Optical sensor arrangement

• US 10,422,876 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ams AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: ams AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Wang, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Christine S.
• Application Number:
  US15/579,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/12 using one transmitter and one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/14 using reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94108 making use of reflection

Abstract

An optical sensor arrangement comprises an emitting device (E) and a detection device (D) configured to emit and detect, respectively, electromagnetic radiation and a cover (C) arranged to cover the emitting and the detection device (E, D). The sensor arrangement comprises a first cover layer (C1) partially covering an inner surface of the cover (C) and having a first and a second opening located above the emitting and the detection device (E, D), respectively. The sensor arrangement comprises a second and a third cover layer (C2, C3) covering the inner surface at areas of the first and the second opening. A reflection and/or an absorption characteristics of at least one of the second and third cover layer (C2, C3) is adapted to a reflection and/or an absorption characteristics of the first cover layer (C1) for incident light within the specified spectrum.

Claims

1. An optical sensor arrangement comprising

an emitting device and a detection device configured to emit and detect electromagnetic radiation, respectively;

a cover being transparent or translucent for visible light and arranged to cover the emitting device and the detection device, the cover comprising an inner surface facing the emitting device and the detection device;

a first cover layer partially covering the inner surface and having a first opening located above the emitting device and a second opening located above the detection device;

a second cover layer covering the inner surface at an area of the first opening; and

a third cover layer covering the inner surface at an area of the second opening, the third cover layer being distinct from the second cover layer;

wherein a reflection and/or absorption characteristics for incident light within a specified spectrum of visible light of at least one of the second and the third cover layer is adapted to a reflection and/or absorption characteristics of the first cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum;

wherein an absorption characteristic of the second cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum is different than an absorption characteristic of the third cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum; and

wherein the first cover layer comprises, on a side facing the cover, a reflective layer having an average reflectance being greater than or equal to a specified first reflectance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

2. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first cover layer comprises, on a side facing the emitting device and the detection device, an absorptive layer having an average absorptance being greater than or equal to a specified first absorptance threshold value for light within an emission spectrum of the emitting device.

3. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second cover layer is implemented as a filter layer for passing light within the emission spectrum and for blocking light within the specified spectrum.

4. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second cover layer has an average absorptance being greater than or equal to a specified second absorptance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

5. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the third cover layer is implemented as a filter layer for passing light within the emission spectrum and for blocking light within the specified spectrum.

6. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the third cover layer has an average transmittance being greater than or equal to a specified third transmittance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

7. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the third cover layer has an average reflectance being greater than or equal to a specified second reflectance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

8. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the third cover layer is implemented as a diffusive layer for light within the emission spectrum and/or within the specified spectrum.

9. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, the second and the third cover layer comprises an ink and/or a plastic material.

10. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the emitting device is implemented as a light emitting diode.

11. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is implemented as a photodiode or as an array of photodiodes.

12. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the emitting device is configured to emit infrared radiation and the detection device is configured to detect infrared radiation.

13. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured to detect infrared radiation and to detect visible light.

14. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reflection and/or absorption characteristics for incident light within the specified spectrum of visible light of the at least one of the second and the third cover layer is adapted to the reflection and/or absorption characteristics of the first cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum to reduce a visibility of at least one of the first and the second opening.

15. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein

the emitting device and the detection device are arranged on a first plane of the sensor arrangement;

a projection of the first opening along a normal to the first plane onto the first plane covers at least partially the emitting device; and

a projection of the second opening along a normal to the first plane onto the first plane covers at least partially the detection device.

16. A proximity sensor arrangement comprising an optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation being emitted by the emitting device and reflected by an object in a vicinity of the optical sensor arrangement.

17. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second cover layer has a first average transmittance less than a second average transmittance of the third cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum.

18. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the detection device is visible through the third cover layer to a human eye, and wherein the emitter is substantially not visible through the second cover layer to a human eye.

19. An optical sensor arrangement comprising

an emitting device and a detection device configured to emit and detect electromagnetic radiation, respectively;

a cover being transparent or translucent for visible light and arranged to cover the emitting device and the detection device, the cover comprising an inner surface facing the emitting device and the detection device;

a first cover layer partially covering the inner surface and having a first opening located above the emitting device and a second opening located above the detection device;

a second cover layer covering the inner surface at an area of the first opening; and

a third cover layer covering the inner surface at an area of the second opening, the third cover layer being distinct from the second cover layer;

wherein a reflection and/or absorption characteristics for incident light within a specified spectrum of visible light of at least one of the second and the third cover layer is adapted to a reflection and/or absorption characteristics of the first cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum;

wherein an absorption characteristic of the second cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum is different than an absorption characteristic of the third cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum;

wherein the second cover layer has a first average transmittance less than a second average transmittance of the third cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum; and

wherein the detection device is visible through the third cover layer to a human eye, and wherein the emitter is substantially not visible through the second cover layer to a human eye.

20. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the first cover layer comprises, on a side facing the emitting device and the detection device, an absorptive layer having an average absorptance being greater than or equal to a specified first absorptance threshold value for light within an emission spectrum of the emitting device.

21. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the second cover layer is implemented as a filter layer for passing light within the emission spectrum and for blocking light within the specified spectrum.

22. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the second cover layer has an average absorptance being greater than or equal to a specified second absorptance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

23. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the third cover layer is implemented as a filter layer for passing light within the emission spectrum and for blocking light within the specified spectrum.

24. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the second average transmittance of the third cover layer is greater than or equal to a specified third transmittance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

25. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the first cover layer comprises, on a side facing the cover, a reflective layer having an average reflectance being greater than or equal to a specified first reflectance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

26. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the third cover layer has an average reflectance being greater than or equal to a specified second reflectance threshold value for incident light within the specified spectrum.

27. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the third cover layer is implemented as a diffusive layer for light within the emission spectrum and/or within the specified spectrum.

28. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the first, the second and the third cover layer comprises an ink and/or a plastic material.

29. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the emitting device is implemented as a light emitting diode.

30. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the detection device is implemented as a photodiode or as an array of photodiodes.

31. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the emitting device is configured to emit infrared radiation and the detection device is configured to detect infrared radiation.

32. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the detection device is configured to detect infrared radiation and to detect visible light.

33. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the reflection and/or absorption characteristics for incident light within the specified spectrum of visible light of the at least one of the second and the third cover layer is adapted to the reflection and/or absorption characteristics of the first cover layer for incident light within the specified spectrum to reduce a visibility of at least one of the first and the second opening.

34. The optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein

the emitting device and the detection device are arranged on a first plane of the sensor arrangement;

a projection of the first opening along a normal to the first plane onto the first plane covers at least partially the emitting device; and

a projection of the second opening along a normal to the first plane onto the first plane covers at least partially the detection device.

35. A proximity sensor arrangement comprising an optical sensor arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the detection device is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation being emitted by the emitting device and reflected by an object in a vicinity of the optical sensor arrangement.