Adjustable solid film camera aperture
First Claim
1. An electro-optic variable aperture to control light that passes through an imaging path, the electro-optic variable aperture comprising:
- a first aperture stack that provides a first aperture; and
a second aperture stack placed on the first aperture stack, the second aperture stack defining a second aperture that is larger than the first aperture;
wherein each aperture stack includes a first transparent conductive oxide layer, a counter electrode layer, an ion conductor layer, an electro-chromic layer, and a second transparent conductive oxide layer;
wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack is deposited on a transparent substrate;
wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the second aperture stack is the second transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable electronic device has a device housing, and an electronic camera module in the device housing. The module has a focusing lens to focus light from a scene, an imaging sensor to receive the focused light, and an electro-optic variable aperture to allow different amounts of the light from the scene to reach the imaging sensor. The electro-optic variable aperture may include a first aperture stack placed on a transparent substrate and a second aperture stack placed on the first aperture stack. The first aperture stack defines a first aperture and the second aperture stack defines a second aperture that is larger than the first aperture. Each aperture stack includes a transparent conductive oxide layer that is common with the adjacent aperture stack. Alternatively the electro-optic variable aperture may include an aperture stack that has two transparent conductive oxide layer layers, where one layer is in the form of concentric annuli.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electro-optic variable aperture to control light that passes through an imaging path, the electro-optic variable aperture comprising:
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a first aperture stack that provides a first aperture; and a second aperture stack placed on the first aperture stack, the second aperture stack defining a second aperture that is larger than the first aperture; wherein each aperture stack includes a first transparent conductive oxide layer, a counter electrode layer, an ion conductor layer, an electro-chromic layer, and a second transparent conductive oxide layer; wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack is deposited on a transparent substrate; wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the second aperture stack is the second transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a device housing; and an electronic camera module in the device housing, the electronic camera module having a focusing lens with an optical axis, an imaging sensor to receive focused light, and an electro-optic variable aperture to allow different amounts of focused light to reach the imaging sensor; wherein the electro-optic variable aperture includes a first aperture stack placed on a transparent substrate, the first aperture stack defining a first aperture, and a second aperture stack placed on the first aperture stack, the second aperture stack defining a second aperture that is larger than the first aperture; wherein each aperture stack includes a first transparent conductive oxide layer, a counter electrode layer, an ion conductor layer, an electro-chromic layer, and a second transparent conductive oxide layer; wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack is deposited on the transparent substrate; wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer of the second aperture stack is the second transparent conductive oxide layer of the first aperture stack. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electro-optic variable aperture to control light that passes through an imaging path, the electro-optic variable aperture comprising:
an aperture stack including a first transparent conductive oxide layer in form of a first annulus having a first outer diameter and a first inner diameter, a second transparent conductive oxide layer in form of a second annulus and a third annulus concentric with the second annulus, the second annulus having the first outer diameter and a second inner diameter that is larger than the first inner diameter, the third annulus having a second outer diameter that is smaller than the second inner diameter and the first inner diameter, an electro-chromic layer, an ion conductor layer, and a counter electrode layer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification