Camera Photosensitive Component Microprism Light Decomposition

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current camera photosensitive components have low light transmittance due to RGB filters, leading to prolonged exposure times and suboptimal performance in low-light conditions and when capturing moving objects.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a microprism layer that decomposes incident light into multiple color lights, which are then emitted into subpixels, bypassing the absorption that occurs with RGB filters, and optionally using a microlens layer to converge and enhance light transmittance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If RGB filters are used to filter light before it reaches the photosensitive surface, then color separation is achieved, but light transmittance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor separation accuracyVSAvoidlight transmittance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the RGB filter layer from the traditional camera structure. Instead of filtering light through colored filters that absorb unwanted wavelengths, the invention directly guides incident light to the photosensitive surface, extracting the light transmission function while eliminating the filtering absorption loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the photosensitive surface capable of detecting multiple colors simultaneously without requiring separate filtered paths. Each pixel or subpixel can respond to different wavelengths directly, making the photosensitive layer universally responsive to the full spectrum rather than requiring color-specific filtering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of energy

If exposure time is increased to compensate for low light transmittance, then more light is captured, but motion blur increases and capture speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight capture efficiencyVSAvoidcapture speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

By removing the RGB filter layer that causes light absorption, the patent extracts the unnecessary filtering step that was forcing a trade-off between light capture and exposure time. This allows shorter exposure times while maintaining adequate light capture efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the optical transmission parameter by eliminating the filter layer, which directly increases the amount of light reaching the sensor. This parameter change enables shorter exposure times while maintaining image quality, resolving the contradiction between light capture efficiency and capture speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional camera structures with RGB filters are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but light transmittance and imaging performance are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidimaging performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the RGB filter layer from the manufacturing process. While this eliminates a manufacturing step, it simultaneously improves imaging performance by eliminating light absorption. The patent achieves a better balance where the simplified structure directly translates to improved optical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure combining the microprism layer with the photosensitive surface, creating an integrated optical system that achieves both color separation and high light transmittance. This composite approach replaces the traditional filter-based system with a refraction-based system that maintains manufacturing feasibility while improving performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

Improves light transmittance, reduces exposure time, and enhances camera performance in low-light conditions and when capturing moving objects by effectively utilizing microprisms and microlenses to direct color lights into corresponding subpixels.

Implementation Method 1

a microprism in the microprism layer is configured to decompose the incident light into the m color lights for emission

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

the camera photosensitive component may further include a microlens layer, the microlens layer may be parallel to the microprism layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvergence: Lens

Data Source

PatentEP3477704B1Camera photosensitive component, camera, and camera shooting terminal
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3477704B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3477704B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3477704B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A camera photosensitive component, a camera, and a camera shooting terminal are provided in the field of camera shooting. The camera photosensitive component includes: a silicon substrate layer (210), a pixel array layer (220) attached to one surface of the silicon substrate layer, and a microprism layer (230) arranged in parallel with the pixel array layer. At least one microprism in the microprism layer is configured to decompose incident light into m color lights for emission. And n color lights in the emitted m color lights are respectively emitted into subpixels in corresponding colors of pixels corresponding to the microprisms, where n is not greater than m. The n color lights may be formed by decomposition with the microprisms, not obtained after part of color light is absorbed by an RGB filter, and transmittance of the color light emitted into the pixels may be improved, thereby reducing an exposure time required by imaging.