公开(公告)号：US20250102628A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-27

申请号：US18763961

申请日：2024-07-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Fei Tan ,  Pengfei Qiao ,  Alexander Hein ,  Chin Han Lin ,  Tong Chen ,  Takashi Hosoda ,  Arnaud Laflaquiere

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01S5/11 ,  H01S5/183 ,  H01S5/34 ,  H01S5/42

Abstract: Disclosed herein are self-mixing interference (SMI) sensors, frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) sensors, and electronic devices that include SMI and FMCW sensors. Both types of sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode. The SMI sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode configured to undergo SMI between a primary emitted light from the photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode and reflections thereof from an object. The SMI sensor includes a photodetector configured to receive a secondary light emission from the photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode and detect a parameter related to the SMI, from which distance or motion to the object may be inferred. The FMCW sensors include a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser diode configured to emit a primary light emission toward the object and a secondary light emission toward a light beam combiner. The light beam combiner also receives reflections from the object and detects distances and/or motion of the object based on the frequency modulations of the two light beams.

公开(公告)号：US20240006858A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-04

申请号：US18142812

申请日：2023-05-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Pengfei Qiao ,  Fei Tan

IPC: H01S5/42 ,  H01S5/183 ,  H01S5/026 ,  H01S5/343

CPC classification number: H01S5/423 ,  H01S5/18394 ,  H01S5/0262 ,  H01S5/34313

Abstract: Disclosed herein are self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors that include a multi-junction (MJ) vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diode that emits laser light in two directions, one direction being directed toward a receiving photodiode and another toward an object. Reflections from the object induce self-mixing interference within a resonance cavity of the MJ-VCSEL altering a wavelength of the emitted laser light. The SMI may infer distance and/or motion of the object from the alterations in the wavelength. In various embodiments, the MJ-VCSEL and photodiode are successively formed as a single unit upon a single substrate. In other embodiments, the MJ-VCSEL and the photodiode may be formed on separate wafers or chips that are then joined at a common interface surface. Arrays of combinations of MJ-VCSELs and associated photodiodes may be included in an SMI.

公开(公告)号：US11846525B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-19

申请号：US17476913

申请日：2021-09-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Mehmet Mutlu ,  Mark T. Winkler

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G02B5/20 ,  G03B11/00 ,  G03B13/20 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02B7/02 ,  G01S17/04

CPC classification number: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G02B5/208 ,  G02B7/021 ,  G03B11/00 ,  G03B13/20

Abstract: An optical sensing system can be integrated into a camera module. In particular, an optical element of an optical sensing system can be disposed entirely or partly within a barrel of a camera module. The optical element can be oriented toward a reflective surface, such as an infrared cut filter, such that an optical path is defined between free space and the optical element via at least one reflection off the reflective surface.

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.

公开(公告)号：US20230087411A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17483660

申请日：2021-09-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Xiaofan Niu ,  Tong Chen ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Zachary M. Beiley ,  Andras G. Pattantyus-Abraham

IPC: H01L25/16

Abstract: An electronic device may include an infrared sensor with light sources and a quantum film photodetector. The light sources may emit short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) light through a display panel and the photodetector may receive the SWIR light through the panel after reflection off an object. The light sources and an integrated circuit may be mounted to a wall of a sensor module mounted to the panel. The module may include a lens. The photodetector may be disposed onto the rear wall, lens, integrated circuit, or display panel. The photodetector may include multiple types of quantum film to absorb different wavelengths of SWIR light. The SWIR light may pass through the display panel without distorting images emitted by the display panel. Using a quantum film in the photodetector may allow the photodetector to extend across a large surface area without unnecessarily increasing manufacturing cost for the device.

公开(公告)号：US11487859B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-01

申请号：US16945174

申请日：2020-07-31

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Ruonan Yang ,  Tsu-Hui Lin ,  Wenrui Cai ,  Xiao Xiang

IPC: G06F21/32 ,  G02F1/1335 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G02F1/13363 ,  G06F1/16

Abstract: Configurations for display stacks of an electronic device and methods for mitigating crosstalk are disclosed. The display stack may include a transceiver module, which may be located under or behind the display. The transceiver module may include a transmitter module, which may provide polarized light from the transmitter that may suppress module crosstalk. The transceiver module also may include a receiver module, which may include polarization control elements and an analyzer for differentiating between a target signal and a crosstalk signal. The polarization control on both the transmitter module and receiver module sides may suppress the crosstalk signals, which may be due to the reflections between and within the elements of the display stack and resulting from positioning the transceiver module behind the display.

公开(公告)号：US11327237B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-10

申请号：US16905664

申请日：2020-06-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Tong Chen ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Michael K. McCord ,  Tingjun Xu ,  Xianwei Zhao

IPC: G02B6/35 ,  G02B6/04 ,  G02B6/42 ,  H04B10/40 ,  H04B10/25 ,  G06T7/20 ,  G06T7/70

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing and a display. The housing defines an interior cavity and includes an optically-transmissive housing component. The display is disposed in the interior cavity and is viewable through the optically-transmissive housing component. An optoelectronic component is disposed in the interior cavity. An optical fiber extends between a first end positioned adjacent the optoelectronic component and a second end positioned adjacent the optically-transmissive housing component. The optical fiber defines a non-linear optical path between the first end and the second end. At least a portion of the optical fiber is laterally offset from a lateral edge of the display.

公开(公告)号：US11243068B1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-08

申请号：US16773827

申请日：2020-01-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mehmet Mutlu ,  Mark T. Winkler ,  Tong Chen ,  Omid Momtahan

IPC: G01B9/02 ,  H01S5/14 ,  H01S5/06 ,  H01S5/026 ,  G01S7/4912

Abstract: A sensor system includes a self-mixing interferometry sensor; a drive circuit configured to apply a modulated drive signal to an input of the self-mixing interferometry sensor; a mixer circuit configured to mix a modulated output of the self-mixing interferometry sensor with a local oscillator signal that is orthogonal to the modulated drive signal over a period of time; an integrator circuit configured to integrate an output of the mixer circuit over the period of time; and a processor configured to determine, using an output of the integrator circuit, at least one of a round-trip propagation time of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the self-mixing interferometry sensor and reflected back into the self-mixing interferometry sensor by an object or medium, or a velocity of the object or medium.