Electronic Devices With Optical Identification Sensor

    公开(公告)号:US20230385591A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-11-30

    申请号:US18446228

    申请日:2023-08-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G06K19/07762 G06K7/12 G09F3/005 G06K2007/10485

    Abstract: An electronic device may be attached to an external item. The electronic device may include an optical identification sensor configured to sense a color-encoded tag in the external item when the item is attached to the device. The optical identification sensor may include a board layer, a protective filter layer, wall structures for supporting the protective filter layer on the board layer, a linear array of photodetectors disposed between the board layer and the protective filter layer, a field-of-view restriction filter interposed between the photodetectors and the protective filter layer, and a light source having multiple emitters for illuminating the color-encoded tag. The emitters may be activated sequentially to produce multiple images that are combined to reconstruct an accurate reading of the color-encoded tag, which can then be used to identify the type of external item currently attached to the electronic device.

    Electronic Devices With Ambient Light Sensors and Emissive Displays

    公开(公告)号:US20210004053A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-01-07

    申请号:US17030220

    申请日:2020-09-23

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with an array of pixels that display images for a user. The electronic device may have an ambient light sensor for gathering ambient light information. A subset of the pixels in the array of pixels may overlap the ambient light sensor so that ambient light passing through the subset of pixels may be measured. Each pixel may have an emission enable transistor coupled in series with a light-emitting diode. Control circuitry in the electronic device may disable the subset of pixels to reduce stray light during ambient light measurements while enabling remaining pixels in the array of pixels to display an image. Ambient light sensor circuitry may gather ambient light sensor measurements over one or more periods by using transfer transistors to transfer change from the photodetectors to charge storage capacitors formed from floating diffusions in a common substrate.

    Electronic devices with beam-steered infrared light sensing

    公开(公告)号:US11513003B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-11-29

    申请号:US16922914

    申请日:2020-07-07

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may include sensors such as a visible-light image sensor for capturing images. The sensors may also include optical sensors that operate at other wavelengths. An infrared light sensor may be used to gather an infrared light spectrum of a target object. The infrared light sensor may have a beam steerer and other adjustable components such as adjustable lenses and adjustable polarizers. During operation, an infrared beam emitted by the infrared light sensor may be steered onto the target object using information from a captured visible-light image and/or other sensor data such as distance sensor data, orientation sensor data, three-dimensional image sensor data, and data from other sensors. Infrared spectra, visible-light camera images, and/or data from other sensors may be used in characterizing target objects so that notifications can be provided to a user and other actions taken.

    Ambient Light Sensor Windows For Electronic Devices

    公开(公告)号:US20200382739A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-12-03

    申请号:US16428635

    申请日:2019-05-31

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device has pixels that form an active area of a display for displaying images for a user. A layer of black ink or other opaque material may be formed on an inner surface of a display cover layer in an inactive area of the display that does not overlap pixels. The housing may have sidewalls such as a rear housing wall that faces away from the display. Ambient light sensor windows may be formed from tapered holes or other holes. The tapered holes may be formed in the opaque material on the display cover layer, may be formed in a rear housing wall or other hosing structure, or may be formed in other portions of the electronic device. Non-tapered holes may also form windows. Tapered holes may have sidewalls with portions that run parallel to their longitudinal axes and portions that are angled relative to their longitudinal axes.

    Electronic devices with ambient light sensors and emissive displays

    公开(公告)号:US10817018B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-10-27

    申请号:US16398093

    申请日:2019-04-29

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with an array of pixels that display images for a user. The electronic device may have an ambient light sensor for gathering ambient light information. A subset of the pixels in the array of pixels may overlap the ambient light sensor so that ambient light passing through the subset of pixels may be measured. Each pixel may have an emission enable transistor coupled in series with a light-emitting diode. Control circuitry in the electronic device may disable the subset of pixels to reduce stray light during ambient light measurements while enabling remaining pixels in the array of pixels to display an image. Ambient light sensor circuitry may gather ambient light sensor measurements over one or more periods by using transfer transistors to transfer change from the photodetectors to charge storage capacitors formed from floating diffusions in a common substrate.

    Electronic devices with optical identification sensor

    公开(公告)号:US12033018B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-07-09

    申请号:US18446228

    申请日:2023-08-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G06K19/07762 G06K7/12 G09F3/005 G06K2007/10485

    Abstract: An electronic device may be attached to an external item. The electronic device may include an optical identification sensor configured to sense a color-encoded tag in the external item when the item is attached to the device. The optical identification sensor may include a board layer, a protective filter layer, wall structures for supporting the protective filter layer on the board layer, a linear array of photodetectors disposed between the board layer and the protective filter layer, a field-of-view restriction filter interposed between the photodetectors and the protective filter layer, and a light source having multiple emitters for illuminating the color-encoded tag. The emitters may be activated sequentially to produce multiple images that are combined to reconstruct an accurate reading of the color-encoded tag, which can then be used to identify the type of external item currently attached to the electronic device.

    Electronic devices with optical identification sensor

    公开(公告)号:US11763126B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-09-19

    申请号:US17469673

    申请日:2021-09-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G06K19/07762 G06K7/12 G09F3/005 G06K2007/10485

    Abstract: An electronic device may be attached to an external item. The electronic device may include an optical identification sensor configured to sense a color-encoded tag in the external item when the item is attached to the device. The optical identification sensor may include a board layer, a protective filter layer, wall structures for supporting the protective filter layer on the board layer, a linear array of photodetectors disposed between the board layer and the protective filter layer, a field-of-view restriction filter interposed between the photodetectors and the protective filter layer, and a light source having multiple emitters for illuminating the color-encoded tag. The emitters may be activated sequentially to produce multiple images that are combined to reconstruct an accurate reading of the color-encoded tag, which can then be used to identify the type of external item currently attached to the electronic device.

    Electronic Devices With Optical Identification Sensor

    公开(公告)号:US20230074849A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-09

    申请号:US17469673

    申请日:2021-09-08

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may be attached to an external item. The electronic device may include an optical identification sensor configured to sense a color-encoded tag in the external item when the item is attached to the device. The optical identification sensor may include a board layer, a protective filter layer, wall structures for supporting the protective filter layer on the board layer, a linear array of photodetectors disposed between the board layer and the protective filter layer, a field-of-view restriction filter interposed between the photodetectors and the protective filter layer, and a light source having multiple emitters for illuminating the color-encoded tag. The emitters may be activated sequentially to produce multiple images that are combined to reconstruct an accurate reading of the color-encoded tag, which can then be used to identify the type of external item currently attached to the electronic device.

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