Abstract: An optical coupling device includes a first waveguide layer, including a first semiconductor material, which is disposed over a dielectric substrate layer. A dielectric intermediate layer overlies the first waveguide layer. A second waveguide layer, which includes a different, second semiconductor material, is disposed over the dielectric intermediate layer and is patterned to define a waveguide. A first grating in the second waveguide layer diffracts light of a given wavelength from the waveguide into a specified diffraction order at a given coupling angle, whereby a first fraction of the light propagates out of the device while a second fraction of the light is diffracted into the intermediate dielectric layer in a conjugate diffraction order. A second grating in the first waveguide layer diffracts the second fraction of the light into a second diffraction order, propagating out of the device at the given coupling angle.

Abstract: A display may include an optical emitter that emits infrared light, a first coupler that couples the infrared light into a waveguide, and a second optical coupler that couples the infrared light out of the waveguide and towards the eye box. The infrared light may reflect off an eye as reflected light. The second optical coupler may couple the reflected light into the waveguide and the first optical coupler may couple the reflected light out of the waveguide and towards a camera for performing gaze tracking operations based on the sensor data. The display may sequentially illuminate different regions of the eye with the infrared light at different times using a scanning mirror, an array of light sources, or a wavelength-adjustable light source and gratings. This may minimize infrared light scattering, which minimizes background generation and maximizes signal-to-noise ratio for gaze tracking operations.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a microphone, an array of coherent optical emitters, an array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors, and a processor. Each balanced coherent optical vibration sensor in the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors is paired with a coherent optical emitter in the array of coherent optical emitters. The processor is configured to analyze a set of waveforms acquired by the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors; identify, using the analysis of the set of waveforms, a set of one or more voices in a field of view; and adjust an output of the microphone to accentuate a particular voice in the set of one or more voices.

Abstract: An optical sensing device includes an optical transmitter, coupled to transmit outgoing modulated radiation from a coherent radiation source at a predefined wavelength toward a target. A splitter splits off a fraction of the outgoing modulated radiation. An optical element is disposed in a path of the outgoing modulated radiation following the splitter. A mixer mixes the fraction of the outgoing modulated radiation with incoming radiation, including the modulated radiation that has been reflected from the target via the optical element. An optical delay line conveys the fraction of the outgoing modulated radiation from the splitter to the mixer over a first optical length that is within one wave, at the predefined wavelength, of a second optical length from the splitter to the mixer of a portion of the modulated radiation that is scattered from the optical element into the mixer. A photodetector receives the mixed radiation from the mixer.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a microphone, an array of coherent optical emitters, an array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors, and a processor. Each balanced coherent optical vibration sensor in the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors is paired with a coherent optical emitter in the array of coherent optical emitters. The processor is configured to analyze a set of waveforms acquired by the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors; identify, using the analysis of the set of waveforms, a set of one or more voices in a field of view; and adjust an output of the microphone to accentuate a particular voice in the set of one or more voices.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that capture images of an illuminated retina and perform eye tracking using the images. For example, a newly capture image may be compared with a previously-captured image or model of the retina to determine a three dimensional (3D) position or orientation of the eye, relative to the camera/tracking system. Diffuse light is directed towards the retina to produce reflections that are captured by the camera. The diffuse light is directed from positions that better aligned with the camera than prior retinal-imaging techniques. For example, at least some of the diffuse light may be directed towards the retina from one or more positions that are less than the camera lens' aperture radius distance from the camera lens' optical axis.

Abstract: An optical sensing device includes a planar substrate and an array of optical transceivers disposed on the planar substrate. Each optical transceiver includes a photodetector, at least one turning mirror having a reflective surface disposed diagonally relative to the substrate, and multiple waveguides disposed parallel to the substrate. The waveguides include a transmit waveguide, which is coupled to convey outgoing light from a coherent light source to the at least one turning mirror for output from the optical transceiver, and a receive waveguide, which is coupled to receive incoming light reflected by the at least one turning mirror and to convey the incoming light to the photodetector.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems, methods (200), and devices (10) that use a retinal imaging technique to assess a user's eye (45) accommodation (i.e., focus) during use of an electronic device (10), e.g., in real time. One or more light sources (322a-d, 1022a-d) produce one or more illuminated spots (320, 420, 520, 620) on the retina that are detectable via a sensor (324, 1024). The size and shape of the spot(s) (320, 420, 520, 620) depend upon the eye accommodation/focus and thus are used to identify an accommodation/focus change or measure the eye's accommodation/focus. Eye accommodation may be determined in real time while a user is viewing, interacting with, or otherwise experiencing electronic content via the electronic device.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that provide retinal imaging-based gaze tracking In some implementations, a user's gaze is tracked based on a retinal imaging technique that selectively uses a subset of multiple light sources (222, 310, 610) that illuminate different portions of the user's retina (352). In some implementations, a method (700) includes selecting (710) a subset of light sources, where the subset of the light sources includes less than all of the light sources. In some implementations, one or more portions of a retina (352) are illuminated (720) by producing light using the subset of the light sources. In some implementations, sensor data is received (730) at a sensor (224, 340, 814), the sensor data corresponding to the light detected during retinal imaging, and an eye characteristic is determined (740) based on the sensor data.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determines an eye characteristic (e.g., gaze direction, eye orientation, etc.) based on the determined location of the glint. For example, an example process may include producing a glint by producing light that reflects off a portion of an eye, receiving the reflected light at a sensor wherein the reflected light is received after passing through a multi-zone lens having a first zone and a second zone, the first zone and second zone having different energy-spreading characteristics, determining a location of the glint based on the reflected light received at the sensor, and determining an eye characteristic based on the determined location of the glint.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that track an eye characteristic (e.g., gaze direction, eye orientation, etc.). For example, an example process may include producing light that reflects off a retina of an eye, receiving an image of a portion of the retina from an image sensor, the image corresponding to a plurality of reflections of the light scattered from the retina of the eye, obtaining a representation of the eye corresponding to a first accommodative state, the representation representing at least some of the portion of the retina, and tracking an eye characteristic based on a comparison of the image of the portion of the retina with the representation of the eye.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a microphone, an array of coherent optical emitters, an array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors, and a processor. Each balanced coherent optical vibration sensor in the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors is paired with a coherent optical emitter in the array of coherent optical emitters. The processor is configured to analyze a set of waveforms acquired by the array of balanced coherent optical vibration sensors; identify, using the analysis of the set of waveforms, a set of one or more voices in a field of view; and adjust an output of the microphone to accentuate a particular voice in the set of one or more voices.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light source, which is configured to emit a beam of light, and a sensor having a detection area. At least one scanning mirror is configured to scan the beam across a target scene. Light collection optics include a collection lens positioned to receive the light from the scene that is reflected from the at least one scanning mirror and to focus the collected light onto a focal plane, and a non-imaging optical element having a front surface positioned at the focal plane of the collection lens and a rear surface in proximity to the sensor and configured to spread the light focused by the collection lens over the detection area of the sensor.

Abstract: The present application generally relates communications and hazard avoidance within a monitored driving environment. More specifically, the application teaches a system for improved target object detection in a vehicle equipped with a laser detection and ranging LIDAR system by simultaneously transmitting multiple lasers in an array and resolving angular ambiguities using a plurality of horizontal detectors and a plurality of vertical detectors.

Abstract: The present application generally relates communications and hazard avoidance within a monitored driving environment. More specifically, the application teaches a system for improved target object detection in a vehicle equipped with a laser detection and ranging LIDAR system by simultaneously transmitting multiple lasers in an array and resolving angular ambiguities using angle sensitive detection techniques.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: A user-centric driving-support system for implementation at a vehicle of transportation. The system in various embodiments includes one or more vehicle sensors, such as a camera, a RADAR, and a LiDAR, and a hardware-based processing unit. The system further includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage device including an activity unit and an output-structuring unit. The activity unit, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, determines, based on contextual input information, at least one of an alert-assessment output and a scene-awareness output, wherein the contextual input information includes output of the vehicle sensor. The output-structuring unit, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, determines an action to be performed at the vehicle based on at least one of the alert-assessment output and the scene-awareness output determined by the activity unit.