US 12,449,913 B1
Single photon avalanche diodes for rotational and translational input detection
Mieczyslaw M Dabrowski, San Francisco, CA (US); Anand K Chamakura, San Jose, CA (US); Dong Zheng, Los Altos, CA (US); Peng Zhao, Redwood City, CA (US); David D Dashevsky, San Jose, CA (US); and Stephen N Sweet, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/892,374.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/03 (2006.01); G01D 5/347 (2006.01); G06F 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0312 (2013.01) [G01D 5/3473 (2013.01); G06F 1/163 (2013.01); G06F 3/0325 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An input component for a portable electronic device, the input component comprising:
a movable input member comprising a shaft;
a light emitting element oriented to emit light toward the shaft;
a pattern disposed on a surface of the shaft and configured to reflect the emitted light as reflected light;
an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) configured to operate in Geiger mode; and
a counter circuit coupled to at least one SPAD of the array of SPADs, the counter circuit configured to increment a value in response to an output of the at least one SPAD, the value:
informing a determination of spatial phase of the reflected light; and
corresponding to a rotation of the shaft of the movable input member.