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US 8,896,743 B2Granted
Enclosure for image capture systems with focusing capabilities
AssigneeOmniVision Technologies, Inc.
InventorsZheng Du, Denis Chu, Yi-Chang Hsieh, Wei-Feng Lin, Wen-Jen Ho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention describe an enclosure for an image capture system that includes an image capture unit and a solid state die to provide focusing capabilities for a lens unit of the image capture unit. The enclosure may electrically couple the solid state die to the image capture unit and/or other system circuitry. The enclosure may further serve as EMI shielding for the image capture system.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- an image capture unit including:
- a first housing having an interior defined by a base, a top opposite to and spaced apart from the base, and a plurality of sidewalls coupling the base to the top, wherein the top has a first opening therein and the base has a plurality of electrical connectors extending therefrom,
- an image sensor positioned on the base in the interior of the first housing, and
- a lens unit positioned in the interior of the first housing, the lens unit optically coupling the first opening and the image sensor;
- a solid state die positioned on an exterior side of the top of the first housing, the solid state die including an active area optically aligned with the first opening and optically coupled to the lens unit, wherein the refractive index of the active area can be changed based on an electric field applied to the active area via a first plurality of electrodes;
- and
- a second housing having an interior defined by a top and a plurality of sidewalls coupled to the edges of the top, the image capture unit and the solid state die being positioned in the interior of the second housing with the solid state die sandwiched between the top of the first housing and the top of the second housing, wherein the top of the second housing has a second opening therein that is optically aligned with the active area and the first opening, and wherein the second housing includes a second plurality of electrodes to electrically couple to the first plurality of electrodes.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an image capture unit including:
- a first housing having an interior defined by a base, a top opposite to and spaced apart from the base, and a plurality of sidewalls coupling the base to the top, wherein the top has a first opening therein and the base has a plurality of electrical connectors extending therefrom,
- an image sensor positioned on the base in the interior of the first housing, and
- a lens unit positioned in the interior of the first housing, the lens unit optically coupling the first opening and the image sensor;
- a solid state die positioned on an exterior side of the top of the first housing, the solid state die including an active area optically aligned with the first opening and optically coupled to the lens unit, wherein the refractive index of the active area can be changed based on an electric field applied to the active area via a first plurality of electrodes;
- and
- a second housing having an interior defined by a top and a plurality of sidewalls coupled to the edges of the top, the image capture unit and the solid state die being positioned in the interior of the second housing with the solid state die sandwiched between the top of the first housing and the top of the second housing, wherein the top of the second housing has a second opening therein that is optically aligned with the active area and the first opening, and wherein the second housing includes a second plurality of electrodes to electrically couple to the first plurality of electrodes;
- wherein the second housing comprises a molded metal to form EMI shielding.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- an image capture subsystem, including:
- an image capture unit including:
- a first housing having an interior defined by a base, a top opposite to and spaced apart from the base, and a plurality of sidewalls coupling the base to the top, wherein the top has a first opening therein and the base has a plurality of electrical connectors extending therefrom,
- an image sensor positioned on the base in the interior of the first housing, and
- a lens unit positioned in the interior of the first housing, the lens unit optically coupling the first opening and the image sensor;
- a solid state die positioned on an exterior side of the top of the first housing, the solid state die including an active area optically aligned with the first opening and optically coupled to the lens unit, wherein the refractive index of the active area can be changed based on an electric field applied to the active area via a first plurality of electrodes;
- a second housing having an interior defined by a top and a plurality of sidewalls coupled to the edges of the top, the image capture unit and the solid state die being positioned in the interior of the second housing with the solid state die sandwiched between the top of the first housing and the top of the second housing, wherein the top of the second housing has a second opening therein that is optically aligned with the active area and the first opening, and wherein the second housing includes a second plurality of electrodes to electrically couple to the first plurality of electrodes;
- a controlling unit coupled to the second plurality of electrodes of the second housing;
- readout circuitry coupled to the plurality of connectors of the image capture unit to readout image data from the image sensor of the image capture unit;
- and
- an operating unit coupled to the image capture subsystem.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.