Electronic device having a vision system assembly held by a self-aligning bracket assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445094-B2
Application number	US-201815914956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2018
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 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. An electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an internal volume, the enclosure comprising sidewall components;
an un-affixed bracket assembly positioned in the internal volume free of affixation to the enclosure;
a camera module carried by the bracket assembly;
a transparent cover secured with the sidewall components and covering the bracket assembly, the transparent cover including a masking layer, the masking layer having a masking layer opening; and
an alignment module secured to the transparent cover, wherein the alignment module aligns the camera module with the masking layer opening.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the camera module is a first camera module that is configured to capture an image of an object, and wherein the electronic device further comprises:
a processor;
a light emitting module electrically coupled to the processor and carried by the bracket assembly, the light emitting module configured to emit light rays toward the object; and
a second camera module electrically coupled to the processor and carried by the bracket assembly, the second camera module configured to receive the light rays reflected off the object, wherein the light rays received by the second camera module form a dot pattern used by the processor to create a multi-dimensional image of the object.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the bracket assembly maintains a first predetermined distance between the first camera module and the second camera module, and wherein the bracket assembly maintains a second predetermined distance between the light emitting module and the second camera module.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a lighting element that provides additional light to the object, wherein the alignment module comprises:
a body; and
a first rail and a second rail molded to the body, wherein the lighting element is positioned between the first rail and the second rail.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the body comprises:
a first section that receives the camera module by a first opening, the first section having a first extended portion that includes a contoured region that reduces the first opening; and
a second section that receives the second camera module by a second opening, the second section having a second extended portion that defines a semicircular shape.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element that extends from the bracket assembly and engages the enclosure, the biasing element providing a force that biases the bracket assembly against the alignment module.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a material that covers the opening, wherein the masking layer comprises an opaque layer, and wherein the material permits passage of visible light.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an audio module;
a microphone;
a lighting element; and
an ambient light sensor, wherein the alignment module aligns the audio module, the microphone, the lighting element, and the ambient light sensor in the internal volume.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that includes a wall and sidewall components that combine with the wall to define an internal volume;
a transparent cover secured with the enclosure, the transparent cover having an alignment module; and
an un-affixed bracket assembly positioned in the internal volume, the un-affixed bracket assembly free of affixation to the enclosure and carrying a vision system aligned in the internal volume by the alignment module and configured for object recognition of an object that is external to the enclosure, wherein compression forces provided by the transparent cover and the enclosure to the bracket assembly maintain the bracket assembly fixed in the internal volume.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the bracket assembly comprises:
a first bracket positioned against the alignment module; and
a second bracket, wherein the vision system is positioned at least partially between the first bracket and the second bracket.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a module carrier coupled to the first bracket, wherein the vision system comprises a light emitting module carried by the module carrier.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the vision system further comprises:
a camera module that captures an image of the object; and
a second camera module that receives light generated by the light emitting module and reflected off the object, the light forming a dot pattern on the object used by the vision system for the object recognition.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a display assembly secured with the transparent cover, the display assembly comprising a notch; and
a masking layer secured to the transparent cover at a location corresponding to the notch, the masking layer having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, wherein the light emitting module is aligned with the first opening, the camera module is aligned with the second opening, and the second camera module is aligned with the third opening.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first material positioned in the first opening;
a second material positioned in the second opening; and
a third material positioned in the third opening, wherein the first material and the third material allow passage of infrared light, and wherein the second material allows passage of visible light.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a circuit board positioned in the internal volume, wherein the vision system comprises a camera module having a flexible circuit that provides an electrical and a mechanical connection to the circuit board, wherein except for the mechanical connection, the bracket assembly is not affixed to the enclosure.

16. A method for assembling an electronic device that includes an enclosure that includes a wall and sidewall components that combine with the wall to define an internal volume, the method comprising:
providing an un-affixed bracket assembly in the internal volume, the un-affixed bracket assembly free of affixation to the enclosure and carrying a camera module; and
securing a transparent cover with the sidewall components of the enclosure, the transparent cover having an alignment module, the transparent cover further having a masking layer that includes an opening, wherein securing the transparent cover with the enclosure aligns the camera module such that the camera module is aligned with the opening;
wherein compression forces provided by the transparent cover and the enclosure to the bracket assembly maintain the bracket assembly fixed in the internal volume.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the bracket assembly comprises:
providing a first bracket;
providing a second bracket that is welded to the first bracket; and
providing a module carrier that is welded to the first bracket.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
installing a processor;
installing a light emitting module that is electrically coupled to the processor and carried by the module carrier, the light emitting module configured to emit light rays toward an object; and
installing a second camera module that is electrically coupled to the processor and carried by the bracket assembly, the second camera module configured to receive the light rays reflected off the object, wherein the light rays received by the second

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• G01B11/2513 Primary

  with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns · CPC title

• H04N25/713

  Transfer or readout registers; Split readout registers or multiple readout registers · CPC title

• G06V20/653

  by matching three-dimensional models, e.g. conformal mapping of Riemann surfaces · CPC title

• G06F1/1686

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera · CPC title