Light source module with adaptive lighting

Abstract

To provide a flash module with the flexibility to selectively provide illumination to different portions of a scene.SOLUTION: An adaptive light source module 200 comprises a housing 204, an emitter array 202, and a lens 206. The emitter array comprises a plurality of emitters. The lens may redirect light emitted from the emitter array through a transparent window of the housing. The housing may further include a prismatic surface that distorts light emitted from the emitter array and / or one or more non-transparent portions that limit light travelling through the housing. The adaptive light source module may optionally comprise a light sensor 210, and a portion of the lens may be configured to direct light toward the light sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 247,702, filed September 23, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The described embodiments generally relate to a light source module that includes an array of light emitters configured to provide adaptive illumination to a scene. [Background technology]

[0003] Cameras continue to be an important feature of consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. As the quality of individual cameras improves and devices begin to integrate multiple camera ("multi-camera") systems and depth sensors, the imaging capabilities of these consumer electronic devices are steadily increasing, enabling users to capture high quality images in an ever-increasing range of situations. In low lighting conditions, a light source module (also known as a "flash") can be used to illuminate the scene to facilitate image capture. Different scene conditions can benefit from different flash illumination across the scene (which may further vary depending on which camera of the multi-camera system is imaging), and therefore it may be desirable to provide a flash module that has the flexibility to selectively provide illumination to different parts of the scene. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Described herein is a light source module for adaptively illuminating a scene. In some variations, the light source module comprises a housing with a transparent window, an emitter array arranged and configured to emit light through the transparent window, and a lens disposed between the transparent window and the emitter array and with an imaging area disposed above the emitter array. In some of these variations, the transparent window comprises a prism surface having a plurality of concentric prisms arranged around a central point, each of the plurality of concentric prisms having an inner surface angled at a first angle toward the central point and an outer surface angled at a second angle away from the central point. Each of the first and second angles for each of the plurality of concentric prisms may be less than 16 degrees, and in some cases, each of the first and second angles for each of the plurality of concentric prisms is between 5 and 12 degrees.

[0005] In some cases, the housing comprises a substrate and a cap, and the light emitter array is supported by the substrate. In some of these variations, the mounting region of the lens is configured and arranged within the housing such that the cap contacts a top surface of the mounting region and the substrate contacts a bottom surface of the mounting region. In other variations, the lens comprises a mounting region connected to a portion of the housing and an intermediate region between the imaging region and the mounting region. In some of these variations, the intermediate region is shaped as an annular body having an inner sidewall, the inner sidewall surrounding at least a portion of the imaging region. In others of these variations, the light source module further comprises a light sensor, and at least a portion of the intermediate region is disposed above the light sensor. In some of these examples, a back surface of the intermediate region is closer to the substrate than a top surface of the emitter array.

[0006] Other embodiments are directed to a system including a light source module. The light source module includes a housing including a transparent window, an emitter array arranged and configured to emit light through the transparent window, and a lens. In some cases, the lens is disposed between the transparent window and the emitter array, and at least one central emitter of the emitter array is larger than at least one peripheral emitter of the emitter array. In some variations, the system further includes a first camera having a first field of view, and the light source module is configured such that light generated by the at least one central emitter fills the first field of view. In some of these variations, the at least one central emitter includes a first central emitter, and the light source module is further configured such that light emitted by the first central emitter fills the first field of view. In others of these variations, the at least one central emitter includes a plurality of central emitters, and the light source module is further configured such that light collectively emitted by the plurality of central emitters fills the first field of view. In yet another variation, the at least one central emitter includes a plurality of central emitters and the at least one peripheral emitter includes a plurality of peripheral emitters surrounding the plurality of central emitters.

[0007] Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a method of illuminating a scene during image capture, including determining a target field of view of a scene, determining an illumination profile based at least in part on the determined target field of view, illuminating the scene according to the determined illumination profile using an adaptive light source module, and capturing an image of the determined target field of view while illuminating the scene. The adaptive light source module includes an emitter array having a plurality of emitters, whereby illuminating the scene includes generating light with a first subset of the plurality of emitters when the determined target field of view is a first field of view, and further includes generating light with all of the plurality of emitters when the determined target field of view is a second field of view. In some cases, the first subset of the plurality of emitters includes a first emitter, and generating light with the first emitter fills the first field of view. In some of these variations, generating light with all of the plurality of emitters fills the second field of view. In some cases, the second field of view is larger than the first field of view. The first field of view may correspond to the field of view of a first camera, and the second field of view may correspond to the field of view of a second camera.

[0008] In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following descriptions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] The disclosure will be readily understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers designate like structural elements and in which: [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a device including an adaptive light source module as described herein. [Figure 1B] 1B illustrates exemplary components of the device of FIG. 1A. [Figure 1C] 1B shows a representation of the field of view of the cameras of a multi-camera system that can be used with the device of FIG. 1A. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary embodiment of an adaptive light source module as described herein. [Diagram 3] 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a variation of an adaptive light source module having a housing with a cap and a substrate. [Figure 4A] 13 shows a cross-sectional side view of a variation of a housing with prismatic surfaces suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein. [Figure 4B] 1 shows a light pattern that can be projected onto a scene. [Figure 4C] 1 shows a light pattern that can be projected onto a scene. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a partial cross-sectional side view of a variation of a housing suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein and including both transparent and non-transparent portions. [Figure 6A] 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of two variations of an adaptive light source module, each comprising a lens. [Figure 6B] 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of two variations of an adaptive light source module, each comprising a lens. [Figure 7A] 1 illustrates a variation of an emitter array suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein. [Figure 7B] 1 illustrates a variation of an emitter array suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein. [Figure 7C] 1 illustrates a variation of an emitter array suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein. [Figure 8A] 1 shows a variation of an emitter array in which some emitters of the emitter array can be controlled as a group. [Figure 8B] 8B illustrates different exemplary modes for driving the emitter array of FIG. 8A. [Figure 9] 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of a variation of an adaptive light source module including a lens.

[0010] It will be understood that the proportions and dimensions (whether relative or absolute) of the various features and elements (and collections and groups thereof), as well as the boundaries, separations and relationships presented therebetween, are provided in the accompanying figures merely to facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments described herein, and therefore may not necessarily be presented or drawn to scale, and are not intended to imply any preference or requirement for the illustrated embodiments to the exclusion of the embodiments described with reference thereto.

[0011] Directional terms, such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "rear," "over," "under," "above," "below," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," and the like, are used with reference to some of the orientations of components in some of the figures described below and are not intended to be limiting. Because components in various embodiments may be arranged in many different orientations, the directional terms are used for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. The directional terms are intended to be interpreted broadly and therefore should not be interpreted to exclude components that are arranged in different ways. That is, when discussing the adaptive light source modules described herein, the application uses the terms "top" and "front" to refer to the side of the adaptive light source module that emits light into a scene or to refer to the portions of the individual module components that face the light-emitting side of the adaptive light source module. Similarly, the terms "rear" and "back" can refer to the side of the adaptive light source module opposite the light-emitting side, as well as the portions of individual module components that face away from the light-emitting side of the adaptive light source module. The directional terms used to describe the adaptive light source module do not necessarily extend to any device incorporating the adaptive light source module or other components of the adaptive light source module (e.g., the "front" side of the adaptive light source module need not face in the same direction as the "front" side of the overall device).

[0012] Also, as used herein, the phrase "at least one" preceding a series of items, together with the term "and" or "or" separating any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, not each element of the list. The phrase "at least one" does not require the selection of at least one of each listed item, but rather, the phrase allows for the inclusion of at least one of any of the items, and / or at least one of any combination of the items, and / or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" refer, respectively, to only A, only B, or only C, any combination of A, B, and C, and / or one or more of each of A, B, and C. Similarly, it can be understood that the order of elements presented for combined or separated lists provided herein should not be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the order provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Description will now be made in detail of representative embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit these embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, the following description is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

[0014] The following disclosure relates to adaptive light source modules and methods of using adaptive light source modules to adaptively provide illumination to a scene. These adaptive light source modules generally comprise an array of emitters (such as LEDs), each configured to emit light. The amount of light emitted by each emitter (or group of emitters) can be controlled separately, thereby allowing the light source module to locally control the intensity of light delivered to a scene by the adaptive light source module. The adaptive light source module can be used to emit light during image capture using one or more cameras to facilitate flash photography, and in other examples, the adaptive light source module can be used continuously to emit light as part of a flashlight mode. These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to Figures 1A-8B. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description of the invention provided herein with respect to these figures is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

[0015] The adaptive light source module described herein can be used in any suitable portable electronic device, preferably including one or more cameras. FIG. 1A shows a rear view of a device 100 suitable for use with various embodiments of the adaptive light source module described herein. As shown therein, the device 100 comprises an adaptive light source module 101 and a multi-camera system 102. Although discussed herein as being used with the multi-camera system 102, it should be understood that the adaptive light source module described herein can be used to illuminate part or all of the field of view of a single camera. In addition, although shown to be located at the back of the device 100, it should be understood that the adaptive light source module can additionally or alternatively be located at the front of the device (e.g., the front side having a display) or any other side as desired.

[0016] Generally, when device 100 includes a multi-camera system 102, multi-camera system 102 includes a first camera 104 and a second camera 106. Multi-camera system 102 may optionally include one or more additional cameras, such as a third camera 108 as shown in FIG 1A. Multi-camera system 102 may further include one or more depth sensors (e.g., depth sensor 110 as shown in FIG 1A), as described in more detail below.

[0017] In some embodiments, device 100 is a portable multifunction electronic device, such as a mobile phone, that also includes other functions, such as PDA and / or music player functions. Exemplary embodiments of portable multifunction devices include, but are not limited to, iPhone®, iPod Touch®, and iPad® devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Optionally, other portable electronic devices, such as laptop or tablet computers, having a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touchscreen display and / or a touchpad) are also used. It should also be understood that in some embodiments, the device is not a portable communication device, but a desktop computer that may have a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touchscreen display and / or a touchpad). In some embodiments, the electronic device is a computer system in communication (e.g., via wired communication, via wireless communication) with a display generating component. The display generating component is configured to provide a visual output, such as a display via a CRT display, a display via an LED display, or a display via image projection. In some embodiments, the display generating component is integrated with the computer system. In some embodiments, the display generating component is separate from the computer system. As used herein, "displaying" content includes causing the content to be displayed by transmitting data (e.g., image data or video data) over a wired or wireless connection to an integrated or external display generation component to visually generate the content.

[0018] 1B illustrates exemplary components of device 100. In some embodiments, device 100 includes a bus 126 that operably couples I / O section 134 to one or more computer processors 136 and memory 138. I / O section 134 can be connected to a display 128, which can include touch-sensitive components 130 and, optionally, an intensity sensor 132 (e.g., a contact intensity sensor). Additionally, I / O section 134 can be connected to a communication unit 140 that receives application and operating system data using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), cellular, and / or other wireless communication technologies. Device 100 can include input mechanisms 142 and / or 144. Input mechanism 142 is optionally, for example, a rotatable input device or a depressible and rotatable input device. In some embodiments, input mechanism 142 is optionally a button. The device 100 optionally includes various sensors, such as a GPS sensor 146, an accelerometer 148, an orientation sensor 150 (e.g., a compass), a gyroscope 152, a motion sensor 154, and / or combinations thereof, all of which may be operably connected to the I / O section 134.

[0019] The memory 138 of the device 100 can include one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media for storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors 136, can, for example, cause the computer processors to perform the techniques described herein. A computer-readable storage medium can be any medium that can tangibly contain or store computer-executable instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In some embodiments, the storage medium is a transient computer-readable storage medium. In some embodiments, the storage medium is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, and / or semiconductor storage devices. Examples of such storage devices include magnetic disks, optical disks based on CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray technology, as well as persistent solid-state memory such as flash, solid-state drives, and the like.

[0020] Processor 136 may include, for example, special purpose hardware as defined herein, a computing device as defined herein, a processor, a microprocessor, a programmable logic array (PLA), a programmable array logic (PAL), a generic array logic (GAL), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other programmable logic device (PLD) configurable to execute the operating system and applications of device 100 and to facilitate capturing an image of a scene and adaptively lighting the scene as described herein. Device 100 is not limited to the components and configurations of FIG. 1B and may include other or additional components in multiple configurations.

[0021] 1A , the cameras in the multi-camera system 102 have fields of view that at least partially overlap one another. In other words, the device 100 may include additional camera(s) (not shown) that are not considered part of the multi-camera system 102 if the field of view(s) of the additional camera(s) do not at least partially overlap with the field of view of at least one camera in the multi-camera system 102. For example, the device 100 may include a front-facing camera (not shown) that faces in an opposite direction from the first camera 104 and the second camera 106 (as well as any other cameras of the multi-camera system 102) and thus is not considered part of the multi-camera system 102.

[0022] Similarly, a depth sensor 110 may be considered part of the multi-camera system 102 if the depth sensor 110 is positioned and configured within the device 100 such that the depth sensor 110 can obtain depth information at one or more points within the field of view of one or more of the cameras of the multi-camera system 102. The device 100 may include one or more depth sensors (e.g., a depth sensor on the front of the device that faces away from the cameras of the multi-camera system 102 and is therefore not considered part of the multi-camera system 102). It should be understood that a device may include two or more multi-camera systems (e.g., a first multi-camera system on one side of the device and a second multi-camera system on a second side of the device), each of which may optionally include a separate depth sensor, and some or all of the multi-camera systems may include adaptive light source modules as discussed herein.

[0023] The cameras of the multi-camera system 102 may have different focal lengths, which may result in the cameras having different field of view sizes. For example, FIG. 1C illustrates exemplary fields of view of the cameras of the multi-camera system 102 illustrated in FIG. 1A. The first camera 104 may have a first field of view 112, the second camera may have a second field of view 114, and the third camera 108 may have a third field of view 116. As illustrated therein, the field of view 112 of the first camera 104 may have a wider (i.e., larger) field of view than both the field of view 114 of the second camera 106 and the field of view 116 of the third camera 108. Preferably, the first field of view 112 completely encompasses both the second field of view 114 and the third field of view 116 (i.e., such that there is no portion of the second field of view 114 or the third field of view 116 that is not also part of the first field of view 112), but this need not be the case. Similarly, the field of view 114 of the second camera 106 may completely encompass the field of view 116 of the third camera 108. It should be understood that while the first field of view 112, second field of view 114, and third field of view 116 shown in FIG. 1C assume a fixed focal length for each of the first camera 104, second camera 106, and third camera 108, in some cases, one or more of the cameras in the multi-camera system may have some level of optical zoom capability (which may result in a field of view that varies in size based on the zoom level). For purposes of this application, the arrangement of fields of view shown in FIG. 1C may be assumed to be the widest possible field of view for each camera.

[0024] Also shown in FIG. 1C is a coverage area 118 for the depth sensor 110, which encompasses the area within the scene for which the depth sensor 110 can calculate depth information for the scene. It should be understood that depending on the design of the depth sensor 110 (as discussed in more detail below), the depth sensor 110 may not calculate depth values ​​for all points within the coverage area 118. Instead, the coverage area 118 is intended to reflect the widest lateral extent for which the depth sensor can provide depth information. For purposes of this application, the coverage area 118 is represented as a rectangle, and the depth sensor 110 can provide depth information for at least one point on each side of the rectangle.

[0025] As mentioned above, the coverage area 118 for the depth sensor 110 at least partially overlaps some or all of the fields of view of the cameras of the multi-camera system 102. In some variations, it may be desirable to have the coverage area 118 completely encompass the fields of view of one or more cameras. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1C, the coverage area 118 of the depth sensor 110 may completely encompass the field of view 114 of the second camera 106 (as well as the field of view 116 of the third camera 108), while not completely encompassing the field of view 112 of the first camera 104. In other variations, the coverage area 118 may completely encompass the fields of view of all cameras in the multi-camera system 102 (including the fields of view of each of the first camera 104, the second camera 106, and the third camera 108 in the variation of the device 100 shown in FIG. 1A). In yet other variations, the coverage area 118 may completely encompass the field of view of a single camera (e.g., the field of view 116 of the third camera 108 in the variation of the multi-camera system 102 shown in FIG. 1C), while not completely encompassing the field of view of the remaining cameras.

[0026] If the device 100 includes a depth sensor 110 associated with a camera or multi-camera system 102, distance information measured by the depth sensor 110 can be used to assist in one or more imaging operations. For example, the depth sensor 110 can provide information regarding the relative positions of different objects in a given scene. This information can aid in the autofocus operation of the camera or may be used to help determine the lighting profile that the adaptive light source module uses to illuminate a given scene. In other words, the depth information can be used as an input in determining parameters used to control the emitter array of the adaptive light source module described herein (e.g., to select the current applied to individual emitters or groups of emitters of the emitter array). For example, in some cases, a given emitter of the array can be driven to generate less light to illuminate a target object that is relatively closer to the device 100 than it would generate to illuminate a target object that is farther from the device 100.

[0027] The depth sensor 110 may be any suitable system capable of calculating distances between the depth sensor 110 and various points in a scene. The depth sensor 110 may generate a depth map including these calculated distances, which may be used by other systems in the device 100 as described above. The depth information may be calculated in any suitable manner. In one non-limiting example, the depth sensor may utilize stereo imaging, where two images are taken from different positions, and the distance (parallax) between corresponding pixels in the two images may be used to calculate the depth information. In another example, the depth sensor may utilize structured light imaging, whereby the depth sensor may image the scene while projecting a known pattern (typically using infrared illumination) towards the scene, and then calculate the depth information by looking at how the pattern is distorted by the scene. In yet another example, the depth sensor may utilize time-of-flight sensing, whereby the depth is calculated based on the time it takes light (typically infrared) emitted from the depth sensor to return from the scene. A time-of-flight depth sensor may utilize direct time-of-flight or indirect time-of-flight and may illuminate the entire coverage area 118 at once or may illuminate only a subset of the coverage area 118 at a given time (e.g., with one or more spots, stripes, or other patterns that may be either fixed or scanned across the coverage area 118).

[0028] Returning to FIG. 1A , the device may include an adaptive lighting module 101. The adaptive lighting module 101 may be part of a multi-camera system 102. The adaptive lighting module 101 may be considered part of a multi-camera system if its field of illumination (the widest lateral range in a scene that the adaptive lighting module can illuminate) at least partially overlaps with the field of view of at least one camera of the multi-camera system 102. Similarly, the adaptive lighting module 101 may be considered associated with an individual camera if its field of illumination at least partially overlaps with the field of view of that camera.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary implementation of an adaptive light source module 200 suitable for use with various embodiments described below with respect to FIGS. 3-8B. As shown therein, the adaptive light source module 200 may comprise an emitter array 202, a housing 204, and a lens 206. The adaptive light source may be at least partially integrated within a device and may be connected to a portion of a housing 212 of a device (such as the device 100 described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-1C above). The emitter array 202 may include a plurality of individual emitters 202, each capable of emitting light, and the adaptive light source module 200 may further comprise a driver 208 configured to selectively drive the emitters (and / or groups of emitters) to generate light. This light may exit a front surface of the adaptive light source module 200 to illuminate a scene. For example, the lighting may be adaptive to changing scene content (e.g., resulting in different lighting profiles for different objects in the scene). In other examples, the lighting may be adaptive to changing zoom levels, as described in more detail below. The emitter array 202 may preferably be an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs), although it should be understood that the emitter array 202 may include any emitter capable of generating light (e.g., semiconductor lasers, etc.). Additionally, the emitters of the emitter array 202 may be grown on a single common substrate or may be formed separately and then attached to a substrate to form the emitter array 202.

[0030] The lens 206 can be disposed between the adaptive light source module 200 and the housing 204 and can focus, collimate, or otherwise shape the light emitted by the emitter array 202. The size and shape of the emitters of the emitter array 202, the design of the lens 206, and the relative position between the emitter array 202 and the lens 206 can all affect the size, shape, and location of the area of ​​illumination of the adaptive light source module 200 (as well as the individual portions of the area of ​​illumination illuminated by each emitter of the emitter array 202). In some cases, the design of the housing (e.g., the optical properties of the transparent window of the housing) can also affect the size, shape, and location of the area of ​​illumination of the adaptive light source module 200. Thus, the design of these components can be specifically tailored to achieve a particular area of ​​illumination, as described in more detail below.

[0031] The housing 204 is generally configured to enclose the components of the adaptive light source module 200 and can facilitate mounting of the adaptive light source module 200 relative to the remainder of the device. In some cases, the front side of the housing 204 can be configured to modify the light passing therethrough, thereby affecting the light emitted by the adaptive light source module 200. An example of this is described below with respect to FIGS. 4A-4C. In some embodiments, the adaptive light source module 200 can further comprise an optional sensor 210. The sensor 210 can preferably be a light sensor that can measure one or more aspects of the ambient light received from the scene (e.g., brightness, color temperature, flicker information, combinations thereof, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the light sensor can be used to receive a portion of the light emitted by the emitter array 202 (e.g., light that may be reflected from a portion of the lens 204) and can be used to monitor the performance of the emitter array 202.

[0032] In some variations, the housing of the adaptive light source module 300 can be configured to help position the lens relative to the emitter array. For example, FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of one such variation of the adaptive light source module 300. As shown therein, the adaptive light source module 300 can include an emitter array 302, a lens 304, and a housing including a cap 306 and a substrate 312. The substrate 312 can support the emitter array 302 and, in embodiments in which the adaptive light source module 300 includes a sensor (such as the sensor 314 shown therein, which can be configured in any manner as described above), can further support the sensor 314. The substrate 312 can be configured to provide electrical connections to the emitter array 302 and the sensor 314 and can transmit signals (e.g., power, control, etc., which can be generated by a driver (not shown)) to and from the emitter array 302 and the sensor 314. In some cases, the substrate 312 is a printed circuit board.

[0033] In some variations, the adaptive light source module 300 is configured such that, when assembled, a portion of the lens 304 is sandwiched between the cap 306 and the substrate 312. In these variations, a portion of the cap 306 is positioned to contact (either directly or indirectly through one or more intervening components, such as a spacer) a top surface of the lens 304, and a portion of the substrate 312 is positioned to contact (either directly or indirectly through one or more intervening components, such as a spacer) a bottom surface of the lens 304. The cap 306 and the substrate 312 can be fixed relative to one another such that the cap 306 and the substrate 312 prevent movement of the lens 304 along a direction (e.g., a direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface of the emitter array). In some of these variations, the cap 306 can include a transparent window 308 that can transmit light from the emitter array 302 to the scene, and a non-transparent portion 310 that can obscure a portion of the lens 304 as described in more detail below.

[0034] The transparent window 308 (or a portion thereof) can optionally act as a lens or prism, thereby refracting light passing therethrough. For example, in some variations of the adaptive light source modules described herein, the window of the adaptive light source module can be configured to eliminate image artifacts that may result from spaces between adjacent emitters of an emitter array. FIG. 4 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of one such variation of a housing 400 suitable for use with the adaptive light source modules described herein. As shown therein, the housing 400 can include a prism surface 402 that can include multiple concentric prisms (e.g., prism 406 shown in FIG. 4) arranged around a central point (which may or may not be aligned with the center of the housing 400). Each prism may have an inner surface (e.g., inner surface 408 of prism 406) that extends from a surface of the housing and is angled toward a center point (e.g., at a first angle α) and an outer surface (e.g., outer surface 410 of prism 406) that is angled away from the center point (e.g., at a second angle β). The prisms may collectively eliminate artifacts caused by gaps between adjacent emitters in an emitter array, as described in more detail below.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the prisms of prism face 402 may preferably be symmetric (i.e., such that the first angle α is the same as the second angle β), however, it should be understood that one or more of the prisms may be asymmetric such that the first angle α of a given prism is different (e.g., greater than or less than) the second angle β. Additionally or alternatively, the inner surface angle α or outer surface angle β of a prism may vary radially such that these angles measured at one cross-section of prism face 402 for a prism may differ from these angles measured at a different cross-section of prism face 402 for the same prism. Additionally or alternatively, different prisms of prism face 402 may have different prism angles (e.g., the angle of the inner surface of a first prism may be different from the corresponding angle of the inner surface of a second prism and / or the angle of the outer surface of a first prism may be different from the corresponding angle of the outer surface of a second prism). In summary, the prisms control the distortion applied to the incident light received from the emitter array, and therefore the prism angles of prism face 402 can be locally selected to achieve a desired distortion profile.

[0036] This distortion can be used to address image artifacts resulting from spacing between adjacent emitters in the emitter array. Specifically, the prism can be configured to distort the light generated by the emitter array (as directed from a lens to the prism face 402, as discussed herein) to cause overlap between the light emitted by adjacent emitters. For example, FIG. 4B shows a light pattern 412 that can be projected onto the prism face 402 from a 3×3 array of emitters (the spacing between the individual segments of light is a result of the physical spacing between adjacent emitters in the array). If the housing 400 did not include the prism face 402 (or any other refractive feature), this light pattern 412 would be passed to the scene without apparent change. However, the prism faces 402 allow the outer surfaces of the prisms to collectively form a radially distorted first image 414 (that is distorted radially inward) and the inner surfaces of the prisms to collectively form a radially distorted second image 416 (that is distorted radially outward), such as shown in FIG. 4C. The prism faces 402 can project both the radially distorted first image 414 and the radially distorted second image 416 onto the scene through a transparent window. Because the gaps are distorted differently in the radially distorted first image 414 and the radially distorted second image 416, when these images are superimposed, the gaps may no longer be aligned between the two images. In this way, the prism faces 402 can fill gaps that were present in the input light pattern 412. In fact, when all of the emitters are turned on, the prism faces 402 can surface and project an output image 418 of the illumination that does not include gaps, such as shown in FIG. 4C.

[0037] In general, the prisms of the prism face 412 preferably have enough optical power to create sufficient overlap between the radially distorted first image 414 and the radially distorted second image 416 to fill gaps between adjacent emitters in the light pattern 412 received from the emitter array. As the optical power begins to increase (e.g., to the level provided by a typical Fresnel lens), distortions begin to cause light emitted from one emitter to overlap with light emitted from a second emitter in the scene. This can adversely affect the operation of the device, as this overlap can impair the ability of the adaptive light source module to provide relatively uniform illumination to the scene. It may therefore be desirable to configure prism face 402 to provide sufficient distortion to fill gaps in the light pattern 412 received by prism face 402 (as discussed immediately above), but without creating significant overlap between the illumination from adjacent emitters (for the purposes of this application, overlap between two emitters is considered "significant" if more than 10% of the light emitted by the first of those emitters overlaps with the light emitted from the second of those emitters).

[0038] While the selection of the first angle α of the inner surface 408 and the second angle β of the outer surface 410 of each prism 406 may depend on the design of (i) the emitter array (e.g., the relative spacing between adjacent emitters), (ii) the lens, and (iii) the overall tolerances of the adaptive light source module, the prism surfaces described herein are preferably configured such that the prism surface angles for at least one prism (and preferably all prisms) are each less than 16 degrees (i.e., the first angle α of the inner surface 408 of the prism 406 and the second angle β of the outer surface 410 of the prism 406 are both less than 16 degrees). More preferably, the prism surfaces are configured such that the prism surface angles for at least one prism (and preferably all prisms) are each between 5 and 12 degrees (i.e., the first angle α of the inner surface 408 of the prism 406 is between 5 and 12 degrees, and the second angle β of the outer surface 410 of the prism 406 is between 5 and 12 degrees).

[0039] As mentioned above, one or more components of the housing can be configured to have one or more transparent portions as well as one or more non-transparent portions. For example, FIG. 5 shows a side cross-sectional view of a variation of the adaptive light source module 300 described above with respect to FIG. 3 (similar components from the adaptive light source module 300 will have the same labels as used in FIG. 3). Specifically, the housing can include a cap 306 that includes both a transparent portion (including a transparent window 308) and a non-transparent portion 310. The transparent portion is configured to allow light from an emitter array (not shown) to exit the adaptive light source module (i.e., through the transparent window 308) to illuminate the scene.

[0040] The non-transparent portion 310 may be opaque or semi-transparent to visible light (and optionally one or more non-visible wavelengths of light, such as infrared or ultraviolet) and may serve one or more functions. For example, in some variations, the non-transparent portion 310 may act to visually obscure one or more portions of the adaptive light source module from external observation. For example, in some examples where the cap 306 is configured to contact the top surface of the lens 304 (such as described above with respect to FIG. 3), an adhesive 500 may be used to connect the cap 306 to the lens 304, as shown in FIG. 5. In these examples, an uneven application of the adhesive 500 may be visible from the outside of the adaptive light source module having a completely transparent cap. The non-transparent portion 310 of the cap 306 may be disposed above the adhesive 500 (e.g., such that the adhesive 500 is disposed between the top surface of the lens 304 and the non-transparent portion 310 of the cap 306), thereby limiting the visibility of the adhesive 500 through the top portion of the cap 306. Additionally or alternatively, the non-transparent portion can limit or prevent light from passing therethrough, which can then be used to reduce stray light that may exit the adaptive light source module into the device as a whole (where it may interfere with other device components) and / or from the device as a whole into the adaptive light source module (where it may interfere with any light sensors disposed within the adaptive light source module). Indeed, the adaptive light source module can be configured to be at least partially disposed within the device and such that visible light can only enter and exit the device through the transparent window 308. In these variations, a portion of the device housing (or another component within the device) can cover the sides of the transparent portion of the cap 306 (and shield the covered portions of the transparent portion from light ingress), and the non-transparent portion 310 and substrate 312 of the cap 306 can collectively block light from entering or exiting the remainder of the adaptive light source module disposed within the device.

[0041] When cap 306 has both transparent and non-transparent portions, cap 306 can be made in any suitable manner. For example, in some cases cap 306 is formed using a two-step injection molding process, where the transparent portion is molded from a first material and the non-transparent portion is molded from a second material. In other examples, the transparent portion of cap 306 can be formed separately from the non-transparent portion and then connected to the non-transparent portion.

[0042] As mentioned above, the adaptive light source modules described herein can include a lens. Generally, the lens includes an imaging region configured to focus, collimate, or otherwise shape light emitted by the emitter array (and direct the light through a portion of the housing to a scene). The lens may further include a mounting region configured to connect the lens to the portion of the housing, and may further include an intermediate region connecting the imaging region to the mounting region. In some cases, the intermediate region can be configured to direct light to an optional sensor, such as a light sensor described in more detail above.

[0043] For example, FIG. 6A illustrates a side cross-sectional view of one such variation of an adaptive light source module 600. As shown therein, the adaptive light source module 600 includes an emitter array 602, a lens 604, and a cap 606, such as those described in more detail above. The lens 604 can include an imaging region 608, an intermediate region 610, and a mounting region 612. Although discussed as being separate and distinct regions, it should be understood that the entire lens can be made from a single piece of material, with the division between the regions being defined by a change in the cross-sectional profile of the lens 604. For example, the mounting region 612 can be a peripheral region of the lens 604 or a portion of the lens 604 that contacts one or more portions of a housing. For example, the mounting region 612 can be positioned within the adaptive light source module such that it contacts the cap 606 (e.g., the top surface of the mounting region 612 can contact the bottom surface of the cap 606).

[0044] In the particular variation shown in Figure 6A, the mounting region 612 is disposed on the adaptive light source module such that it contacts both the cap 606 and the substrate 613 of the housing. Specifically, the mounting region 612 includes an annular segment having a top surface that contacts the cap 606 (either directly or indirectly through one or more intervening components, such as spacers) and a bottom surface that contacts the substrate (either directly or indirectly through one or more intervening components, such as spacers). Although the mounting region 612 is shown in Figure 6A as contacting both the cap and the substrate, it should be understood that the mounting region of the lens may contact only one of the cap or the substrate.

[0045] For example, Figure 6B illustrates one such variation of an adaptive light source module 618. As shown therein, the adaptive light source module 618 includes an emitter array 602, a cap 606 (such as that shown in Figure 6A), and a lens 620 having an imaging region 622, an intermediate region 624, and a mounting region 626. As shown therein, the mounting region 626 is constructed and arranged to contact the cap 606 (e.g., a top surface of the mounting region can contact a bottom surface of the cap 606) but not to contact the substrate.

[0046] An imaging area of ​​a lens (e.g., imaging area 608 of lens 604 and imaging area 622 of lens 620 from FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively) can be disposed above the emitter array 602 and is configured to focus, collimate, or otherwise shape the light emitted by the emitter array 602. The imaging area of ​​the lens, in conjunction with the size of the individual emitters, can control how much of a given camera field of view each emitter covers, such as described above. The imaging area preferably includes one or more curved surfaces to refract light (although it should be understood that the same curved profile of the imaging area can be achieved at a reduced height by utilizing a Fresnel lens). For example, imaging area 608 shown in FIG. 6A and imaging area 622 shown in FIG. 6B each include a convex front surface (i.e., facing away from the emitter array) and a convex back surface (i.e., facing towards the emitter array) forming a bi-convex lens, although it should be understood that other lens designs (e.g., a plano-convex lens or a meniscus lens) can be used for the imaging areas as appropriate for the needs of a given adaptive light source module.

[0047] The intermediate region of the lens may be disposed between the imaging region and the mounting region of the lens and typically does not image or otherwise direct light from the emitter array 602 onto the scene. For example, the intermediate region may block or otherwise prevent some light from the emitter array from reaching the transparent window. In a variation of the lens 604 of FIG. 6A, the intermediate region 610 is shaped as an annular body having a front surface, a back surface, and an inner sidewall 616 that extends from the back surface of the imaging region 608 to the back surface of the intermediate region 610. In some cases, the front surface of the intermediate region 610 may be curved and may or may not have the same radius of curvature as the front surface of the imaging region 608 (in embodiments in which the imaging region 608 includes a curved front surface).

[0048] In some cases, the inner sidewall 616 may be oriented substantially vertically (i.e., such that the acute angle between the inner sidewall 616 and the transparent window is at least 60 degrees), which then refracts light reaching the inner sidewall 616 away from the transparent window (it should also be understood that in some cases, the inner sidewall 616 may include an absorptive coating that can absorb light received by the inner sidewall 616). For example, in some cases, the inner sidewall 616 has a cylindrical shape (e.g., may be oriented perpendicular to the transparent window), and in other examples, the inner sidewall 616 has a frustoconical shape (e.g., may be oriented such that the axis of the cone is perpendicular to the transparent window and the inner sidewall 616 narrows in the direction from the emitter array 602 to the transparent window). In some cases, the inner sidewall 616 may surround a portion of the imaging area 608 (e.g., surround the convex back surface of the imaging area 608 as shown in FIG. 6A). Additionally or alternatively, the inner sidewall 616 can surround at least a portion of the emitter array 602. In these variations, any light emitted (or reflected) from the emitter array 602 will first interact with either the imaging area 608 or the inner sidewall 616, thereby allowing the lens 604 to control all of the light coming from the emitter array 602.

[0049] In a variation of an adaptive light source module that includes a light sensor (e.g., sensor 614 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B), the intermediate region can be configured to direct light to the sensor 614. Specifically, the intermediate region can receive scene light through a transparent window and can focus or otherwise direct light to the sensor 614 to measure characteristics of the light present in the scene. The design of the intermediate region can control the spatial extent of the scene from which the sensor 614 can receive light. In other words, tuning the intermediate region can enable the sensor 614 to collect light from a larger portion of the scene, which can allow the sensor 614 to better characterize the entire scene. For example, in some cases, the back surface of the intermediate region 610 can extend beyond the top surface of the emitter array, which can place the back surface of the intermediate region in close proximity to the sensor 614. 6A at least partially surrounds the emitter array 602 such that the back surface of the intermediate region 610 extends beyond the top surface of the emitter array 602. In other words, the back surface of the intermediate region 610 may be closer to the rear end of the adaptive light source module (e.g., closer to the substrate 613 that supports the sensor 614 and the emitter array 602) relative to the top surface of the emitter array 602.

[0050] Although the intermediate region 610 of the lens 604 shown in FIG. 6A is shown as being axisymmetric (which may be advantageous for manufacturing), it should be understood that in some cases, the intermediate region 610 may not be axisymmetric. For example, in the variation of the lens 620 shown in FIG. 6B, the intermediate region 624 is not radially symmetric. In this particular example, the intermediate region 624 includes a protrusion 628 that extends away from the front surface of the intermediate region. The protrusion 628 may be at least partially disposed above the sensor 614 and may act as a light pipe to direct scene light to the sensor 614.

[0051] In some variations of the adaptive light source modules described herein, the adaptive light source includes a lens that forms a portion of the housing of the adaptive light source unit. For example, FIG. 9 illustrates one such variation of an adaptive light source module 900. As shown therein, the light source unit 900 includes a lens 902, a standoff 904, a substrate 906, and an emitter array 908. The lens 902, the standoff 904, and the substrate 906 can collectively form the housing of the adaptive light source module 900.

[0052] Specifically, the substrate 906 (which may be configured in any manner as described above) may support the emitter array 908 to hold the emitter array 908 within the housing. In variations in which the adaptive light source module 900 includes a sensor (such as the sensor 910 shown in FIG. 9 , which may be configured in any manner as described above), the substrate 906 may further support the sensor 910. The standoff 904 is a segment of the housing that holds the lens 902 relative to the substrate 906, which may set the relative position between the lens 902 and the emitter array 908. The standoff 904 defines an opening extending therethrough to allow light emitted by the emitter array 908 to reach the lens 902. Although the standoff 904 and the substrate 906 are shown in FIG. 9 as being formed from two separate components, it should be understood that in other examples, these two components may be formed as a single housing piece. In yet another variation, the adaptive light source module 900 does not include the standoffs 904 and the lens 902 connects directly to the substrate 906 .

[0053] In some variations, an adhesive (not shown) can be used to connect the lens 902 to the standoff 904. Thus, it may be desirable to form at least a portion of the standoff from a non-transparent material, which can limit visibility of an uneven adhesive application that may otherwise be visible from outside an adaptive light source module having a completely transparent cap. In some variations, at least a portion of the standoff 904 can be formed from a transparent material. For example, a transparent portion of the standoff 904 can be positioned at least partially above the sensor 910. The transparent portion of the standoff 904 can receive scene light through the lens 902 and can act as a light pipe to direct this scene light to the sensor 910.

[0054] Similar to the lenses of the adaptive light source module described above with respect to Figures 6A and 6B, the lens 902 includes an imaging area 912 configured to focus, collimate, or otherwise shape the light emitted by the emitter array 908, as described in more detail above. Although the lens 902 is shown in Figure 9 as including a convex front surface (i.e., facing away from the emitter array and forming an outer surface of the housing of the adaptive light source module 900) and a convex back surface (i.e., facing toward the emitter array) forming a bi-convex lens, it should be understood that other lens designs (e.g., plano-convex or meniscus lenses) can be used for the imaging area as appropriate for the needs of a given adaptive light source module. The lens 904 further includes a mounting area 914 configured to connect the lens 902 to the remainder of the housing. For example, in the variation shown in Figure 9, the bottom surface of the mounting area 914 is positioned to contact (either directly or indirectly through one or more intervening components, such as spacers) the top surface of the standoff 904. 9, the lens may further include an intermediate segment that connects the mounting region 914 to the imaging region 912. In these examples, the intermediate region may be configured in any manner as described above (e.g., to direct light to the sensor 910).

[0055] The adaptive light source modules described herein can be used in a wide range of different emitter array configurations. In particular, the relative dimensions and relative positions of the individual emitters can be selected depending on the intended use case and system constraints (e.g., available power, maximum light source module size). In some cases, it may be desirable to have an emitter array in which each emitter has the same dimensions. For example, FIG. 7A shows an emitter array 700 including multiple individual emitters 702, each having the same dimensions. Although shown in FIG. 7A as a 3×3 array, it should be understood that the emitter array 700 can include any suitable number and arrangement of emitters, such as, for example, a 2×3 array of like ones, a 2×4 array, a 3×4 array, a 4×4 array, etc.

[0056] In other variations, it may be desirable to have some emitters in the array larger than other emitters in the array. In some of these variations, the central emitter (or each emitter from a group of central emitters) may be larger than each of the multiple peripheral emitters. For example, FIG. 7B illustrates one such variation of an emitter array 704. As shown therein, the emitter array 704 may be a 3×3 array of emitters including a central emitter 706 and multiple peripheral emitters 708 (e.g., the remaining eight emitters of a 3×3 array) surrounding the central emitter 706. In this variation, the central emitter 706 may be larger than each of the peripheral emitters 708 such that the central emitter 706 is the largest emitter in the emitter array 704.

[0057] The emitter array 704 may find particular utility when the adaptive light source module is used in conjunction with a multi-camera system (such as the multi-camera system 102 described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-1C). For example, the central emitter 706 may be sized and positioned within the adaptive light source module such that when the central emitter 706 emits light, that light fills the field of view of one camera in the multi-camera system (e.g., the light may fill the field of view 116 of the third camera 108 of the multi-camera system 102). This may allow a single emitter from the emitter array 704 (i.e., the central emitter 706) to be active to fully illuminate this field of view. This may help maximize the illumination that can be provided to this field of view, especially if there is a limit to how much system current is available to drive an individual emitter. It should be appreciated that when emitters are used to direct light onto a scene, the size and shape of the light that reaches the scene will depend at least on the size and shape of the emitter, the design and relative positions of the lenses, and the design and relative positions of the transparent window.

[0058] The central emitter 706 may be further sized and positioned within the adaptive light source module such that light emitted from the central emitter 706 does not fill the field of view of the multi-camera system or one or more additional cameras (e.g., the field of view 114 of the second camera 106 and the field of view 112 of the first camera 104 of the multi-camera system 102). In these instances, additional emitters from the emitter array (i.e., the peripheral emitters 708) may be activated to help illuminate these fields of view. One example of this may be described above with respect to Figures 8A and 8B below.

[0059] Although the emitter array 704 is shown in FIG. 7B as having a single central emitter 706, in other examples, the emitter array can include a group of central emitters, each larger than multiple peripheral emitters. For example, FIG. 7C illustrates one such example of an emitter array 710. As shown therein, the emitter array 710 can include a first group of central emitters 712 and a second group of peripheral emitters 708 that surround the first group. Each of the central emitters 712 can be larger than each of the peripheral emitters 708. The first group of central emitters 712 can collectively emit light that fills the field of view of a camera of the multi-camera system (e.g., the light can fill the field of view 116 of the third camera 108 of the multi-camera system 102). While this may not provide as much total illumination as a single emitter (e.g., the central emitter 706 from the emitter array 704 shown in FIG. 7B) due to gaps between the individual central emitters 712, this can allow flexibility to adjust the illumination in the field of view by selectively adjusting the illumination provided by different individual emitters from the first group of central emitters 712. Similar to the discussion of FIG. 7B, the peripheral emitters 708 can be used to help illuminate the fields of view of other cameras in the multi-camera system (e.g., the field of view 114 of the second camera 106 and the field of view 112 of the first camera 104 of the multi-camera system 102).

[0060] The adaptive light source module can be configured such that each emitter in the emitter array is individually addressable, thereby allowing the light emitted by each emitter to be individually controlled. In some cases, it may be desirable to control certain emitters as a group. This may come at the expense of flexibility in spatially varying the illumination provided by the adaptive light source module, but can simplify the driver design by reducing the number of control signals the driver needs to output.

[0061] For example, Figures 8A and 8B show an example of an emitter array 800 in which some emitters can be controlled as a group. As shown therein, the emitter array 800 can include a 3x3 emitter array including a central emitter 802 and a number of peripheral emitters (e.g., the remaining eight emitters) surrounding the central emitter 802, similar to the emitter array 704 described above with respect to Figure 7B (although the array can include any suitable number and arrangement of emitters, such as described above). The peripheral emitters can be divided into a first emitter group 804 (e.g., a number of emitters immediately adjacent to the sides of the central emitter 802) and a second emitter group 806 (e.g., a number of emitters disposed at the corners of the emitter array 800). The emitters of the first emitter group 804 may be controlled together (e.g., may receive the same current from a driver of the adaptive light source module), and the emitters of the second emitter group 806 may also be controlled together. Thus, the emitter array 800 may be controlled to emit light using three different control signals: one control signal to control the central emitter 802, a second control signal to control the first emitter group 804, and a third control signal to control the second emitter group 806.

[0062] The emitter array 800, when incorporated into an adaptive light source module, can be used to selectively illuminate different fields of view in a scene. This can be useful when one or more cameras are used to capture images of these different fields of view. For example, the device can be configured to select a target field of view (e.g., the target field of view can be determined automatically by the device or set using user input). The device can then be configured to select a desired lighting profile based at least in part on the determined target field of view (and typically based at least in part on the scene content and scene conditions). The adaptive light source module can illuminate the scene according to the selected lighting profile and can capture one or more images during this illumination using one or more cameras. These one or more images can be captured at a field of view that corresponds to the target field of view. For example, one camera of a multi-camera system can be selected to capture images during this illumination, and the target field of view can be selected to match the field of view of this camera. In another example, a camera can be instructed to capture an image having a field of view smaller than that of the camera (which can be achieved by cropping the image captured by the camera), and the target field of view can be selected to match this smaller field of view.

[0063] As the target field of view changes, the selection of emitters to be activated (as well as the relative current provided to the active emitters) can be altered to set a new illumination profile. For example, FIG. 8B shows a graph illustrating different modes of emitter array 800 control of the adaptive light source module when illuminating a field of view associated with the multi-camera system 102 described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-1C. In one mode, the adaptive light source module is used to illuminate the third field of view 116 (i.e., the field of view of the third camera 108 of the multi-camera system 102, which in this example is the narrowest of the three fields of view). In the first mode, current is driven only to the central emitter 802 (which can be sized to fill the field of view 116, as described above with respect to FIG. 7B).

[0064] Moving to a larger field of view, the adaptive light source module can operate in a second mode to illuminate a second field of view 114 (i.e., the field of view of the second camera 106 of the multi-camera system 102) that is larger than the third field of view 116. In this mode, the central emitter 802, the first emitter group 804, and the second emitter group 806 can each be activated to at least partially fill the second field of view 114 (although it should be understood that some of this illumination can also extend beyond the second field of view 114). The relative current amounts can be selected to achieve a predetermined illumination brightness and uniformity for the second field of view 114. For example, in this mode, each emitter of the first emitter group 804 can receive more current than the central emitter 802, which in turn can receive more current than each of the emitters of the second emitter group 806.

[0065] Finally, moving to the widest field of view, the adaptive light source can operate in a third mode to illuminate a third field of view 112 (i.e., the field of view of the first camera 104 of the multi-camera system 102). As in the second mode, each of the central emitter 802, the first emitter group 804, and the second emitter group 806 can be activated to at least partially fill the second field of view, but the relative current applied to each group can achieve a different predetermined illumination brightness and uniformity selected for the first field of view 112. For example, in this mode, each emitter from both the first emitter group 804 and the second emitter group 806 can receive more current than the central emitter 802. However, it should be understood that within a mode, the relative current distribution between the central emitter 802 and the first emitter group 804 and the second emitter group 806 can be adjusted to change the balance between brightness and uniformity for that mode.

[0066] In the adaptive light source module described herein, each emitter or group of emitters is controlled to provide a target illumination intensity corresponding to the scene, thereby collectively controlling the overall light intensity delivered to the scene. In practice, there may be variations between devices, such as those caused by manufacturing tolerances, which may affect how a particular unit illuminates a scene. For example, a slight shift between the lens and the emitter array of the adaptive light source module may change the uniformity of the illumination provided by the emitter array. Thus, the adaptive light source module may be calibrated such that each emitter or group of emitters has a corresponding set of drive settings. Each drive setting corresponds to a current level that will be applied to an individual emitter or group of emitters to provide a target scene intensity.

[0067] When using an adaptive light source module to provide target scene illumination, a driver of the adaptive light source module can identify a target scene intensity to be provided by each emitter or group of emitters in the emitter array. The driver can then drive each emitter or group of emitters accordingly using a particular drive setting for the target scene intensity and set a corresponding drive current for that emitter or group of emitters. Thus, although the drive settings (and corresponding drive currents) can vary from unit to unit, the adaptive light source module can provide consistent illumination across units.

[0068] The foregoing description, for convenience of explanation, uses specific terminology to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading this description that specific details are not required to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading this description that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings.

Claims

1. a housing having a transparent window; an emitter array positioned and configured to emit light through the transparent window; a lens disposed between the transparent window and the emitter array, the lens having an imaging area disposed above the emitter array, the transparent window comprises a prism surface having a plurality of concentric prisms arranged around a central point; each concentric prism of the plurality of concentric prisms has an inner surface angled at a first angle toward the center point and an outer surface angled at a second angle away from the center point; the first angle and the second angle for each of the plurality of concentric prisms are each less than 16 degrees.

2. 2. The light source module of claim 1, wherein the first angle and the second angle for each of the plurality of concentric prisms are each between 5 and 12 degrees.

3. The light source module of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a substrate and a cap containing the transparent window, the emitter array being supported by the substrate.

4. A light source module as described in claim 3, wherein the mounting area of ​​the lens is configured and arranged within the housing so that the cap contacts an upper surface of the mounting area and the substrate contacts a bottom surface of the mounting area.

5. The light source module of claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises a mounting area connected to a portion of the housing and an intermediate area between the imaging area and the mounting area.

6. The light source module of claim 5 , wherein the intermediate region is shaped as an annular body having an inner sidewall, the inner sidewall surrounding at least a portion of the imaging region.

7. The light source module of claim 5 , further comprising a light sensor, wherein at least a portion of the intermediate region is disposed above the light sensor.

8. The light source module of claim 6 , wherein a rear surface of the intermediate region is closer to a substrate than a top surface of the emitter array.

9. A system comprising a light source module, The light source module includes: a housing having a transparent window; an emitter array positioned and configured to emit light through the transparent window; a lens disposed between the transparent window and the emitter array; at least one central emitter of the emitter array is larger than at least one peripheral emitter of the emitter array; the transparent window comprises a prism surface having a plurality of concentric prisms arranged around a central point; each concentric prism of the plurality of concentric prisms has an inner surface angled at a first angle toward the center point and an outer surface angled at a second angle away from the center point; the first angle and the second angle for each concentric prism of the plurality of concentric prisms are each less than 16 degrees.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a first camera having a first field of view, the light source module configured such that light generated by the at least one central emitter fills the first field of view.

11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one central emitter includes a first central emitter, and the light source module is further configured such that light emitted by the first central emitter fills the first field of view.

12. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one central emitter comprises a plurality of central emitters, and the light source module is further configured such that light collectively emitted by the plurality of central emitters fills the first field of view.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one central emitter comprises a plurality of central emitters and the at least one peripheral emitter comprises a plurality of peripheral emitters surrounding the plurality of central emitters.

Images