Object sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10031260-B2
Application number	US-201415105607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A sensor comprising a thin film photovoltaic pixel is fitted with optics to provide a field-of-view for the sensing of persons, or other objects, entering or exiting said field-of-view. When a person enters the field-of-view, a processor may sense such entry, then provide signals to other electronic apparatus indicative of such an event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic sensing card comprising:
a power source;
a communications module;
a processor;
a first sensor component comprising first angle-selective optics disposed in front of a first thin-film photovoltaic pixel, such that the first angle-selective optics are associated with a first field-of-view;
and wherein the power source, the wireless communications module, the processor, and the first sensor component are communicatively or electrically coupled with one another.

2. The sensing card of claim 1 , wherein the communications module comprises a radio.

3. The sensing card of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light collimating layer disposed between the first angle-selective optics and the first thin-film photovoltaic pixel.

4. The sensing card of claim 1 , wherein the first thin-film photovoltaic pixel comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells.

5. The sensing card of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second thin-film photovoltaic pixel communicatively coupled to the process, and disposed in front of a second thin-film photovoltaic pixel, such that the second angle-selective optics are associated with a second field-of-view.

6. The sensing card of claim 5 , wherein the first field-of-view and the second field-of-view are distinct.

7. The sensing card of claim 5 , wherein the first field-of-view and the second field-of-view minimally overlap.

8. The sensing card of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine when an object is within the first or second field-of-views.

9. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to, after sensing that an object is within the first or second field-of-views, provide electronic signals to an electronic apparatus.

10. The sensing card of claim 9 , wherein the electronic apparatus comprises an electronically addressable display.

11. The sensing card of claim 10 , wherein the electronically addressable display changes its display state based upon the signals.

12. The sensing card of claim 5 , wherein either the first or second angle-selective optics, or both of them, comprise a conoscopic lens.

13. The sensing card of claim 5 , wherein either the first or second angle-selective optics, or both of them, comprise a lenslet.

14. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the time from when an object enters one of the fields-of-view, to when the object exits that field of view.

15. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an aspect of the direction an object is moving, based on the signals received from the first and second sensor.

16. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine, and provide signals indicative of, when an object has entered the first or the second field-of-view, and when that object has exited the first or the second field-of-view.

17. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the object comprises a human.

18. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the object comprises a human-sized object.

19. The sensing card of claim 8 , wherein the object comprises a car-shaped object.

20. The sensing card of claim 3 , wherein the light collimating layer comprises a film.

21. The sensing card of claim 3 , wherein the light collimating layer comprises glass beads.

22. The sensing card of claim 3 , wherein the light collimating layer comprises rear projection film.

23. The sensing card of claim 3 , wherein the light collimating layer comprises a first microlouvered film.

24. The sensing card of claim 23 , wherein the light collimating layer comprises additionally a second microlouvered film, with the microlouveres of the first microlouvered film orthogonally oriented to the microlouveres of the second microlouvered film.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Brigham Scott E
• Epstein Kenneth A
• Kanukurthy Kiran S
• Schultz John C
• Watson Philip E

Classifications

• Y04S50/14

  Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards · CPC title

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G01V8/20 Primary

  using multiple transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• G09F2027/001

  Comprising a presence or proximity detector · CPC title

• G09F27/00

  Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address · CPC title