Apple Inc.

Matthew C Waldon

Steven Porter Hotelling

Jerrold Von Hauck

Gennadiy A Agranov

Moshe Laifenfeld

Lynn Richard Youngs

Ivan Krstic

Anup K Sharma

Jonathan Pokrass

Thomas P Mensch

Michael Ross Malone

Lucia Elena Ballard

Tal Kaitz

Petr Kostka

Andrei Kolin

Deepti S Prakash

Christopher G Zeleznik

Ziv Hendel

Gideon Littwin

Eitan Hirsh

Etai Littwin

Lucie Kucerova

Brett W Degner

Dinesh C Mathew

Steve Porter Hotelling

Thorsten Gernoth

Feng Tang

Alexander Shpunt

Keith J Hendren

Matthew Phillip Casebolt

Mina A Rezk

Patrick Kessler

Xi Chelsea Chen

Ron Alan Hopkinson

John M Brock

Charles A Schwalbach

Christiaan A Ligtenberg

Bradley Joseph Hamel

William Francis Leggett

Peteris K Augenbergs

Gavin J Reid

Cristiano L Niclass

Cina Hazegh

Brandon S Smith

Gary S Thomason

David S Gere

Joss Nathan Giddings

Thierry Oggier

Pavan Kumar Anasosalu Vasu

Tom Tate

Rudolph Van Der Merwe

Scott Thomas Smith

Myra Mary Haggerty

William Matthew Vieta

Thomas M Gregory

Kelsey Yukio Ho

Shingo Mandai

Alex Tremain Nelson

Micah P Kalscheur

Jawad Nawasra

Rui L Peterson

Edward Allen Valko

Sijie Li

Pavan Kumar Ansosalu Vasu

Deepti Sunder Prakash

Chris Zeleznik

Techniques are disclosed relating to biometric authentication, e.g., facial recognition. In some embodiments, a device is configured to verify that image data from a camera unit exhibits a pseudo-random sequence of image capture modes and/or a probing pattern of illumination points (e.g., from lasers in a depth capture mode) before authenticating a user based on recognizing a face in the image data. In some embodiments, a secure circuit may control verification of the sequence and/or the probing pattern. In some embodiments, the secure circuit may verify frame numbers, signatures, and/or nonce values for captured image information. In some embodiments, a device may implement one or more lockout procedures in response to biometric authentication failures. The disclosed techniques may reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of spoofing and/or replay attacks, in some embodiments.

Biometric authentication techniques

An imaging device includes objective optics configured to form an image at a focal plane and having an optical axis that intersects the focal plane at an optical center. An image sensor, which includes an array of sensor elements arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, is positioned in the focal plane with a center point of the matrix displaced transversely by at least ten rows relative to the optical center.

Camera with asymmetric field of view

An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

Imaging system with synchronized scan and sensing

One embodiment may take the form of a method of operating a computing device to provide presence based functionality. The method may include operating the computing device in a reduced power state and collecting a first set of data from a first sensor. Based on the first set of data, the computing device determines if an object is within a threshold distance of the computing device and, if the object is within the threshold distance, the device activates a secondary sensor to collect a second set of data. Based on the second set of data, the device determines if the object is a person. If the object is a person, the device determines a position of the person relative to the computing device and executes a change of state in the computing device based on the position of the person relative to the computing device. If the object is not a person, the computing device remains in a reduced power state.

Presence sensing

An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which emits at least one beam of light pulses, a beam steering device, which transmits and scans the at least one beam across a target scene, and an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element outputs a signal indicative of a time of incidence of a single photon on the sensing element. Light collection optics image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

Light detection and ranging sensor

The present application describes various embodiments of systems and methods for providing internal components for portable computing devices having a thin profile. More particularly, the present application describes internal components configured to fit within a relatively thin outer enclosure.

Internal components of a portable computing device

Embodiments described include a system comprising a position sensing device (PSD) and a light source. The light source is configured to, by passing one or more light beams through the PSD, cause one or more electrical currents to flow through the PSD. The system further comprises a processor, configured to (i) in response to the electrical currents, ascertain an amount of power that is delivered by the light source, and (ii) in response to the amount of power exceeding a threshold amount of power, inhibit the light source from further operation. Other embodiments are also described.

Thin PSD for laser-scanning systems

A sensing device includes an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element includes a photodiode, including a p-n junction, and a local biasing circuit, coupled to reverse-bias the p-n junction at a bias voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the p-n junction by a margin sufficient so that a single photon incident on the p-n junction triggers an avalanche pulse output from the sensing element. A bias control circuit is coupled to set the bias voltage in different ones of the sensing elements to different, respective values that are greater than the breakdown voltage.

Spad array with pixel-level bias control

An electronic device may have light-based components. The light-based components may include light sources, light detectors, and image sensors. The light-based components may be aligned with a window in the device. The window may be formed within an inactive area of a display or within other device structures. The window may have one or more window members mounted within an opening in a display layer in the inactive area. Visible light blocking material such as chalcogenide glass may be incorporated into the window to provide the window with an opaque appearance that matches the opaque appearance of surrounding portions of the inactive portion of the display. In configurations in which the light-based components include a visible image sensor or other visible light detecting component, the window may be provided with a portion that is transparent at visible wavelengths.

Display with windows for visible and infrared components

A camera including a spherically curved photosensor and a lens system. Effective focal length f of the lens system is within about 20% of the radius of curvature of the photosensor. An image is formed by the lens system at a spherically curved image plane that substantially matches the concave surface of the photosensor. The camera is diffraction-limited with small spot size, allowing small pixels to be used in the photosensor. F/number may be 1.8 or less. The spherically curved image plane formed by the lens system at the photosensor follows f*&#x3b8; image height law. Chief rays of the lens system are substantially normal to the concave surface of the photosensor. Total axial length of the camera may be 2.0 mm or less. The camera may be implemented in a small package size while still capturing sharp, high-resolution images, making the camera suitable for use in small devices.

Small form factor high-resolution camera

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Matthew C Waldon