Abstract: An optical sensor. The optical sensor comprises a substrate and a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The substrate is formed from a semiconductor. The Fabry-Perot interferometer comprises a first mirror and a second mirror, and is mounted on the substrate such that light is transmitted through the interferometer to the substrate. The substrate is doped such that a region of the substrate to which light is transmitted by the interferometer forms a photodiode.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring mechanical integrity of an eye-safety component of an illuminator is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a transducer operable to create a vibration in the eye-safety component, a sensor operable to sense the vibration in the eye safety component and to output a signal representative of the sensed vibration, and a processor. The processor is operable to: monitor the signal from the sensor; determine if the signal comprises at least one parameter that falls outside of a pre-determined acceptable range, the pre-determined acceptable range being indicative of mechanical integrity of the eye-safety component; and initiate a safety action in response to a determination that the at least one parameter falls outside of the pre-determined acceptable range thereby indicating a loss of mechanical integrity.

Abstract: An illumination system (200) includes an illumination device (202); an optical element (206) positioned to receive light (208) from the illumination device (202); a layer (210) of a transparent material disposed on the optical element (206) and positioned to receive light (208) from the illumination device (202); and an interlock circuit (220) configured to measure a resistivity of the layer (210) of transparent material and to control operation of the illumination device (202) based on the measured resistivity.

Abstract: An optical assembly comprising an interdigital capacitor, one or more electrical contacts in electrical connection with the interdigital capacitor and an insulating layer covering at least a portion of the interdigital capacitor. The one or more electrical contacts and a portion of the insulating layer are configured to receive conductive adhesive. The optical assembly further comprises a metallic layer positioned between the interdigital capacitor and the portion of the insulating layer configured to receive the conductive adhesive.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a driving parameter of an optical component across an operating wavelength range of the component. The method comprises placing a layer of material in a light path, the layer of material being substantially planar and substantially transparent and having a thickness of the order of wavelengths in said range and operating said component to vary said driving parameter whilst detecting light transmitted through said layer of material to obtain driving parameter versus light intensity data. The obtained data is then compared with characterizing data previously derived for said layer of material in order to calibrate said driving parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor system that has an illuminator operable to emit pulses of light toward an object outside the apparatus. The illuminator is operable in a first mode in which the illuminator emits pulses having a first width and a second mode in which the illuminator emits pulses having a second width longer than the first width. The TOF sensor system further includes a photodetector operable to detect light produced by the illuminator and reflected by the object back toward the apparatus. An electronic control device is operable to control emission of light by the illuminator and is operable to estimate a distance to the object based on a time elapsed between an emission of one or more of the pulses by the illuminator and detection of the reflected light by the photodetector.

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: A method of manufacturing an optical element is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of forming a layer of first material on a substrate, forming a plurality of cavities in the layer of first material by an imprinting process, and forming a layer of second material in the plurality of cavities to form an optical meta-surface. Also disclosed is an optical element manufactured according to the method, and an optical device comprising the optical element, and an optical apparatus such as a cellular telephone, a camera, an image-recording device, or a video recording device.

Abstract: An optoelectronic module including a light emitter to generate light to be emitted from the module; a plurality of spatially distributed light sensitive elements arranged to detect light from the emitter that is reflected by an object outside the module; and one or more dedicated spurious-reflection detection pixels.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring mechanical integrity of an eye-safety component of an illuminator is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a sensor, operable to sense a photoacoustic effect in the eye-safety component during operation of the illuminator and to output a signal representative of the sensed photoacoustic effect, and a processor. The processor is operable to: monitor the signal from the sensor; determine if the signal comprises at least one parameter that falls outside of a pre-determined acceptable range, the pre-determined acceptable range being indicative of mechanical integrity of the eye-safety component; and initiate a safety action in response to a determination that the at least one parameter falls outside of the pre-determined acceptable range thereby indicating a loss of mechanical integrity.

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 module including a light emitter to generate light to be emitted from the module, a plurality of spatially distributed light sensitive elements arranged to detect light from the emitter that is reflected by an object outside the module, and one or more dedicated spurious-reflection detection pixels.

Abstract: The illumination module for emitting light (5) can operate in at least two different modes, wherein in each of the modes, the emitted light (5) has a different light distribution. The module has a mode selector (10) for selecting the mode in which the module operates, and it has an optical arrangement. The arrangement includes—a microlens array (LL1) with a multitude of transmissive or reflective microlenses (2) which are regularly arranged at a lens pitch P (P1);—an illuminating unit for illuminating the microlens array (LL1). The illuminating unit includes a first array of light sources (S1) operable to emit light of a first wavelength L1 each and having an aperture each. The apertures are located in a common emission plane which is located at a distance D (D1) from the microlens array (LL1). In a first one of the modes, for the lens pitch P, the distance D and the wavelength L1 applies P2=2·L1·D/N wherein N is an integer with N?1.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes optical and optoelectronic assemblies that, in some cases, include screen-printed micro-spacers, as well as methods for manufacturing such assemblies and modules. For example, an optoelectronic device mounted on a substrate can include an optical sub-assembly including a first optical element and a first micro-spacer on the optical element. The optical sub-assembly can be disposed over the optoelectronic device, with a first air or vacuum gap separating the first optical element from the optoelectronic device, and the first micro-spacer laterally surrounding the first air or vacuum gap.

Abstract: For an optical dot projector having multiple light emitters, a relationship is determined between locations of the light emitters with respect to a substrate of the optical dot projector and corresponding first locations of dots projected by the dot projector onto an imaging plane. An optical grating approximating one or more optical characteristics of one or more optical elements of the optical dot projector is determined based on the relationship. Second locations of dots corresponding to a replacement of the one or more optical elements of the optical dot projector by the optical grating are determined, and modified locations of the light emitters with respect to the substrate are determined based on the second locations of dots. Optical dot projectors are constructed according to the determined modified locations.

Abstract: An example system includes a light source, a first spectrometer, a second spectrometer, and an electronic control module. The light source is operable to emit light within a first range of wavelengths in a field of illumination. The first spectrometer is operable to measure first sample light reflected from an object within a second range of wavelengths and in a first field of detection. The second spectrometer is operable to measure second sample light reflected from the object within a third range of wavelengths and in a second field of detection. The electronic control module operable to determine, based on the measured first sample light and the measured second sample light, a distance between the system and the object, and determine, based on the measured first sample light and the measured second sample light, a spectral distribution of light corresponding to the object.

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: 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.