Sensor with multiple focal zones
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsRussell GRUHLKE, Ravindra Vaman SHENOY, Jon LASITER, Donald William KIDWELL, Khurshid Syed ALAM, Kebin LI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image sensor including a planar sensor array, a lens configured to form an optical image on the planar sensor array and characterized by a locus of focal points on a curved surface, and a cover glass with multiple thickness levels or multiple cover glasses of different sizes. The one or more cover glasses are configured to shift the locus of focal points for large field angles, such that there are multiple intersections between the planar sensor array and the locus of focal points for a large FOV, and thus multiple zones with best focus on the planar sensor array.
Claims30
An image sensor comprising:
- a planar sensor array;
- a lens configured to form an optical image on the planar sensor array, wherein a locus of focal points of the lens is on a curved surface;
- a first planar cover glass on the planar sensor array;
- and
- a second cover glass on a first area of the first planar cover glass and configured to shift a first portion of the locus of focal points of the lens such that the first portion of the locus of focal points intersects the planar sensor array at one or more points.
An apparatus comprising:
- a printed circuit board;
- a cover mounted on the printed circuit board and having an aperture;
- a lens positioned in the aperture;
- a planar sensor array electrically coupled to the printed circuit board;
- a first planar cover glass on the planar sensor array;
- and
- a second cover glass on a first area of the first planar cover glass and configured to shift a first portion of a locus of focal points of the lens such that the first portion of the locus of focal points intersects the planar sensor array.
An optical sensor comprising:
- a planar sensor array;
- a lens configured to form an optical image on the planar sensor array, wherein a locus of focal points of the lens is on a curved surface;
- and
- a cover glass on the planar sensor array and including a first region and second region, wherein the second region of the cover glass has a higher thickness or a higher refractive index than the first region of the cover glass and is configured to shift a first portion of the locus of focal points of the lens such that the first portion of the locus of focal points intersects the planar sensor array at one or more points.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for forming an optical image of an object, wherein a locus of focal points of the means for forming the optical image is on a curved surface;
- means for receiving and converting the optical image into electrical image data;
- means for covering and protecting the means for receiving and converting the optical image;
- and
- means for shifting a first portion of the locus of focal points such that the first portion of the locus of focal points intersects the means for receiving and converting the optical image at one or more points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.