Time of flight sensor with light baffle system and method

A time of flight sensor system having a time of flight sensor layer, wherein emission signals travel away from the time of flight sensor layer and reception signals travel towards the time of flight sensor layer, the system comprising:

• a covering window layer spaced apart from the time of flight sensor layer, the covering window layer including an exit window and an entrance window;
• an emitting element in the time of flight sensor layer that transmits an emission signal towards the exit window in the covering window layer;
• a receiving element in the time of flight sensor layer that receives a reception signal from the entrance window in the covering window layer;
• one or more opaque walls extending at least a portion of the distance from the time of flight sensor layer to the covering window layer, the one or more opaque walls reducing reflection backscatter of emission signals and reception signals, the one or more opaque walls shaping an emission signal angle and a reception signal angle, and the one or more opaque walls insulating the emission and reception signals;
• and
• light baffles incorporated into the one or more opaque walls that reduce backscatter of emission signals and reception signals, wherein the light baffles are in the form of protrusions that each extend towards an emission signal path to reduce the emission signal angle or extend towards a reception signal path to reduce the reception signal angle.

A time of flight sensor system having a time of flight sensor layer, wherein emission signals travel away from the time of flight sensor layer and reception signals travel towards the time of flight sensor layer, the system comprising:

• a covering window layer spaced apart from the time of flight sensor layer, the covering window layer including an exit window and an entrance window;
• an emitting element in the time of flight sensor layer that transmits an emission signal towards the exit window in the covering window layer;
• a receiving element in the time of flight sensor layer that receives a reception signal from the entrance window in the covering window layer, the time of flight sensor layer defining a central region between the emitting element and the receiving element, an outer emitter region adjacent to the emitting element and outwardly spaced from the central region, and an outer reception region adjacent to the receiving element and outwardly spaced from the central region;
• three opaque walls that include a central opaque wall, an outer emitter region wall, and an outer reception region wall, wherein the central opaque wall has a detached end that is detached from the time of flight sensor layer, a detached end that is detached from the covering window layer, or two detached ends that are detached from both the time of flight sensor layer and the covering window layer, and wherein at least one detached end has enhanced, non-planar surfaces that reduce crosstalk, wherein crosstalk is signal reception at the receiving element from the emitting element due to unwanted reflection backscatter within the time of flight sensor system;
• wherein the outer emitter region wall and the outer reception region wall each include at least one bumper end having a bumper, wherein the outer emitter region wall and the outer reception region wall each have a bumper end positioned to be in contact with the covering window layer, a bumper end positioned to be in contact with the time of flight sensor layer, or a bumper end positioned to be in contact with the covering window layer and a bumper end positioned to be in contact with the time of flight sensor layer;
• and
• light baffles incorporated into each of the three opaque walls that reduce backscatter of emission signals and reception signals.