公开(公告)号：US11681027B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-20

申请号：US17026365

申请日：2020-09-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Scott T. Smith ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/144 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/42

CPC classification number: G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: An optical sensing device includes a light source, which is configured to emit one or more beams of light pulses at respective angles toward a target scene. An array of sensing elements is configured to output signals in response to incidence of photons on the sensing elements. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene onto the array. Control circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in one or more selected regions of the array, each selected region containing a respective set of the sensing elements in a part of the array onto which the light collection optics image a corresponding area of the target scene that is illuminated by the one of the beams, and to adjust a membership of the respective set responsively to a distance of the corresponding area from the device.

公开(公告)号：US20210164776A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-03

申请号：US17175714

申请日：2021-02-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Zeev Roth ,  Mendy Shoval ,  Moshe Laifenfeld ,  Sagy Zino ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01B11/22 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  H01S5/183 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/10 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01S5/32

Abstract: Depth sensing apparatus includes a radiation source, which is configured to emit a first plurality of beams of light pulses toward a target scene. An array of a second plurality of sensing elements is configured to output signals indicative of respective times of incidence of photons on the sensing element, wherein the second plurality exceeds the first plurality. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene onto the array of sensing elements. Processing and control circuitry is coupled to receive the signals from the array and is configured to search over the sensing elements in order to identify, responsively to the signals, respective regions of the array on which the light pulses reflected from the target scene are incident, and to process the signals from the identified regions in order determine respective times of arrival of the light pulses.

公开(公告)号：US10955234B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-23

申请号：US16532517

申请日：2019-08-06

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Zeev Roth ,  Mendy Shoval ,  Moshe Laifenfeld ,  Sagy Zino ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01B11/22 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01S5/183 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01S5/32

Abstract: Depth sensing apparatus includes a radiation source, which is configured to emit a first plurality of beams of light pulses toward a target scene. An array of a second plurality of sensing elements is configured to output signals indicative of respective times of incidence of photons on the sensing element, wherein the second plurality exceeds the first plurality. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene onto the array of sensing elements. Processing and control circuitry is coupled to receive the signals from the array and is configured to search over the sensing elements in order to identify, responsively to the signals, respective regions of the array on which the light pulses reflected from the target scene are incident, and to process the signals from the identified regions in order determine respective times of arrival of the light pulses.

公开(公告)号：US10795001B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-06

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865

Abstract: 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.

公开(公告)号：US20200158831A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: 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.

公开(公告)号：US20180081041A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-22

申请号：US15586300

申请日：2017-05-04

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01B11/22 ,  G01S17/89

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01B11/22 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/102 ,  G01S17/89

Abstract: Depth-sensing apparatus includes a laser, which is configured to emit pulses of optical radiation toward a scene, and one or more detectors, which are configured to receive the optical radiation that is reflected from points in the scene and to output signals indicative of respective times of arrival of the received radiation. Control and processing circuitry is coupled to drive the laser to emit a sequence of the pulses in a predefined temporal pattern that specifies irregular intervals between the pulses in the sequence, and to correlate the output signals with the temporal pattern in order to find respective times of flight for the points in the scene.

公开(公告)号：US20170176579A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15372411

申请日：2016-12-08

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/481

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

Abstract: 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.