Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer includes a membrane, a substrate, and at least one optical device. The at least one optical device is coupled to the substrate for sensing an excursion or velocity of the membrane. The at least one optical device is disposed on an opposite side of the substrate to the membrane.

Abstract: An optical system includes a spatial encoding arrangement for generating spatially encoded light with an initial spatial distribution; a coded aperture defining a mask pattern based on the initial spatial distribution of the spatially encoded light; and—an image sensor. The spatial encoding arrangement—directs the spatially encoded light onto the object, and the object reflects at least a portion of the spatially encoded light to form reflected light. The reflected light is directed through the coded aperture to form spatially decoded light. The spatially decoded light is directed onto the image sensor to form an image thereon, and the image sensor detects the image. The spatial encoding arrangement includes optical emitters spatially arranged, defining the initial spatial pattern of the spatially encoded light. The mask pattern is the inverse of the initial spatial pattern of the spatially encoded light defined by the spatial arrangement of the optical emitters.

Abstract: An optical device includes a display and an optical sensor. The display includes display circuitry. The optical sensor is arranged behind the display. The optical sensor includes an emitter for emitting light through the display and a receiver for receiving light reflected back through the display. An absorption of the display is wavelength dependent and the absorption of the display is 50% at a first wavelength. The emitter is configured to emit light at a second wavelength greater than the first wavelength.

Abstract: An optical module includes a display including light emitting elements that emit visible light. The optical module also includes an image sensor layer including infra-red light sensitive elements. The optical module further includes a mask layer configured to block infra-red light having a wavelength in one or more portions of the infra-red optical spectrum and pass visible light. The optical module is lensless.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer includes a membrane and at least one laser. The at least one laser is configured to emit radiation toward the membrane such that radiation emitted by the at least one laser is reflected from the membrane back toward the at least one laser to produce a self-mixing interference effect corresponding to an excursion or velocity of the membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus, e.g. a proximity sensor module (10), for optical distance sensing includes a target surface (25) having a non-uniform design including a high-reflectivity region and a low-reflectivity region for light of a particular wavelength. The position of the target surface (25) is displaceable within the apparatus. The apparatus includes a light source (12) operable to emit light at the particular wavelength toward the target surface (25), and a photodetector (14) operable to sense at least some of the light emitted by the light source and subsequently reflected by the target surface (25). A processor is operable to correlate an output from the photodetector (14) with a distance to the target surface (25). A wall (22) may separate the light source (12) and photodetector (14) from one another, which can help reduce internal optical crosstalk.

Abstract: A self-mixing interferometric, SMI, laser sensor comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, configured to emit laser radiation, the VCSEL comprising a first distributed Bragg reflector, DBR, a second DBR and a cavity region including an active light generation region, wherein the cavity region is arranged in a layer structure between a front side of the first DBR and a back side of the second DBR. Therein at least one of the first and second DBR comprises a first contrast region and a second contrast region, the first contrast region having a first refractive index contrast ?n1 regarding an emission wavelength of the VCSEL and the second contrast region having a second refractive index contrast ?n2/n larger than the first refractive index contrast ?n1/n.

Abstract: A rotary encoder for providing a control signal in dependence upon an angular position of a controller rotatable about an axis of rotation. The rotary encoder includes a component for rotation with said controller about said axis of rotation. The rotary encoder also includes a radiation source and detector arrangement configured to direct radiation towards a target region and generate a detector signal dependent upon radiation reflected from within that target region. The rotary encoder further includes a computer processor configured to process said detector signal to determine a measure of distance or change of distance to a reflecting surface region within said target region, and to use said measure to provide said control signal. The component defines a reflecting surface that passes through said target region such that a reflecting surface region is present within said target region with a distance that varies with the angular position.

Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor device (1) comprising a semiconductor body (10) having a first region (101), a second region (102) and an active region (103) configured to emit or detect electromagnetic radiation in an emission direction (S) is described herein. The optoelectronic semiconductor device (1) further comprises a first reflector (21) arranged on a first side of the semiconductor body (10) and a second reflector (22) arranged on a second side of the semiconductor body (10), opposite the first side, a first electrode (31) and a second electrode (32), an aperture region (104) and an optical element (40) arranged downstream of the active region (103) in the emission direction (S). The emission direction (S) is oriented parallel to a stacking direction of the semiconductor body (10). The first electrode (31) is arranged on the first region (101) and the second electrode (32) is arranged between the second reflector (22) and the active region (103).

Abstract: A system (100) for producing structured light, the system comprising an emitter (102) configured to provide a beam of light, and a first reflecting element (104). The emitter (102) and the first reflecting element (104) are separated from one another in a direction that is generally perpendicular to beams of light that are emitted from the system when in use. The first reflecting element (102) comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces oriented in different directions.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a display screen, and an optical sensor module which is disposed behind the display screen. The optical sensor module further comprises a light emitter operable to generate light having a wavelength for transmission through the display screen toward a target object. A light sensor is operable to sense light reflected by the target object and having the wavelength. A reducer is arranged for reducing the optical power density by increasing a diameter of a light beam generated by the light emitter on the display screen, wherein the reducer is disposed between the light emitter and the display screen so as to intersect the light beam generated by the light emitter.

Abstract: Optoelectronic modules operable to measure proximity independent of object surface reflectivity and, in some implementations, operable to measure characteristics (such as surface reflectivity or absorptivity) of stationary or moving objects are disclosed. The optoelectronic modules are operable to determine, for example, pulse rate, peripheral blood circulation, and/or blood oxygen levels of moving objects, such as the appendage of a user, in some instances. The optoelectronic modules can be used to measure peripheral blood circulation, for example, when a user of the optoelectronic module is engaged in physical activity, such as walking, running or cycling.

Abstract: Image sensor modules include primary high-resolution imagers and secondary imagers. For example, an image sensor module may include a semiconductor chip including photosensitive regions defining, respectively, a primary camera and a secondary camera. The image sensor module may include an optical assembly that does not substantially obstruct the field-of-view of the secondary camera. Some modules include multiple secondary cameras that have a field-of-view at least as large as the field-of-view of the primary camera. Various features are described to facilitate acquisition of signals that can be used to calculate depth information.

Abstract: Techniques are described for use with a wide range of consumer and other electronic devices to facilitate a user's control of such features as volume, as well as song, channel or page selection, depending on the application. A method includes emitting light out of a module, receiving signals from light detectors in the module, wherein the signals represent, at least in part, light reflected by a person's finger or other object passing in front of the light detectors, detecting movement of the person's finger or other object based on the received signals, and controlling a feature of a device in response to the detected movement.

Abstract: Light-emitting optoelectronic modules operable to generate an emission characterized by reduced speckle can include a coherent light source, a diffuser, and a Fresnel element. The coherent light source is operable to generate a coherent emission, characterized by a coherence length, incident on the diffuser. The diffuser is characterized by a divergence angle. The divergence angle is the angle between a first path-length from the diffuser to a Fresnel element and a second path-length from the diffuser to the Fresnel element, wherein their difference defines a path difference. In some instances, the path difference is substantially larger than the coherence length.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device has an asymmetric field overlap and is operable to measure proximity independently of object surface reflectivity. In some instances, the optoelectronic device includes a plurality of light-emitting assemblies and a light-sensitive assembly. In some instances, the optoelectronic devices include a plurality of light-sensitive assemblies and a light-emitting assembly. An asymmetric field overlap is attained in various implementations via various field-of-view axis, field-of-view angle, field-of-illumination axis, field-of-illumination angle, optical element and/or pitch configurations.

Abstract: An optical sensor module uses polarized light such that, in some instances, crosstalk effects caused by light reflected from a cover glass or from a thin smudge layer on the cover glass can be eliminated, or at least reduced, by directing light of a first polarization through the cover glass toward a target and selectively detecting, in the module, light of a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to optoelectronic modules with substantially temperature-independent performance characteristics and host devices into which such optoelectronic modules can be integrated. In some instances, an optoelectronic module can collect proximity data using light-generating components and light-sensitive components that exhibit temperature-dependent performance characteristics. The light-generating components and light-sensitive components can be configured such that they exhibit complementing temperature-dependent performance characteristics such that the operating performance of the optoelectronic module is substantially temperature independent.

Abstract: Fabricating light guide elements includes forming a first portion of the light guide element using a replication technique (104), and forming a second portion of the light guide element using a photolithographic technique (106). Use of replication can facilitate formation of more complex-shaped optical elements as part of the light guide element. The replication process sometimes results in the formation of a “yard,” or excess replication material, which may lead to light leakage if not removed or smoothed over. In some instances, at least part of the yard portion is embedded within the second portion of the light guide element, thereby resulting in a smoothing over of the yard portion.

Abstract: Techniques are described for use with a wide range of consumer and other electronic devices to facilitate a user's control of such features as volume, as well as song, channel or page selection, depending on the application. A method includes emitting light out of a module, receiving signals from light detectors in the module, wherein the signals represent, at least in part, light reflected by a person's finger or other object passing in front of the light detectors, detecting movement of the person's finger or other object based on the received signals, and controlling a feature of a device in response to the detected movement.