公开(公告)号：US11889045B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-30

申请号：US17378516

申请日：2021-07-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexander Shpunt

IPC: H04N13/144 ,  G02B3/00 ,  G02B26/10 ,  H04N13/344 ,  H04N7/18 ,  G02B27/30 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G02B30/35

CPC classification number: H04N13/144 ,  G02B3/0056 ,  G02B26/101 ,  G02B26/105 ,  G02B27/30 ,  G02B30/35 ,  G06F3/013 ,  H04N7/181 ,  H04N13/344

Abstract: A direct retinal projector system that provides dynamic focusing for virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) is described. A direct retinal projector system scans images, pixel by pixel, directly onto the subject's retinas. This allows individual pixels to be optically affected dynamically as the images are scanned to the subject's retinas. Dynamic focusing components and techniques are described that may be used in a direct retinal projector system to dynamically and correctly focus each pixel in VR images as the images are being scanned to a subject's eyes. This allows objects, surfaces, etc. that are intended to appear at different distances in a scene to be projected to the subject's eyes at the correct depths.

公开(公告)号：US11852463B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-26

申请号：US17340108

申请日：2021-06-07

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Benny Pesach ,  Zafrir Mor ,  Shimon Yalov ,  Alexander Shpunt

IPC: G01B11/25 ,  G06T7/521 ,  H01S5/00 ,  H01S5/42 ,  G02B27/10

CPC classification number: G01B11/2513 ,  G01B11/25 ,  G02B27/106 ,  G02B27/1086 ,  G06T7/521 ,  H01S5/005 ,  H01S5/423 ,  H01L2224/48091 ,  H01L2224/48091 ,  H01L2924/00014

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes a beam source, which is configured to generate an optical beam having a pattern imposed thereon. A projection lens is configured to receive and project the optical beam so as to cast the pattern onto a first area in space having a first angular extent. A field multiplier is interposed between the projection lens and the first area and is configured to expand the projected optical beam so as to cast the pattern onto a second area in space having a second angular extent that is at least 50% greater than the first angular extent.

公开(公告)号：US11480728B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-25

申请号：US16858828

申请日：2020-04-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Igal I. Bayn ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Arman Hajati

IPC: G02B6/12 ,  G02B6/13 ,  H01S5/042 ,  H01S5/40 ,  H01S5/026 ,  H01S5/02

Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a substrate and at least three emitters, which are disposed on the substrate and are configured to emit respective beams of light. A plurality of waveguides are disposed on the substrate and have respective input ends coupled to receive the beams of light from respective ones of the emitters, and curve adiabatically from the input ends to respective output ends of the waveguides, which are arranged on the substrate in an array having a predefined pitch. Control circuitry is configured to apply a temporal modulation independently to each of the beams of light.

公开(公告)号：US11262580B1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-01

申请号：US15357938

申请日：2016-11-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Richard J. Topliss ,  Alexander Shpunt

IPC: G02B27/00 ,  G02B27/01 ,  G06F3/01 ,  H04N13/324 ,  H04N13/344 ,  H04N13/383 ,  H04N13/398

Abstract: Methods and systems for a virtual and/or augmented reality device may include a light emitting device that includes one or more light emitting elements configured to generate collimated light beams. A scanning mirror may include one or more microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors. Each MEMS mirror of the scanning mirror may be configured to dynamically tilt in at least one of two orthogonal degrees of freedom to raster scan the light beams over multiple angles corresponding to a field of view of an image. A curved mirror may include curves in two orthogonal directions configured to reflect the collimated light beams from the scanning mirror into a subject's eye in proximity to the curved mirror to form a virtual image. The curved mirror may allow external light to pass through, thus allowing the virtual image to be combined with a real image to provide an augmented reality.

公开(公告)号：US20210344889A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-04

申请号：US17378516

申请日：2021-07-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexander Shpunt

IPC: H04N13/144 ,  G02B3/00 ,  H04N13/344 ,  G02B26/10 ,  H04N7/18 ,  G02B27/30 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G02B30/35

Abstract: A direct retinal projector system that provides dynamic focusing for virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) is described. A direct retinal projector system scans images, pixel by pixel, directly onto the subject's retinas. This allows individual pixels to be optically affected dynamically as the images are scanned to the subject's retinas. Dynamic focusing components and techniques are described that may be used in a direct retinal projector system to dynamically and correctly focus each pixel in VR images as the images are being scanned to a subject's eyes. This allows objects, surfaces, etc. that are intended to appear at different distances in a scene to be projected to the subject's eyes at the correct depths.

公开(公告)号：US10795001B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-06

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

公开(公告)号：US10775507B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15673428

申请日：2017-08-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L Niclass ,  Richard E Bills ,  Moshe Laifenfeld ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Ron Sokolovsky ,  Tal Kaitz ,  Ronen Akerman ,  Jason D. Mudge ,  Andrew J Sutton

IPC: G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02F1/29

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser, which is configured to emit toward a scene pulses of optical radiation. An array of detectors are configured to receive the optical radiation that is reflected from points in the scene and to output signals indicative of respective times of arrival of the received radiation. A controller is coupled to drive the laser to emit a sequence of pulses of the optical radiation toward each of a plurality of points in the scene and to find respective times of flight for the points responsively to the output signals, while controlling a power of the pulses emitted by the laser by counting a number of the detectors outputting the signals in response to each pulse, and reducing the power of a subsequent pulse in the sequence when the number is greater than a predefined threshold.

公开(公告)号：US10719214B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-21

申请号：US15806350

申请日：2017-11-08

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Aviad Maizels ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Shai Litvak

IPC: G06F3/048 ,  G06F3/0484 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G06F3/0488

Abstract: Operating a computerized system includes presenting user interface elements on a display screen. A first gesture made in a three-dimensional space by a by a distal portion of an upper extremity of a user is detected while a segment of the distal portion thereof rests on a surface. In response to the first gesture, an area of the display screen selected by the user is identified, and a corresponding user interface element is displayed. After displaying the corresponding user interface element, a second gesture made by the distal portion is detected while the segment continues to rest on the surface so as to select one of the user interface elements that appears in the selected area.

公开(公告)号：US20200158831A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16714739

申请日：2019-12-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Matthew C. Waldon ,  Mina A. Rezk ,  Thierry Oggier

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.

公开(公告)号：US10557943B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15682207

申请日：2017-08-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Robert S. Upton ,  Chandra S. Kakani ,  Alexander Shpunt ,  Yuval Gerson

IPC: G01S17/88 ,  G01S7/481

Abstract: Optical systems that may, for example, be used in light ranging and detection (LiDAR) applications, for example in systems that implement combining laser pulse transmission in LiDAR and that include dual transmit and receive systems. Receiver components of a dual receiver system in LiDAR applications may include a medium range (50 meters or less) receiver optical system with a medium entrance pupil and small F-number and with a medium to wide field of view. The optical system may utilize optical filters, scanning mirrors, and a nominal one-dimensional SPAD (or SPADs) to increase the probability of positive photon events.