PHOTOCHROMATIC COATING FOR CONTROLLING LENS FLARE

• US 20110141336A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mittleman, Adam
• Application Number:
  US12/635,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20110141336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0018 with means for preventing ghost images anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/005 Diaphragms for cameras G03B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/23 Photochromic filters

Abstract

A camera lens can be subject to lens flare due to light reaching a camera sensor from outside of the camera field of view. When an electronic device size is reduced such that a lens cannot be recessed relative to the device housing, the lens can capture stray light. To reduce the chance that stray light reaches the lens and sensor, the lens can be treated with a photochromatic treatment. Properties of the photochromatic treatment, as well as the distribution of the treatment can be selected to reduce lens flare caused by particular types of light. In some embodiments, a photochromatic treatment can instead or in addition be applied for a cosmetic purpose. For example, a photochromatic treatment can be applied to a device housing, icons or text displayed on the device enclosure, on a mask within a device display window, or any other electronic device enclosure component.

Claims

1. A method for providing a photochromatic treatment on a camera lens, comprising:

providing an electronic device camera lens;

selecting a particular photochromatic treatment to apply to the lens for reducing lens flare;

defining at least one region of the lens on which to apply the treatment; and

applying the photochromatic treatment on the at least one defined region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the lens to an electronic device housing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein coupling further comprises:

coupling the lens in a hole of the electronic device housing such that the lens is substantially coplanar with an outermost surface of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein coupling comprises:

coupling the lens to the electronic device housing such that the lens is not recessed within the electronic device housing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying further comprises:

applying a photochromatic treatment of a varying strength on the at least one region.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the strength of the photochromatic varies from stronger to weaker towards the center of the lens.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one region comprises a ring around the periphery of the lens.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the photochromatic treatment comprises at least one of:

a coating; and

embedding molecules within the lens material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a particular photochromatic treatment further comprises:

identifying properties of electromagnetic waves causing lens flare; and

selecting a photochromatic treatment that reacts to electromagnetic waves having the identified properties.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

tuning a photochromatic treatment to reduce the transmission of electromagnetic waves causing lens flare through the lens.

11. An electronic device having an integrated camera, comprising:

a housing forming a portion of an external enclosure of the device;

a camera sensor within the housing, the sensor operative to receive light collected from the environment of the device; and

a lens incorporated in the housing, the lens treated using a photochromic complex to reduce stray light transmitted through the lens to the sensor.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the camera sensor is offset from the lens such that light gathered by the lens is transmitted to the camera sensor.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

the offset between the camera sensor and the lens defines a field of view for the camera; and

the photochromic complex is distributed on the lens to reduce the amount of light originating from outside of the defined field of view captured by the lens and transmitted to the sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the photochromic complex is placed in a particular region of the lens.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

the photochromic complex is distributed in a ring along the periphery of the lens.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the lens is substantially co-planar with an outermost portion of the housing.

17. A method for providing a cosmetic photochromatic treatment on an electronic device enclosure, comprising:

identifying at least one exposed region of an electronic device enclosure for receiving a photochromatic treatment; and

applying the photochromatic treatment to the identified at least one region for cosmetic effect.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting attributes of the photochromatic treatment to match the color of at least a second region of the electronic device enclosure.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one region comprises at least one of:

a housing;

an icon displayed on the enclosure;

text displayed on the enclosure; and

a mask adjacent to a display of the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein applying further comprises:

applying a photochromatic coating on the at least one region.