Patents by Inventor Richard Ruh
Richard Ruh has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20160209245Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. The light emitted from the light source may pass through a lens along an axis towards external objects. The light source and the detector may be mounted in a proximity sensor housing having openings that are aligned with the light source and the detector. A reflector may be mounted to the proximity sensor in a configuration that bridges the opening over the light source. The reflector may be formed from a strip of metal or a strip of prism structures. Some of the light from the light source reflects from the reflector at a non-zero angle with respect to the axis and enhances proximity sensor performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 9366752Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. Optical structures may be interposed between the proximity sensor and the window in the display cover layer. The optical structures may include a first portion such as a convex lens that is configured to collimate light from the light source so that the light propagates along a surface normal to the display cover layer. The optical structures may also include a second portion such as a prism structure for deflecting uncollimated light away from the propagation axis of the collimated light.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 9291495Abstract: A proximity and light sensing device including a radiation emitter for proximity sensing positioned on a substrate. The device further includes a radiation detector positioned on the substrate, the radiation detector configured to detect radiation from the emitter. An ambient light detector is also positioned on the substrate and around the radiation emitter so as to form a border around the radiation emitter and detect off-axis ambient light rays.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2013Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brian R. Land, Richard Ruh, Steven P. Hotelling
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Publication number: 20160069713Abstract: An optical encoder having diffuser members, and methods for detecting the rotational movement of the cylinder of the optical encoder are disclosed. The optical encoder may include a rotatable cylinder configured to reflect light. The rotatable cylinder may include an encoding pattern of alternating reflective stripes having distinct light-reflective properties. The optical encoder may also include a light source positioned adjacent the rotatable cylinder, and an array of optical sensors positioned adjacent the rotatable cylinder. The array of optical sensors may receive the reflected light from the rotatable cylinder. The optical encoder may include a diffuser member positioned on the rotatable cylinder, the light source, and the array of optical sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Richard Ruh, Prashanth S. Holenarsipur
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Patent number: 9263618Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. The light emitted from the light source may pass through a lens along an axis towards external objects. The light source and the detector may be mounted in a proximity sensor housing having openings that are aligned with the light source and the detector. A reflector may be mounted to the proximity sensor in a configuration that bridges the opening over the light source. The reflector may be formed from a strip of metal or a strip of prism structures. Some of the light from the light source reflects from the reflector at a non-zero angle with respect to the axis and enhances proximity sensor performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2013Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 9046415Abstract: A proximity and light sensing device including a light emitting compartment having a light emitter positioned on a substrate and an optical element positioned along a side of the light emitter opposite the substrate. The device further including a light receiving compartment including a light detector positioned on the substrate and an optical element positioned along a side of the light detector opposite the substrate. A mid wall extends in a direction substantially normal to the substrate and is positioned between the light emitting compartment and the light receiving compartment. The device further includes a reflective element positioned at a side of the mid wall facing the light receiving compartment, the reflective element capable of reflecting an off-axis light beam onto the light detector so as to form a real image on the light detector of an otherwise virtual image formed behind the reflector. Other embodiments are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Publication number: 20150102212Abstract: An electronic device display may have a display cover layer. The cover layer may have a border that has an opaque masking material with an opening defining a light window for an ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor may have a photodetector mounted in a light sensor housing. A molded clear plastic light diffuser may be used to diffuse light for the ambient light sensor that is passing through the light window. The light diffuser may reduce directionality in the ambient light sensor. The light diffuser may have an array of molded protrusions such as flat-topped cones. Alignment features may be formed in the light sensor housing and the light diffuser. Clips and other molded structures for attaching the light sensor to a mounting bracket or other structures may be molded into the light diffuser and light sensor housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2013Publication date: April 16, 2015Applicant: Apple, Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 8976250Abstract: A lens testing system may have a test pattern source that generates a test pattern of light. A lens may have a lens surface that reflects the test pattern of light. A digital camera system may capture an image of the reflected test pattern of light. Computing equipment may perform image processing operations to evaluate the captured image of the reflected test pattern. The test pattern may contain a known pattern of test elements such as a rectangular array of spots or test elements of other configurations. During image processing operations, the computing equipment may analyze the reflected version of the spots or other test elements to measure characteristics of the lens such as radius of curvature, whether the lens contains flat regions, pits, or bumps, lens placement in a support structure, and other lens performance data. The computing equipment may compare the measured lens data to predetermined criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, James J. Dudley, Richard Ruh, Anant Rai
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Patent number: 8912480Abstract: The underside of an inactive portion of a display cover layer in an electronic device may be covered with an opaque masking material. Openings in the opaque masking material may be form ambient light sensor and proximity sensor windows. An ambient light sensor window may be filled with a material that transmits at least some visible light. A proximity sensor window may be filled with a material that transmits more infrared light relative to visible light than the material in the ambient light sensor window. The materials in the ambient light sensor window and proximity sensor window may include one or more layers of ink, patterns of holes, layers of material that are shared with the opaque masking layer, and materials that are black, white, or other colors. A light guide structure may be used to route light received from a sensor window to an associated sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2011Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Benjamin J. Pope, Kelvin Kwong, Richard P. Howarth, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Tang Yew Tan, Richard Ruh, Matt Waldon, Daniel W. Jarvis, Brian R. Land, Steven P. Hotelling
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Publication number: 20140252213Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. The light emitted from the light source may pass through a lens along an axis towards external objects. The light source and the detector may be mounted in a proximity sensor housing having openings that are aligned with the light source and the detector. A reflector may be mounted to the proximity sensor in a configuration that bridges the opening over the light source. The reflector may be formed from a strip of metal or a strip of prism structures. Some of the light from the light source reflects from the reflector at a non-zero angle with respect to the axis and enhances proximity sensor performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2013Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Publication number: 20140252209Abstract: A proximity and light sensing device including a radiation emitter for proximity sensing positioned on a substrate. The device further includes a radiation detector positioned on the substrate, the radiation detector configured to detect radiation from the emitter. An ambient light detector is also positioned on the substrate and around the radiation emitter so as to form a border around the radiation emitter and detect off-axis ambient light rays.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2013Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brian R. Land, Richard Ruh, Steven P. Hotelling
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Publication number: 20140218340Abstract: A portable electronic device including a proximity sensing device having an emitter and a detector. The electronic device further including a housing for containing the proximity sensing device which includes an optical interface forming a face of the housing through which radiation between the emitter and the detector pass. The optical interface may include an oleophobic coating which is selectively modified such that optical interference from an optical interface near-field object on the proximity sensing device is reduced without reducing a sensitivity of the proximity sensing device to a target near-field object.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2013Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anant Rai, Prashanth S. Holenarsipur, Alex M. Lee, Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 8785861Abstract: A proximity sensing device having a light emitting assembly including a light emitting device for proximity sensing positioned on a substrate and a light emitting lens positioned along a side of the light emitting device opposite the substrate and a light receiving assembly having a light receiving device positioned on the substrate and a receiving lens positioned along a side of the light receiving device opposite the substrate. A mid wall is positioned between the light emitting assembly and the light receiving assembly which includes a crosstalk controlling portion positioned between the light emitting lens and the light receiving lens that is configured to reduce optical crosstalk between the light emitting assembly and the light receiving assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Publication number: 20140158889Abstract: A proximity sensing device having a light emitting assembly including a light emitting device for proximity sensing positioned on a substrate and a light emitting lens positioned along a side of the light emitting device opposite the substrate and a light receiving assembly having a light receiving device positioned on the substrate and a receiving lens positioned along a side of the light receiving device opposite the substrate. A mid wall is positioned between the light emitting assembly and the light receiving assembly which includes a crosstalk controlling portion positioned between the light emitting lens and the light receiving lens that is configured to reduce optical crosstalk between the light emitting assembly and the light receiving assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Publication number: 20140070080Abstract: A proximity and light sensing device including a light emitting compartment having a light emitter positioned on a substrate and an optical element positioned along a side of the light emitter opposite the substrate. The device further including a light receiving compartment including a light detector positioned on the substrate and an optical element positioned along a side of the light detector opposite the substrate. A mid wall extends in a direction substantially normal to the substrate and is positioned between the light emitting compartment and the light receiving compartment. The device further includes a reflective element positioned at a side of the mid wall facing the light receiving compartment, the reflective element capable of reflecting an off-axis light beam onto the light detector so as to form a real image on the light detector of an otherwise virtual image formed behind the reflector. Other embodiments are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Publication number: 20130293726Abstract: A lens testing system may have a test pattern source that generates a test pattern of light. A lens may have a lens surface that reflects the test pattern of light. A digital camera system may capture an image of the reflected test pattern of light. Computing equipment may perform image processing operations to evaluate the captured image of the reflected test pattern. The test pattern may contain a known pattern of test elements such as a rectangular array of spots or test elements of other configurations. During image processing operations, the computing equipment may analyze the reflected version of the spots or other test elements to measure characteristics of the lens such as radius of curvature, whether the lens contains flat regions, pits, or bumps, lens placement in a support structure, and other lens performance data. The computing equipment may compare the measured lens data to predetermined criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2012Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, James J. Dudley, Richard Ruh, Anant Rai
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Publication number: 20130075595Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. Optical structures may be interposed between the proximity sensor and the window in the display cover layer. The optical structures may include a first portion such as a convex lens that is configured to collimate light from the light source so that the light propagates along a surface normal to the display cover layer. The optical structures may also include a second portion such as a prism structure for deflecting uncollimated light away from the propagation axis of the collimated light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Inventor: Richard Ruh
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Patent number: 8244081Abstract: In an optoelectronic assembly in which one or more beam paths are to be aligned with a corresponding number of active optical elements, the cooperation between flexible alignment features and fixed alignment features achieves elastic averaging so as to provide the target accuracy. By averaging dimensional and positional errors over a large number of localized couplings of the flexible and fixed alignment features, elastic averaging provides the same accuracy as the more costly and complex kinematic alignment techniques.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Robert H. Yi, Brenton A. Baugh, James H. Williams, Robert E. Wilson, Richard A. Ruh
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Publication number: 20100247034Abstract: In an optoelectronic assembly in which one or more beam paths are to be aligned with a corresponding number of active optical elements, the cooperation between flexible alignment features and fixed alignment features achieves elastic averaging so as to provide the target accuracy. By averaging dimensional and positional errors over a large number of localized couplings of the flexible and fixed alignment features, elastic averaging provides the same accuracy as the more costly and complex kinematic alignment techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES FIBER IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.Inventors: Robert H. Yi, Brenton A. Baugh, James H. Williams, Robert E. Wilson, Richard A. Ruh
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Patent number: 7764853Abstract: In an optoelectronic assembly in which one or more beam paths are to be aligned with a corresponding number of active optical elements, the cooperation between flexible alignment features and fixed alignment features achieves elastic averaging so as to provide the target accuracy. By averaging dimensional and positional errors over a large number of localized couplings of the flexible and fixed alignment features, elastic averaging provides the same accuracy as the more costly and complex kinematic alignment techniques.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2008Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Robert H. Yi, Brenton A. Baugh, James H. Williams, Robert E. Wilson, Richard A. Ruh