Near-field optical sensing system
First Claim
1. An optical sensing system, comprising:
- a light guiding layer having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more edges;
an infrared (IR) light source configured to direct light into an area overlying the first surface of the light guiding layer;
a plurality of light-turning structures configured to redirect light passing through the first surface of the light guiding layer into the light-guiding layer;
a plurality of IR sensors adjacent at least one edge of the light-guiding layer; and
a plurality of masking structures disposed between the light-guiding layer and the plurality of IR sensors.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for sensing touch and/or gestures in the near-field area overlying a light-guiding layer within a device or other optical sensing system. In one aspect, modulated infrared light is emitted into the overlying area, and the light reflected by objects within the overlying area is redirected through the light-guiding layer to infrared sensors. In one aspect, a masking structure can be located between the light-guiding layer and the infrared sensors. In some aspects, probability mapping or backtracing can be used to estimate the locations of objects within the overlying area.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An optical sensing system, comprising:
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a light guiding layer having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more edges; an infrared (IR) light source configured to direct light into an area overlying the first surface of the light guiding layer; a plurality of light-turning structures configured to redirect light passing through the first surface of the light guiding layer into the light-guiding layer; a plurality of IR sensors adjacent at least one edge of the light-guiding layer; and a plurality of masking structures disposed between the light-guiding layer and the plurality of IR sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical sensing system, comprising:
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a light guiding layer having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more edges; means for illuminating an area overlying the first surface of the light guiding layer with infrared (IR) light; a plurality of light-turning structures configured to redirect light passing through the first surface of the light guiding layer into the light-guiding layer; a plurality of IR sensors adjacent at least one edge of the light-guiding layer; and a plurality of masking structures disposed between the light-guiding layer and the plurality of IR sensors. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of sensing one or more objects overlying a light-guiding layer, the method comprising:
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illuminating an area overlying a first surface of the light-guiding layer with infrared (IR) light; redirecting IR light reflected by the one or more overlying objects into the light-guiding layer and towards a plurality of IR light sensors, wherein a masking structure is disposed between the light-guiding layer and the plurality of IR light sensors; measuring one or more signals indicative of the IR light incident upon the IR light sensors; and analyzing the measured one or more signals to estimate a location of the one or more overlying objects. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification