Integrated camera window

• US 8,684,613 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/347,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20130177302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 396/448, 396/535, 348373-376, 654/46
• US Class Current: 396/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0018 with means for preventing ghost images anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/045 Lens hoods or shields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for camera integration with cover glass and for processing cover glass to provide a camera window for an electronic device are disclosed. A camera window can be integrated into the cover glass. The apparatus, systems and methods are especially suitable for cover glasses, or displays (e.g., LCD displays), assembled in small form factor electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, media players, personal digital assistants, remote controls, etc.). The apparatus, systems and methods can also be used for cover glasses or displays for other relatively larger form factor electronic devices (e.g., portable computers, tablet computers, displays, monitors, televisions, etc.).

Claims

1. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing;

electrical components disposed at least partially internal to the housing, the electrical components including at least a camera; and

a cover glass coupled to the housing, the cover glass having a substantially smooth exterior surface comprising a transparent region substantially encircled by a metal layer optical barrier perimeter, the camera being arranged adjacent to the transparent region and within the metal layer optical barrier perimeter so that the transparent region of the cover glass is substantially transparent to the camera, and the metal layer optical barrier perimeter being interposed within the cover glass between the camera and an adjacent region of the cover glass for reducing glare at the camera via the cover glass, wherein the substantially smooth exterior surface extends over the transparent region, the metal layer optical barrier perimeter and the adjacent region of the cover glass.

2. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent region comprises glass.

3. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent region comprises plastic.

4. The consumer electronic product as in claim 1 wherein the glare is veiling glare.

5. The consumer electronic product as in claim 1 wherein the metal layer optical barrier perimeter is applied by physical vapor deposition.

6. The consumer electronic product as in claim 1 wherein the adjacent region of the cover glass comprises a majority region of the cover glass, and wherein the transparent region comprises a minority region of the cover glass arranged adjacent to the camera.

7. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the transparent region comprises a peripheral region of cover glass adjacent to the camera.

8. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover glass substantially overlaps the camera.

9. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrical components further comprise an illuminator;

and wherein the cover glass is substantially transparent to the illuminator and arranged so that illumination projects outwardly from the cover glass.

10. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 9 wherein the metal layer optical barrier perimeter serves to substantially reduce light from the illuminator from coupling into the camera by way of the cover glass.

11. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing;

electrical components disposed at least partially internal to the housing, said electrical components including at least a camera; and

a cover glass coupled to the housing, the cover glass comprising a chemically strengthened glass camera window and a metal layer optical barrier, the camera being arranged adjacent to the chemically strengthened glass camera window, and the metal layer optical barrier being interposed within the cover glass between the camera and an adjacent region of the cover glass for reducing glare at the camera via the cover glass, wherein the cover glass has a substantially smooth exterior surface extending over the chemically strengthened glass camera window, the metal layer optical barrier and the adjacent region of the cover glass.

12. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the metal layer optical barrier comprises a metal layer optical barrier perimeter substantially encircling the chemically strengthened glass camera window.

13. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the electrical components comprise an illuminator;

wherein the cover glass is substantially transparent to the illuminator and arranged so that illumination projects outwardly through the cover glass.

14. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the cover glass has an exterior surface that is lapped to be planar over the chemically strengthened glass camera window and the metal layer optical barrier.

15. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the cover glass has an exterior surface that is lapped to be planar over the chemically strengthened glass camera window, the metal layer optical barrier and the adjacent region of the cover glass.

16. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the adjacent region of the cover glass is chemically strengthened.

17. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11 wherein the metal layer optical barrier is applied by physical vapor deposition.

18. A consumer electronic product, comprising:

a housing;

electrical components disposed at least partially internal to the housing, said electrical components including at least a camera; and

a cover glass coupled to the housing, the cover glass having a substantially smooth exterior surface comprising a camera window and an optical barrier, wherein the camera is arranged adjacent to the camera window, and wherein the optical barrier substantially encircles the camera window, the optical barrier comprising a layer of metal applied by physical vapor deposition, wherein the substantially smooth exterior surface extends over the camera window and the optical barrier, and wherein the optical barrier being interposed within the cover glass.

19. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 18 wherein the optical barrier is provided onto an inner surface of an aperture in the cover glass for the camera window.

20. The consumer electronic product as recited in claim 18 wherein the camera window comprises a glass insert that is placed in an aperture in the cover glass for the camera window, and wherein the optical barrier is provided on an outer surface of the glass insert.

21. A method for assembling an electronic product comprising:

forming an aperture in a cover glass;

providing a transparent camera window in the cover glass;

lapping the transparent camera window and an adjacent glass region of the cover glass into a planar exterior surface of the cover glass;

providing a metal layer barrier perimeter, which substantially encircles the transparent camera window, between the camera window and the adjacent glass region;

disposing the transparent camera window adjacent to a camera; and

subsequently attaching the cover glass to a housing for the electronic product.

22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the providing the metal layer barrier perimeter comprises disposing, prior to the providing the transparent camera window in the cover glass, a layer of metal on inner surfaces of the aperture to form the metal layer barrier perimeter.

23. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the providing the metal layer barrier perimeter comprises disposing, prior to the providing the transparent camera window in the cover glass, a layer of metal on outer surfaces of the transparent camera window to form the metal layer barrier perimeter.

24. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the lapping further comprises lapping the metal layer barrier perimeter in addition to the transparent camera window and the adjacent glass region of the cover glass into the planar exterior surface of the cover glass.