Camera module

Abstract

A camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a holder disposed on the substrate and including a phase mask accommodation part; a phase mask disposed in the phase mask accommodation part; and an image sensor disposed on the substrate in the downward direction from the phase mask, wherein the phase mask accommodation part includes a hole at the center thereof.

Description

camera module

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera module.

[0002] Research on lensless cameras utilizing phase masks has been actively underway recently. Conventional cameras are lens-based, with a lens positioned in the direction of light incidence. Point light sources in each scene are projected onto the image sensor as points through the lens, capturing an image.

[0003] On the other hand, a lensless camera replaces the lens by placing a phase mask in the direction in which light is incident, so that the incident point light source is modulated by the mask and imaged on the image sensor. This method of acquiring an image without including a lens is called lensless imaging. The phase mask has the characteristic of imaging based on a unique pattern with a shift-invariant characteristic. In phase mask-based lensless imaging, each point light source in the scene is diffusely modulated into a pattern according to the point spread function (PSF), which represents a unique pattern determined by the geometric structure formed on the phase mask, and is imaged on the image sensor. Then, the image acquired from the image sensor can be restored to the same scene image as in lens imaging using the point spread function (PSF).

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a lensless camera module.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problem, a camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate; a holder disposed on the substrate and including a phase mask receiving portion; a phase mask disposed in the phase mask receiving portion; and an image sensor disposed on the substrate in a direction below the phase mask, wherein the phase mask receiving portion includes a hole in the center.

[0006] Additionally, the holder may include a base having a hole formed in the center thereof; and a side extending downward from an edge of the base.

[0007] Additionally, the base may have a square shape, and the holder may include a protrusion that protrudes downward from an area of ​​the side corresponding to at least one corner of the base.

[0008] Additionally, the substrate may include at least one groove corresponding to the protrusion of the holder.

[0009] Additionally, the protrusion may include two protrusions protruding from an area of ​​the side corresponding to two corners located diagonally among the corners of the base, and the substrate may include two grooves corresponding to the two protrusions.

[0010] Additionally, the holder may include a mounting groove formed on the lower surface of the side that contacts the substrate.

[0011] Additionally, epoxy may be applied to an area of ​​the substrate corresponding to the mounting groove.

[0012] Additionally, the above-mentioned settling groove may be formed along the lower surface of the side.

[0013] Additionally, the phase mask receiving portion may include a first mounting portion on which the phase mask is mounted in an upward direction.

[0014] Additionally, the phase mask receiving portion may include a second mounting portion on which the phase mask is mounted from below.

[0015] In addition, the phase mask receiving portion may include an epoxy receiving groove at at least one corner thereof, and a phase mask may be placed on the phase mask receiving portion and the epoxy may be filled into the epoxy receiving groove.

[0016] Additionally, the holder may include an optical filter receiving portion on top of the phase mask receiving portion, and may include an optical filter disposed in the optical filter receiving portion.

[0017] Additionally, the optical filter may include a near-infrared cut-off filter.

[0018] According to embodiments of the present invention, an ultra-thin camera module can be implemented by replacing the lens assembly with a phase mask. Using a phase mask can reduce material costs and reduce the size of the camera module. Furthermore, the dynamic alignment process for optical axis and focusing can be replaced with a simple assembly process, simplifying the process without a dynamic alignment device and reducing costs.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a holder for a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining how a phase mask is accommodated in a holder of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a camera module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to the embodiment of Fig. 6.

[0026] FIG. 8 illustrates a holder for a camera module according to the embodiment of FIG. 6.

[0027] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to the embodiment of FIG. 6.

[0028] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0029] However, the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited to some of the embodiments described, but can be implemented in various different forms, and within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, one or more of the components between the embodiments can be selectively combined or substituted for use.

[0030] In addition, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention may be interpreted as having a meaning that can be generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs, unless explicitly and specifically defined and described, and terms that are commonly used, such as terms defined in a dictionary, may be interpreted in consideration of the contextual meaning of the relevant technology.

[0031] Additionally, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are intended to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0032] In this specification, the singular may also include the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase, and when it is described as “A and / or at least one (or more) of B, C”, it may include one or more of all combinations that can be combined with A, B, C.

[0033] Additionally, in describing components of embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and are not intended to limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0034] And, when a component is described as being 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' to another component, it may include not only cases where the component is 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' directly to the other component, but also cases where the component is 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' by another component between the component and the other component.

[0035] Additionally, when described as being formed or arranged "above" or "below" each component, "above" or "below" includes not only cases where the two components are in direct contact with each other, but also cases where one or more other components are formed or arranged between the two components. Furthermore, when expressed as "above" or "below," the meaning may include not only the upward direction but also the downward direction based on one component.

[0036] A variation according to the present embodiment may include some components of each embodiment and some components of other embodiments. That is, a variation may include one embodiment among various embodiments, but may omit some components and include some components of the corresponding other embodiment. Or, the opposite may be true. The features, structures, effects, etc. to be described in the embodiments are included in at least one embodiment, and are not necessarily limited to just one embodiment. Furthermore, the features, structures, effects, etc. exemplified in each embodiment can be combined or modified in other embodiments by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong. Therefore, the contents related to such combinations and modifications should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the embodiments.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 illustrates a holder of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a method of accommodating a phase mask in a holder of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] A camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a substrate (110), a holder (120), a phase mask (130), and an image sensor (140), and may include an optical filter (260), epoxy, a connector (111), etc.

[0040] The substrate (110) is placed at the bottom of the camera module () and has a plate shape. The substrate (110) may be a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a dielectric substrate.

[0041] A holder (120) is placed on a substrate (110) and includes a phase mask receiving portion (124). The holder (120) may be a phase mask holder, and the holder (120) may receive a phase mask (130) in the phase mask receiving portion (124) and be placed on the substrate (110) to fix the phase mask (130) to the substrate (110).

[0042] The phase mask (130) is placed in the phase mask receiving portion of the holder (120). A fine curved structure is formed on the surface of the phase mask, so that when light passes through it, the phase of the designed light is modulated to form a specific pattern.

[0043] The phase mask receiving portion (124) in which the phase mask (130) is placed includes a hole (122) in the center, so that light passing through the phase mask (130) can be incident downward through the hole (122) of the phase mask receiving portion (124). An image sensor (140) is placed below the phase mask (130), so that light whose phase is modulated by passing through the phase mask (130) can be imaged on the image sensor (140), and the image sensor (140) can generate an image using a function in which the light passing through the phase mask (130) forms a pattern.

[0044] The image sensor (140) is placed on the substrate (110) in a lower direction of the phase mask (130). The image sensor (140) may be solder-bonded to the substrate (110). The image sensor (140) may be formed in a chip form and placed on the substrate (110). Image data generated by the image sensor (140) may be transmitted to the outside through the connector (111).

[0045] The holder (120) may include a base (121) and a side (123). The base (121) may have a hole (122) formed in the center and may have a plate shape. The base (121) may be spaced apart from the substrate (110), and a phase mask receiving portion (124) may be formed on the upper portion of the base (121). Alternatively, the phase mask receiving portion may be formed on the lower portion of the base (121).

[0046] The side (123) of the holder (120) can extend downward from the edge of the base (121). The side (123) can extend toward the substrate (110) and be combined with the substrate (110).

[0047] The base (121), the inner surface of the side (123), and the upper surface of the substrate (110) form an internal space, and an image sensor (140) can be placed in the internal space.

[0048] The side portion (123) of the holder (120) may extend upward from the edge of the base (121). The upper surface of the base (121) and the inner surface of the side portion (123) form a phase mask receiving portion (124), and a phase mask (130) may be placed therein. The phase mask receiving portion (124) may include a first receiving portion on which the phase mask (130) is placed upward. Here, the first receiving portion may be formed by the upper surface of the base (121) and the inner surface of the side portion (123), and the phase mask (130) may be placed by being inserted into the first receiving portion from upward. The phase mask (130) may overlap a portion of the edge area of ​​the phase mask receiving portion (124) and the phase mask (130) in the vertical direction. At this time, the edge area of ​​the phase mask (130) that overlaps the phase mask receiving portion (124) is masked to prevent light from passing through the area and generating noise.

[0049] The phase mask receiving portion (124) may include a second receiving portion on which the phase mask (130) is received from below. The inner surface of the lower surface of the base (121) and the side portion (123) form the phase mask receiving portion, and the phase mask (130) may be inserted and placed in the second receiving portion from below.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, the phase mask can be mounted on the upper or lower portion of the holder (120). If the first mounting portion of the phase mask receiving portion (124) is formed on the upper portion of the holder (120), the phase mask (131) can be inserted into the first mounting portion from above and placed. If the second mounting portion of the phase mask receiving portion (124) is formed on the lower portion of the holder (120), the phase mask (132) can be inserted into the second mounting portion from below and placed.

[0051] The phase mask receiving portion (124) may be formed to correspond to the shape of the phase mask (130). The phase mask (130) may be formed in a square shape, and the phase mask receiving portion (124) may be formed in a square shape to correspond to the shape of the phase mask (130). If the phase mask (130) is formed in a circular shape, it goes without saying that the phase mask receiving portion (124) may also be formed in a circular shape.

[0052] The phase mask receiving portion (124) is formed in a square shape and may include an epoxy receiving groove (125) at at least one corner of the square shape. A phase mask (130) is placed on the phase mask receiving portion (124) and the epoxy receiving groove (125) is filled with epoxy, thereby fixing the phase mask (130) to the phase mask receiving portion (124). The epoxy receiving groove (125) may be formed at four corners.

[0053] The side portion (123) of the holder (120) can extend upward and downward from the edge of the base (121). The side portion (123) of the holder (120) can extend upwardly of the base (121) to form a phase mask receiving portion (124), and can extend downwardly of the base (121) to form a space in which an image sensor (140) is placed.

[0054] The base (121) has a square shape, and the holder (120) may include a protrusion (126) that protrudes downward from an area of ​​the side (123) corresponding to at least one corner of the base (121). In order to guide the position of the holder (120) and place it on the substrate (110), the protrusion (126) that protrudes downward from the side (123) of the holder (120) is formed, and the substrate (110) may include at least one groove () corresponding to the protrusion (126) of the holder (120). The placement position of the holder (120) may be guided by overlapping the protrusion (126) of the holder (120) with the groove (112) of the substrate (110).

[0055] Here, the protrusion (126) includes two protrusions protruding from the area of ​​the side (123) corresponding to two corners located diagonally among the corners of the base (121), and the substrate (110) may include two grooves corresponding to the two protrusions. When guided by only one protrusion and one groove, the holder (120) can rotate, and by forming two protrusions and two grooves at positions corresponding to two corners located diagonally of the base (121), the holder (120) can be fixed without rotating on the substrate (110).

[0056] The holder (120) may include a mounting groove (127) formed on the lower surface of the side portion (123) that contacts the substrate (110). The holder (120) and the substrate (110) may be bonded with epoxy so that the holder (120) can be fixed on the substrate (110). At this time, a mounting groove (127) into which epoxy can be inserted may be formed on the lower surface of the side portion (123) of the holder (120). The mounting groove (127) may be formed along the lower surface of the side portion (123). The mounting groove (127) may be formed along the perimeter of a square shape formed by the side portion (123). Epoxy may be applied to an area of ​​the substrate (110) corresponding to the mounting groove (127). Epoxy (150) can be applied on a substrate (110), and the holder (120) can be placed on the substrate (110) so that the epoxy (150) is seated in the seating groove (127) of the holder (120). As shown in Fig. 6, the epoxy (150) is inserted into the seating groove (127) of the holder (120), thereby preventing it from leaking out and fixing the position of the holder (120).

[0057] The mounting groove (127) of the holder (120) can guide and fix the position of the holder (120) together with the protrusion (126) of the holder (120).

[0058] By forming the light incident surface with a phase mask instead of a lens assembly, an ultra-thin lensless camera module can be implemented, and compared to a lens assembly, material costs can be reduced and the camera module size can be reduced. In addition, since the phase mask does not have an optical axis, when the phase mask is combined with a substrate on which an image sensor is placed through a holder, an alignment process for optical axis alignment or focusing is not required, and can be replaced with a simple assembly process, simplifying the process without a dynamic alignment device and reducing costs.

[0059] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a camera module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to the embodiment of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 illustrates a holder of a camera module according to the embodiment of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to the embodiment of Fig. 6. A detailed description of each component of the camera module of Fig. 6 corresponds to the detailed description of the same component of the camera modules of Figs. 1 to 5, and thus any overlapping description will be briefly described below.

[0061] A camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate (210), a holder (220), a phase mask (230), an image sensor (240), and an optical filter (260).

[0062] The holder (220) may be placed on the substrate (210) and may include a phase mask receiving portion (221) and an optical filter receiving portion (226). The phase mask (230) may be placed in the phase mask receiving portion (221), and the optical filter (260) may be placed in the optical filter receiving portion (226). The image sensor (240) may be placed on the substrate (210) in a direction below the phase mask (230). The optical filter receiving portion (226) and the phase mask receiving portion (221) may include a hole in the center.

[0063] The holder (220) may include a base (221, 226) having a hole (222) formed in the center and a side portion (223) extending downward from an edge of the base (221, 226). The base (221, 226) has a square shape, and the holder (220) may include a protrusion (228) protruding downward from an area of ​​the side portion (223) corresponding to at least one corner of the base, and the substrate (210) may include at least one groove (211) corresponding to the protrusion (228). Here, the protrusion (228) may include two protrusions protruding from an area of ​​the side portion (223) corresponding to two corners located diagonally among the corners of the base (221, 226), and the substrate (210) may include two grooves corresponding to the two protrusions.

[0064] The holder (220) may have a lower surface of the side (223) in contact with the substrate (210), and epoxy (250) may be applied to the area of ​​the substrate (210) where the lower surface of the side (223) is in contact.

[0065] A first epoxy receiving groove (225) is included in at least one corner of the phase mask receiving portion (221), and a phase mask (230) is placed on the phase mask receiving portion (221) and epoxy can be filled in the first epoxy receiving groove.

[0066] The optical filter receiving portion (226) is formed on the upper portion of the phase mask receiving portion (221), and an optical filter (260) can be placed in the optical filter receiving portion (226). Here, the optical filter (260) can include a near-infrared cut-off filter. The near-infrared cut-off filter (IRCF) is a filter that blocks near-infrared rays, and can block infrared rays and only allow visible light to pass through, thereby blocking noise caused by infrared rays. The optical filter receiving portion (226) is formed on the upper portion of the phase mask receiving portion (221), so that external light can first pass through the optical filter (260) and then pass through the phase mask (230). At this time, the optical filter (260) can be formed to be wider than the phase mask (230), and thereby, only light that passes through the optical filter (260) can pass through the phase mask (230). For this purpose, the area of ​​the optical filter receiving portion (226) can be formed to be wider than the area of ​​the phase mask receiving portion (221).

[0067] The inner surface of the side (223) of the holder (220) and a portion of the upper surface of the base can form an optical filter receiving portion (226), and a step portion can be formed in the lower direction of the optical filter receiving portion (226) to form a phase mask receiving portion (221). As shown in Fig. 8, the optical filter receiving portion (226) and the phase mask receiving portion (221) are formed in two stages, and an optical filter (260) and a phase mask (230) can be placed in each stage.

[0068] At least one corner of the phase mask receiving portion (221) may include a first epoxy receiving groove (225), and a phase mask (230) may be placed on the phase mask receiving portion (221) and the first epoxy receiving groove may be filled with epoxy. At least one corner of the optical filter receiving portion (226) may include a second epoxy receiving groove (227), and an optical filter (260) may be placed on the optical filter receiving portion (226) and the second epoxy receiving groove (227) may be filled with epoxy.

[0069] The optical filter (260) and the phase mask (230) are arranged in the optical filter receiving portion (226) and the phase mask receiving portion (221), respectively, as shown in FIG. 9, and may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction depending on the height difference between the optical filter receiving portion (226) and the phase mask receiving portion (221). Light passing through the optical filter (260) and the phase mask (230) in that order can be focused on an image sensor (240) arranged below the phase mask (230), and the image sensor (240) can generate an image using a function in which the light passing through the phase mask (230) forms a pattern.

[0070] By forming the light incident surface with a phase mask instead of a lens assembly, an ultra-thin lensless camera module can be implemented, and compared to a lens assembly, material costs can be reduced and the camera module size can be reduced. In addition, since the phase mask does not have an optical axis, when the phase mask is combined with a substrate on which an image sensor is placed through a holder, an alignment process for optical axis alignment or focusing is not required, and can be replaced with a simple assembly process, simplifying the process without a dynamic alignment device and reducing costs.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the above-described description. Therefore, the disclosed methods should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. The scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being encompassed by the present invention.

Claims

1. Substrate; A holder disposed on the substrate and including a phase mask receiving portion; a phase mask disposed in the phase mask receiving portion; and Including an image sensor disposed on the substrate in the lower direction of the phase mask, The above phase mask receiving portion is a camera module including a hole in the center.

2. In paragraph 1, The above holder, a base in which the hole is formed in the center; and A camera module including a side extending downward from an edge of the base.

3. In paragraph 2, The above base has a square shape, The above holder, A camera module comprising a protrusion protruding downward from an area of ​​the side corresponding to at least one corner of the corners of the base.

4. In paragraph 3, A camera module wherein the substrate includes at least one groove corresponding to the protrusion of the holder.

5. In paragraph 4, The above protrusion is, Includes two protrusions protruding from the area of ​​the side corresponding to two corners located diagonally among the corners of the base, The above substrate is, A camera module comprising two grooves corresponding to the two protrusions above.

6. In paragraph 2, The above holder, A camera module including a mounting groove formed on the lower surface of the side portion in contact with the substrate.

7. In paragraph 6, A camera module in which epoxy is applied to an area of ​​the substrate corresponding to the above-mentioned mounting groove.

8. In paragraph 6, The above-mentioned mounting groove is a camera module formed along the lower surface of the side.

9. In paragraph 1, A camera module in which the phase mask receiving portion includes a first mounting portion on which the phase mask is mounted from above.

10. In paragraph 1, A camera module in which the phase mask receiving portion includes a second mounting portion on which the phase mask is mounted from below.

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