Miniaturized optical proximity sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017160427-A1
Application number	US-201514962960-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical sensor, optical system, and proximity sensor are disclosed. An illustrative proximity sensor is disclosed to include a light source and a photodetector including a photo-sensitive area that receives incident light and converts the received incident light into an electrical signal. The light source and photodetector are positioned diagonally relative to one another, thereby enabling the devices to be positioned closer together on a body or substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical sensing device, comprising:
a substrate; a light source mounted on the substrate and configured to produce emitted light in response to receiving an electrical signal; a photodetector mounted on the substrate and comprising a photo-sensitive area that receives incident light and converts the received incident light into an electrical signal; a first optical element that is optically coupled to the light source and has a first centroid aligned on a first axis that is parallel with at least one side of the substrate; and a second optical element that is optically coupled with the photodetector and has a second centroid offset from the first axis by an offset distance.

2 . The optical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the first axis substantially bisects the substrate into two equally-sized halves.

3 . The optical sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover that is substantially non-transparent to the emitted light, the cover having a first aperture and a second aperture.

4 . The optical sensing device of claim 3 , wherein a center of the first aperture is substantially coincident with the first centroid of the first optical element and wherein a center of the second aperture is substantially coincident with the second centroid of the second optical element.

5 . The optical sensing device of claim 4 , wherein the first optical element encapsulates the light source and wherein the first centroid of the first optical element is centered with respect to a first lens established on the first optical element

6 . The optical sensing device of claim 5 , wherein the second optical element encapsulates the photodetector and wherein the second centroid of the second optical element is centered with respect to a second lens established on the second optical element.

7 . The optical sensing device of claim 5 , wherein the first aperture is larger than the second aperture.

8 . The optical sensing device of claim 2 , wherein the first optical element comprises a first alignment structure that aligns the cover with respect to the substrate and that further mates with the cover and wherein the second optical element comprises a second alignment feature that also aligns the cover with respect to the substrate and that further mates with the cover.

9 . The optical sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the offset distance is greater than zero and less than 30% of a longest dimension of the substrate.

10 . The optical sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of electrical connectors established on the substrate, wherein the plurality of electrical connectors are symmetrically disposed along the substrate with respect to the first axis.

11 . An optical sensing module, comprising:
a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of sides connecting the top surface with the bottom surface; a first lens mounted on the top surface of the body and having a first centroid that is coincident with a first axis that is substantially parallel with a first of the plurality of sides; and a second lens mounted on the top surface of the body and having a second centroid that is coincident with a center line that is parallel to but offset from the first axis.

12 . The optical sensing module of claim 11 , wherein the first axis is offset from a parallel center axis that substantially bisects the body, and wherein the first centroid is diagonally disposed with respect to the second centroid.

13 . The optical sensing module of claim 12 , wherein the first axis substantially bisects the body into equal halves, wherein a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis bisects the first axis at a center of the body thereby dividing the body into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant, wherein the first centroid is substantially positioned on a boundary between the second quadrant and the third quadrant, and wherein the second centroid is substantially positioned within the first quadrant.

14 . The optical sensing module of claim 12 , wherein the first centroid located in a quadrant of the body that is diagonally disposed with respect to a quadrant in which the second centroid is located.

15 . The optical sensing module of claim 12 , further comprising:
a cover that is positioned over both the first lens and the second lens, wherein the cover comprises a first aperture that allows emitted light traveling from the first lens to travel to an object, and wherein the cover comprises a second aperture that allows light that reflects from the object to pass therethrough and reach the second lens.

16 . The optical sensing module of claim 9 , wherein a center of the first aperture is substantially aligned with the first centroid and wherein a center of the second aperture is substantially aligned with the second centroid.

17 . A computing device, comprising:
a housing; a sensing opening provided in the housing; and an optical sensing module, comprising:
a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of sides connecting the top surface with the bottom surface;
a light source mounted on the top surface of the body;
a first optical element positioned on the top surface of the body, encapsulating the light source, and having a first centroid that is coincident with a first axis that is substantially parallel with a first of the plurality of sides;
a photodetector mounted on the top surface of the body;
a second optical element positioned on the top surface of the body and having a second centroid that is coincident with a center line that is parallel to but offset from the first axis by an offset distance.

18 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting die, wherein a center of the light-emitting die is substantially aligned with the first centroid, wherein the photodetector is provided as an array of photo-sensitive pixels on an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip, and wherein a center of the array of photo-sensitive pixels is substantially aligned with the second centroid.

19 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the optical sensing module further comprises a cover having a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first aperture is larger than the second aperture, wherein a center of the first aperture is substantially aligned with the first centroid, and wherein a center of the second aperture is substantially aligned with the second centroid.

20 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the sensing opening is sized to enable light emitted by the light source to travel to an object and to enable light that reflects from the object to reach the photodetector.

Assignees

• Avago Technologies General Ip

Inventors

• Costello James
• Heng Cherng Woei
• Tan Boon Keat

Classifications

• G01J1/0204

  Compact construction · CPC title

• G01V8/12 Primary

  using one transmitter and one receiver · CPC title

• G01J1/0437

  using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators, spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters · CPC title

• G01J1/0411

  using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title