Programmable Transmit/Receive Pixel Array and Applications

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display component positioned adjacent to a light transmissive surface of the electronic device;
• an array of pixels formed in a common set of epitaxial layers, each pixel in the array of pixels including:
• a respective vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diode;
• and
• a respective photodiode (PD);
• and
• a controller operably linked to the respective VCSEL diode and the respective PD of each pixel of the array of pixels;
• wherein:
• the array of pixels is positioned proximate to the display component, opposite to the light transmissive surface;
• when a first electrical bias is applied to a first pixel, the respective VCSEL diode of the first pixel is operable to emit light and the respective PD of the first pixel is unbiased;
• when a second electrical bias is applied to the first pixel, the respective PD of the first pixel is biased to detect light and the respective VCSEL diode of the first pixel is unbiased;
• and
• the controller is operable to:
• determine signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of at least some VCSEL diodes and at least some PDs;
• and
• configure different pixels to operate as VCSEL diodes or PDs at least partly in response to the determined SNRs.

An electronic device comprising:

• a camera;
• an array of pixels positioned adjacent to a light transmissive surface of the electronic device;
• and
• a controller;
• wherein:
• the array of pixels is formed in a common set of epitaxial layers, each pixel in the array of pixels including:
• a respective vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diode;
• and
• a respective photodiode (PD);
• the controller is electrically connected to each respective VCSEL diode and each respective PD of each pixel of the array of pixels;
• and
• the controller is operable to apply a first electrical bias at a first time to configure the respective VCSEL diode of a first pixel to emit light, and to apply a second electrical bias at a second time to configure the respective PD of the first pixel to detect light.