Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to integrating Interferometric Sensors and Extended Depth Of Focus Optics into Apple Pencil, Vision Pro and smartglasses.

Optical Sensor Module Including An Interferometric Sensor And Extended Depth Of Focus Optics

Embodiments of the systems, devices, methods, and apparatus are directed to the configuration and operation of an optical sensor module that includes an interferometric sensor and extended depth of focus optics.

The interferometric sensor may include an SMI sensor or a Mach-Zender interferometer. The extended depth of focus optics may include a set of one or more optical elements that focus the light emitted by a coherent light source of an interferometric sensor toward different focus areas within different depths of focus. The different depths of focus may be overlapping or non-overlapping depths of focus. As defined herein, a depth of focus (DoF) is a distance range, from a set of one or more optical elements, within which the statistical signal strength distribution of an interferometric signal produced by an interferometric sensor meets sensing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and detection failure rate requirements.

An optical sensor module may include an interferometric sensor and a set of one or more optical elements. The interferometric sensor may include a coherent light source and at least one detector configured to generate an interferometric signal. The set of one or more optical elements may be configured to simultaneously direct a first portion of light emitted by the coherent light source toward a first focus area within a first depth of focus; direct a second portion of the light emitted by the coherent light source toward a second focus area within a second depth of focus; and direct portions of the emitted light that are returned from one or more objects within the first depth of focus or the second depth of focus toward the interferometric sensor.

In another aspect of the patent, Apple describes a future Apple Pencil that may include an elongate housing having a surface contact end; a set of one or more interferometric sensors mounted to the elongate housing and configured to emit light; a set of one or more optical elements; and a processor. The set of one or more optical elements may be configured to, for an interferometric sensor in the set of one or more interferometric sensors, direct a first portion of the emitted light toward a first focus area within a first depth of focus near the surface contact end of the housing; direct a second portion of the emitted light toward a second focus area within a second depth of focus near the surface contact end of the housing; and direct portions of the emitted light returned from one or more objects, in the first depth of focus or the second depth of focus, toward the interferometric sensor.

The processor may be mounted within the elongate housing and configured to identify an input provided by a user on a surface contacted by the surface contact end of the housing, the input identified at least in part based on a set of one or more interferometric signals generated by the set of one or more interferometric sensors.

In another aspect, the present disclosure describes wearable devices, both Apple Vision and smartglasses that include a set of one or more interferometric sensors mounted to the wearable housing and configured to emit light from the wearable housing; and a set of one or more optical elements. The set of one or more optical elements may be configured to, for an interferometric sensor in the set of one or more interferometric sensors, direct a first portion of the emitted light toward a first focus area within a first depth of focus; direct a second portion of the emitted light toward a second focus area within a second depth of focus; and direct portions of the emitted light returned from a surface toward the interferometric sensor.

To review the full technical details of this invention, check out granted patent 12209890.