Abstract: A proximity sensor including a structure suspending at least one lens above a circuit board, light emitters operable to project light beams through the lens along a common projection plane, light detectors operable to detect amounts of light arriving through the lens at the detector, wherein an object in the projection plane reflects light from an emitter to one or more of the detectors, and wherein each emitter-detector pair, including one of the emitters and one of the detectors, when synchronously activated, is expected to generate a greater detection signal at the activated detector than the other detectors, were they to be synchronously activated with any of the emitters, when the object is located at a specific 2D location in the projection plane corresponding to the emitter-detector pair, and a processor identifying gestures performed by the object based on amounts of light detected by the detector of each emitter-detector pair.

Abstract: A proximity sensor, including light emitters and light detectors mounted on a circuit board, two stacked lenses, positioned above the emitters and the detectors, including an extruded cylindrical lens and a Fresnel lens array, wherein each emitter projects light through the two lenses along a common projection plane, wherein a reflective object located in the projection plane reflects light from one or more emitters to one or more detectors, and wherein each emitter-detector pair, when synchronously activated, generates a greatest detection signal at the activated detector when the reflective object is located at a specific 2D location in the projection plane corresponding to the emitter-detector pair, and a processor sequentially activating the emitters and synchronously co-activating one or more detectors, and identifying a location of the object in the projection plane, based on amounts of light detected by the detector of each synchronously activated emitter-detector pair.

Abstract: An optical method for identifying locations of objects in a plane, including serially projecting light beams along a detection area, from a plurality of locations along an edge of the detection area, whereby a reflective object inserted into the detection area reflects the projected light beams, directing the reflections of the projected light beams arriving at the edge of the detection area onto a plurality of light detectors, in a manner that maximizes amounts of reflected light arriving at the detectors when the light arrives at a particular angle in relation to the edge, and calculating two-dimensional coordinates of the inserted object in the detection area based on the particular angle and the outputs of the detectors.

Abstract: A sensor for a control panel, including a housing along an edge of the panel, light emitters projecting light along an in-air detection plane over the panel and detectors detecting reflections of the projected light, reflected by an object in the detection plane, lenses oriented such that each detector receives maximum light intensity when light enters a corresponding lens at a particular angle, whereby for each emitter-detector pair, when the object is located at a specific position in the detection plane, light emitted by the emitter of that pair is reflected by the object back through one of the lenses at the particular angle to the detector of that pair, the specific position being associated with that emitter-detector pair, and a processor configured to determine panel locations, map each location to a position in the detection plane associated with an emitter-detector pair, mapping the panel to the detection plane.

Abstract: An optical assembly including a reflectance-based sensor emitting light into a detection plane and detecting reflections of the emitted light, reflected by an object located in the detection plane, a light redirector positioned away from the sensor redirecting light emitted by the sensor into one or more spatial planes parallel to the detection plane and, when the object is located in the one or more spatial planes, redirecting light reflected by the object into the detection plane, and a processor controlling light emitted by the sensor and receiving outputs from the sensor, and configured such that when an object passes through one or more of the spatial planes, the processor identifies both the spatial planes through which the object passes, and the location of the object within the spatial planes through which it passes, based on the received outputs and the position of the light redirector relative to the sensor.

Abstract: Generating interactive in-air images, by emitters emitting light pulses along an in-air detection plane, light detectors, lenses configured such that there is a particular angle of entry at which each detector receives maximal light intensity when pulses enter a lens corresponding to the detector at the particular angle of entry, and there are target positions in the detection plane, associated with emitter-detector pairs, whereby for each emitter-detector pair, when an object is located at the target position, then pulses emitted by the emitter are reflected by the object into the lens corresponding to the detector at the particular angle of entry, a projector projecting an image that appears, to a user suspended in the detection plane, and a processor identifying locations of the object in the detection plane and mapping the identified locations to corresponding locations in the image, to register user interactions with the image.

Abstract: A proximity sensor, including light emitters and light detectors mounted on a circuit board, two stacked lenses, positioned above the emitters and the detectors, including an extruded cylindrical lens and a Fresnel lens array, wherein each emitter projects light through the two lenses along a common projection plane, wherein a reflective object located in the projection plane reflects light from one or more emitters to one or more detectors, and wherein each emitter-detector pair, when synchronously activated, generates a greatest detection signal at the activated detector when the reflective object is located at a specific 2D location in the projection plane corresponding to the emitter-detector pair, and a processor sequentially activating the emitters and synchronously co-activating one or more detectors, and identifying a location of the object in the projection plane, based on amounts of light detected by the detector of each synchronously activated emitter-detector pair.

Abstract: Method including providing a sensor including light emitters, photodiode detectors, and lenses arranged so as to direct light beams from light emitters exiting lenses along a detection plane, and so as to direct light beams entering lenses at a specific angle of incidence onto photodiode detectors, mounting the sensor on a display presenting virtual input controls for an electronic device, such that the detection plane resides in an airspace in front of the display, activating light emitters to project light beams through lenses along the detection plane, wherein at least one of the light beams is interrupted by a finger, detecting light reflected by the finger, identifying emitters that projected the light beam that was reflected and photodiode detectors that detected the reflected light, as emitter-detector pairs, calculating display coordinates based on target positions associated with the identified emitter-detector pairs, and transmitting the calculated display coordinates to the electronic device.

Abstract: A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

Abstract: An input panel for an electronic device, including an arrangement of buttons, wherein each button is actuated when pressed, providing input to an electronic device, and a sensor, detecting location of a user's finger above the buttons, the sensor including a housing, a printed circuit board, light emitters and photodiode detectors, lenses mounted in the housing in such a manner that, when the housing is mounted along an edge of the arrangement, the lenses direct light from the emitters along a plane above the buttons, and direct light from the plane, reflected toward the lenses by an object inserted into the plane, onto the detectors, a processor configured to identify a location in the plane at which the object is inserted based on the detections of light reflected by the object, and a communications port configured to output the identified location to the electronic device.

Abstract: A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

Abstract: A sensor determining coordinates of a proximal object, including a one-dimensional array of alternating light emitters and detectors, including a plurality of light emitters projecting light along a detection plane, and a plurality of light detectors detecting reflections of the projected light, by a reflective object in the detection plane, and a plurality of lenses mounted and oriented relative to the emitters and the detectors such that the light detectors receive maximum intensity when light enters a corresponding lens at a first particular angle, whereby for each emitter-detector pair, light emitted by the emitter of that pair passes through one of the lenses and is reflected by the object back through one of the lenses to the detector of that pair when the object is located at one of a set of positions in the detection plane, that position being associated with that emitter-detector pair.

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.

Abstract: An optical assembly including a reflectance-based sensor emitting light into a detection plane and detecting reflections of the emitted light, reflected by an object located in the detection plane, a light redirector positioned away from the sensor redirecting light emitted by the sensor into one or more spatial planes parallel to the detection plane and, when the object is located in the one or more spatial planes, redirecting light reflected by the object into the detection plane, and a processor controlling light emitted by the sensor and receiving outputs from the sensor, and configured such that when an object passes through one or more of the spatial planes, the processor identifies both the spatial planes through which the object passes, and the location of the object within the spatial planes through which it passes, based on the received outputs and the position of the light redirector relative to the sensor.

Abstract: A contactless input method for an electronic device or other equipment, including projecting focused light beams from a series of locations along an edge of a control panel including a matrix of controls for an electronic device or other equipment, across a plane in an airspace in front of the controls, whereby the projected light beams traverse an area equal in size to the area of the matrix, detecting reflections of the projected light beams reflected by an object inserted into the plane, identifying which light beams are reflected, further identifying an angle at which the detected light beams are reflected, calculating a location in the plane at which the object is inserted based on the detecting, identifying and further identifying, and outputting the calculated location from the sensor to the electronic device or other equipment as an actuated corresponding location on the control panel.

Abstract: An interactive mid-air display including a display that presents a graphical user interface (GUI), optics projecting and rotating the GUI above the display such that the GUI is visible in-air in a plane rotated away from the display, a sensor including light emitters projecting beams towards the projected GUI, light detectors detecting reflections of the beams by objects interacting with the projected GUI, and a lens structure maximizing detection at each detector for light entering the lens structure at a respective location at a specific angle ?, whereby for each emitter-detector pair, maximum detection of light corresponds to the object being at a specific location in the projected GUI, in accordance with the locations of the emitter and detector and the angle ?, and a processor mapping detections of light for emitter-detector pairs to corresponding locations in the projected GUI, and translating the mapped locations to coordinates on the display.

Abstract: A sensor, including light emitters projecting directed light beams, light detectors interleaved with the light emitters, lenses, each lens oriented relative to a respective one of the light detectors such that the light detector receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at an angle b, whereby, for each emitter E, there exist corresponding target positions p(E, D) along the path of the light from emitter E, at which an object located at any of the target positions reflects the light projected by emitter E towards a respective one of detectors D at angle b, and a processor storing a reflection value R(E, D) for each co-activated emitter-detector pair (E, D), based on an amount of light reflected by an object located at p(E, D) and detected by detector D, and calculating a location of an object based on the reflection values and target positions.

Abstract: A sensor including multiple sensor modules and a processor, each sensor module including lenses, light detectors, each detector positioned along the image plane of a lens so as to receive maximum light intensity when light enters the lens at a particular angle, light emitters, each emitter being positioned in relation to a 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 outputs from the detectors corresponding to amounts of projected light reflected by an object in the detection zone to the detectors, and calculating a two-dimensional location of the object in the detection zone based on the detector outputs and the particular angle, wherein neighboring modules monitor different detection zones, and the processor receiving outputs from the sensor modules and mapping the object location in multiple detection zones over time.

Abstract: A sensor, including light emitters projecting directed light beams, light detectors interleaved with the light emitters, lenses, each lens oriented relative to a respective one of the light detectors such that the light detector receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at an angle b, whereby, for each emitter E, there exist corresponding target positions p(E, D) along the path of the light from emitter E, at which an object located at any of the target positions reflects the light projected by emitter E towards a respective one of detectors D at angle b, and a processor storing a reflection value R(E, D) for each co-activated emitter-detector pair (E, D), based on an amount of light reflected by an object located at p(E, D) and detected by detector D, and calculating a location of an object based on the reflection values and target positions.

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.