Camera lens filter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lens filter, comprising:
- a front transparent conductive layer;
a rear transparent conductive layer having an outer region surrounding a perimeter of a center region;
an electrochromic layer between the front transparent conductive layer and the rear transparent conductive layer; and
one or more conductive plugs arranged along the perimeter at a plurality of points around the center region, each conductive plug extending across the electrochromic layer to provide an electrical short path from the front transparent conductive layer to the rear transparent conductive layer, wherein the electrical short path surrounds the center region such that application of an electrical potential to the front and rear transparent conductive layers in the outer region generates a non-zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the outer region and generates zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the center region.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrically activated lens filter with an electro-optic portion having a radially and circumferentially symmetric electric field gradient is disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of the lens filter include an electro-optic portion having one or more conductive plugs arranged around a center region such that an electric field within the electro-optic portion varies from a maximum at an outer rim to a minimum outside of the center region. The lens filter may include a plurality of front electrodes and rear electrodes accessible in an axial direction for electrically activating front and rear transparent conductive layers, respectively.
8 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A lens filter, comprising:
-
a front transparent conductive layer; a rear transparent conductive layer having an outer region surrounding a perimeter of a center region; an electrochromic layer between the front transparent conductive layer and the rear transparent conductive layer; and one or more conductive plugs arranged along the perimeter at a plurality of points around the center region, each conductive plug extending across the electrochromic layer to provide an electrical short path from the front transparent conductive layer to the rear transparent conductive layer, wherein the electrical short path surrounds the center region such that application of an electrical potential to the front and rear transparent conductive layers in the outer region generates a non-zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the outer region and generates zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the center region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A lens filter, comprising:
-
a front transparent conductive layer having a plurality of front electrodes arranged along an outer rim of the front transparent conductive layer, wherein the plurality of front electrodes are separated along the outer rim by a plurality of circumferential gaps; a rear transparent conductive layer having an outer region surrounding a perimeter of a center region, wherein the rear transparent conductive layer has a plurality of rear electrodes arranged along an outer rim of the rear transparent conductive layer, and wherein the plurality of rear electrodes are exposed in an axial direction through the plurality of circumferential gaps; an electrochromic layer between the front transparent conductive layer and the rear transparent conductive layer; and one or more conductive plugs arranged along the perimeter at a plurality of points around the center region, each conductive plug directly connecting the front transparent conductive layer with the rear transparent conductive layer across the electrochromic layer to provide an electrical short path surrounding the center region such that application of an electrical potential to the front and rear electrodes in the outer region generates a non-zero potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the outer region and generates zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the center region. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A portable consumer electronics device, comprising:
-
a device housing; and a camera module integrated in the device housing, the camera module having an imaging sensor configured to receive light from a scene through a lens filter, wherein the lens filter includes; a front transparent conductive layer; a rear transparent conductive layer having an outer region surrounding a perimeter of a center region; an electrochromic layer between the front transparent conductive layer and the rear transparent conductive layer; and one or more conductive plugs arranged along the perimeter at a plurality of points around the center region, each conductive plug extending across the electrochromic layer to provide an electrical short path from the front transparent conductive layer to the rear transparent conductive layer, wherein the electrical short path surrounds the center region such that application of an electrical potential to the front and rear transparent conductive layers in the outer region generates a non-zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the outer region and generates zero electrical potential difference across the electrochromic layer in the center region. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification