3 of the MVIS patent applications revealed this week by ppr_24_hrs deal with using an LBS projector to revolutionize the 3D/depth sensing and focusing capacity of conventional smartphone camera technology. MVIS uses a combination of simultaneous scanned IR time of flight (TOF) and structured light techniques to radically improve the quality of CMOS or other camera technology. The patents are:
Mixed-mode depth detection
Hybrid data acquisition in scanned beam display
Laser beam scanning assisted autofocus
When you read these patent applications in full, they appear extremely powerful when considered individually but especially in combination. Here's a link to them for easy reference.
Now, consider the comments in the following AppleInsider article regarding a very recent (March 7) Apple patent award which deals with facial recognition. The patent (a Primesense application) was filed before the MVIS applications. Yet, as AppleInsider points out, the Apple/Primsesense patent has a shortcoming: it falls short because of inadequate camera technology:
FROM APPLEINSIDER:
"While today's patent grant describes a general solution for detecting human faces, it lacks contingencies for more granular identification. In other words, the detailed invention can determine whether or not a human face is in frame, but is unable identify to whom that face belongs. However, face detection is an integral first step in bio-recognition technologies, often serving as the trigger to more complex image processing.
Whether Apple plans to integrate the invention into a future product is unknown, but a similar solution might show up in iPhone later this year. According to the latest predictions from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is rumored to include a "revolutionary" front-facing 3D camera system in this year's OLED iPhone model. By integrating infrared transmitter and receiver modules alongside the usual FaceTime camera, the setup is said to be capable of accomplishing a variety of tasks, from biometric authentication to gaming."
NOW. CONSIDER:
as AppleInsider reminds above, rumors abound that Apple's next product has a "revolutionary" laser scanning 3D camera specifically touted as capable of detailed face recognition, among other things;
STM is believed to be supplying this revolutionary laser scanning 3D camera technology to Apple;
MVIS and STM are in bed together on laser beam scanning;
MVIS' recent 3 patent applications appear to address the shortcomings in camera technology in Apple's facial recognition patent, as identified by AppleInsider. MVIS' solution unsurprisingly employs laser beam scanning.
IS THIS ALL A COINCIDENCE?
As a side note, the 3 MVIS patent applications remind that the LBS projector that revolutionizes the camera technology also projects a visible interactive display. Apple/Primesense patents are riddled with projected interactive displays. The most detailed patent application of the 3 also explicitly incorporates MVIS' integrated beam scanner technology.
Patent 1
Patent 2
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