Optical sensor with ambient light filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10796128-B2
Application number	US-201816218284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

An optical sensor device includes: a display layer, comprising a light source configured to generate light incident on an input surface of the optical sensor device; an image sensor layer, disposed below the display layer, comprising an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; and a first ambient light filter layer, disposed between the display layer and the image sensor layer, configured to block one or more wavelengths of light.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical sensor device, comprising:
a display layer, comprising a light source configured to generate light incident on an input surface of the optical sensor device;
an image sensor layer, disposed below the display layer, comprising an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; and
a first ambient light filter layer, disposed between the display layer and the image sensor layer, configured to block one or more wavelengths of light,
wherein the first ambient light filter layer is a hybrid optical and ambient filter layer, configured to block the one or more wavelengths of light and collimate light incident on the hybrid optical and ambient filter layer.

2. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is configured to block light having wavelengths of 580 nm or more.

3. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer comprises an interference filter.

4. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is patterned with ambient light filtering regions corresponding to apertures in a conditioning layer and/or the plurality of image sensor pixels.

5. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer comprises an absorptive filter; and
wherein the optical sensor device further comprises:
a second ambient light filter layer, disposed between the display layer and the image sensor layer, wherein the second ambient light filter layer comprises an interference filter.

6. The optical sensor device according to claim 5 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is disposed above the second ambient light filter layer.

7. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is configured to provide a different spectral response for different image sensor pixels of the optical image sensor.

8. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the hybrid optical and ambient filter layer comprises collimating elements in a multilayer configuration, with one or more layers of the multilayer configuration comprising ambient light filter material.

9. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the hybrid optical and ambient filter layer comprises a fiber core surrounded by an absorptive material, wherein the fiber core includes a color filter.

10. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical layer, disposed between the first ambient light filter layer and the image sensor layer, configured to collimate light incident on the optical layer.

11. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical layer, configured to collimate light incident on a conditioning layer;
wherein the first ambient light filter layer comprises an interference filter, and the first ambient light filter layer is disposed between the conditioning layer and the image sensor layer.

12. The optical sensor device according to claim 11 , wherein the image sensor layer comprises a mask on an upper surface of the image sensor layer.

13. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is formed in a layer of protective tape or film, configured to protect components of the optical sensor device during manufacturing.

14. The optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ambient light filter layer is formed in one or more adhesive layers of the optical sensor device.

15. An optical sensor system, comprising:
an optical sensor, comprising:
a display layer, comprising a light source configured to generate light incident on an input surface of the optical sensor device;
an image sensor layer, disposed below the display layer, comprising an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; and
a first ambient light filter layer, disposed between the display layer and the image sensor layer, configured to block one or more wavelengths of light; and

a processing system, configured to image a biometric input at a sensing region of the optical sensor based on light detected by the optical image sensor,
wherein the first ambient light filter layer is a hybrid optical and ambient filter layer, configured to block the one or more wavelengths of light and collimate light incident on the hybrid optical and ambient filter layer.

16. A process for providing optical sensors, the process comprising:
providing a protective layer, wherein the protective layer comprises ambient light filter material;
attaching the protective layer to a sensor wafer; and
dividing the sensor wafer into multiple respective optical sensors,
wherein the ambient light filter material is a hybrid optical and ambient filter layer, configured to block one or more wavelengths of light and collimate light incident on the sensor wafer.

17. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the sensor wafer comprises exposed circuitry, and attaching the protective layer to the sensor wafer covers the exposed circuitry using the protective layer.

18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the exposed circuitry comprises bond pads corresponding to the multiple respective optical sensors.

19. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the sensor wafer comprises a light conditioning layer and an image sensor layer.

Assignees

• Fingerprint Cards Ab

Inventors

• Fomani Arash Akhavan
• Mienko Marek
• Klenkler Richard
• Smith Patrick
• Gove Robert J
• Shen Guozhong
• Jee Alvin
• Lee Young Seen
• Goodelle Jason
• Mackey Bob Lee

Classifications

• G06V40/1341

  Sensing with light passing through the finger · CPC title

• G06V40/1324

  by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms (G06V40/1312 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06V40/1318 Primary

  using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing · CPC title

• G02B6/42

  Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements · CPC title

• G06K9/00046

  Physics · mapped topic