# US 12,004,854 B2 · Technologies for enhancing contrast of an illumination marker

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- Number: US 12,004,854 B2
- Document ID: US12004854B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/067,652
- Filed: 2020-10-10
- Published: 2021-01-28
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-17
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Nizan Horesh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004854B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/1127: {using markers}
- A61B 5/1114: {Tracking parts of the body}
- F21K 9/64: using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
- F21V 3/02: characterised by the shape
- F21V 19/006: {of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base (of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001)}
- G02B 5/003: {Light absorbing elements}
- G02B 5/0236: {the diffusion taking place within the volume of the element}
- G02B 5/12: Reflex reflectors
- G02B 5/126: including curved refracting surface
- G02B 5/22: Absorbing filters {(G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence)}
- G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)}
- G06F 3/0325: {using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image}
- G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
- G02B 1/04: made of organic materials, e.g. plastics (G02B1/08 takes precedence)
- G02B 2207/123: Optical louvre elements, e.g. for directional light blocking
- G06V 10/22: by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- F21K: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

An illumination marker includes a light source and an optical attenuation cover coupled to the light source. The optical attenuation cover is configured to attenuate an intensity of light that passes through the optical attenuation cover based on a length of an optical path of the light through the optical attenuation cover. In some embodiments, the optical attenuation cover may be embodied as a physical barrier cover and include light-blocking structures. Additionally, in some embodiments, the illumination maker may include a diffusive or retro-reflective core rather than the light source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An illumination marker, comprising:
a cover to at least partially surround and be in contact with an outer surface of a shell of a first light source, the cover having a first thickness, the shell having a second thickness, the first thickness greater than the second thickness; and
a first optical path defined in the cover, a first light from the first light source to follow the first optical path through the cover and toward a first location external to the cover, the cover to block at least a portion of second light from a second light source from following a second optical path through the cover and toward the first location, the second light source to be external to the cover on an opposite side of the cover relative to the first location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a plurality of vanes, the vanes to extend in directions transverse to the second optical path to block at least the portion of the second light.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The illumination marker of claim 2, wherein the vanes are to be positioned at angles relative to the first light source to enable the first optical path to extend between adjacent ones of the vanes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a material to block at least the portion of the second light based on a wavelength of the second light.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The illumination marker of claim 4, wherein the cover is to reduce an intensity of light having a wavelength within a wavelength pass-band at an amount less than light having a wavelength outside of the wavelength pass-band.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The illumination marker of claim 5, wherein the wavelength pass-band includes a first wavelength of the first light and excludes a second wavelength of the second light.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The illumination marker of claim 4, wherein the material is a translucent material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover is to block at least the portion of the second light by attenuating an intensity of the second light, the cover to attenuate the intensity of the second light by a greater amount than an intensity of the first light.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The illumination marker of claim 8, wherein a difference in attenuation of the first light relative to the second light is based on a difference between a first length of the first optical path that extends through the cover and a second length of the second optical path that extends through the cover.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The illumination marker of claim 9, wherein the cover is to attenuate an amount of light passing through the cover logarithmically relative to a distance the light traverses through the cover.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover is to extend at least 180 degrees around the first light source.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein twice the first thickness is greater than half a width of the shell of the first light source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the first light source is to be spaced apart from an exterior surface of the cover.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The illumination marker of claim 13, further including a core, the cover to selectively at least partially surround the core or the first light source, the core to reflect the first light from the first light source toward the first location while the cover is at least partially surrounding the core and spaced apart from the first light source.

### Claim 15

An illumination marker, comprising
means for blocking light; and
means for generating light, the light generating means to generate first light that is to pass through the light blocking means toward a first location, the light blocking means to reduce an intensity of the first light less than an intensity of a second light, the second light to pass through the light blocking means toward the first location, the second light to emanate from an external light source at a second location, the light blocking means to be between the first location and the second location, the light blocking means to extend 360 degrees around an external shell of the light generating means in a first plane and to extend at least 180 degrees around the external shell of the light generating means in a second plane, the second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The illumination marker of claim 15, wherein the light blocking means includes apertures that extend from an inner surface of the light blocking means to an outer surface of the light blocking means, the apertures to define unobstructed paths for the first light to pass through the light blocking means.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The illumination marker of claim 15, wherein the light blocking means is to reduce the intensity of the first light less than the intensity of the second light based on a difference in wavelengths of the first light and the second light.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The illumination marker of claim 15, wherein the light blocking means is to reduce the intensity of the first light less than the intensity of the second light based on a difference in lengths of optical paths through the light blocking means followed by the first light and the second light.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, further including a base coupled to the shell, the shell having a distal point opposite the base, the cover to extend away from the distal point of the shell by a first distance in a direction extending between the base and the distal point, the first distance at least as great as any other distance the cover extends away from the shell at any other point on the shell.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover is to extend 360 degrees about a first perimeter of the shell and to extend at least 180 degrees about a second perimeter of the shell, the first perimeter defined along a first plane, the second perimeter defined along a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a plurality of aperatures extending through the first thickness of the cover, the first optical path defined by at least one of the apertures.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The illumination marker of claim 21, wherein the aperatures are defined by vanes that are connected to define polygonal shapes.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The illumination marker of claim 1, wherein the cover is to block more of the first light emanating from regions on the shell closer to a perimeter of the shell, from a perspective taken from the first location, than from regions on the shell closer to a center of the shell.