Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Mitutoyo Corporation

Intel Corporation

Microvision, Inc.

Lv Sensors, Inc.

Transparent Networks, Inc.

David Skurnik

Nicole Dorene Kerness

Christopher Francis Edwards

Anand K Chamakura

Nevzat Akin Kestelli

Sunny Kweisun Hsu

Pirooz Parvarandeh

Ilya K Veygman

Randall Brian Sprague

Eric Charles Abbott

Nils Ingvar Andermo

Margaret K Brown

Geoffrey Hugh Jones

Waisiu Law

Clarence T Tegreene

Christopher A Wiklof

Gerald B Pier

Mark O Freeman

Joy T Jones

Eric Altendorf

Phillip J Benzel

Cheng-Chung Huang

Patrick H Mawet

Randy Sprague

Mark A Holton

Martin A Kykta

Harpal Singh Sira

Voytek Andron

Daryl Ray Hawkins

Mark L Delany

Colette Cywes-Bentley

A gesture sensing device includes a multiple segmented photo sensor and a control circuit for processing sensed voltages output from the sensor. The control circuit processes the sensed voltage signals to determine target motion relative to the segmented photo sensor. The control circuit includes an algorithm configured to calculate one of more differential analog signals using the sensed voltage signals output from the segmented photo sensors. A vector is determined according to the calculated differential analog signals, the vector is used to determine a direction and/or velocity of the target motion.

Method for detecting gestures using a multi-segment photodiode and one or fewer illumination sources

A gesture sensing device includes a single light source and a multiple segmented single photo sensor, or an array of photo sensors, collectively referred to herein as segmented photo sensors. A light modifying structure relays reflected light from the light source onto different segments of the segmented photo sensors. The light modifying structure can be an optical lens structure or a mechanical structure. The different segments of the photo sensor sense reflected light and output corresponding sensed voltage signals. A control circuit receives and processes the sensed voltage signals to determine target motion relative to the segmented photo sensor.

Optical gesture sensor having a light modifying structure

Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for reducing ambient light sensitivity of Infrared (IR) detectors. Optical filter(s) (e.g., absorption filter(s), interference filter(s)) placed over a sensor of the IR detector (e.g., gesture sensor) absorb or reflect visible light, while passing specific IR wavelengths, for promoting the reduced ambient light sensitivity of the IR detector.

System and method for reducing ambient light sensitivity of infrared (IR) detectors

Optical gesture sensor using a single illumination source

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for detecting both ambient light and proximity to an object. This detection is performed by a double-layered photodiode array and corresponding circuitry such that ambient light and proximity detection are enabled by a plurality of integrated photodiodes. In various embodiments of the invention, ambient light is sensed using a first set of photodiodes and a second set of photodiodes such that a spectral response is created that is approximately equal to the visible light spectrum. Proximity detection is realized using an integrated photodiode, positioned below the first and second sets of photodiodes, that detects infrared light and generates a response thereto.

Double layer photodiodes in ambient light sensors and proximity detectors

A circuit for detecting a phase error between a clock signal and a beam position includes a beam generator, a sensor, and a phase detector. The beam generator directs a beam toward a beam sweeper in response to the clock signal, and the sensor detects the beam as directed from the beam sweeper. The phase detector determines from the detected beam the error in the clock phase relative to the beam position. Such a circuit can automatically detect the phase error in the pixel clock and correct this error, thus eliminating the need for a manual phase-error corrector. The circuit may also be able to adjust the width and/or the height of a scan region, and thus may also be able to adjust the width and/or height of an image frame within the scan region.

Circuit for detecting a clock error in a scanned-image system and related circuits, systems, and methods

A tire pressure monitoring system is provided that includes a switched capacitor circuit having a clock with two non-overlapping clock phases that control a state of analog switches of the switched capacitor circuit. The system uses tire pressure sensor MEMS capacitors that are measured differentially. A capacitance-to-voltage converter is connected to the MEMS sense capacitor, and a sigma-delta converter having a comparator with a first digital output state and a second digital output state is used. The first output state is a sum of reference voltages and the second output state is a difference of the reference voltages. An average value of the capacitance-to-voltage converter output is driven to a zero value and a digital output is provided of the average output states that is equal to a difference between the MEMS capacitors divided by their sum multiplied by a ratio of the reference voltages.

Signal conditioning methods and circuits for a capacitive sensing integrated tire pressure sensor

A method includes obtaining a measurement of a property of a light source, scanning light from the light source onto a surface, such that the light interacts with the surface, detecting light from the surface to create a picture element, and correcting the picture element with the measurement of the property. An apparatus includes a scanned beam display, the scanned beam display is configured to receive a signal and to scan the signal for viewing by a user. The signal is to contain picture element information. The picture element information includes information for a plurality of colors, wherein information for at least one color is corrected to substantially remove a perturbation to the picture element information, such that an image containing the picture element information will be substantially unchanged by the perturbation.

Apparatuses and methods for utilizing non-ideal light sources

A system and method for generating an approximated position signal that is updated and output at a rate higher than a base rate of actual position signals measured using a position transducer. The actual position signals are determined and/or stored by a transducer signal processing circuit at discrete time intervals. The approximated position signals are generated by a high frequency estimated position generating circuit. A rate of incrementing the approximated position signals is adjusted for use during the next discrete time interval by an error correction feedback loop, based on a difference between certain approximated and actual position values. The accuracy of the system may be further improved by utilizing a latch signal to ensure that the approximated and actual position values that are compared by the error feedback loop correspond to the same time.

System and method for generating a high speed estimated position output for a position encoder

An apparatus for detecting a centroid of a spot produced by electromagnetic radiation, e.g., optic radiation, using an array of PIN photodiodes serving as photodetectors and being organized in columns and in rows. Vertical connections are used to interconnect the PIN photodiodes in the columns in accordance with a first pattern that interconnects two or more adjacent columns. Horizontal connections are used to interconnect PIN photodiodes in the rows in accordance with a second pattern that interconnects two or more adjacent rows. The first and second patterns of interconnections can include just two adjacent columns and two adjacent rows, respectively and form a checkerboard interconnect pattern. The interconnections are made such that there are no anode connections between the PIN photodiodes in the rows and columns. The apparatus has a processing circuitry for rapidly deriving an X-extent of the centroid from current signals obtained from the columns and a Y-extent of the centroid from current signals obtained from the rows.

Very high speed photodetector system using a PIN photodiode array for position sensing

A control system for controlling individual mirrors in a MEMS-based optical switching fabric is presented. The control system includes a position sensitive detector positioned to receive a control beam reflected from individual mirrors of a first mirror array. In some embodiments, the control beam can be time-multiplexed with a calibration beam. The position of the control beam corrected in response to the position of the calibration beam can be compared with a position calculated on the port assignment of the individual mirrors in order to provide feedback to a feed-back based control system for the individual mirrors.

Feedback control system for a MEMS based optical switching fabric

The invention provides a method of sampling precision measurement signals to achieve an accurate measurement position at a particular measurement time, such that the measurement accuracy is unaffected by the velocity of motion. The method involves sampling each signal during a predetermined sampling period such that a signal from one sensor is sampled first, a signal from a second sensor sampled second, etc., and then the signals are sampled in reverse order such that the first signal sampled is sampled last. These sampled signals are averaged and produce a precision measurement at a time measured at one-half of the sampling time. In addition, this method can be applied to the use of separate scale tracks where each scale track is alternately sampled, or alternatively, where one scale track is sampled in the middle of the sampling period of another scale track.

Symmetric sampling

Power saving methods for a battery powered electronic measurement system includes controlling the clock speed for different subsystems of the electronic measurement system and controlling the timing cycles of a controller of the electronic measurement system. Controlling the clock speed of the different subsystems includes using a controller clock for the controller and an internal clock for a signal generating and processing circuit. The internal clock runs at a high frequency during a measurement operation. During other times, the internal clock is disabled. The controller clock outputs a first clock signal having a slow frequency which is substantially slower than the internal clock signal and a second clock signal having an extremely slow frequency which is substantially slower than the first clock signal. Controlling the timing cycles of the controller includes operating the controller using a fast mode timing cycle when measurements are being made, a slow mode timing cycle when measurements are not being made, and a sleep mode timing cycle when the controller is in a sleep mode. Each of the timing cycles includes a different length halt portion. During a halt portion, all data processing by the controller is stopped and the controller is run using the second clock signal. In a fast portion of the fast mode timing cycle, the controller is run using the first clock signal. In slow portions of the other mode timing cycles, the controller is run using the second clock signal.

Method for conserving power by adjusting clock frequency based on a

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

David Skurnik