Miniature camera module
First Claim
1. A miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
- a lens barrel comprising;
a means to move said barrel;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a housing;
a lens system; and
an IR-cut filter;
a lens holder system holding said lens barrel comprising;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position; and
a housing;
an image sensor chip having photon-receiving elements converting said photons into an image signal;
a flexistrip;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a cavity wherein said image sensor chip is mounted; and
an image processor.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Digital miniature cameras and methods to manufacture thereof have been achieved. Said miniature cameras having an adjustable focusing device are intended to be used as a built-in modules in hand-held consumer electronic devices, such as e.g. mobile phones and PDAs. The cameras invented have a very small size and produce high-quality pictures. Glue is used to hold different parts together and to seal the joints. The lens is glued in the final stage of the manufacturing line, thus providing the focus setting and the sealing of the cavity that covers the image sensor. A glob top is used to cover and seal the image processor. Said glob top serves two different purposes, first, to distribute the heat away from the sensor and, second, to lock the frame, together with the lens house, into a printed circuit board. In one embodiment a cavity PCB is used to “bury” the sensor of the camera, thus reducing the overall height required. In another embodiment the image processor is mounted on a flexistrip directly underneath the image sensor die, thus reducing the total height of the camera module.
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Citations
90 Claims
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1. A miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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a lens barrel comprising;
a means to move said barrel;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a housing;
a lens system; and
an IR-cut filter;
a lens holder system holding said lens barrel comprising;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position; and
a housing;
an image sensor chip having photon-receiving elements converting said photons into an image signal;
a flexistrip;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a cavity wherein said image sensor chip is mounted; and
an image processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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a lens barrel comprising;
a means to move said barrel;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a housing;
a lens system; and
an IR-cut filter;
a lens holder system holding said lens barrel comprising;
a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position; and
a housing;
an image sensor chip having photon-receiving elements converting said photons into an image signal;
a flexistrip;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a cavity wherein said image sensor chip is mounted; and
an image processor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method to manufacture a miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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providing a flexistrip, a PCB, having a cavity, an image sensor chip, an image processor, a lens barrel comprising a lens system, a means to move said barrel, a means to hold that barrel, and an IR-cut filter, and a lens holder system comprising a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position, a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position comprising a glue reservoir and a glue groove, and a housing;
mount PCB on flexistrip;
mount and glue image sensor in cavity of PCB;
mount and glue image processor on PCB;
wire-bond image processor and sensor to PCB;
mount and glue lens holder on PCB;
put glob top on image processor;
mount and focus lens;
test camera module electrically and optically; and
glue lens barrel. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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a lens barrel comprising;
a means to move said barrel;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a housing;
a lens system; and
an IR-cut filter;
a lens holder system holding said lens barrel comprising;
a means to hold said lens barrel in a focused position;
a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position; and
a housing;
an image sensor chip having photon-receiving elements converting said photons into an image signal;
an image processor;
a flexistrip on which said image processor is mounted; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) on which said image sensor chip is mounted. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method to manufacture a miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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providing a flexistrip, a PCB, an image sensor chip being mounted on said PCB, an image processor being mounted on a flexistrip underneath said image sensor, a lens barrel comprising a lens system, a means to move said barrel, a means to hold that barrel in a focused position, a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position comprising a glue reservoir and a glue groove, and a IR-cut filter, and a lens holder system comprising an adjustable focusing device, a glue reservoir, and a housing;
mount PCB on flexistrip;
mount and glue image processor die on flexistrip;
wire-bond image processor to flexistrip;
mount and glue plastic boarder on flexistrip;
fill plastic boarder with glob top;
flip PCB and mount and glue image sensor on PCB;
wire-bond image sensor to PCB;
mount and glue lens holder on PCB;
mount lens barrel and focus lens;
glue lens barrel; and
test camera module electrically and optically. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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77. A method to manufacture a miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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providing a flexistrip having integrated plastic boarders, a PCB, an image sensor chip being mounted on said PCB, an image processor being mounted on a flexistrip underneath said image sensor, a lens barrel comprising a lens system, a means to move said barrel, a means to hold that barrel in a focused position, a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position comprising a glue reservoir and a glue groove, and a IR-cut filter, and a lens holder system comprising an adjustable focusing device, a glue reservoir, and a housing;
mount PCB on flexistrip having integrated plastic boarder;
mount and glue image processor die on flexistrip within said plastic boarder;
wire-bond image processor to flexistrip;
fill plastic boarder with glob top;
flip PCB and mount and glue image sensor on PCB;
wire-bond image sensor to PCB;
mount and glue lens holder on PCB;
mount lens barrel and focus lens;
glue lens barrel; and
test camera module electrically and optically.
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84. A method to manufacture a miniature camera module having a very small size to be used as a built-in module in electronic devices comprising:
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providing a flexistrip, a PCB, an image sensor chip being mounted on said PCB, an image processor being mounted on a flexistrip underneath said image sensor, a lens barrel comprising a lens system, a means to move said barrel, a means to hold that barrel in a focused position, a means to fix said lens barrel in a focused position comprising a glue reservoir and a glue groove, and a IR-cut filter, and a lens holder system comprising an adjustable focusing device, a glue reservoir, and a housing;
glue image processor die on a PCB;
wire-bond image processor to said PCB;
mould image processor die inside a plastic boarder using glob top;
flip PCB and mount and glue image sensor on PCB;
wire-bond image sensor to PCB;
mount and glue lens holder on PCB;
mount and glue lens into lens barrel;
mount lens barrel and focus lens;
perform electrical and optical tests;
glue lens barrel to lens holder;
mount flexistrip on bottom side of PCB; and
test camera module electrically and optically additionally. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
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Specification