Light filtering image sensor
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a light sensor disposed on a substrate, the light sensor operable to convert light intensity into a voltage signal;
a cover plate disposed over the light sensor, the cover plate operable to pass light; and
a filter material disposed between the cover plate and the light sensor, the filter material operable to filter a portion of the light passing through the cover plate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for directing light to a light sensor and filtering out an infrared component from the directed light. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an array of light sensors disposed on a substrate, wherein the light sensors are operable to convert light intensity into a voltage signal. The apparatus further includes a cover plate disposed over the light sensors such that the cover plate creates a cavity over the array of sensors. The apparatus further includes filter material disposed between the cover plate and the light sensors in the cavity formed between the light sensors and the cover plate. The filter material is operable to filter the light passing through the cover plate. In particular, in one embodiment, light having wavelengths in the infrared range may be filtered out.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a light sensor disposed on a substrate, the light sensor operable to convert light intensity into a voltage signal;
a cover plate disposed over the light sensor, the cover plate operable to pass light; and
a filter material disposed between the cover plate and the light sensor, the filter material operable to filter a portion of the light passing through the cover plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising:
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directing light having an infrared component toward a light sensor, the light directed through a cavity adjacent to the light sensor, the cavity filled with a filter material; and
filtering at least a portion of the light when the light passes through the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system, comprising:
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a CMOS array having;
a plurality of light sensors disposed on a substrate, each light sensor operable to convert light intensity into a voltage signal;
a cover plate disposed over the plurality of light sensor, the cover plant operable to pass light; and
a filter material disposed between the cover plate and each of the plurality of light sensors, the filter material operable to filter a portion of the light passing through the cover plate;
a control circuit coupled to the CMOS array and operable to sense each of the voltage signals individually and to store each of the sensed voltage signals in a memory; and
a processor coupled to the control circuit and operable to control the control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of manufacture, comprising
fabricating a plurality of active-pixel sensors on a substrate, each active pixel sensor having a light sensor operable to convert light intensity into a voltage signal; -
disposing a cover plate over the substrate such that a cavity is formed between the light sensor of each active-pixel sensor and the cover plate;
filling each formed cavity with a filter material operable to filter a component of light that passes though the filter material. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification