Optical Sensor Package Assembly with Side-by-Side Circuit Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of ambient light sensors, proximity sensors, and light-emitting components in portable devices poses challenges in miniaturization due to conflicting requirements for sensing angles and thickness, which complicates the packaging process and wire-bonding reliability, especially when trying to minimize the size of the device openings.
Innovation Solution
The optical sensor package assembly incorporates a circuit board structure with a light-emitting component and baffle to optimize sensing angles and reduce thickness, allowing for a single molding process and improved reliability, while maintaining effective sensing performance through the use of transparent and non-transparent encapsulant layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the optical sensors and light-emitting components are integrated into a compact package assembly, then the device opening size is reduced, but the wire-bonding reliability deteriorates due to increased thickness and complex packaging structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical sensor package into multiple circuit boards (first circuit board for ambient light sensor, second circuit board for proximity sensor) arranged side-by-side, with the light-emitting component positioned on one of the circuit boards. This segmentation allows each component to be independently positioned and wire-bonded, improving bonding reliability while maintaining a compact overall structure that reduces the device opening size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a vertical stacking arrangement to a horizontal side-by-side arrangement of circuit boards. By positioning the first and second circuit boards adjacent to each other in the same plane rather than stacking them vertically, the patent reduces the thickness of the package assembly, thereby improving wire-bonding reliability while maintaining compact dimensions for the device opening.
2Length of moving object
If the thickness of the package assembly is reduced to improve miniaturization, then the sensing angle requirements become harder to meet, but increasing thickness improves sensing performance while complicating the packaging process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a baffle structure with specific local optical properties (transparent to ambient light, opaque to infrared light) positioned between the ambient light sensor and the light-emitting component. This local quality differentiation allows the baffle to protect the ambient light sensor from infrared contamination while maintaining the overall compact thickness of the package assembly and preserving accurate sensing angles through precise local positioning.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple sensors and components are integrated into one package structure, then space and materials are shared, but the packaging process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, and light-emitting component into a single integrated package assembly where multiple circuit boards are mounted side-by-side on a common substrate. This merging consolidates multiple components into one unified structure, reducing the total area occupied while simplifying the packaging process by establishing a standardized integration architecture that can be manufactured in one process.
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 solution enables a compact optical sensor package assembly with enhanced sensing capabilities and reduced aperture size, improving the reliability of the wire-bonding process and simplifying manufacturing, while maintaining effective sensing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first transparent encapsulant layer arranged on the first circuit board and covering the ambient light sensor and the proximity sensor
Implementation Method 2
a second non-transparent encapsulant layer arranged on the first circuit board and covering the light-emitting component
Data Source
AI summary
An optical package assembly can include: a first circuit board; a second circuit board and a first structure arranged on the first circuit board, where the second circuit board is adjacent to the first structure; and a second structure arranged on the second circuit board, where a thickness of the first structure is equal to a combined thickness of the second circuit board and the second structure.