Bracket assembly for a multi-component vision system in an electronic device

• US 10,963,006 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2019
• Issued: 03/30/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fletcher, Ashley E., Pakula, David A., Jarvis, Daniel W., Kole, Jared M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US16/722,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20200125139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1609 to support filters or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

An electronic device that includes a vision system carried by a bracket assembly is disclosed. The vision system may include a first camera module that captures an image of an object, a light emitting element that emits light rays toward the object, and a second camera module that receives light rays reflected from the object. The light rays may include infrared light rays. The bracket assembly is designed not only carry the aforementioned modules, but to also maintain a predetermined and fixed separation between the modules. The bracket assembly may form a rigid, multi-piece bracket assembly to prevent bending, thereby maintaining the predetermined separation. The electronic device may include a transparent cover designed to couple with a housing. The transparent cover includes an alignment module designed to engage a module and provide a moving force that aligns the bracket assembly and the modules to a desired location in the housing.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing at least partially defining an internal volume;

a display assembly including a touch input layer, the display assembly comprising a notch that defines an inactive area of the display assembly; and

a facial recognition system, comprising;

an emitter configured to project a pattern comprising spaced apart dots onto a surface;

a sensor configured to detect a variation in a separation distance between one or more of the spaced apart dots; and

processor circuitry configured to authenticate a user based at least in part on the detected variation.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the emitter and the sensor are disposed at the notch.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the notch defines the inactive area along a top edge of the display assembly.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the surface is a body part of the user.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to unlock the device based at least in part on the authenticating the user.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the variation corresponds to structural features of the surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to authenticate the user based at least in part on a comparison between the determined variation in the separation distance and a reference profile.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a doppler module configured to detect motion.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the doppler module is disposed at the notch.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a transparent cover coupled with the housing;

a display assembly covered by the transparent cover, the display assembly including a touch input layer and an active region; and

an object recognition system covered by the transparent cover and disposed adjacent to the active region, the object recognition system comprising;

an emitter configured to project a pattern comprising spaced apart dots;

a sensor configured to detect a variation in a separation distance between one or more of the spaced apart dots on a surface; and

processor circuitry configured to perform an action based at least in part on the detected variation.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the emitter comprises an infrared light emitter.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the spaced apart dots are defined by infrared light.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a first camera module and a second camera module.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first camera module is configured to capture an image of the surface and the second camera module is configured to receive light corresponding to the pattern on the surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the surface is defined by a user'"'"'s face.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to determine a three-dimensional depth map of the surface based at least in part on the detected variation.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to compare the three-dimensional depth map with a predetermined reference profile and to perform the action when the three-dimensional depth map corresponds to the predetermined reference profile.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing at least partially defining an internal volume;

a display assembly including a touch input layer and an inactive area; and

an object recognition system, comprising;

an emitter configured to project a pattern comprising spaced apart dots onto a surface;

a sensor configured to detect a variation in a separation distance between one or more of the spaced apart dots; and

processor circuitry configured to identify the object based at least in part on the detected variation.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to detect motion of the surface.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to determine a spatial relationship between features of the object.

21. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the surface is defined by multiple objects.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to determine spatial relationships between the multiple objects.

23. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the sensor comprises two or more camera modules.

24. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the emitter comprises a pattern emitting module and a lighting element.