Integrated camera window

• US 10,018,891 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US14/192,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 396448, 396535, 348373-376, 65446
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0018 with means for preventing ghost images anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/045 Lens hoods or shields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for camera integration with cover glass and for processing cover glass to provide a camera window for an electronic device are disclosed. A camera window can be integrated into the cover glass. The apparatus, systems and methods are especially suitable for cover glasses, or displays (e.g., LCD displays), assembled in small form factor electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, media players, personal digital assistants, remote controls, etc.). The apparatus, systems and methods can also be used for cover glasses or displays for other relatively larger form factor electronic devices (e.g., portable computers, tablet computers, displays, monitors, televisions, etc.).

Claims

1. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing;

electrical components disposed at least partially internal to the housing, said electrical components including at least a camera; and

a cover glass coupled to the housing, the cover glass comprising a transparent camera window and an adjacent glass region that is integrally dark or opaque, the transparent camera window extending through the cover glass and having sides, the camera being arranged at least partially internal to the housing and adjacent to the transparent camera window, sides of the adjacent glass region being adjacent the sides of the transparent camera window with no intervening structural material, and the adjacent glass region being sufficiently dark or opaque for substantially reducing glare at the camera via the cover glass.

2. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover glass has a substantially smooth exterior surface extending over the transparent camera window and the adjacent glass region.

3. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover glass has an exterior surface that is lapped to be planar over the transparent camera window and the adjacent glass region.

4. A consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent camera window comprises glass.

5. A consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent camera window comprises plastic.

6. The consumer electronic product as in claim 1 wherein the adjacent region of the cover glass comprises a majority region of the cover glass, and wherein the transparent camera window comprises a minority region of cover glass arranged adjacent to the camera.

7. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent camera window comprises a peripheral region of cover glass adjacent to the camera.

8. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover glass substantially overlaps the camera.

9. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise an illuminator;

and wherein the cover glass is substantially transparent to the illuminator and arranged so that illumination projects outwardly from the cover glass.

10. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 9 wherein the cover glass substantially overlaps the camera.

11. The consumer electronic product as in claim 10 wherein the adjacent region of the cover glass comprises a majority region of the cover glass, and wherein the transparent camera window comprises a minority region of cover glass arranged adjacent to the camera.

12. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the transparent camera window comprises a peripheral region of cover glass adjacent to the camera.

13. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11, wherein the adjacent glass region being in direct contact with one or more of the sides of the transparent camera window.

14. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjacent glass region being in direct contact with one or more of the sides of the transparent camera window.

15. A method for assembling an electronic product, the electronic product having a housing and including a camera within the housing, the housing including a glass cover, the method comprising:

disposing a transparent camera window in an aperture in the cover glass;

lapping the transparent camera window and an adjacent glass region of the cover glass into a planar exterior surface of the cover glass, the transparent camera window extending through a thickness of the cover glass and having sides, sides of the adjacent glass region being adjacent the sides of the transparent camera window with no intervening structural material, and the adjacent glass region being sufficiently dark or opaque through its depth for substantially reducing glare at the camera via the cover glass; and

subsequently attaching the cover glass to a housing for the electronic product, wherein the transparent camera window is provided adjacent to the camera.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the adjacent glass region of the cover glass comprises a majority region of the cover glass, and wherein the transparent camera window comprises a minority region of cover glass arranged adjacent to the camera.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the cover glass has a substantially smooth exterior surface extending over the transparent camera window and the adjacent glass region.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the transparent camera window comprises glass.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the cover glass substantially overlaps the camera.

20. The method as recited in claim 15,

wherein the adjacent glass region of the cover glass comprises a majority region of the cover glass, and wherein the transparent camera window comprises a minority region of cover glass arranged adjacent to the camera,

wherein the cover glass has a substantially smooth exterior surface extending over the transparent camera window and the adjacent glass region, and

wherein the transparent camera window comprises glass.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the adjacent glass region being in direct contact with one or more of the sides of the transparent camera window.

22. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the adjacent glass region being in direct contact with one or more of the sides of the transparent camera window.