Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for obtaining vital measurements are presented. The vital measurements may include a blood pressure value that can be obtained by determining a pulse-transit time (PTT) as a function of a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement. A mobile device includes an outer body sized to be portable for a user, a processor contained within the outer body, a display coupled to a light guide, and at least one first sensor coupled to the light guide. The display is configured to display an illumination pattern directing light toward blood vessels within the user. The at least one first sensor is configured to measure reflected light from the illumination pattern reflected off of the blood vessels within the user, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a first measurement indicative of changes in blood volume based at least in part on the measured reflected light.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed, including a light collector having a plurality of focusing elements and a plurality of light redirecting features that is optically coupled to one or more photovoltaic (PV) cells. In one aspect, the light collector includes half-cylinder shaped lenses that can focus light incident at various angles onto an elongate v-groove in the light guide such that a first portion of the incident light is diverted to one or more PV cells and a second portion of the incident light is transmitted through the light collector to provide illumination.

Abstract: A reflective electronic display includes a front light assembly with a diffuser for enlarging the viewing cone of the display. The front light may include a substrate, a plurality of optical turning features, and a diffuser formed therebetween. The haze of the diffuser may be spatially non-uniform and switchable between two or more levels.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a holographic based optical touchscreen and methods of configuring such devices. In certain embodiments, a touchscreen assembly can include a holographic layer configured to receive incident light and turn it into a selected direction to be transmitted through a light guide. The holographic layer can be configured to accept incident light within an acceptance range and so that the selected direction is within some range of directions so as to allow determination of incidence location based on detection of the turned light. A light source can be provided so that light from the source scatters from an object such as a fingertip near the holographic layer and becomes the incident light. Thus the determined incidence location can represent presence of the fingertip at or near the incidence location, thereby providing touchscreen functionality. Non-limiting examples of design considerations and variations are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a holographic touchscreen and methods of configuring such devices. In certain embodiments, a touchscreen assembly can include a holographic layer configured to receive incident light and turn it into a selected direction to be transmitted through a light guide. The holographic layer can be configured to accept incident light within an acceptance range and so that the selected direction is within a range of directions so as to allow determination of incidence location based on detection of the turned light. A light source can be provided so that light from the source scatters from an object such as a fingertip near the holographic layer and becomes the incident light. The determined incidence location can represent presence of the fingertip at or near the incidence location, thereby providing touchscreen functionality.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to light systems designed to reduce Moiré interference while simultaneously reducing dark regions due to the edge shadow effect. For example, configurations of light sources, light guides and turning features may direct light across a display while reducing Moiré interference.

Abstract: A reflective electronic display includes a front light assembly with a diffuser for enlarging the viewing cone of the display. The front light may include a substrate, a plurality of optical turning features, and a diffuser formed therebetween. The haze of the diffuser may be spatially non-uniform and switchable between two or more levels.

Abstract: A portable device includes a transparent surface; a microlens array having lenslets, each lenslet forming a corresponding image of an object using light received through the transparent surface; a light sensor having pixels, each pixel corresponding uniquely to one of the plurality of lenslets, to detect the formed images of the object; and a controller to use the detected images to determine a motion of the object relative to the transparent surface, and to output the detected motion to a display for use in navigating a cursor and/or a menu on the display according to the determined motion. The portable device can be used in a telephone, personal digital assistant, and/or other handheld devices which control navigation on a display included in the device or external to the device.

Abstract: A vertical tri-color sensor having vertically stacked blue, green, and red pixels detects at least blue and green components of incident light by converting the blue and green components to surface plasmons.

Abstract: A low cost single lens array for use in an automatic optical inspection system, so as to reduce parallax, cross talk, and sensitivity to lateral fabrication errors, and a method for stitching together image segments formed by the array. The lens array comprises a plurality of tube-like baffles, within which are disposed single lens sets and linear image sensors. These baffles are typically arranged to provide de-magnified and inverted image segments that are stitched together to provide the entire image of the surface object.

Abstract: An optical motion sensing module includes a microlens array comprising a plurality of lenslets, each lenslet forming a corresponding image of a surface; a light sensor comprising a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of lenslets to detect the formed images of the surface; and a controller to use the detected images to determine a motion of the surface relative to the optical navigation module. The optical navigation module is usable in optical mice or in other applications in which relative motion is detected optically.

Abstract: A surface plasmon resonance biosensor uses coupled surface plasmons to decrease the width of a reflectivity dip and thereby increase the sensitivity of the surface plasmon resonance biosensor.

Abstract: Surface plasmons are used to increase an energy absorbing efficiency of a semiconductor sensor.

Abstract: An optical navigation module includes a body having a base which rests on a surface with respect to which the optical navigation module moves; a lens disposed in the body and having a large depth of field that is longer than a distance between the lens and the surface so as to form an image of another surface other than the surface; a light sensor disposed in the body and which detects the formed image of the another surface; and a controller to use the detected image to determine a motion of the another surface relative to the optical navigation module and which is independent of the surface on which the base rests.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for modifying the spread of a laser beam. The apparatus comprises a laser source operable to generate a laser beam having a flux that exceeds a predetermined value and an optical train operable to modify the beam such that the flux of the beam through a predetermined aperture does not exceed the predetermined value. The optical train may include a focusing lens, a diffractive focusing vortex lens, a beam splitting device, or a two-dimensional diffraction grating.

Abstract: A position detection system. In representative embodiments, the position detection system comprises a support structure having a cavity, a first light source configured to emit light into at least part of the cavity, a second light source configured to emit light into at least part of the cavity, a first image sensor configured to capture at least part of the light emitted into the cavity by the first and second light sources, an article moveable relative to the support structure, a protuberance attached to the article, and a computation circuit configured to receive a signal from the first image sensor. Movement of the support structure moves the protuberance within the cavity. The computation circuit is configured to compute the location of the protuberance from shadows cast by the protuberance onto the first image sensor.

Abstract: A detection system. The detection system includes a substrate, a laser, and a sensor array. The substrate includes a first surface, a second surface conceptually divided into multiple areas, and a third surface. The laser is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the substrate and incident subsequently onto second surface areas. The sensor array is configured to capture electromagnetic radiation reflected from the second surface. If a first dielectric, having first dielectric constant, is in contact with some areas, electromagnetic radiation incident thereon experiences total internal reflection and if a second dielectric having second dielectric constant is in contact with other areas, some of the electromagnetic radiation incident thereon is reflected back into the substrate by the second dielectric.

Abstract: An optical filter includes a dielectric waveguide layer, supporting waveguide modes at specific wavelengths and receiving incident light, a corrugated film layer, composed of one of a metal and a semiconductor and positioned adjacent to a second surface of the waveguide layer and a sensor layer, wherein the sensor layer is capable of absorbing optical energy and generating a corresponding electrical signal. The metal film layer supports a plurality of plasmons, the plurality of plasmons producing a first field and is excited by a transverse mode of the waveguide modes at a wavelength interval. The first field penetrates the sensor layer and the sensor layer generates an electrical signal corresponding to an intensity of received incident light within the wavelength interval.

Abstract: A detection system. The detection system includes a transparent substrate, an image sensor array, and a reflective layer. The substrate has first surface located opposite second surface and third surface located opposite fourth surface. The array is adjacent to the fourth surface. The reflective layer is adjacent to the third surface; the substrate is configured to receive light through the first surface; the second surface is configured to reflect the received light onto the third surface at a pre-selected angle of incidence; the reflective layer is configured such that the light creates surface plasmons whenever a first dielectric having a first refractive index is adjacent to the reflective layer; the reflective layer is configured to reflect the light onto the array whenever a second dielectric having a second refractive index is adjacent to the reflective layer; and the first refractive index differs from the second refractive index.

Abstract: System and method for scanning light across a light-receiving surface. A system for scanning light across a light-receiving surface to project a scanned line on the light-receiving surface has a light beam generator for generating a plurality of light beams. A scanning mechanism simultaneously scans each light beam of the plurality of light beams across the light-receiving surface to project a different portion of the scanned line on the light-receiving surface. The scanning system can be utilized in a compact laser printer capable of printing at a high rate, and in other scanning applications.