Optical proximity sensors

US10534479B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Neonode Inc. · SE

Inventors

• Stefan Holmgren · Sollentuna, SE
• Sairam Iyer · Sunnyvale, US
• Tom Richard Berglind · Stuvsta-Snättringe, SE
• Karl Erik Patrik Nordström · Huddinge, SE
• Lars Sparf · Ljungby, SE
• Per Rosengren · Solna, SE
• Erik Anders Claes Rosengren · Stockholm, SE
• John Karlsson · Brooklyn, US
• Björn Thomas Eriksson · Stockholm, SE
• Björn Alexander Jubner
• Remo Behdasht · Chatswood, AU
• Simon Fellin · Floda, SE
• Robin Kjell Åman · Spånga, SE
• Joseph Shain · Rehovot, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: May 25, 2018
• Grant date: Jan 14, 2020
• Expiry date: May 25, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F2203/04809
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A proximity sensor, including a housing, an array of lenses mounted in the housing, an array of alternating light emitters and light detectors mounted in the housing, each detector being positioned along the image plane of a respective one of the lenses so as to receive maximum light intensity when light enters the lens at a particular angle, an activating unit mounted in the housing and connected to the emitters and detectors, synchronously co-activating each emitter with at least one of the detectors, each activated emitter projecting light out of the housing along a detection plane, and a processor receiving outputs from the detectors corresponding to amounts of projected light reflected by an object in the detection plane to the detectors, and calculating a two-dimensional location of the object in the detection plane based on the detector outputs and the particular angle.