New patent - Apple
Light detection and ranging sensor
US Patent Application 20170176579
Niclass; Cristiano L. ; et al.
June 22, 2017
Abstract An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which emits at least one beam of light pulses, a beam steering device, which transmits and scans the at least one beam across a target scene, and an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element outputs a signal indicative of a time of incidence of a single photon on the sensing element. Light collection optics image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.
Applicant: APPLE INC. Cupertino CA US
Time-of-flight detector with single-axis scan
US Patent Application 20170176596
June 22, 2017
Abstract Apparatus for mapping includes an illumination assembly, which projects a line of radiation extending in a first direction across a scene. A detection assembly receives the radiation reflected from the scene within a sensing area that contains at least a part of the line of the radiation, and includes a linear array of detector elements and objective optics, which focus the reflected radiation from the sensing area onto the linear array. A scanning mirror scans the line of radiation and the sensing area together over the scene in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. Processing circuitry processes signals output by the detector elements in response to the received radiation in order to construct a three-dimensional (3D) map of an object in the scene.
Applicant: Apple Inc. Cupertino CA US
... Light beam steering ... LBS ... raster pattern ... scan pattern ... scanning mirror ...
