Methods and apparatus for an optical system outputting diffuse light and having a sensor

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a housing and an image sensor that is coupled to the housing. The apparatus also includes a non-imaging optical system coupled to the housing that can output light to a surface and produce a scattered light component and a specular reflected light component. The image sensor and the non-imaging optical system are collectively configured in such a manner that during operation, the image sensor receives from a surface (1) at least a portion of the scattered light component and not the specular reflected light component or (2) at least a portion of the scattered light component having a magnitude and at least a portion of the specular reflective light component having a magnitude less than the magnitude of the portion of the scattered light component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   an image sensor coupled to the housing; and   a non-imaging optical system coupled to the housing and configured to output light to a surface to produce a scattered light component and a specular reflected light component,   the image sensor and the non-imaging optical system collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives from a surface (1) at least a portion of the scattered light component and not the specular reflected light component or (2) at least a portion of the scattered light component having a magnitude and at least a portion of the specular reflective light component having a magnitude less than the magnitude of the portion of the scattered light component.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image sensor has a field of view and an optical axis;   the non-imaging optical system configured to output the light to produce the specular reflected light component at a non-zero angle relative to the optical axis of the image sensor, the specular reflected light component having a lobe width less than the angle.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image sensor has a field of view,   the non-imaging optical system includes a first light source, a first optical component, a second light source and a second optical component,   the first light source and the first optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a first optical path from at least a first location of the housing,   the second light source and the second optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a second optical path from at least a second location of the housing, at least a portion of the field of view being between the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to selectively activate the first light source or the second light source based on an orientation of the housing relative to the surface.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image sensor has a field of view,   the non-imaging optical system includes a first light source, a first refractive optical component, a first reflective optical component, a second light source, a second refractive optical component and a second reflective optical component,   the first light source, the first refractive optical component and the first reflective optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a first optical path from at least a first location of the housing,   the second light source, the second refractive optical component and the second reflective optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a second optical path from at least a second location of the housing, at least a portion of the field of view being between the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first optical component and a second optical component each operatively coupled to the image sensor, the first optical component and the image sensor collectively configured to define a first image path having an optical axis, the second optical component and the image sensor collectively configured to define a second image path having an optical axis,   the non-imaging optical system including a light source having an optical axis non-parallel to the optical axis of the first image path and the optical axis of the second image path.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image sensor and the non-imaging optical system collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives at least a portion of the specular reflected light component, a magnitude of the second specular reflected light component being greater than the magnitude of the scattered light component.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   an image sensor coupled to the housing and having a field of view; and   a non-imaging optical system coupled to the housing and configured to output light from at least a first location of the housing and a second location of the housing, at least a portion of the field of view being between and excluding the first location and the second location,   the image sensor configured to receive from a surface at least one of (1) a scattered light component associated with the first location, or (2) a scattered light component associated with the second location.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the image sensor has an optical axis,   the non-imaging optical system configured to output the light to produce a specular reflected light component from the first location at a non-zero angle relative to the optical axis of the image sensor, the specular reflected light component having a lobe width less than the angle.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the non-imaging optical system includes a first light source, a first optical component, a second light source and a second optical component,   the first light source and the first optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a first optical path from at least the first location to the surface,   the second light source and the second optical component collectively configured to send a portion of the light along a second optical path from at least the second location to the surface, at least a portion of the field of view being between the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to selectively activate the first light source or the second light source based on an orientation of the housing relative to the surface.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the non-imaging optical system is a first non-imaging optical system, the image sensor and the first non-imaging optical system is collectively configured such that the image sensor, during operation, does not receive a specular light component associated with the first location and a specular light component associated with the second location,   the apparatus further comprising:   a second non-imaging optical system coupled to the housing and configured to output light to the surface to produce a specular reflected light component,   the image sensor and the second non-imaging optical system collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives at least a portion of the specular reflected light component output by the second non-imaging optical system.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the non-imaging optical system is a first non-imaging optical system, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second non-imaging optical system coupled to the housing and configured to output light to the surface to produce a specular reflected light component,   the image sensor and the second non-imaging optical system collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives at least a portion of the specular reflected light component.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the image sensor and the non-imaging optical system are collectively configured such that the image sensor (1) does not receive a specular reflected light component associated with the light or (2) receives a specular reflected light component associated with the light and having a magnitude less than a magnitude of the at least one of the scattered light component associated with the first location or the scattered light component associated with the second location.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a stylus housing configured to be used with an electronic device;   an image sensor coupled to the stylus housing, the image sensor defining an optical axis and a field of view; and   a non-imaging optical system coupled to the stylus housing and configured to output light to a surface along an optical path having an optical axis non-parallel to the optical axis of the image sensor to produce a specular reflection,   the non-imaging optical system and the image sensor collectively configured such that the image sensor does not receive the specular reflection.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the non-imaging optical system configured to output the light to the surface to produce a scattered light component,   the image sensor and the non-imaging optical system are collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives at least a portion of the scattered light component.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the non-imaging optical system includes a first light source, a first optical component, a second light source and a second optical component,   the first light source and the first optical component collectively configured to output the light along a first optical path from at least a first location of the stylus housing,   the second light source and the second optical component collectively configured to send light along a second optical path from at least a second location of the stylus housing, at least a portion of the field of view being between the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a controller disposed with the stylus housing and configured to selectively activate the first light source or the second light source based on an orientation of the stylus housing relative to the surface.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first optical component and a second optical component each operatively coupled to the image sensor, the first optical component and the image sensor collectively configured to define a first image path having an optical axis, the second optical component and the image sensor collectively configured to define a second image path having an optical axis,   the non-imaging optical system including a light source having an optical axis non-parallel to the optical axis of the first image path and the optical axis of the second image path.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the non-imaging optical system is a first non-imaging optical system, the specular reflected light component is a first specular reflected light component, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second non-imaging optical system coupled to the stylus housing and configured to output light to the surface to produce a second specular reflected light component,   the image sensor and the second non-imaging optical system collectively configured such that, during operation, the image sensor receives at least a portion of the second specular reflected light component.