Optical sensor arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067436-B2
Application number	US-201816612565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

The proposed concept relates to an optical sensor arrangement comprising an optical sensor with an integrated circuit arranged in or on a substrate. The substrate comprises at least a first surface area and a second surface area. At least one optically active sensor component is arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area. The optically active sensor component is arranged for emitting and/or detecting light of a desired wavelength range. Optically inactive sensor circuitry is arranged on or in the substrate of the second surface area. A display panel comprises an active display area and a non-active display area, wherein the non-active display area comprises a material which is optically transparent in the desired wavelength range and wherein the non-active display area at least partly frames the active display layer. The optical sensor and the display panel are stacked such that, with respect to a main direction of display emission, the first surface area is arranged below the non-active display area and the second surface area is arranged below the active display area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical sensor arrangement, comprising:
an optical sensor comprising an integrated circuit arranged in or on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises at least a first surface area and a second surface area,
at least one optically active sensor component arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area, wherein the optically active sensor component is arranged for emitting and/or detecting light of a desired wavelength range,
optically inactive sensor circuitry arranged on or in the substrate of the second surface area,
a display panel comprising an active display area and a non-active display area, wherein the non-active display area comprises a material which is optically transparent in the desired wavelength range and at least partly frames the active display area; and wherein
the optical sensor and the display panel are stacked such that, with respect to a main direction of display emission defined by a surface normal of the display panel and perpendicular to the active display area and such that, in a top view along a direction defined by the surface normal, the optically inactive sensor circuitry component is arranged below the active display area and the optically active sensor component is arranged below the non-active display area.

2. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the optically active sensor component comprises at least one light detector and/or at least one light transmitter.

3. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the light detector comprises a single pixel photodiode, a multi-pixel photodiode or a multi-pixel photodiode with a filter array attached.

4. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the light transmitter comprises a laser diode, a surface emitting laser, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, an infrared light emitting photodiode and/or visual light emitting photodiode.

5. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the optical sensor comprises at least one further light detector.

6. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the optical sensor comprises at least one further light transmitter.

7. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein a light barrier is arranged on the integrated circuit and/or on the substrate to optically isolate the light detector and the light transmitter.

8. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the light detector and the light transmitter are arranged at different heights with respect to the substrate.

9. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the optically inactive sensor circuitry comprises at least one of logic components, analog components, and/or electrical connections.

10. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is a proximity sensor, a time-of-flight sensor, an ambient light sensor, a color sensor and/or a gesture sensor.

11. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the proximity sensor and/or the time-of-flight sensor comprises at least one light detector and at least one light transmitter.

12. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein
both the light detector and the light transmitter are arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area or
the light detector is arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area and the light transmitter is arranged on or in the substrate of the second surface area.

13. An optical arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein
the ambient light sensor and/or the color sensor comprise the at least one light detector, and
the at least one light detector is arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area.

14. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein
the optical sensor is encapsulated by a molded sensor package,
the sensor package is arranged below the display panel such that an air gap remains between the sensor package and the display panel, and
the air gap has different values for a part of the sensor package arranged below the non-active display area and for another part of the sensor package arranged below the active display area.

15. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein the optical sensor comprises at least one further light detector and, at least one further light transmitter, or both the at least one further light detector and the at least one further light transmitter are arranged in the same sensor package or are arranged in a separate sensor package.

16. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises the at least one optically active sensor component and the optically inactive sensor circuitry.

17. An optical sensor arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein the integrated circuit has a part defined by the first surface area and a part defined by the second surface area.

18. An optical sensor arrangement, comprising:
an optical sensor comprising an integrated circuit arranged in or on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a main surface divided into a first surface area and a second surface area,
at least one optically active sensor component arranged on or in the substrate of the first surface area, wherein the optically active sensor component is arranged for emitting and/or detecting light of a desired wavelength range,
optically inactive sensor circuitry arranged on or in the substrate of the second surface area,
a display panel comprising an active display area and a non-active display area, wherein the non-active display area comprises a material which is optically transparent in the desired wavelength range and at least partly frames the active display area; and wherein
the optical sensor and the display panel are stacked such that, with respect to a main direction of display emission defined by a surface normal of the display panel and perpendicular to the active display area and such that, in a top view along a direction defined by the surface normal, the optically inactive sensor circuitry component is arranged below the active display area and the optically active sensor component is arranged below the non-active display area.

Assignees

• Ams Ag

Inventors

• Greimel-Längauer Bernhard
• Lechner Franz
• Kriebernegg Josef
• Lenhard Herbert
• Hoerbinger Manuel
• Jacobs Dan

Classifications

• G01J1/4204 Primary

  with determination of ambient light (solar light G01J2001/4266) · CPC title

• G01J1/0271

  Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers · CPC title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• H03K17/941

  using an optical detector (H03K17/968 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1601

  Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64) · CPC title