Light Guide Structure with Multiple Entrances

Abstract

The light communication solution presented herein uses waveguides with multiple entrances to efficiently collect light used for light communications and propagate that collected light to a sensor. To that end each waveguide entrance, or at least all but the initial waveguide entrance, is configured to not only collect and input the light into the TIR waveguide, but also to maintain TIR of light already propagating within the TIR waveguide. In so doing, the solution presented herein increases the amount of light available for light communications. Further, because each waveguide may channel light from multiple collection points to a single sensor, the solution presented herein reduces the number of sensors needed for the light communications. The solution presented herein facilitates the implementation of light communications for a wide variety of devices (e.g., cellular telephones, tablets, smartphones, smart watches, smart glasses, etc.) and/or in a wide variety of scenarios.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A total internal reflection (TIR) waveguide comprising:
 a TIR structure operative to internally propagate light along the TIR waveguide;   a first waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide and configured to collect a first portion of the light into the TIR structure; and   a second waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide and spaced away from the first waveguide entrance, wherein the second waveguide entrance is operative to collect a second portion of the light into the TIR structure and maintain TIR of the first portion of the light already propagating along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure.   
     
     
         25 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 24 , further comprising a diffusive element disposed along an internal edge of the TIR structure, the diffusive element configured to disrupt the propagation of the light along the TIR waveguide. 
     
     
         26 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 25 , wherein the diffusive element is further configured to direct at least some of the disrupted light toward a light sensor disposed adjacent to the TIR structure. 
     
     
         27 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 25 , further comprising a light guiding element disposed along an internal edge of the TIR structure opposite the first waveguide entrance, the light guiding element being operative to facilitate propagation of the first portion of the light along the TIR waveguide and the first waveguide entrance being farther along the TIR waveguide from the diffusive element than the second waveguide entrance. 
     
     
         28 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 24 , wherein to internally propagate the light along the TIR waveguide, the TIR structure is operative to internally propagate the first portion of the light and the second portion of the light in a same direction. 
     
     
         29 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 24 , further comprising a third waveguide entrance spaced apart from the first waveguide entrance and the second waveguide entrance, wherein:
 the third waveguide entrance is operative to collect a third portion of the light; and   to internally propagate the light along the TIR waveguide, the TIR structure is operative to internally propagate the third portion of the light and the first portion of the light in opposing directions.   
     
     
         30 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 24 , wherein the second waveguide entrance comprises a light guide structure that abuts the TIR structure and is operative to direct the second portion of the light into the TIR structure at an angle conducive for TIR reflection within the TIR structure. 
     
     
         31 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 30 , wherein to collect the second portion of the light into the TIR structure:
 the second waveguide entrance further comprises a lens operative to collect the second portion of the light into the light guide structure at a first side of the light guide structure adjacent to the lens; and   a second side of the light guide structure is opposite the first side and abuts the TIR structure, the second side being operative to:
 direct the second portion of the light into the TIR structure at the angle conducive for TIR reflection within the TIR structure; and 
 maintain TIR of the first portion of the light already propagating along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure. 
   
     
     
         32 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 24 , further comprising a multi-layer coating having at least three layers, the TIR structure comprising a middle layer of the multi-layer coating. 
     
     
         33 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 32 , wherein the multi-layer coating comprises:
 a first layer adjacent the first waveguide entrance, the second waveguide entrance, or both;   the middle layer abutting the first layer; and   a second layer abutting the middle layer.   
     
     
         34 . The TIR waveguide of  claim 32 , wherein the multi-layer coating is at least partially disposed on an external portion of a device comprising a detection system configured to detect the light. 
     
     
         35 . A method of propagating light through a total internal reflection (TIR) waveguide, the method comprising:
 collecting a first portion of the light into a TIR structure of the TIR waveguide at a first waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide;   collecting a second portion of the light into the TIR structure at a second waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide and spaced away from the first waveguide entrance;   propagating the light along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure, the propagating comprising maintaining, at the second waveguide entrance, TIR of the first portion of the light.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising disrupting the propagation of the light along the TIR waveguide using a diffusive element disposed along an internal edge of the TIR structure. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising directing at least some of the disrupted light toward a light sensor disposed adjacent to the TIR structure. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising facilitating propagation of the first portion of the light along the TIR waveguide using a light guiding element disposed along an internal edge of the TIR structure opposite the first waveguide entrance, the first waveguide entrance being farther along the TIR waveguide from the diffusive element than the second waveguide entrance. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein propagating the light along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure comprises internally propagating the first portion of the light and the second portion of the light in a same direction. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising collecting a third portion of the light into the TIR structure at a third waveguide entrance spaced apart from the first waveguide entrance and the second waveguide entrance, wherein propagating the light along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure comprises internally propagating the third portion of the light and the first portion of the light in opposing directions. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising directing the second portion of the light into the TIR structure at an angle conducive for TIR reflection within the TIR structure using a light guide structure of the second waveguide entrance that abuts the TIR structure. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein collecting the second portion of the light into the TIR structure at the second waveguide entrance comprises:
 collecting the second portion of the light into the light guide structure at a first side of the light guide structure using a lens of the second waveguide entrance that is adjacent to the first side; and   directing the second portion of the light into the TIR structure at the angle conducive for TIR reflection within the TIR structure at a second side of the light guide structure that is opposite to the first side and abuts the TIR structure; and   wherein the method further comprises maintaining, at the second side of the light guide structure, TIR of the first portion of the light propagating along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure.   
     
     
         43 . A wireless device comprising:
 a housing; and   a total internal reflection (TIR) waveguide disposed at least partially within the housing, the TIR waveguide comprising:
 a TIR structure operative to internally propagate light along the TIR waveguide; 
 a first waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide and configured to collect a first portion of the light into the TIR structure; and 
 a second waveguide entrance disposed along the TIR waveguide and spaced away from the first waveguide entrance, wherein the second waveguide entrance is operative to collect a second portion of the light into the TIR structure and maintain TIR of the first portion of the light already propagating along the TIR waveguide within the TIR structure. 
   
     
     
         44 . The wireless device of  claim 43 , wherein the TIR waveguide further comprises a diffusive element disposed along an internal edge of the TIR structure, the diffusive element configured to disrupt the propagation of the light along the TIR waveguide. 
     
     
         45 . The wireless device of  claim 44 , further comprising a light sensor adjacent to the TIR structure, wherein the diffusive element is further configured to direct at least some of the disrupted light toward the light sensor. 
     
     
         46 . The wireless device of  claim 45 , wherein the light sensor is comprised in a detection system of the wireless device that is configured to interpret the disrupted light received by the light sensor as light communication signaling. 
     
     
         47 . The wireless device of  claim 43 , wherein to internally propagate the light along the TIR waveguide, the TIR structure is operative to internally propagate the first portion of the light and the second portion of the light in a same direction. 
     
     
         48 . The wireless device of  claim 43 , wherein the housing comprises at least one opening through which the first and second portions of the light are collected by the first and second waveguide entrances, respectively. 
     
     
         49 . The wireless device of  claim 43 , wherein the housing is configured to be worn by a user.