Opto-electronic modules with masking feature for reducing the visibility of interior components

• US 9,608,181 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ams Sensors Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Heptagon Micro Optics Pte Ltd (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Geiger, Jens, Kromhof, Ren
• Primary Examiner(s): Arroyo, Teresa M
• Application Number:
  US14/649,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 257/81, 257/98, 257/99
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/04 Combinations of cameras with non-electronic flash apparatus; Non-electronic flash units
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/483 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/486 adapted for surface mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6086 by scene illuminant, i.e. conditions at the time of picture capture, e.g. flash, optical filter used, evening, cloud, daylight, artificial lighting, white point measurement, colour temperature

Abstract

Opto-electronic modules include masking features that can help reduce the visibility of interior components or enhance the outer appearance of the module or of an appliance incorporating the module as a component. The modules can include an optical diode or saturable optical absorber.

Claims

1. An opto-electronic module comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting element mounted on the substrate;

an optical element aligned with the light emitting element;

a spacer member disposed between the substrate and the optical element, the spacer member surrounding the light emitting element; and

a saturable optical absorber above the optical element, such that the optical element is disposed between the saturable optical absorber and the light emitting element.

2. The opto-electronic module of claim 1 wherein when the light emitting element is turned on, it emits light at an intensity that causes the saturable optical absorber to become transparent to the emitted light.

3. The opto-electronic module of claim 2 wherein the saturable optical absorber is absorptive when the light emitting element is turned off.

4. The opto-electronic module of claim 2 wherein the saturable optical absorber is substantially non-transparent to light in the visible spectrum when the light emitting element is turned off.