Light transmissive regions to pass light to cameras

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10802294-B2
Application number	US-201916724589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

In some examples, an apparatus includes a housing to removably attach to an electronic device that includes first and second cameras spaced apart by a first distance. The apparatus includes a first light transmissive region of the housing to align with the first camera, the first light transmissive region to pass light from an environment to the first camera. The apparatus further includes a second light transmissive region of the housing spaced apart from the first light transmissive region by a second distance different from the first distance, and a light conduit to pass the light from the environment through the second light transmissive region to the second camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a housing to removably attach to an electronic device comprising first and second cameras spaced apart by a first distance;
a first light transmissive region of the housing to align with the first camera, the first light transmissive region to pass light from an environment to the first camera;
a second light transmissive region of the housing spaced apart from the first light transmissive region by a second distance greater than the first distance; and
a light conduit to pass the light from the environment through the second light transmissive region to the second camera.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a combination of the first and second light transmissive regions and the light conduit increases an effective spacing between the first and second cameras as compared to the first distance between the first and second cameras.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first and second light transmissive regions are approximately aligned with eyes of a user when viewing a display of the electronic device attached to the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light transmissive regions comprise respective first and second openings in the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light transmissive regions comprise respective first and second optical elements in the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light conduit comprises a light reflector to direct the light from the environment and passed through the second light transmissive region along a direction that is angled with respect to a direction at which the light from the environment enters the second light transmissive region.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the light conduit further comprises a lens proximate the second light transmissive region, the lens to focus the light onto the light reflector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light conduit is to bend the light from the environment and passed through the second light transmissive region.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a head-mounted device comprising the housing, the head-mounted device to removably attach to the electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising an accessory comprising the housing, the accessory to removably attach to the electronic device.

11. A method comprising:
providing, in an accessory attachable to an electronic device, a first light transmissive region and a second light transmissive region, the first light transmissive region to align with a first camera of the electronic device; and
forming a light conduit in the accessory, a first end of the light conduit in optical communication with the second light transmissive region, and a second end of the light conduit to align with a second camera of the electronic device, wherein a distance between the first and second light transmissive regions is greater than a distance between the first and second cameras, wherein a combination of the first and second light transmissive regions and the light conduit increases an effective spacing between the first and second cameras as compared to the distance between the first and second cameras.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising arranging optical elements in the light conduit to bend light from an outside environment and that is passed through the second light transmissive region.

13. An accessory comprising:
a housing to removably attach to an electronic device comprising first and second cameras spaced apart by a first distance;
a first light transmissive region of the housing to align with the first camera, the first light transmissive region to pass light from an environment to the first camera;
a second light transmissive region of the housing spaced apart from the first light transmissive region by a second distance greater than the first distance; and
a light conduit to pass the light from the environment through the second light transmissive region to the second camera, the second light transmissive region to receive the light from the environment along a first direction, and the light conduit to propagate the light from the environment received through the second light transmissive region along a second direction angled with respect to the first direction, wherein the light conduit includes optical elements to bend light from the environment passed through the second light transmissive region.

14. The accessory of claim 13 , wherein a combination of the first and second light transmissive regions and the light conduit increases an effective spacing between the first and second cameras as compared to the first distance between the first and second cameras.

15. The accessory of claim 13 , wherein the optical elements comprise a lens and a reflector.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Sutherland Timothy J
• Wright Philip

Classifications

• H04N13/239 Primary

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N13/271

  wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps · CPC title

• G02B30/35 Primary

  using reflective optical elements in the optical path between the images and the observer · CPC title

• H04N2213/001

  Constructional or mechanical details · CPC title

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title