OPTICAL MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING THE SAME

• US 20180059298A1
• Filed: 08/24/2017
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Jeong Yeol, KIM, Il Young, CHO, Jeong Ho, KIM, Seung Yong, PARK, Jeong Min, LEE, Ki Huk
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/22 Absorbing filters G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/197 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing that includes a first surface, a second surface, and a side surface, a display exposed through a first region of the first surface, an optical module disposed below a second region of the first surface that is adjacent to the first region of the first surface, and a processor. The first surface includes a glass layer, a film layer disposed under a rear surface of the glass layer and including an opening that overlaps at least part of the optical module and has a dimension corresponding to at least part of the optical module, and a visible-light-absorbing member comprising a visible-light-absorbing material disposed under the rear surface of the glass layer and overlapping at least part of the opening. The visible-light-absorbing member is configured to light in a first wavelength range and to allow light in a second wavelength range to pass through the visible-light-absorbing member.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side surface surrounding at least part of space between the first surface and the second surface;

a display disposed inside the housing and exposed through a first region of the first surface;

an optical module comprising optical circuitry disposed inside the housing and configured to receive and/or emit infrared radiation, wherein the optical module is disposed below a second region of the first surface adjacent to the first region of the first surface; and

a processor electrically connected with the display and the optical module,

wherein the first surface includes;

a glass layer that is substantially transparent;

a film layer disposed under a rear surface of the glass layer and including an opening overlapping at least part of the optical module and having a dimension corresponding to at least part of the optical module when viewed from above the first surface; and

a visible-light-absorbing member comprising a visible-light-absorbing material disposed under the rear surface of the glass layer, the visible-light-absorbing member overlapping at least part of the opening when viewed from above the first surface, and

wherein the visible-light-absorbing member is configured to absorb light in a first wavelength range and to allow light in a second wavelength range to pass through the visible-light-absorbing member.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength range includes a wavelength in a range of 700 nm to 780 nm.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second wavelength range includes a wavelength in a range of 810 nm to 940 nm.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the visible-light-absorbing material includes at least one of:

polycarbonate, cycloolefin, cycloolefin polymer, and cycloolefin copolymer.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the visible-light-absorbing member is spaced apart from an upper end of the optical module by a distance of 8 mm or less.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the visible-light-absorbing member is attached to a rear surface of the film layer to cover at least part of the opening.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the visible-light-absorbing member is disposed in the opening and attached to the rear surface of the glass layer.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a surface of the visible-light-absorbing member, the surface facing the optical module, is inclined at a specified angle in reference to the rear surface of the glass layer.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity illuminance sensor disposed inside the housing and configured to sense an object within a predetermined proximity of the electronic device and/or ambient light, wherein the proximity illuminance sensor is disposed below the second region of the first surface and adjacent to the optical module.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the proximity illuminance sensor is spaced apart from the optical module by a distance of 15 mm or less.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to deactivate the optical module when the object is within a specified distance from the electronic device.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side surface surrounding at least part of space between the first surface and the second surface;

a display disposed inside the housing and exposed through a first region of the first surface;

an optical module comprising optical circuitry disposed inside the housing and configured to receive and/or emit infrared radiation, wherein the optical module is disposed below a second region of the first surface adjacent to the first region of the first surface; and

a processor electrically connected with the display and the optical module,

wherein the first surface includes;

a glass layer that is substantially transparent; and

a film layer disposed on a rear surface of the glass layer and including an opening overlapping at least part of the optical module and having a dimension corresponding to at least part of the optical module when viewed from above the first surface, and

wherein the optical module includes;

an infrared sensor unit comprising infrared sensing circuitry that includes at least one of a light-emitting element configured to irradiate light to a subject and a light-receiving element configured to receive light reflected from the subject; and

a lens disposed above the infrared sensor unit and configured to adjust a beam angle of light emitted from the light-emitting element,

wherein the lens includes a visible-light-absorbing material configured to absorb light in a first wavelength range and to allow light in a second wavelength range to pass through the visible-light-absorbing material.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the lens is spaced apart from an upper end of the infrared sensor unit by a distance of 8 mm or less.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the lens has at least one spherical surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein a surface of the lens, the surface facing the first surface, is inclined at a specified angle in reference to the rear surface of the glass layer.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the lens has a surface that faces the infrared sensor unit and has a saw-tooth pattern.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the optical module further includes:

a case surrounding the infrared sensor unit and having space in which the infrared sensor unit is seated, and

wherein the lens is disposed to cover at least one of an upper end of the case and part of a side surface of the case.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side surface surrounding at least part of space between the first surface and the second surface;

a touch screen display disposed inside the housing and exposed through a first region of the first surface;

a light-emitting element comprising light-emitting circuitry configured to emit light through a first opening formed in a second region of the first surface that is adjacent to the first region of the first surface;

a light-receiving element comprising light-receiving circuitry configured to receive at least part of the emitted light through a second opening formed in a third region of the first surface adjacent to the second region of the first surface;

a layer disposed inside the housing to correspond to the second region, wherein the layer includes a material configured to allow infrared radiation emitted from the light-emitting element to pass through the material to the outside and configured to absorb at least part of visible light emitted from the light-emitting element;

at least one processor electrically connected with the touch screen display, the light-emitting element, and the light-receiving element; and

memory electrically connected with the at least one processor,

wherein the memory stores at least one instruction that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to;

operate the light-emitting element in response to an input;

acquire an image using the light-receiving element when the light-emitting element operates; and

compare the acquired image with a pre-stored reference image.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the material has a refractive index in a range from 1.45 to 1.68.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the layer including the material is spaced apart from an upper end of at least one of the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element by a distance of 8 mm or less.