ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100259665A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: NAMEKAWA, Kimiyasu
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.60
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash units

Abstract

An electronic device is provided which includes a light emitting unit for emitting light, and a light detection unit which is irradiated with the light emitted by the light emitting unit and which includes an optical sensor for outputting an electric current corresponding to the brightness of the light. The light emitted by the light emitting unit is used for other purpose than being irradiated to the light detection unit. By including such configuration, even in the case of including an authentication means by using vein authentication which is a biometric authentication, an increase in the size of the housing can be suppressed.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a light emitting unit for emitting light; and

a light detection unit which is irradiated with the light emitted by the light emitting unit and which includes an optical sensor for outputting an electric current corresponding to the brightness of the light,

wherein the light emitted by the light emitting unit is used for other purpose than being irradiated to the light detection unit.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising

a liquid crystal display device for displaying an image thereon,

wherein a drive circuit of the liquid crystal display device and the optical sensor are formed on the same substrate.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein when the light from the light emitting unit is irradiated to the light detection unit, a light emitting surface of the light emitting unit faces the inside of a housing without being exposed to the outside of the housing.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising

a light collecting unit for collecting the light emitted by the light emitting unit.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the light emitting unit is a flash for emitting light to a subject when the subject is imaged.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising

a liquid crystal display device for displaying an image thereon,

wherein the light emitting unit is a backlight of the liquid crystal display device.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising

a light shielding unit for blocking irradiation of the light emitted by the light emitting unit to the light detection unit,

wherein when the light from the light emitting unit is caused to be irradiated to the light detection unit, the light shielding unit does not block the irradiation to the light detection unit.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the light emitting unit is rotatably provided.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising

an external-light shielding unit for blocking irradiation of external light, other than the light from the light emitting unit, to the light detection unit.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising

a light absorbing film for transmitting only light in a near-infrared region among the light emitted by the light emitting unit.