Folded Optical Path for Thin Spectral Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical devices with linear optical paths are too thick for integration into user devices like mobile phones due to the need for a long optical path to disperse light evenly across the filter, leading to inaccurate spectral information capture and light being directed to incorrect sensor elements.
Innovation Solution
The use of a folded optical path, which is longer than the distance between the aperture and the optical filter, allows diffused light to be distributed across the filter's input surface, ensuring accurate spectral information capture while reducing the device's thickness, enabling integration into smaller form factor devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a linear optical path is used, then light can be directed to sensor elements, but the device becomes too thick for integration into user devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a folded optical path that extends in multiple dimensions rather than a straight line. The optical path is folded back on itself within the device housing, allowing a long optical path length to be achieved within a compact thickness by utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical path is nested within the device housing by folding it back on itself. The optical elements are arranged in a compact, nested configuration where the optical path travels through the housing volume in a folded manner, similar to nesting objects within each other to maximize space utilization.
2Measurement precision
If a long optical path is used to disperse light evenly, then spectral information accuracy improves, but device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The folded optical path allows the light to travel a long distance through multiple reflections and refractions within a compact volume. This extended path length enables sufficient light dispersion and spectral separation without requiring the device to be thick, as the path folds within the available horizontal and depth dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical path employs curved and angled surfaces including prisms and reflective elements that bend and redirect light in a folded configuration. These curved optical surfaces enable the light to follow a complex folded trajectory, achieving long path length and even light dispersion within a compact device form factor.
3Measurement precision
If light is not properly dispersed, then spectral information accuracy deteriorates, but device complexity increases with folded optical path
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple optical functions are merged into a compact folded path configuration. The optical elements including prisms, reflectors, and diffusers are integrated into a unified folded optical train that achieves light dispersion, spectral separation, and even distribution across the sensor array within a single compact optical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded optical path design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it extends the optical path length for spectral separation, disperses light evenly across the sensor elements, and maintains a compact device form factor. This multi-functional design achieves accurate spectral measurement without requiring separate systems for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the accuracy of spectral information capture and allows optical devices to be incorporated into user devices with a small form factor, such as mobile phones, by ensuring light is directed to the correct sensor elements and maintaining a reduced device thickness.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more optical elements are configured to diffuse the light received by the aperture
Implementation Method 2
the one or more optical elements are configured to diffuse the light received by the aperture, direct the diffused light to the optical filter via a folded optical path
Implementation Method 3
the one or more optical elements are configured to diffuse the light received by the aperture, direct the diffused light to the optical filter via a folded optical path
Implementation Method 4
the optical filter is configured to filter the diffused light distributed across the input surface of the optical filter to pass portions of the diffused light associated with one or more wavelengths to the optical sensor
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, an optical device may include an aperture, one or more optical elements, an optical filter, and an optical sensor. The aperture may be configured to receive light. The one or more optical elements may be configured to diffuse the light received by the aperture, direct the diffused light to the optical filter via a folded optical path, wherein a length of the folded optical path is greater than a distance between the aperture and an input surface of the optical filter, and cause the diffused light to be distributed across the input surface of the optical filter. The optical filter may be configured to filter the diffused light distributed across the input surface of the optical filter to pass portions of the diffused light associated with one or more wavelengths to the optical sensor.