Light reflection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10795238-B2
Application number	US-201916460454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

The description relates to devices that emit light from a light source. One example device can include a reflector extending along an arc and oriented in light receiving relation relative to the light source. The reflector can have a cross-sectional reflector profile taken transverse to the arc that includes a first portion having a swept profile that transitions to a second portion having a reverse swept profile.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
multiple light sources arranged laterally along a convex arc; and,
a swept wavy-petal reflector which when viewed transverse to the convex arc comprises a first concave portion and a second convex portion and extends laterally along the convex arc and positioned relative to the multiple light source to cast light from the multiple light sources across an angular range including radial cross-sections within the angular range.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple light sources comprise multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) LEDs, and wherein the light is visible light, IR light, and/or IR light and visible light.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first concave portion and the second convex portion are separated by an inflection point.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the angular range is 360 degrees or wherein the angular range is less than 360 degrees.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a tabletop video conferencing device and the angular range comprises a field of illumination that includes a horizontal distribution pattern and the radial cross-sections are vertical distribution patterns of the range extending angularly outward from the tabletop video conferencing device.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple light sources and the swept wavy-petal reflector comprise an arcuate light-emitting assembly.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a light-sensing assembly configured to sense light reflected back toward the device from objects in the angular range.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the light-sensing assembly is positioned between the arcuate light-emitting assembly and another arcuate light-emitting assembly.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the light from the arcuate light-emitting assembly and the another arcuate light-emitting assembly angularly overlaps in front of the light-sensing assembly.

10. The device of claim 9 , further comprising a diffuser positioned over the arcuate light-emitting assembly and the another arcuate light-emitting assembly.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the diffuser comprises a lenticular.

12. A device, comprising:
a light source; and,
a reflector extending along a convex arc relative to a center of the device and oriented in light receiving relation relative to the light source, the reflector having a cross-sectional reflector profile taken transverse to the convex arc that includes a first portion having a swept profile that transitions to a second portion having a reverse swept profile.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the light source comprises multiple light sources arranged generally along another convex arc, and wherein the convex arc and the another convex arc have the same arc length or wherein the convex arc and the another convex arc have different arc lengths.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the multiple light sources are dithered along the another convex arc.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the cross-sectional reflector profile of the reflector creates an upward bias angle on light reflected from the light source.

16. A device, comprising:
first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies and a light-sensing assembly interposed therebetween; and,
the first arcuate light-emitting assembly configured to emit light across a first angular range and the second arcuate light-emitting assembly configured to emit light across a second angular range that angularly overlaps with the first angular range in front of the light-sensing assembly.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies comprise four arcuate light-emitting assemblies and the light-sensing assembly comprises four light-sensing assemblies interposed between individual arcuate light-emitting assemblies in alternating order.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the four arcuate light-emitting assemblies and the four light-sensing assemblies are arranged in a disc shape.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies and the light-sensing assembly are positioned radially along a plane, and further comprising a lenticular positioned over the first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies, the lenticular having lenticular grooves that are oriented parallel to the plane.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies and the light-sensing assembly are positioned radially along a plane, and further comprising a lenticular positioned over the first and second arcuate light-emitting assemblies, the lenticular having lenticular grooves that are oriented perpendicular to the plane.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Powell Karlton D
• Palve Lalit Anil

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N7/142

  Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display · CPC title

• G03B2215/0592

  installed in front of light emitter · CPC title

• G03B2215/0567

  Solid-state light source, e.g. LED, laser · CPC title

• G03B2215/0525

  Reflector · CPC title