light and forming an image on the dual-mode display screen, and in a second mode of operation of the dual-mode display screen the plurality of display members transmitting infrared (IR) light into an environment surrounding the dual-mode display screen;

a dual-mode camera comprising a plurality of imaging members, in a first mode of operation of the dual-mode camera the plurality of imaging members receiving visible light and forming an image of visible light, and in a second mode of operation of the dual-mode camera the plurality of imaging members receiving IR light and forming an image of IR light;

a controller coupled to the dual-mode display screen and the dual-mode camera synchronizing the dual-mode display screen and the dual-mode camera by sending a first instruction to the dual-mode display screen to transmit IR light, and sending a second instruction to the dual-mode camera to receive IR light; and

a filtering member comprising a plurality of spectral filters, a first spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing green light and IR light to pass through the first spectral filter, a second spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing red light and IR light to pass through the second spectral filter, and a third spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing blue light and IR light to pass through the third spectral filter at the same time.

2. The system of claim 1, a display member in the plurality of display members comprising a single organic light emitting diode (OLED) emitting visible light and IR light.

3. The system of claim 1, the dual-mode camera comprising:

the filtering member comprising the plurality of spectral filters comprising a visible light filter and an IR filter, the visible light filter in the plurality of spectral filters substantially blocking IR light from passing through the visible light filter, and the IR filter in the plurality of spectral filters substantially blocking visible light from passing through the IR filter; and

a switching member moving the filtering member and positioning the IR filter to substantially block visible light transmitted by a display member in the plurality of display members when the controller sends the first instruction to transmit IR light.

4. A system comprising:

a display screen comprising a dual-mode display member, a first mode of operation of the dual-mode display member transmitting visible light and forming an image on the display screen, and a second mode of operation of the dual-mode display member transmitting infrared (IR) light into an environment surrounding the display screen;

a controller sending an instruction to the dual-mode display member to transmit IR light; and

a filtering member comprising a plurality of spectral filters, a first spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing green light and IR light to pass through the first spectral filter, a second spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing red light and IR light to pass through the second spectral filter, and a third spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing blue light and IR light to pass through the third spectral filter at the same time.

5. The system of claim 4, comprising:

a dual-mode power source connected to the dual-mode display member, a first mode of operation of the dual-mode power source providing a first amount of power and causing the dual-mode display member to transmit visible light, a second mode of operation of dual-mode power source providing a second amount of power and causing the dual-mode display member to transmit IR light; and

the controller sending a second instruction to the dual-mode power source to provide the second amount of power.

6. The system of claim 4, the display screen comprising a plurality of dual-mode display members repetitively arranged, the plurality of dual-mode display members comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED) operable to emit visible light and IR light.

7. The system of claim 6, the plurality of dual-mode display members comprising an OLED operable to emit green light and IR light, an OLED operable to emit red light and IR light, and an OLED operable to emit blue light and IR light.

8. The system of claim 4, the dual-mode display member comprising:

a visible light emitter to emit visible light associated with the first mode of operation of the dual-mode display member;

an infrared emitter to emit IR light associated with the second mode of operation;

a polarizer to adjust a polarization of IR light and the visible light; and

liquid crystal to selectively transmit polarized IR light and the polarized visible light.

9. The system of claim 4, the display screen comprising an OLED operable to emit only visible light and an OLED operable to emit IR light, a density of the OLED operable to emit IR light smaller than a density of the OLED operable to emit only visible light.

10. The system of claim 4, comprising:

the filtering member comprising the plurality of spectral filters comprising a visible light filter and an IR filter, the visible light filter in the plurality of spectral filters substantially blocking IR light from passing through the visible light filter, and the IR filter in the plurality of spectral filters substantially blocking visible light passing through the IR filter; and

switching member moving the filtering member and positioning the IR filter to substantially block visible light.

11. The system of claim 10, the switching member comprising a guide along which the filtering member moves in response to the switching member moving the filtering member.

12. The system of claim 10, the switching member comprising a piezo electric material expanding when power is applied to the Piezo electric material, moving the filtering member to position the IR filter between the dual-mode display member and an outer surface of the display screen.

13. The system of claim 4, the dual-mode display member transmitting IR light only upon receiving the instruction to transmit IR light from the controller.

14. The system of claim 4, the dual-mode display member transmitting visible light and the IR light at the same time.

15. A method comprising:

providing a display screen comprising a dual-mode display member, a first mode of operation of the dual-mode display member transmitting visible light and forming an image on the display screen, and a second mode of operation of the dual-mode display member transmitting infrared (IR) light into an environment surrounding the display screen;

providing a controller to send an instruction to the dual-mode display member to transmit IR light; and

providing a filtering member comprising a plurality of spectral filters, a first spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing only green light and IR light to pass through the first spectral filter, a second spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing only red light and IR light to pass through the second spectral filter, and a third spectral filter in the plurality of spectral filters allowing only blue light and IR light to pass through the third spectral filter at the same time.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

providing a dual-mode power source connected to the dual-mode display member, a first mode of operation of the dual-mode power source providing a first amount of power and causing the dual-mode display member to transmit visible light, a second mode of operation of dual-mode power source providing a second amount of power and causing the dual-mode display member to transmit IR light; and

providing the controller to send the instruction to the dual-mode display member to transmit IR light comprising the controller sending a second instruction to the dual-mode power source to provide the second amount of power.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

providing the display screen comprising a plurality of dual-mode display members repetitively arranged, the plurality of dual-mode display members comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED) operable to emit visible light and IR light.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

providing the display screen comprising an OLED operable to emit only visible light and an OLED operable to emit IR light, a density of the OLED operable to emit IR light smaller than a density of the OLED operable to emit only visible light.