Integrated near field sensor for display devices
First Claim
1. A computing device, comprising:
- a processor;
a display screen that includes a transmissive layer having a diffractive pattern configured to direct at least a portion of light received over a plurality of angles incident on a plurality of regions of the display screen to a plurality of light sensors near at least one edge of the transmissive layer; and
memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;
detect intensity values of the at least the portion of light incident on the plurality of regions of the display screen using the plurality of light sensors;
analyze variations in the intensity values caused by a shadow on the display screen to determine a difference between a first intensity value corresponding to a first region of the display screen and a second intensity value corresponding to at least a second region of the display screen; and
determine a position with respect to the computing device for one or more objects that cast the shadow on the display screen based on one or more characteristics of the first intensity value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transmissive element including a diffractive and/or refractive pattern can be used with a display screen of a computing device to allow the display screen to function as a near field optical sensor (NFOS). The NFOS can be used to detect shadows cast on the display screen, and/or bright objects detected near the display screen, which can be used to determine the relative position of one or more features with respect to the device. These features can be, for example, the fingers or thumbs of a user attempting to provide input to the computing device. The device can support motion or gesture detection using cameras of the device, and touch input using touch screen functionality, but the NFOS can enable the device to also track motion in the dead zone between the field of view of the cameras and the touch screen.
55 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computing device, comprising:
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a processor; a display screen that includes a transmissive layer having a diffractive pattern configured to direct at least a portion of light received over a plurality of angles incident on a plurality of regions of the display screen to a plurality of light sensors near at least one edge of the transmissive layer; and memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to; detect intensity values of the at least the portion of light incident on the plurality of regions of the display screen using the plurality of light sensors; analyze variations in the intensity values caused by a shadow on the display screen to determine a difference between a first intensity value corresponding to a first region of the display screen and a second intensity value corresponding to at least a second region of the display screen; and determine a position with respect to the computing device for one or more objects that cast the shadow on the display screen based on one or more characteristics of the first intensity value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:
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detect, using one or more light sensors, intensity values for light received over a plurality of angles on a display screen of the computing device, the light directed to the one or more light sensors by a diffractive pattern of the display screen; analyze variations in the intensity values caused by a shadow on the display screen to determine a difference between a first intensity value corresponding to a first region of the display screen and a second intensity value corresponding to at least one other region of the display screen; and determine a position with respect to the computing device for one or more objects that cast the shadow on the display screen based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the first intensity value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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detecting, by one or more light sensors of a computing device, intensity values from light received over a plurality of angles on a display screen of the computing device, the light directed to the one or more light sensors by a diffractive pattern of the display screen; analyzing, by a processor of the computing device, variations in the intensity values caused by a shadow on the display screen to determine a difference between a first intensity value corresponding to a first region of the display screen and a second intensity value corresponding to at least one other region of the display screen; and determining, by the processor, a position with respect to the computing device for one or more objects that cast the shadow on the display screen based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the first intensity value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification