3D-Stacked Thermal Camera for UAV Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional uncooled thermal imagers are costly, large, heavy, and power-intensive, making them unsuitable for mass production and applications such as Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) and man-portable devices.
Innovation Solution
A high-resolution 12 micron pixel pitch 3D-stacked thermal camera device with a camera circuit card assembly (CCA) comprising an ASIC, SDRAM, flash memory, and a wafer-level packaged Focal Plane Array (FPA), utilizing 3D-stacking and Surface Mount Technology (SMT) to create a compact, low-power, and cost-effective solution, compatible with Android-based cell phones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional uncooled thermal imager design is used, then thermal imaging function is achieved, but cost is prohibitive and size/weight/power requirements are not suitable for UAV and man-portable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal imager is divided into separate functional modules: FPA wafer, ASIC, SDRAM, flash memory, each processed and packaged independently before final assembly. This segmentation enables cost-effective manufacturing of individual components while maintaining overall system performance reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional planar component layout to three-dimensional stacking architecture, placing FPA, ASIC, and memory components in vertical layers. This dimensional change reduces footprint while maintaining thermal imaging performance, enabling compact UAV integration without sacrificing functionality.
2Reliability
If traditional uncooled thermal imager design is used, then thermal imaging function is achieved, but size and weight are too large for UAV and man-portable applications
Solution Approach 1:
Components are nested in a hierarchical stack structure where FPA wafer, ASIC, and memory devices are vertically integrated. This nesting eliminates redundant packaging and interconnect structures, reducing overall camera weight to under 25 grams while preserving thermal imaging performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system moves from two-dimensional component placement to three-dimensional stacking, utilizing vertical space to minimize horizontal footprint. This dimensional transition enables ultra-compact camera design suitable for UAV applications without compromising thermal imaging capabilities.
3Reliability
If traditional uncooled thermal imager design is used, then thermal imaging function is achieved, but power consumption is too high for portable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The camera supports variable frame rates (15Hz, 30Hz, 60Hz) with the ability to operate at lower rates (7.5-8.33Hz) when full performance is not required. This periodic action at reduced frequency significantly lowers power consumption while maintaining thermal imaging functionality for portable applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters including frame rate and processing intensity based on application requirements. This dynamic operation enables the camera to consume less than 500 milliwatts during normal operation by activating only necessary processing functions.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional uncooled thermal imager design is used, then thermal imaging function is achieved, but device complexity and cost are prohibitive for mass production
Solution Approach 1:
Individual components (FPA wafer, ASIC, SDRAM, flash memory) are processed, tested, and packaged separately before final assembly. This preliminary action on discrete components simplifies mass production by enabling parallel manufacturing and quality control, reducing overall system integration complexity while maintaining manufacturability.
Data Source
AI summary
An uncooled high-resolution 12 micron pixel pitch 3D-stacked component thermal camera including an electronics board, a camera circuit card assembly (CCA) with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), flash memory, a spacer, a wafer level packaged Focal Plane Array (FPA) wafer with a lens housing attach ring on the FPA, and a window.