Proximity sensor including a photon emitter, a photon receiver and an opaque structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a body having a cavity, at least a portion of the body being an opaque structure;
an aperture in the body that places the cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body;
a photon emitter located in the cavity below the aperture and configured to emit photons through the aperture to the environment external to the body; and
a photon receiver located in the cavity, the opaque structure of the body being located over, fully covering, and facing an active surface of the photon receiver, the photon receiver being configured to receive, through the same aperture, photons that are both reflected from an object that is spaced apart from the body in the environment external to the body and reflected from a surface of the opaque structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One or more embodiments are directed to a device comprising: a body having a cavity, an opaque structure, and an aperture in the body that places the cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body. A photon emitter is located in the cavity below the aperture and configured to emit photons through the aperture to the environment external to the body. A photon receiver is located in the cavity below the opaque structure of the body and configured to receive photons that are each reflected from both an object that is spaced apart from the body in the environment external to the body and from a surface of the opaque structure.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A device comprising:
-
a body having a cavity, at least a portion of the body being an opaque structure; an aperture in the body that places the cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body; a photon emitter located in the cavity below the aperture and configured to emit photons through the aperture to the environment external to the body; and a photon receiver located in the cavity, the opaque structure of the body being located over, fully covering, and facing an active surface of the photon receiver, the photon receiver being configured to receive, through the same aperture, photons that are both reflected from an object that is spaced apart from the body in the environment external to the body and reflected from a surface of the opaque structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method comprising:
-
emitting photons through an aperture in a body for a period of time; receiving the emitted photons reflected from both an object external to and spaced apart from the body and at least two surfaces in a cavity of the body by a photon receiver, the at least two surfaces being a portion of the body, wherein one surface of the at least two surfaces is an opaque structure that is located over and covers the photon receiver such that the emitted photons reflect from the opaque structure before being received by the photon receiver; measuring a first value of the emitted photons received by the photon receiver; and storing the first value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A device comprising:
-
a body that includes an open cavity; an opaque structure covering a portion of the open cavity; an aperture in the opaque structure that places the open cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body; a radiation emitter located in the open cavity below and aligned with the aperture and configured to emit radiation through the aperture to the environment external to the body; and a radiation receiver located in the portion of the open cavity covered by the opaque structure such that the radiation receiver is fully covered by the opaque structure, the radiation receiver being spaced apart from the radiation emitter and configured to receive radiation reflected from an object that is located in the environment external to the body and is spaced apart from and proximate to the body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A device comprising:
-
a body that includes a cavity; a substrate and an opaque structure located over the cavity; an aperture in the opaque structure that places the cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body; a radiation emitter coupled to a surface of the substrate and located in the cavity below and directly aligned with the aperture and configured to emit radiation through the aperture to the environment external to the body; and a radiation receiver coupled to the surface of the substrate and located in the cavity below the opaque structure of the body, spaced apart from the radiation emitter, and offset from the aperture, the radiation receiver configured to receive radiation reflected from an object located in the environment external to the body, and that is spaced apart from and proximate to the body, wherein the radiation received by the radiation receiver is further reflected from first and second surfaces in the cavity before being received by the radiation receiver, wherein the first surface in the cavity is a surface of the opaque structure of the body and the second surface is a surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
Specification