Scanning self-mixing interferometry system and sensor
AssigneeMeta Platforms Technologies, LLC
InventorsMaik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Self-mixed interferometer (SMI) devices and techniques are described for measuring depth and/or velocity of objects. The SMI devices and techniques may be used for eye-tracking. A light source of an SMI sensor emits coherent light that is directed to a target location with a scanning module. One or more SMI signals are measured. The one or more SMI signals are generated by the SMI sensor in response to feedback light received from the target location. The feedback light is a portion of the coherent light that illuminated the target location.
Claims16
An eye-tracking device comprising:
- a self-mixed interferometer (SMI) including:
- an infrared light source including an optical cavity configured to emit coherent infrared light;
- and
- a light sensor optically coupled with the infrared light source;
- and
- a scanning module configured to direct the coherent infrared light to an eyebox location, wherein the light sensor of the SMI is configured to generate an SMI signal in response to feedback light entering the optical cavity of the infrared light source, the feedback light being a portion of the coherent infrared light received back from the eyebox location,
- wherein the SMI is coupled with the scanning module, and wherein the scanning module is configured to direct the coherent infrared light to the eyebox location by adjusting the scanning module to move the SMI to direct the coherent infrared light emitted by the infrared light source of the SMI to the eyebox location.
A sensor comprising:
- a self-mixed interferometer (SMI) including a light source configured to emit coherent light;
- and
- a scanning module configured to direct the coherent light to a plurality of target locations,
- wherein the SMI also includes a light sensor configured to generate a plurality of SMI signals in response to feedback light received back from the plurality of target locations, and wherein the SMI is coupled with the scanning module, and wherein the scanning module is configured to direct the coherent light to the target locations by adjusting the scanning module to move the SMI to direct the coherent light emitted by the light source of the SMI to the target locations.
A method of eye-tracking comprising:
- activating an infrared light source of a self-mixed interferometer (SMI) to emit coherent infrared light;
- directing the coherent infrared light to an eyebox location with a scanning module;
- and
- measuring an SMI signal generated by the SMI in response to feedback infrared light received back from the eyebox location, wherein the feedback infrared light is a portion of the coherent infrared light, and wherein the SMI is coupled with the scanning module, and wherein directing the coherent infrared light to the eyebox location with the scanning module includes adjusting the scanning module to move the SMI to direct the coherent infrared light of the SMI to the eyebox location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.