Optical proximity sensors

US11073948B2 · 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: Jan 10, 2020
• Grant date: Jul 27, 2021
• Expiry date: Jan 10, 2040

Classification

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

Abstract

A modular proximity sensor including a plurality of sensor modules, each sensor module including a housing, lenses, light detectors, each detector positioned along the image plane of a respective lens so as to receive maximum light intensity when light enters the lens at a particular angle, light emitters, each emitter positioned in relation to a respective lens so as to project light into a detection zone, an activating unit synchronously co-activating each emitter with at least one of the detectors, and a calculating unit receiving detector outputs corresponding to amounts of projected light reflected by an object in the detection zone, and calculating a two-dimensional location of the object in the detection zone based on the detector outputs and the particular angle, wherein neighboring sensor modules monitor different detection zones, and a processor receiving outputs from each sensor module and mapping the object location in multiple detection zones over time.