Image capture unit and methods
AssigneeEther Precision, Inc.
InventorsChao-Chi CHANG, Yung-I CHEN, Jean-Pierre LUSINCHI, Raymond Chih-Chung HSIAO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of forming a lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels are provided, including depositing lens barrel material by electrolysis and etching lens barrels from a block of material. Also provided are means of assembling image capturing units or arrays of image capturing units.
Claims29
A method of forming a lens array block, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a backing plate having a surface;
- (b) forming on the surface of the backing plate, a first mask pattern comprising an array of first solid circles that each have a first diameter;
- (c) depositing by electrolysis, lens barrel material around the first solid circles to form a first lens barrel level containing a plurality of first holes;
- (d) forming on the surface of the first lens barrel level, a second mask pattern comprising an array of second solid circles that each have a second diameter;
- and
- (e) depositing by electrolysis, lens barrel material around the second solid circles to form a second lens barrel level containing a plurality of second holes, each second hole having a common central axis with a first hole.
An array of image capturing units comprising:
- (a) an image sensor array comprising a plurality of image sensors spaced apart from one another, each image sensor comprising an image receiving surface;
- (b) a light permeable cover positioned over the image receiving surfaces of the image sensor array;
- and
- (c) a lens array block positioned over the light permeable cover, the lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels, wherein each lens barrel is aligned to an image receiving surface of an image sensor on the image sensor array.
A method of fabricating an array of image capturing units, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an image sensor array comprising a plurality of image sensors which are spaced apart from one another, each image sensor comprising an image receiving surface;
- (b) positioning a light permeable cover over the image receiving surfaces of the image sensor array;
- and
- (c) positioning a lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels over the light permeable cover such that each lens barrel is aligned to an image receiving surface of an image sensor of the image sensor array.
A method of fabricating an array of image capturing units, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels, and top and bottom surfaces;
- (b) mounting at least one lens in each lens barrel of the lens array block, each lens barrel having a circumferential edge;
- (c) positioning a mask cover having a plurality of apertures over the top surface of the lens array block such that each aperture is aligned to a lens barrel to at least partially shield the circumferential edge of the lens in the lens barrel;
- and
- (d) attaching an image sensor array to the bottom surface of the lens array block such that an image receiving surface of each image sensor is aligned to a lens barrel.
A method of fabricating an array of image capturing units, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a wafer comprising an image sensor array having a plurality of spaced apart image sensors, each image sensor comprising an image receiving surface;
- (b) attaching a plurality of lens modules to the wafer such that each lens module is aligned to an image receiving surface of an image sensor;
- and
- (c) dividing the wafer to form a plurality of image capture units, each image capture unit comprising an image sensor and a lens module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.