Optical sensor and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9772404-B2
Application number	US-201314655433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

In order to provide an optical sensor that can accurately sense a direction of movement of an object to be sensed even in a case where disturbance light is present, an optical sensor of the present invention includes: a light-emitting element; a circularly-segmented light-receiving element group (RDPD), including light-receiving elements circularly provided at edges of a region on which reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element is incident, for generating respective photocurrents upon receiving the reflected light; and a gesture circuit section for sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the light-receiving elements included in the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group (RDPD).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical sensor comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a circularly-segmented light-receiving element group, circularly provided at edges of a central region on which reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element is incident, each of the elements in the circularly segmented light-receiving element group generating respective photocurrents upon receiving the reflected light; and
a gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group,
the gesture circuit not utilizing any photocurrent from the central region to sense the direction of movement,
the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group including a plurality of light-receiving elements circularly provided at edges of the central region on which the reflected light is incident,
a movement of the object to be sensed changing a region on which the reflected light from the object to be sensed is incident, the changing region being defined by the reflected light being incident on the central region and changing to/from at least one of the light receiving elements of the circularly-segmented light-receiving group,
the gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement by comparing positions of the light receiving elements in which the reflected light is incident during a) entry into and b) departure from a sensing range of the optical sensor.

2. The optical sensor as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens-shaped protrusion that has one of focal points which one is located in the region on which the reflected light is incident and that collects the reflected light in the region.

3. An electronic device comprising an optical sensor as set forth in claim 1 .

4. An optical sensor comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a circularly-segmented light-receiving element group, circularly provided at outer edges of a central region on which reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element is incident, each of the elements in the circularly segmented light-receiving element group generating respective photocurrents upon receiving the reflected light; and
a gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group,
the gesture circuit not utilizing any photocurrent from the central region to sense the direction of movement,
the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group including a plurality of light-receiving elements circularly provided at outer edges of the central region on which the reflected light is incident,
a movement of the object to be sensed changing a region on which the reflected light from the object to be sensed is incident, the changing region being defined by the reflected light being incident on the central region and changing to/from at least one of the light receiving elements of the circularly-segmented light-receiving group,
the gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement by comparing positions of the light receiving elements in which the reflected light is incident during a) entry into and b) departure from a sensing range of the optical sensor.

5. The optical sensor as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising:
a lens-shaped protrusion that has one of focal points which one is located in the region on which the reflected light is incident and that collects the reflected light in the region.

6. An electronic device comprising an optical sensor as set forth in claim 4 .

7. An optical sensor comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a circularly-segmented light-receiving element group, circularly provided at peripheries of a central region on which reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element is incident, each of the elements in the circularly segmented light-receiving element group generating respective photocurrents upon receiving the reflected light; and
a gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group,
the gesture circuit not utilizing any photocurrent from the central region to sense the direction of movement,
the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group including a plurality of light-receiving elements circularly provided at peripheries of the central region on which the reflected light is incident,
a movement of the object to be sensed changing a region on which the reflected light from the object to be sensed is incident, the changing region being defined by the reflected light being incident on the central region and changing to/from at least one of the light receiving elements of the circularly-segmented light-receiving group,
the gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement by comparing positions of the light receiving elements in which the reflected light is incident during a) entry into and b) departure from a sensing range of the optical sensor.

8. The optical sensor as set forth in claim 7 , further comprising:
a lens-shaped protrusion that has one of focal points which one is located in the region on which the reflected light is incident and that collects the reflected light in the region.

9. An electronic device comprising an optical sensor as set forth in claim 7 .

10. An optical sensor comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a light blocking resin section for blocking a part of reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element;
a circularly-segmented light-receiving element group, circularly provided at an adjacent section adjacent to a region on which the reflected light blocked by the light blocking resin section could be incident in a region on which the reflected light not blocked by the light blocking resin section is incident; and
a gesture circuit sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group,
the circularly-segmented light-receiving element group including a plurality of light-receiving elements circularly provided at an adjacent section adjacent to a region on which the reflected light blocked by the light blocking resin section could be incident in the region on which the reflected light not blocked by the light blocking resin section is incident.

11. The optical sensor as set forth in claim 10 , further comprising:
a lens-shaped protrusion that has one of focal points which one is located in the region on which the reflected light is incident and that collects the reflected light in the region.

12. An electronic device comprising an optical sensor as set forth in claim 10 .

13. An optical sensor comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a plurality of first light-receiving elements, circularly provided at edges of a central region on which reflected light from an object to be sensed reflecting light emitted by the light-emitting element is incident, each of the elements in the circularly segmented light-receiving element group generating respective photocurrents upon receiving the reflected light;
a gesture circuit for sensing a direction of movement of the object to be sensed upon receiving the photocurrents generated by the plurality of first light-receiving elements;
the gesture circuit not utilizing any photocurrent from the central region to sense the direction of movement,
a second light-rec

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Shirasaka Yasuyuki

Classifications

• G01J1/0214

  Constructional arrangements for removing stray light · CPC title

• G01S7/481

  Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements · CPC title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01P13/00

  Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement (electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00) · CPC title

• G01S17/50 Primary

  Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target · CPC title