公开(公告)号：US20240057896A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-22

申请号：US18234786

申请日：2023-08-16

Applicant: APPLE INC

Inventor： Edward Vail ,  Ehsan Shah-Hosseini ,  Joseph M. Schmitt

IPC: A61B5/11 ,  A61B5/00

CPC classification number: A61B5/1126 ,  A61B5/681 ,  G02B6/4298

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a waveguide for directing, receiving, and coherently mixing electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic radiation source to detect one or more physical phenomena. The waveguide is integrable into a printed circuit board, allowing the optical sensor to maintain a small footprint.

公开(公告)号：US20240288549A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18113104

申请日：2023-02-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Thierry Oggier ,  Ehsan Shah-Hosseini ,  Edward Vail

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4913 ,  G01S17/34

CPC classification number: G01S7/4812 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4913 ,  G01S17/34

Abstract: Range sensing apparatus includes a transmitter including an array of emitters configured to emit respective beams of coherent optical radiation and switching circuitry coupled to the emitters. An optical assembly is configured to divide each beam of the coherent optical radiation into a transmitted beam and a local beam, to project the local beam toward an optical detector, to project the transmitted beam toward a respective location on a target, and to direct optical radiation reflected from the respective location onto the optical detector so as to interfere optically with the local beam. A controller is coupled to apply amplitude-chirped electrical drive pulses to the transmitter while controlling the switching circuitry to temporally multiplex the electrical drive pulses among the emitters, and to receive and process electrical beat signals output by the optical detector in response to interference between the reflected optical radiation and the local beam.

公开(公告)号：US20240004073A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-04

申请号：US18195862

申请日：2023-05-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Edward Vail ,  Ahmet Fatih Cihan ,  Mengshu Huang

IPC: G01S17/50 ,  G01B9/02 ,  G06F3/01

CPC classification number: G01S17/50 ,  G01B9/02092 ,  G06F3/017 ,  G06F3/014

Abstract: A wearable device includes a band and a set of one or more SMI sensors. The band has a band interior opposite a band exterior, and is operable to attach the wearable device to a user. The band defines a cavity, and a portion of the band interior separates the cavity from the user. The set of one or more SMI sensors are disposed in the cavity. The set of one or more SMI sensors are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the portion of the band interior and generate a set of one or more SMI signals including information indicative of movement of the portion of the band interior.

公开(公告)号：US20230333371A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US18105709

申请日：2023-02-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Edward Vail ,  Xibin Zhou ,  Ahmet Fatih Cihan ,  Walter Nistico

IPC: G02B27/00 ,  G02B27/01

CPC classification number: G02B27/0093 ,  G02B27/0172 ,  G02B2027/0138

Abstract: An eye tracking device includes a head-mountable frame, an optical sensor subsystem mounted to the head-mountable frame, and a processor. The optical sensor subsystem includes a set of one or more SMI sensors. The processor is configured to operate the optical sensor subsystem to cause the set of one or more SMI sensors to emit a set of one or more beams of light toward an eye of a user; to receive a set of one or more SMI signals from the set of one or more SMI sensors; and to track a movement of the eye using the set of one or more SMI signals.

公开(公告)号：US20230089141A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17480704

申请日：2021-09-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Ahmet Fatih Cihan ,  Edward Vail ,  Weiping Li ,  Xiaolong Fang ,  Xibin Zhou ,  Pengfei Qiao

IPC: H01S5/026 ,  H01S5/42 ,  H01S5/14 ,  H01S5/0687 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S5/183

Abstract: Self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors may include vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL), photodetectors, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The VCSEL, photodetectors, and MEMS may be vertically stacked. The MEMS may be moveable with respect to a VCSEL and may change a cavity length associated with the VCSEL. By changing the cavity length associated with the VCSEL, certain properties of emitted light may be changed, such as a wavelength value of the emitted light.

公开(公告)号：US20230087691A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17903840

申请日：2022-09-06

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Edward Vail ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Yongkang Gao

IPC: H04B10/079 ,  H04B10/294

Abstract: An optical sensing system includes a transmitter side and a receiver side, and is configured to be positioned below a display of an electronic device. The transmitter side includes a light emitter. The receiver side includes an array of photodiodes. The light emitter of the transmitter side and the array of photodiodes of the receiver side are optically coupled via a waveguide. As a result of this construction, the optical sensing system can be operated as an interferometric optical sensor.