Near-field optical sensing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9109949-B2
Application number	US-201313829009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2015
Grant date	Aug 18, 2015

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for sensing touch and/or gestures in the near-field area overlying a light-guiding layer within a device or other optical sensing system. In one aspect, modulated infrared light is emitted into the overlying area, and the light reflected by objects within the overlying area is redirected through the light-guiding layer to infrared sensors. In one aspect, a masking structure can be located between the light-guiding layer and the infrared sensors. In some aspects, probability mapping or backtracing can be used to estimate the locations of objects within the overlying area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical sensing system, comprising:
a light guiding layer having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more edges;
an infrared (IR) light source configured to direct light into an area overlying the first surface of the light guiding layer;
a plurality of light-turning structures configured to redirect light passing through the first surface of the light guiding layer into the light-guiding layer;
a plurality of IR sensors adjacent at least…

Assignees

• Qualcomm Mems Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Cui Xiquan
• Sezan Muhammed I
• Gruhlke Russell Wayne
• Zhang Qiang

Classifications

• G06F2203/04108

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F2203/04109

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0428

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02B6/0076

  Physics · mapped topic