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Imager module with electronic shutter

  • US 9,936,143 B2
  • Filed: 10/31/2007
  • Issued: 04/03/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a camera comprising:

  • providing an array of image sensing pixels;

    disposing an electronic shutter in an optical path between the array of pixels and an image where the electronic shutter includes a light directing layer formed from a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is responsive to application and removal of an electric field to transition between having a reflective characteristic and having a transparent characteristic;

    absorbing light from the image when the electric field is applied to the light directing layer, the application of the electric field causing the LCD to have the transparent characteristic when the electric field is applied so that the light from the image passes through the LCD having the transparent characteristic and is absorbed within a light absorbing layer after passing through the LCD having the transparent characteristic; and

    removing the electric field from the light directing layer of the electronic shutter to transition the LCD to have the reflective characteristic when the electric field is removed so that the LCD having the reflective characteristic reflects light incident upon the LCD from the image away from the electronic shutter and onto the image sensing pixels to expose the image sensing pixels to the image.

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