Bracket assembly for a multi-component vision system in an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11249513-B2
Application number	US-202017033457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device that includes a vision system carried by a bracket assembly is disclosed. The vision system may include a first camera module that captures an image of an object, a light emitting element that emits light rays toward the object, and a second camera module that receives light rays reflected from the object. The light rays may include infrared light rays. The bracket assembly is designed not only carry the aforementioned modules, but to also maintain a predetermined and fixed separation between the modules. The bracket assembly may form a rigid, multi-piece bracket assembly to prevent bending, thereby maintaining the predetermined separation. The electronic device may include a transparent cover designed to couple with a housing. The transparent cover includes an alignment module designed to engage a module and provide a moving force that aligns the bracket assembly and the modules to a desired location in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an internal volume;
a transparent cover secured with the enclosure;
a display assembly covered by the transparent cover, the display assembly comprising:
a display layer comprising an active region; and
a touch input layer;

a bracket assembly disposed in the internal volume and biased toward the transparent cover; and
a vision system configured for object recognition through the transparent cover, the vision system comprising a camera module, the vision system covered by the transparent cover and carried by the bracket assembly in the internal volume adjacent to the active region.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the camera module is a first camera module; and
the vision system comprises a second camera module.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment module adhered to the transparent cover, the alignment module aligning the vision system in the internal volume.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the vision system further comprises an IR light emitting module.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the vision system creates a depth map of an object.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a transparent bottom portion.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the active region is configured to present visual information.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an internal volume;
a transparent cover secured with the enclosure;
a display assembly covered by the transparent cover, the display assembly comprising:
a display layer comprising an area that presents visual information; and
a touch input layer;

a bracket assembly disposed in the internal volume and biased toward the transparent cover; and
a vision system comprising a camera module, the vision system carried by the bracket assembly in the internal volume at a position below the transparent cover and adjacent to the area that presents visual information, the camera module oriented to capture an image through the transparent cover.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the bracket assembly further comprises a spring element that engages the enclosure.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the bracket assembly defines a through-hole sized to receive at least a portion of the camera module.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the area that presents visual information is smaller than a surface area of the transparent cover.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the area that presents visual information has substantially a same height and substantially a same width as the transparent cover.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure comprises a non-metal bottom portion.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising an alignment module adhered to the transparent cover, the alignment module aligning the camera module relative to the area that presents visual information.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the vision system comprises an IR emitting module.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the vision system comprises a proximity sensor.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure at least partially defining an internal volume;
a transparent layer secured with the enclosure;
a display assembly coupled with the transparent layer, the display assembly comprising a display layer and a touch input layer, the display layer comprising an active region having a reduced surface area compared to a surface area of the transparent layer;
a bracket assembly disposed in the internal volume and biased toward the transparent layer;
a vision system comprising a camera module, the vision system being carried by the bracket assembly in the internal volume and positioned below the transparent layer and adjacent to the active region, the camera module oriented to capture an image through the transparent cover.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the enclosure comprises a bottom wall and sidewall components extending from the bottom wall comprises a first transparent material.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the bottom wall is formed from a second transparent material.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the camera module is a first camera module and the vision system further comprises:
a second camera module; and
an IR light emitting module.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Fletcher Ashley E
• Pakula David A
• Jarvis Daniel W
• Kole Jared M

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04M2250/52

  including functional features of a camera · CPC title