Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with environmental sensors. Environmental sensors may include one or more environmental sensor components and one or more acoustic components. Acoustic components may include a speaker or a microphone. Environmental sensor components may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, or other sensors or combinations of sensors for sensing attributes of the environment surrounding the device. The environmental sensor may have an enclosure with an opening. The enclosure may be formed from a rigid support structure and a portion of a printed circuit. The opening may be formed in the rigid support structure or the printed circuit. The opening in the enclosure for the environmental sensor may be aligned with an opening in an outer structural member for the device. The outer structural member may be a housing structure or a cover layer for a device display.
Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have layers of metal and dielectric. Strain gauge resistors may be formed from a strain gauge metal such as constantan. The strain gauge metal may be formed within the flexible printed circuit layers. A strain gauge may include strain gauge circuitry coupled to a strain gauge bridge circuit. Strain gauge resistors for the bridge circuit may be formed from traces that follow parallel meandering paths in the flexible printed circuit layers. A component such as a fingerprint sensor may overlap the strain gauge resistors. Strain gauge resistors may be formed in different overlapping metal layers in the flexible printed circuit layers or may be formed from the same metal layer. Electroplating techniques may be used to form metal traces to which solder balls or wire bonds are coupled.
Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with proximity sensor capabilities for monitoring for the presence of nearby external objects. The electronic device may make temperature measurements such as measurements involving the monitoring of nearby objects for emitted blackbody light indicative of whether or not the external object is a heat-emitting object such as a human body part. The same sensor that is used in gathering temperature readings may be used in gathering proximity sensor data or separate temperature sensor and proximity sensor detector structures may be used. Motion sensor capabilities may be provided using sensor structures having an array of heat sensing elements. Signals from the array of heat sensing elements may be used in making temperature measurements and in gathering proximity sensor readings. Sensor structures may operate at wavelengths longer than 3 microns such as wavelengths from 3-5 microns or 10-15 microns.
Abstract:
A sensor array package can include a sensor disposed on a first side of a substrate. Signal trenches can be formed along the edges of the substrate and a conductive layer can be deposited in the signal trench and can couple to sensor signal pads. Bond wires can be attached to the conductive layers and can be arranged to be below a surface plane of the sensor. The sensor array package can be embedded in a printed circuit board enabling the bond wires to terminate at other conductors within the printed circuit board.
Abstract:
A retroreflector system including an outer body panel coupled to a vehicle, wherein the outer body panel is configured to allow a radar signal originating from an external radar device to pass through the outer body panel. The retroreflector system also includes a plurality of retroreflectors embedded in the vehicle, where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to reflect the signal to the external signal source as a reflected signal, and where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to have a peak reflectivity for a radar wavelength range or a light detection and ranging (lidar) wavelength range.
Abstract:
Light-based devices may be provided that emit light. The light-based devices may be incorporated into systems such as vehicles. The light-based devices may include light sources such as light-emitting diodes and lasers. Mirrors may be used to collimate light from the light sources. Light modulators may be used to pattern light from the light sources. The light sources may include light sources of different colors. Arrays of pixels may be used to provide dynamically varying patterns of emitted light. A light source may produce light that is diffracted by an array of diffractive elements on a window. Mechanical and electrical shutters may obscure light sources, mirrors, and light-emitting components mounted on windows.
Abstract:
Aspects of the present disclosure involve a transparent structure. The structure may include at least one light source, a transparent light-carrying guide layer optically coupled with the at least one light source. The structure may include refractive layers where a light absorbing feature is operably associated with the light-carrying guide layer to absorb any light not internally reflected in the light guide layer, at least adjacent the light source.
Abstract:
Light-based devices may be provided that emit light. The light-based devices may be incorporated into systems such as vehicles. The light-based devices may include light sources such as light-emitting diodes and lasers. Mirrors may be used to collimate light from the light sources. Light modulators may be used to pattern light from the light sources. The light sources may include light sources of different colors. Arrays of pixels may be used to provide dynamically varying patterns of emitted light. A light source may produce light that is diffracted by an array of diffractive elements on a window. Mechanical and electrical shutters may obscure light sources, mirrors, and light-emitting components mounted on windows.
Abstract:
Lighting may be provided using light sources such as lighting systems with arrays of light-emitting diodes. A lighting system may be integrated into a seat, a door panel, a dashboard, or other interior portions of a system such as a vehicle. The interior portions of the vehicle may be illuminated using lighting systems to provide ambient light, to provide custom surface textures and other decorative patterns, to provide icons, text, and other information, and to provide custom gauges and other illuminated regions. Illuminated regions may overlap sensors such as capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors. The light-emitting diodes in a lighting system may supply light that passes through openings in a cover layer. The layer may be formed from fabric, leather, or other materials. Lens structures may guide light through the openings.
Abstract:
A vehicle may have optical structures such as windows and mirrors that have the potential to allow glare from external objects to shine into the eyes of a driver or other vehicle occupant. A control circuit may gather information on where the eyes of the driver are located using a camera mounted in the vehicle and may gather information on where the sun or other source of glare are located outside of the vehicle. Based on this information, the control circuit may direct a light modulator on a window or mirror to selectively darken an area that prevents the glare from reaching the eyes of the driver. The light modulator may have a photochromic layer that is adjusted by shining light onto the photochromic layer, may be a liquid crystal modulator, an electrochromic modulator, or other light modulator layer.