Large image sensor package

Abstract

An image sensor package includes a printed circuit board, an image sensor electrically coupled to the printed circuit board, a sealing configuration coupled to a front side of the printed circuit board via a first gasket, and a base coupled to a back side of the printed circuit board via a second gasket. An electronic component embedded on the back surface of the printed circuit board is aligned with and connected to a mating pad surrounding the image sensor on the front surface of the printed circuit board. The bonding wire electrically connects the image sensor to the mating pad and the electronic component. The sealing configuration includes a cover attached to a frame surrounding the image sensor. A gap separates the image sensor from a surrounding printed circuit board that is coupled to the image sensor via the base so as not to abut the image sensor.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] A camera is a device used to capture and record real-life images in the form of photographs and / or videos. To capture and record such images, a camera generally includes a camera body and a camera lens. The camera lens transmits light reflected from objects in the real world and focuses the light onto the imaging plane of the camera body, capturing the focused light as an image. This image can then be used to generate photographs or frames in a high-quality video stream. The camera body may also include a processor that executes computer-readable instructions to control various operations of the camera and memory that stores the captured images. Some cameras can receive power from an external power source (e.g., via a power cord connected to a power outlet), while others can receive power from an internal power source (e.g., a built-in or attachable battery pack). Over time, various components of cameras must be adapted and / or improved to keep pace with evolving demands for higher resolution photographs, higher quality video, larger displays, faster streaming speeds, and so on. Summary of the Invention

[0002] This document discloses system, apparatus, device, method, and / or computer program product embodiments, and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, related to image sensor packages for large format camera systems. The image sensor package is configured to mechanically decouple the individual components within the image sensor package (e.g., image sensor, ceramic substrate, alumina frame, glass cover, etc.) to accommodate the different thermal expansions of adjacent and glued-together components during operation and to maintain signal integrity. The image sensor package is also configured to strategically place electronic components (such as capacitors) within the image sensor package closer to the image sensor, while protecting the mating pads between the sensor and the printed circuit board surrounding the image sensor from the influence of the electronic components, thereby improving signal transmission and minimizing the potential risk of pad contamination within the image sensor package.

[0003] In some embodiments, an image sensor package includes a printed circuit board having a first side and a second side, an image sensor electrically coupled to the printed circuit board via a plurality of bonding wires, a sealing structure coupled to the first side of the printed circuit board via a first gasket or epoxy resin, a base coupled to the second side of the printed circuit board via a second gasket or epoxy resin, and a plurality of electronic components embedded on the second side of the printed circuit board, etc. The plurality of bonding wires electrically connect the image sensor to mating pads positioned on the first side of the printed circuit board. The sealing structure includes a cover attached to a frame surrounding the periphery of the image sensor. The base couples the image sensor to the printed circuit board. The plurality of electronic components are aligned with mating pads on the first side of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board surrounds the image sensor, and the image sensor is separated from the printed circuit board by gaps to avoid adjacency with it.

[0004] In some examples, the first washer is a first ball bearing positioned within a first groove in the frame of the sealing structure, which allows the sealing structure to be movable while abutting the first side of the printed circuit board.

[0005] In some examples, the second washer is a second ball bearing positioned within a second groove in the base, which allows the base to be movable while abutting the second side of the printed circuit board.

[0006] In some examples, the base also includes channels surrounding the image sensor, and the plurality of electronic components are positioned within the channels in the base.

[0007] In some examples, mating pads on the first side of the printed circuit board surround the perimeter of the image sensor and are positioned between the frame and the image sensor. The area including the mating pads is hermetically sealed by a sealing construction to protect the image sensor from potential contaminants in the surrounding environment.

[0008] In some examples, mating pads on the first side of the printed circuit board are electrically coupled to the plurality of electronic components embedded on the second side of the printed circuit board.

[0009] In some examples, the frame positions the lid at a predetermined distance from the image sensor.

[0010] In another embodiment, an image sensor package includes an image sensor, a printed circuit board surrounding the image sensor, a gap separating the image sensor from the surrounding printed circuit board to avoid adjacent contact, and a plurality of electronic components embedded in the printed circuit board, etc. The printed circuit board has a first side and a second side. The image sensor is electrically coupled to the surrounding printed circuit board via a plurality of bonding wires connected to the first side of the printed circuit board. The plurality of electronic components are embedded on the second side of the printed circuit board and aligned with the plurality of bonding wires on the first side of the printed circuit board. The plurality of bonding wires electrically connect the image sensor and the plurality of electronic components via the printed circuit board.

[0011] In yet another embodiment, an image sensor package includes an image sensor, a printed circuit board surrounding the image sensor, a sealing structure, and a base, etc. The printed circuit board has a first side and a second side. The sealing structure is coupled to the first side of the printed circuit board via a first gasket. The base is coupled to the second side of the printed circuit board via a second gasket, wherein the base couples the image sensor to the surrounding printed circuit board.

[0012] The description provided in the Summary of the Invention is merely an example of embodiments. Other embodiments in this disclosure may provide a range of variations that differ from those described in the Summary of the Invention.

[0013] Further features and advantages, as well as the structure and operation of each aspect, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the specific aspects described herein are not intended to be limiting. Such aspects are used for illustrative purposes only, and additional aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the teachings contained herein. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with this description, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and enable those skilled in the art to make and use the embodiments. It should be noted that, according to industry standard practice, features are not drawn to scale. In fact, for clarity of discussion, the dimensions of features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased.

[0015] Figure 1 The illustration shows a perspective view of an exemplary camera system including a camera body and a lens housing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 The illustration shows an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The diagram shows a block diagram of an exemplary computer system used within the camera body.

[0017] Figure 3 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an image sensor package having a sealed structure including a cover and a frame, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 The illustration shows an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 The image sensor package shown is a rear perspective view.

[0019] Figure 5 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an image sensor package with the cover of the sealing structure removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 6 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an image sensor package with the cover and frame of the sealing structure removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7 The illustration shows a rear perspective view of an image sensor package with the base removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 8 The illustration shows an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 The image sensor package shown is a side perspective view.

[0023] Figure 9The illustration shows a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal direction of an image sensor package according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals generally indicate exactly the same or similar elements. Furthermore, generally, the leftmost numeral of the reference numeral identifies the drawing in which that reference numeral first appears.

[0025] Various aspects of this disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0026] A camera system may include a camera lens, a camera body, and a power supply. In some camera systems, the camera lens may be detachably attached to the camera body. Light enters the camera lens, which focuses the incoming light onto a focal point located at the center of an imaging plane within the camera body. The imaging plane captures the focused light as an image, which can then be used to generate high-resolution photographs or frames in a high-quality video stream.

[0027] The imaging plane can be an image sensor package comprising a printed circuit board and an image sensor. The image sensor can be coupled to a base via a thermally conductive epoxy resin, and the base can couple the image sensor to one side of the printed circuit board. On the other side of the printed circuit board, a sealing mechanism with a frame and cap configuration can protect the image sensor from potential contaminants in the external environment. The cap can be coupled to the frame, and the frame can surround the image sensor, such that the frame and cap configuration creates an hermetic seal to protect the image sensor from external contaminants such as dust and debris that may affect the quality of the captured image.

[0028] Each component in an image sensor package, including but not limited to the image sensor, base, cover, frame, and printed circuit board, can have different coefficients of thermal expansion. During operation of the camera system, the image sensor can generate significant heat output, causing each component in the image sensor package to expand or contract at different rates based on its respective coefficient of thermal expansion. This can cause the individual components of the image sensor package to negatively interfere with each other and affect the performance of other components. For example, the image sensor may expand at a different rate than the base and printed circuit board, thus causing the image sensor or printed circuit board to crack. Similarly, the frame may expand at a different rate than the cover, thus causing the cover to crack and compromising the integrity of the sealing mechanism that protects the image sensor from contaminants in the external environment. To mitigate these problems, adjacent components in the image sensor package can be made of materials with substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion. For example, the frame can be made of alumina, while the cover can be made of glass. Because alumina and glass have similar coefficients of thermal expansion, they can expand or contract at similar rates during operation of the camera system, preventing excessive cracking of one component or another.

[0029] However, simply using materials with substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion for adjacent components in an image sensor package is often insufficient to maintain the integrity of the individual components and ensure optimal operation of the image sensor package. The problem of different coefficients of thermal expansion between adjacent components is particularly prevalent in large-format camera systems because the components are larger, and any potential thermal expansion of one component will more significantly affect those adjacent components. Therefore, additional mechanisms are needed to accommodate the different coefficients of thermal expansion between adjacent components during operation.

[0030] The embodiments described herein pertain to image sensor packages for large format camera systems. The image sensor package is configured to mechanically decouple the individual components within the image sensor package (e.g., image sensor, ceramic substrate, alumina frame, glass cover, etc.) to accommodate thermal expansion of adjacent components during operation and maintain signal integrity. The image sensor package is also configured to strategically place electronic components (such as capacitors) closer to the image sensor within the image sensor package, while keeping the mating pads surrounding the image sensor protected from the electronic components, thereby improving signal transmission and minimizing the potential risk of pad contamination within the image sensor package.

[0031] The image sensor package disclosed herein includes a printed circuit board (PCB), an image sensor electrically coupled to the PCB, a sealing structure coupled to the front side of the PCB via a first gasket, and a base coupled to the back side of the PCB via a second gasket. The first gasket mechanically decouples the sealing structure from other components in the image sensor package, and the second gasket mechanically decouples the base (bonded to the image sensor with epoxy resin) from other components in the image sensor package. This allows the individual components of the image sensor package to expand or contract at different rates during operation without negatively impacting adjacent components, as explained in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, electronic components embedded on the back side of the PCB are aligned with and electrically connected to mating pads surrounding the image sensor on the front side of the PCB. Bond wires electrically connect the image sensor to the mating pads on the front side of the PCB, thus also forming an electrical connection between the image sensor and the electronic components on the back side of the PCB. By placing the electronic components on the back side of the PCB and aligning them with the mating pads on the front side of the PCB, the image sensor package can minimize signal transmission distances and reduce the risk of pad contamination.

[0032] Those skilled in the art will understand that the meanings of “on,” “above,” and “over” in this disclosure should be interpreted in the broadest possible sense, such that “on” means not only “directly on” but also includes “on” something through an intermediate feature or layer. Furthermore, “above” or “over” means not only “on top of” or “on” something but can also include “on top of” or “over” something without any intermediate feature or layer (i.e., directly on).

[0033] Furthermore, for ease of description, this document uses spatial relative terms such as “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “below,” “under,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” etc., to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another (or more) elements or features illustrated in the figures. Spatial relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the equipment being used or processed in a step other than those depicted in the figures. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in another orientation), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein can be interpreted accordingly.

[0034] Figure 1 The illustration shows a perspective view of an exemplary camera system 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the camera system 100 includes a camera body 105, a lens housing 110, and a power source 115. The camera body 105 may include a handle 120 that allows a user to support, carry, or otherwise physically manipulate the camera system 100. Those skilled in the art will understand that other configurations and designs of the handle 120 may be used to support the camera system 100 in other embodiments of the present disclosure and are not disclosed in detail herein. In some embodiments, the power source 115 may be removably coupled to the camera body 105 and configured to provide sufficient voltage to power the operation of the camera body 105. For example, the power source 115 may be a removable battery pack that provides DC voltage to the camera body 105. In another example, the power source 115 may be a power outlet that provides AC voltage via a plug and wire that can be connected to the camera body 105. In other embodiments, the power source 115 may be integrated into the camera body 105 and not removable by the user. For example, the power source 115 may be a disposable or rechargeable battery located within the camera body 105.

[0035] Lens housing 110 can provide mechanical support for a plurality of camera lenses 125 positioned along the z-axis of lens housing 110. Each camera lens 125 can be spaced apart by a predetermined distance along the z-axis such that incoming light 130 is ideally focused on an imaging plane in camera body 105. In some embodiments, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 can be a calculated number to achieve a desired focus of the incoming light 130 on the imaging plane. Those skilled in the art will also understand that in various embodiments of this disclosure, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 can be the same or different. Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 can be manually or automatically adjustable. Lens housing 110 may also include an external cover (not separately numbered) to protect the camera lenses 125 from external environmental factors (e.g., dust, weather, debris, etc.).

[0036] In some embodiments of the camera system 100, the lens housing 110 may be removably coupled to the camera body 105. This allows a user to exchange one lens housing 110, which includes a camera lens 125 with a specific configuration achieving a particular focus, with another lens housing 110, which includes a camera lens 125 with a different configuration achieving a different focus. In other embodiments of the camera system 100, the lens housing 110 may be attached to the camera body 105 during the manufacturing process of the camera system 100, making it difficult for a user to easily exchange one lens housing 110 with another without disassembling the camera system 100. This scenario can provide a more robust camera system 100 (i.e., there is no possibility of the user improperly attaching the lens housing 110 to the camera body 105, resulting in alignment "loosening"), but offers less flexibility in changing the desired focus of the incoming light 130 on the imaging plane.

[0037] Figure 2 The illustration shows an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary computer system 200 used within the camera body 105 shown in the figure.

[0038] One or more well-known computer systems (such as...) can be used, for example. Figure 2 The exemplary computer system 200 shown herein is used to implement various embodiments. One or more computer systems 200 can be used, for example, to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein, as well as combinations and sub-combinations thereof. The computer system 200 can be used to control various components of the camera system 100, including but not limited to various operations of components within the camera body 105 and components within the lens housing 110.

[0039] In some embodiments, the exemplary computer system 200 may include one or more processors 205, memory 210, power supply 215, one or more sensors 220, one or more network connections 225, one or more user interfaces 230, and one or more computer-readable media 235. Those skilled in the art will understand that other embodiments of this disclosure may have more or fewer components than those listed herein. Each of these components may be coupled via a bus 202, which enables communication between the various components of the exemplary computer system.

[0040] Bus 202 can be any known internal or external bus technology, including but not limited to ISA, EISA, PCI, PCI Express, NuBus, USB, Serial ATA, or FireWire. Processor 205 (also referred to as a central processing unit, or CPU) can use any known processor technology, including but not limited to graphics processors (also referred to as graphics processing units, or GPUs) and multi-core processors. In some embodiments, the GPU can be a processor with specialized electronic circuitry designed to handle compute-intensive applications. The GPU can have a parallel architecture that is efficient for parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as compute-intensive data, images, videos, etc., common in computer graphics applications.

[0041] Memory 210 may include primary memory or main memory and one or more secondary memories. In some embodiments, the main memory may be volatile memory, such as cache memory, random access memory (RAM), SDRAM, ROM, etc. The main memory may include one or more levels of cache in which control logic (i.e., computer software) and / or data is stored. In some embodiments, one or more secondary memories may be non-volatile memory, such as hard disk drives, optical disks, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, etc. One or more secondary memories may include a removable storage drive that can interact with the removable memory by reading from and / or writing to it. Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary types of memories and devices listed herein are not exhaustive, and any other computer data storage device may be used in other embodiments of this disclosure.

[0042] Power supply 215 can be DC voltage (e.g., a battery pack) or AC voltage (e.g., a wired power outlet), as described above. Sensor 220 can be any type of sensor that allows the exemplary computer system 200 to perform operations of camera body 105, including but not limited to image sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, etc. Network connection 225 can include transmitters and receivers that allow the exemplary computer system 200 to form electrical communications with any combination of external devices, external networks, external entities, etc. For example, network connection 225 can allow computer system 200 to communicate with the Internet or other camera system 100. In some embodiments, such communication can occur via a communication path, which can be wired and / or wireless (or a combination thereof), and can include any combination of LAN, WAN, Internet, etc. Control logic and / or data can be transmitted to / from computer system 200 via the communication path.

[0043] User interface 230 allows a user to communicate with exemplary computer system 200 and vice versa. In some embodiments, user interface 230 may include an input device that allows a user to input control commands to exemplary computer system 200, and a display device that allows exemplary computer system 200 to communicate information to the user and the operational status of camera body 105. For example, the input device may be any known input device technology, including but not limited to keyboards (including virtual keyboards), pointing devices, mice, trackballs, and touchpads or displays that allow a user to manually provide input to exemplary computer system 200. The display device may be any known display technology, including but not limited to monitors and / or display devices using liquid crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) technology. In some embodiments, the display device may be positioned on camera body 105 and allow exemplary computer system 200 to output information to the user.

[0044] Computer-readable medium 235 may be stored on memory 210 and contains instructions provided to processor 205 for operation of exemplary computer system 200. In some embodiments, computer-readable medium 235 may include various instructions 240-260. In one example, computer-readable medium 235 may include various instructions 240 for implementing an operating system (e.g., Mac OS®, Windows®, Linux). The operating system may be multi-user, multi-processor, multi-tasking, multi-threaded, real-time, etc. The operating system may perform basic tasks, including but not limited to: recognizing input from input devices of user interface 230; sending output to display devices of user interface 230; organizing files and directories on memory 210; controlling accessory devices connected to camera body 105 (e.g., adjusting a predetermined distance between camera lenses 125 in attached lens housing 110), which may be directly controlled or controlled via I / O controller; and managing traffic on bus 202. In another example, computer-readable medium 235 may also include various instructions 245 for establishing and maintaining network connections (e.g., software for implementing communication protocols such as TCP / IP, HTTP, Ethernet, telephony, etc.). In another example, the computer-readable medium 235 may also include various instructions 250 to perform power management based on information collected by the sensor 220 (e.g., entering a power-saving mode when the voltage from the power supply 215 drops below a threshold). In yet another example, the computer-readable medium 235 may also include various instructions 260 to perform a memory storage operation to store a captured image into the memory 210. The exemplary instructions described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various other types of instructions for different purposes may be included in the computer-readable medium 235 in other embodiments of this disclosure.

[0045] The exemplary computer system 200 may also be any one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop workstation, a laptop or notebook computer, a netbook, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a smartwatch or other wearable device, an appliance, part of the Internet of Things and / or an embedded system (to name just a few non-limiting examples), or any combination thereof.

[0046] The exemplary computer system 200 may be a client or server that accesses or hosts any application and / or data through any delivery paradigm, including but not limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions; on-premises or internally deployed software (“internal” cloud-based solutions); “as-a-service” models (e.g., Content as a Service (CaaS), Digital Content as a Service (DCaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Managed Software as a Service (MSaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Desktop as a Service (DaaS), Framework as a Service (FaaS), Backend as a Service (BaaS), Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), etc.); and / or a hybrid model that includes any combination of the foregoing examples or other services or delivery paradigms.

[0047] Any applicable data structures, file formats, and schemas in the computer system 200 may be derived from standards, including but not limited to JavaScript Object Markup (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), YAML, Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User Interface Language (XUL), or any other functionally similar representation, individually or in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formats, or schemas may be used either exclusively or in combination with known or open standards.

[0048] According to some embodiments, a tangible, non-transitory device or article of manufacture, including a tangible, non-transitory computer-usable or readable medium thereon storing control logic (software), may also be referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This control logic, when executed by one or more data processing devices (such as computer system 200), can cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0049] Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand how to use it. Figure 2 Embodiments of this disclosure may be made and used with data processing devices, computer systems, and / or computer architectures other than those shown herein. In particular, embodiments may operate with software, hardware, and / or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

[0050] Figure 3-9 Various views of an exemplary image sensor package 300 configured as an imaging plane in a camera body 105 are illustrated, as explained above.

[0051] Figure 3 The illustration shows a front perspective view of the image sensor package 300, and Figure 4 The illustration shows a rear perspective view of an image sensor package 300 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the embodiment illustrated, the image sensor package 300 includes a printed circuit board 305 having a front side 310 and a back side 315. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board 305 may contain... Figure 2 The block diagram illustrates various components of an exemplary computer system as explained above. A sealing structure 320 is coupled to the front side 310 of a printed circuit board 305 via a plurality of fasteners 325 (see [link to block diagram]). Figure 3 The base 405 is coupled to the back 315 of the printed circuit board 305 via a plurality of fasteners 410 (see [link]). Figure 4 Those skilled in the art will understand that fasteners 325 and 410 can be screws, nails, epoxy resin, or any other type of mechanical or chemical fastener as described in other embodiments of this disclosure, and are not listed exhaustively herein.

[0052] refer to Figure 3 The sealing structure 320 may include a cover 330 coupled to the frame 335. To accommodate the thermal expansion of the components constituting the sealing structure 320 (e.g., cover 330 and frame 335), the components of the sealing structure 320 may be made of materials having substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion. For example, cover 330 may be made of glass, while frame 335 may be made of alumina. Because glass and alumina have substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion, cover 330 and frame 335 will expand and / or contract at substantially the same rate during operation of the image sensor package 300, thus preventing excessive breakage of cover 330 or frame 335 during operation. Those skilled in the art will understand that in other embodiments of this disclosure, various other materials having similar coefficients of thermal expansion may be used for cover 330 and frame 335.

[0053] Figure 5 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an image sensor package 300 with the cover 330 of the sealing structure 320 removed, exposing the underlying image sensor 505. In some embodiments, the image sensor 505 may be an imaging plane of a camera system 100 configured to capture images. Those skilled in the art will understand that the image sensor 505 may be of any shape or size in the various embodiments without departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Figure 5 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, frame 335 surrounds the periphery of image sensor 505. When cover 330 is coupled to frame 335 and frame 335 is coupled to the front side 310 of printed circuit board 305, sealing configuration 320 including cover 330 and frame 335 creates an hermetic seal around image sensor 505. This hermetic seal prevents potential contaminants in the environment (e.g., dust, debris, etc.) from affecting images captured by image sensor 505, thereby ensuring the quality of captured images.

[0054] Figure 6 The illustration shows a front perspective view of an image sensor package 300 with the hermetically sealed 320 (including the cover 330 and frame 335) completely removed. This exposes a first gasket 605 positioned beneath the frame 335 and a mating pad area 610 positioned between the first gasket 605 and the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305. The first gasket 605 is configured to mechanically decouple the hermetically sealed 320 from the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305, allowing the cover 330 and frame 335 of the hermetically sealed 320 to expand or contract relatively independently of other components of the image sensor package 300, as referenced below. Figure 9 Further detailed explanation.

[0055] In a traditional image sensor package 300, bonding wires ( Figure 6 (Not shown) An image sensor 505 can be electrically connected to electronic components placed on the front side 310 of a printed circuit board 305 in a corresponding portion of the mating pad area 610. However, when the various components of the image sensor package 300 undergo thermal expansion during operation, the position of the electronic components on the corresponding portions of the mating pad area 610 can shift accordingly, causing the bonding wires to no longer connect the appropriate portion of the image sensor 505 to the correctly associated electronic components on said portion of the mating pad area 610. This causes signal mismatch and signal shortage problems in the image sensor package 300. Furthermore, placing the electronic components within the mating pad area 610 on the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 introduces a higher risk of pad contamination. Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure aim to address these problems by placing the electronic components on the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305, as referenced below. Figure 7 and Figure 9 Further detailed explanation.

[0056] Figure 7 The illustration shows a rear perspective view of the image sensor package 300, with the base 405 removed, exposing the image sensor 505, a second gasket 705 positioned below the base 405, and electronic components 710 embedded on the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305 between the image sensor 505 and the second gasket 705. Those skilled in the art will understand that an additional thermally conductive epoxy layer (not present on the image sensor 505 and the base 405) may be present between the image sensor 505 and the base 405. Figure 7(Shown or numbered in embodiments) to couple image sensor 505 to base 405, thereby allowing base 405 to provide mechanical support for image sensor 505 and couple image sensor 505 to printed circuit board 305. Since image sensor 505 can be very thin in some embodiments (e.g., less than 1 mm thick), base 405 is required to provide a stable surface for image sensor 505. Furthermore, in some embodiments, base 405 may include a layer of thermal paste serving as a heat sink for image sensor 505. To accommodate the thermal expansion of base 405 and image sensor 505, base 405 may be made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to that of image sensor 505. For example, in some embodiments, base 405 may be made of ceramic, while image sensor 505 may be made of silicon. Since ceramics and silicon can have substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion, the base 405 and the image sensor 505 will expand and / or contract at substantially the same rate during operation of the image sensor package 300, thereby avoiding excessive compressive or tensile stress on the image sensor 505 during operation of the image sensor package 300.

[0057] The second gasket 705 is configured to mechanically decouple the base 405 and image sensor 505 from the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305, allowing the base 405 and image sensor 505 to expand or contract relatively independently of other components of the image sensor package 300, as referenced below. Figure 9 Further detailed explanation.

[0058] Figure 8 The illustration shows a side perspective view of an image sensor package 300, including a printed circuit board 305, a cover 330 and a frame 335 coupled to the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305, and a base 405 coupled to the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305, as previously referenced. Figure 3-7 The explanation given. Figure 9 The illustration shows a cross-sectional view of the image sensor package 300. (Reference) Figure 8 , Figure 9 The cross-sectional view illustrates a portion 800 of the image sensor package 300 taken along reference line 805 in the longitudinal direction across the image sensor package 300. Reference will now be made to... Figure 9 The exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figure explain the various components of the image sensor package 300.

[0059] refer to Figure 9 The image sensor package 300 includes a printed circuit board 305 having a front side 310 and a back side 315. A sealing configuration 320, including a cover 330 and a frame 335, can be achieved via a first gasket 605 (see also...). Figure 6This is mechanically decoupled from the front side 310 of the printed circuit board. Specifically, as... Figure 9 As shown in the embodiment, the first gasket 605 includes a first groove 905 positioned in the frame 335 and a first ball bearing 910 positioned in the first groove 905. The first ball bearing 910 abuts the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 and allows the sealing structure 320 to be movable while abutting the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 when at least one of the cover 330 and / or the frame 335 of the sealing structure 320 undergoes thermal expansion / contraction during operation of the image sensor package 300. Those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on how the cover 330 and / or the frame 335 undergoes thermal expansion, the sealing structure 320 can slide across the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 in any direction. This mechanical decoupling of the sealing structure 320 from the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 prevents excessive breakage of the cover 330 and / or the frame 335 during operation of the image sensor package 300, thereby ensuring that the sealing structure 320 provides an hermetically tight seal to protect the image sensor 505 from external contaminants.

[0060] In some embodiments, the base 405 may be coupled to the image sensor 505 via a thermally conductive epoxy resin. Similar to the explanation above regarding the first gasket 605, the base 405 and the image sensor 505 may be coupled via a second gasket 705 (see also...). Figure 7 This is mechanically decoupled from the back of the printed circuit board 315. Specifically, as... Figure 9As shown in the embodiment, the second washer 705 includes a second groove 915 positioned in the base 405 and a second ball bearing 920 positioned in the second groove 915. The second ball bearing 920 abuts the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305 and allows the base 405 and the image sensor 505 to be movable while abutting the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305 when at least one of the base 405 and / or the image sensor 505 undergoes thermal expansion / contraction during operation of the image sensor package 300. Those skilled in the art will understand that the base 405 coupled to the image sensor 505 can slide across the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305 in any direction depending on the thermal expansion experienced by the base 405 and / or the image sensor 505. Furthermore, a gap 925 exists between the periphery of the image sensor 505 and the surrounding printed circuit board 305. The gap 925 is configured to provide the image sensor 505 with buffer space to expand during thermal expansion without stressing the integrity of the surrounding printed circuit board 305 or the electronic components 710 embedded on the printed circuit board 305. The mechanical decoupling of the base 405 and the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305, combined with the gap 925 between the image sensor 505 and the surrounding printed circuit board 305, helps prevent the image sensor 505 from excessively cracking during operation of the image sensor package 300. This is particularly necessary in large format camera systems 100 that include larger components that are more severely affected by thermal expansion during operation.

[0061] As explained above, to avoid the traditional problems of pad contamination and signal mismatch / shortage caused by inaccurate wire bonding between the image sensor 505 and the corresponding electronic component 710 after thermal expansion, Figure 9 In one embodiment, the electronic component 710 is placed on the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305. For example... Figure 9 As shown in the embodiments, the base 405 may further include a channel 930 surrounding the periphery of the image sensor 505. The channel 930 is adjacent to the back surface 315 of the printed circuit board 305 and aligned with mating pad areas 610 on the front surface 310 of the printed circuit board 305 (see also...). Figure 6Multiple electronic components 710 necessary for the operation of the printed circuit board 305 can be embedded on the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305 and positioned within the channels 930 of the base 405. The image sensor 505 can be electrically connected to mating pad areas 610 on the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 via multiple bonding lines 935. In some embodiments, the electronic components 710 can be electrically connected via the printed circuit board 305 to corresponding portions of the mating pad areas 610. This allows the electronic components 710 to be electrically connected via the mating pad areas 610 to appropriate portions of the image sensor 505 without the image sensor 505 forming direct bonding lines 935 with the associated electronic components 710.

[0062] Figure 9 The embodiment illustrated in the figure reduces the distance between the electronic component 710 and the bonding wire 935, thereby reducing power loss, increasing signal transmission speed, and maintaining signal integrity. Furthermore, embedding the electronic component 710 onto the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305 allows the mating pad area 610 on the front side 310 of the printed circuit board 305 to be component-free, thereby minimizing the risk of pad contamination. Embedding the electronic component 710 onto the back side 315 of the printed circuit board 305 also allows the printed circuit board 305 to be fully manufactured before any wire bonding of the image sensor 505, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and saving time and money.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in different embodiments of this disclosure, electronic component 710 may be various electronic components (e.g., capacitors) required for the operation of image sensor 505. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the number of electronic components 710 and bonding wires 935 included in image sensor package 300 may vary in different embodiments of this disclosure and is not described in detail herein.

[0064] Still referencing Figure 9In some embodiments, the cover 330 of the sealing structure 320 can be placed at a predetermined distance 940 away from the image sensor 505. This predetermined distance 940 can be determined by calculation such that the image sensor 505 can capture an image with optimal resolution from the incoming light 130. For example, in embodiments where the cover 330 is made of glass, imperfections such as bubbles in the glass of the cover 330 can reflect and / or refract the incoming light 130, resulting in dark spots projected onto the image sensor 500, which severely affects the resolution of the captured image. To avoid imperfections projecting dark spots onto the image sensor 505, the glass of the cover 330 must be of high quality, which is much more expensive to manufacture, especially for the large image sensor 505 in the large format camera system 100. Alternatively, the glass of the cover 330 can be placed at a predetermined distance 940 away from the image sensor 505, such that imperfections in the glass produce blurred spots rather than dark spots in the captured image of the image sensor 505. Those skilled in the art will understand that the predetermined distance 940 in the various embodiments of this disclosure can be any distance calculated for optimal image resolution and is not described in detail herein.

[0065] The present disclosure has been described above using functional building blocks that illustrate implementations of specified functions and their relationships. For ease of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks are arbitrarily defined herein. Alternative boundaries may be defined, provided that the specified functions and their relationships are appropriately performed.

[0066] The foregoing description of specific embodiments will fully reveal the general nature of this disclosure, enabling others to easily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments for various applications without excessive experimentation, by applying knowledge within the scope of the art, without departing from the general concept of this disclosure. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance presented herein, such adaptations and modifications are intended to fall within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology herein is for descriptive purposes and not for limitation, and thus the terminology or terminology of this specification will be interpreted by those skilled in the art based on the teachings and guidance.

[0067] The breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined solely by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0068] The claims in the current application differ from those in the parent application or other related applications. Therefore, the applicant has withdrawn any abandonment of the scope of the claims made in the parent application or any predecessor application relating to the current application. It is therefore advised that the examiner may need to reconsider any such prior abandonment and any references cited to avoid such abandonment. Furthermore, the examiner is reminded that any abandonment made in the current application should not be incorporated into or limit the parent application.

Claims

1. An image sensor package, comprising: A printed circuit board having a first side and a second side; An image sensor electrically coupled to a printed circuit board via a plurality of bonding wires, the plurality of bonding wires electrically connecting the image sensor to mating pads positioned on a first surface of the printed circuit board; A sealing structure coupled to a first side of a printed circuit board via a first gasket, the sealing structure having a cover attached to a frame surrounding the periphery of an image sensor; A base, which is coupled to a second side of a printed circuit board via a second washer, wherein the base couples the image sensor to the printed circuit board; as well as Multiple electronic components are embedded on the second side of a printed circuit board, and the multiple electronic components are aligned with mating pads on the first side of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board surrounds the image sensor, and The image sensor is separated from the printed circuit board by a gap so that it is not adjacent to it.

2. The image sensor package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gap between the image sensor and the printed circuit board is a predetermined distance.

3. The image sensor package of claim 1, wherein the first gasket is a first ball bearing positioned within a first groove in the frame of the sealing structure, allowing the sealing structure to be movable while adjacent to a first surface of the printed circuit board.

4. The image sensor package of claim 3, wherein the second washer is a second ball bearing positioned within a second groove in the base, allowing the base to be movable while abutting a second side of the printed circuit board.

5. The image sensor package as described in claim 1, wherein... The base also includes channels surrounding the image sensor, and The multiple electronic components are positioned within channels in the base.

6. The image sensor package as described in claim 1, wherein... Image sensors have a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The base has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, and The first coefficient of thermal expansion is basically similar to the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

7. The image sensor package of claim 6, wherein... The base is a ceramic base, and The image sensor is attached to a ceramic substrate using thermally conductive epoxy resin.

8. The image sensor package as described in claim 6, wherein... The sealed lid has a third coefficient of thermal expansion. The sealed frame has a fourth coefficient of thermal expansion, and The third coefficient of thermal expansion is basically similar to the fourth coefficient of thermal expansion.

9. The image sensor package of claim 8, wherein... The lid is a glass lid, and The frame is an alumina frame.

10. The image sensor package of claim 1, wherein the frame positions the cover at a predetermined distance away from the image sensor.

11. The image sensor package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic components are capacitors.

12. The image sensor package of claim 1, further comprising at least one coupling mechanism for coupling the frame to a first side of the printed circuit board.

13. The image sensor package of claim 12, wherein the at least one coupling mechanism is a screw.

14. The image sensor package of claim 1, wherein mating pads on a first side of the printed circuit board are electrically coupled to the plurality of electronic components embedded on a second side of the printed circuit board.

15. The image sensor package of claim 1, wherein mating pads on a first side of the printed circuit board surround the periphery of the image sensor and are positioned between the frame and the image sensor.

16. An image sensor package, comprising: Image sensor; A printed circuit board surrounding an image sensor, the printed circuit board having a first side and a second side; A gap that separates the image sensor from the surrounding printed circuit board so that it is not adjacent to it; as well as Multiple electronic components, which are embedded in a printed circuit board, The image sensor is electrically coupled to the surrounding printed circuit board via multiple bonding lines connected to the first side of the printed circuit board. The plurality of electronic components are embedded on the second surface of the printed circuit board and aligned with the plurality of bonding lines on the first surface of the printed circuit board, and The multiple bonding wires electrically connect the image sensor and the multiple electronic components via a printed circuit board.

17. The image sensor package of claim 16, further comprising: A base that couples an image sensor to a printed circuit board, wherein the base and the image sensor have substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion.

18. The image sensor package of claim 16, wherein the gap separating the image sensor from the printed circuit board is a predetermined distance.

19. An image sensor package, comprising: Image sensor; A printed circuit board surrounding an image sensor, the printed circuit board having a first side and a second side; A sealing structure, wherein the sealing structure is coupled to a first side of a printed circuit board via a first gasket; as well as A base, which is coupled to a second side of a printed circuit board via a second washer, wherein the base couples the image sensor to the surrounding printed circuit board.

20. The image sensor package of claim 19, wherein... The first washer is a first ball bearing positioned within a first groove in the sealing structure, allowing the sealing structure to move while abutting a first surface of the printed circuit board. The second washer is a second ball bearing positioned in a second groove in the base, which allows the base to move while adjoining the second side of the printed circuit board.

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