Avago Technologies Ecbu IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Other

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Avago Technologies Ecbu IP Pte. Ltd.

Marshall Thomas DePue

Tong Xie

Douglas Michael Baney

Dale W Schroeder

Gary Richard Trott

Ramakrishna Kakarala

Gregory Douglas VanWiggeren

Hisato Uetsuka

Susan Hunter

Shalini Venkatesh

Hiroaki Okano

Doug Baney

The various embodiments generally describe systems and methods related to 3-dimensional (3-D) imaging. In one exemplary embodiment, an imaging system incorporates a 2-dimensional (2-D) image capture system that generates 2-D digital image information representing an object, a signal transmitter that transmits a ranging signal towards the object, and a signal receiver that receives the ranging signal returned by the object. Also included, is an image processor that computes distance information from the time difference between signal transmission and reception of the ranging signal. The image processor combines the distance information and 2-D digital image information to produce 3-D digital image information representing the object.

Systems and methods for 3-D imaging

A system, method, and device for tracking motion across a surface by creating an interference pattern by reflecting light from the surface. There is produced, as a result of sensor moving across the surface, at least one signal pattern corresponding to a detection of a dimension of the interference pattern. This detected dimension is associated with an assumed dimensional value to determine a distance traveled by the sensor.

Tracking motion using an interference pattern

Utilizing frequency-dependent diffraction (also referred to as dispersion) to determine the angular position of a retro-reflective object within a scanning space. The technique involves dispersing an electromagnetic beam into a scanning space by frequency. If a retro-reflective object is located within the scanning space, the object will retro-reflect a portion of the dispersed beam having a frequency that is associated with the angular position of the retro-reflective object within the scanning space. The frequency of the retro-reflected beam is used to determine the angular position of the retro-reflective object within the scanning space. When a second beam is dispersed into the scanning space and a portion of the second beam is retro-reflected in the manner just described, a second angular position of the retro-reflective object can be found. Coordinates of the retro-reflective object are determinable by triangulation using the two angular positions. These are absolute, as opposed to relative, coordinates.

Position determination that is responsive to a retro-reflective object

An apparatus classifies a material, which may include identifying the material, identifying the type of the material, or identifying the type of the material's surface. The apparatus includes a detector for capturing an image of a surface of the material, and a processor classifies the material by analyzing the image. When incorporated in a mechanism, this apparatus can classify the material on which the mechanism is operating, and, thus, the mechanism can tune some or all of its settings to the material without inconvenience to and with no susceptibility to error by a human operator. For example, when incorporated in a printer, this apparatus can identify the type of media being printed, and, thus, the printer can tune its print settings to the identified media type without relying on operator input.

Apparatus for classifying a material by analyzing the material's surface, and related systems and method

An optical device and methods thereof are described. The device includes a first light source adapted to emit light onto a surface, and a detector adapted to receive light reflected from the surface. The reflected light produces a speckle pattern. The distance between the optical device and the surface can be measured using a quantifiable attribute associated with the speckle pattern.

Optical device that measures distance between the device and a surface

An optical position-tracking system comprises a first light beam steering device for sweeping a first light beam through a first angular range to cause a reflection of the first light beam by a target. Additionally, the optical position-tracking system further comprises a second light beam steering device for sweeping a second light beam through a second angular range to cause a reflection of the second light beam by the target. Moreover, the optical position-tracking system enables determination of a position of the target using a triangulation technique utilizing a first angular value of the first light beam and a second angular value of the second light beam. The first angular value and the second angular value depend on the existence of the respective reflection.

Method and system for optically tracking a target using a triangulation technique

An method and device suitable for navigation on a wide variety of surfaces is introduced. Specular reflection is used to determine relative motion over typical surfaces. A specific application is a computer mouse.

Method and device for optical navigation

Tracking separation between an object and a surface involves illuminating the surface and reducing the collection angle of light that reflects off of the surface in response to a change in separation between the object and the surface. Reducing the collection angle of light that reflects off of the surface causes the amount of light that is detected to be dependent on the separation distance between the object and the surface. The amount of detected light is then used as an indication of the separation distance.

Tracking separation between an object and a surface using a reducing structure

Systems and methods for position determination and motion tracking for use in a processor based system. Embodiments may incorporate a redirector that moves in at least one direction about a fixed point, an object operable to reflect a search beam as a location beam, logic operable to determine at least one angle of position for the object from the orientation of the redirector, and logic operable to determine a distance of the object from a fixed point.

Position determination and motion tracking

An optical navigation system for determining movement relative to a navigation terrain includes a first source and a second source of optical radiation for illuminating the navigation terrain, the first source differing from the second source in at least one operating parameter. The system further includes means to select the first source and the second source independently based on decision criteria. The system further includes a detector for capturing patterns in the optical radiation subsequent to illuminating of the navigation terrain.

Low power consumption, broad navigability optical mouse

An optical position-tracking system comprises an optical device for generating an incident light beam and a reference light beam from a light beam. Moreover, the optical position-tracking system further comprises a light beam steering device for sweeping the incident light beam through an angular range to cause a reflection of the incident light beam by a target, whereas the reflection of the incident light beam is directed to interfere with the reference light beam to form an interference light beam. Additionally, the optical position-tracking system enables determination of a position of the target using an interferometric technique utilizing an angular value of the incident light beam and the interference light beam, whereas the angular value depends on the reflection.

Method and system for optically tracking a target using interferometric technique

Combining the approaches of cavity ring down spectroscopy with surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy allows creation of an ultra-high sensitivity apparatus to detect extremely low concentrations of chemicals and biomolecules.

Method and apparatus for ultra-high sensitivity optical detection of biological and chemical agents

A method for determining relative movement between an optical navigation device and a navigation terrain includes generating two overlapping coherent optical beams, and generating a pattern of interference fringes between the two overlapping optical beams. The method further includes illuminating a surface portion of the navigation terrain with the pattern of interference fringes, imaging a fringe-illuminated surface portion, and generating a pattern of signals in response to the imaged fringe-illuminated surface portion.

System and method for optical navigation using a projected fringe technique

An optical attenuator having a multi-mode waveguide segment and a perturbation element. An incident single-mode optical signal is converted to a multi-mode optical signal in the multi-mode waveguide segment. The optical attenuator couples incident light into higher order modes of the multi-mode waveguide segment resulting in attenuation of the incident optical signal.

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San Mateo, CA, United States of America

Marshall Thomas DePue