Patent ID: 8629855
Filing Date: 2014-01-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a light guide having a first surface and an opposing second surface, comprising: a facet extending at least from the first surface toward the second surface, and a diffractive element provided on the second surface, the diffractive element comprising a plurality of fringes arranged such that when the light beam is directed from a location on the first surface toward the second surface at a redefined direction, the light beam is diffracted toward the first surface and guided in the light guide and subsequently exits the light guide through the facet as an exit beam at an exiting angle, the exiting angle being indicative of a distance between said location and a reference point; an optical sensing module for sensing light from the light guide and providing signals indicative of a light beam emerging from the light guide between the first surface and the second surface; and a processor, operatively connected to the optical sensing module, for detecting intensity variation in the light beam based on the signals, wherein the apparatus is operable in a first mode and a second mode, and wherein when the apparatus is operated in the first mode, the intensity variation is indicative of placing of one or more objects at the first surface, and when the apparatus is operated in second mode, the intensity variation is indicative of content on an item placed on the first surface.