Optical Micro-Lens Array for Vehicle Sensor Light Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor devices for vehicles face challenges in detecting gestures and approaching users under unfavorable light conditions, leading to increased error detection and energy consumption, and require complex configurations with high-energy components.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with an optical structure comprising micro lenses that bundles and directs incident light to the sensor device's active areas, enhancing light sensitivity and reducing energy consumption by increasing the filling factor and using integrated optical filters to manage unwanted light spectra.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the light sensitivity of the sensor device is increased by using greater pixels or illumination elements, then the detection capability under unfavorable light conditions is improved, but the device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical structure is divided into multiple optical micro-elements (micro-lenses) that are distributed across the sensor surface. Each micro-lens independently focuses light onto its corresponding sensor element, enabling the system to achieve high light sensitivity without requiring a single large complex component. This segmentation allows standard pixels to perform better than expected under unfavorable light conditions.
2Reliability
If the light sensitivity of the sensor device is increased by using greater pixels or illumination elements, then the detection capability under unfavorable light conditions is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the optical structure into multiple micro-lenses, the system achieves enhanced light sensitivity without requiring high-power illumination elements. The passive optical focusing action of micro-lenses concentrates ambient light effectively, reducing the need for additional energy-consuming active illumination components while maintaining detection capability under unfavorable light conditions.
3Reliability
If the filling factor of the sensor device is increased to improve light sensitivity, then the light sensitivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical structure is segmented into multiple micro-lenses corresponding to individual sensor elements. This segmentation approach achieves an effective filling factor improvement for each pixel without requiring the entire sensor array to be redesigned with higher filling factor structures. Each micro-lens is a simple, manufacturable component that can be produced using standard techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly increasing the filling factor across the entire sensor device, the invention applies optical micro-elements locally at each sensor element position. This local quality approach enhances light sensitivity at each pixel independently while maintaining the overall simplicity of the sensor device configuration and allowing standard manufacturing processes to be used.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the sensor device operates under unfavorable light conditions without optical enhancement, then the energy consumption increases to compensate, but the detection reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented optical structure with multiple micro-lenses passively enhances light collection efficiency without requiring additional energy input. Each micro-lens focuses available light onto its corresponding sensor element, improving detection reliability under unfavorable light conditions while avoiding increased energy consumption that would be needed without such optical enhancement.
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
The solution improves gesture recognition reliability, reduces energy consumption, and decreases costs by concentrating light on active sensor areas, while effectively filtering out undesired light spectra to prevent overexposure and enhance image acquisition.
Implementation Method 1
an optical structure, which comprises an arrangement of optical micro elements in order to bundle incident light by the optical micro elements and respectively direct these to the sensor elements of the sensor device
Implementation Method 2
an optical filter for blocking pre-defined wavelengths of incident light
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical device (100) for exposure of a sensor device (10) for a vehicle (1) with an optical structure (101) which comprises an arrangement of optical micro elements (101.1) in order to bundle incident light (2) by the optical micro elements (101.1) and direct the light to sensor elements (10.1) of the sensor device (10) respectively, wherein the optical structure (101) is configured such that light (3) which is directed to the sensor element (10.1) can be concentrated for light active areas (10.2) of the sensor elements (10.1).