Shared Translucent Window for Camera-Flash Optical Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile computing devices face space limitations that restrict digital camera modules to fixed-focus lenses with limited performance in poor lighting and lack a physical shutter, leading to long shutter lag and interference between photoflash LEDs and cameras/sensors, which also introduce visual discontinuities and moisture/particulate entry.
Innovation Solution
A shared flat translucent window is integrated over cameras and photoflash LEDs, incorporating patterned features like Fresnel lenses and opaque grooves to reduce light interference and moisture/particulate entry, while reducing part count and device thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If separate windows are used for camera and photoflash, then light interference is reduced, but device complexity increases and visual quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the camera window and photoflash window into a single shared window structure. The window includes a camera portion with a camera lens and a photoflash portion with a photoflash lens, both integrated into one continuous window assembly. This eliminates the need for separate windows while maintaining optical isolation between the camera and photoflash through careful design of the integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared window is segmented into distinct functional zones: a camera portion for the camera lens and a photoflash portion for the photoflash lens. These segments are optically isolated from each other while being physically integrated into one window structure, allowing both functions to coexist without mutual interference.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If separate windows are used for camera and photoflash, then optical isolation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the camera window and photoflash window into a single integrated window assembly, the patent reduces the number of separate components that need to be manufactured and assembled. This single window structure simplifies the manufacturing process compared to producing and aligning multiple separate windows, while still providing optical isolation through its segmented design.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separate windows are used for camera and photoflash, then optical isolation is improved, but device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate window structures into one integrated window, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the device. Instead of having stacked separate windows for the camera and photoflash, the integrated design provides optical isolation within a single window plane, eliminating the need for additional thickness to accommodate separate window assemblies.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If physical separation of photoflash and camera is provided, then optical barrier is improved, but visual quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the camera and photoflash into a single continuous window structure, eliminating visual discontinuities while maintaining optical isolation. The shared window provides a seamless appearance from the outside, avoiding the stepped or discontinuous look that would result from separate windows, while still preventing light leakage through its integrated design.
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 enhances camera performance, reduces light leakage, and provides a seamless, high-quality device appearance by integrating lenses and grooves into a single window, improving manufacturing efficiency and protection against contamination.
Implementation Method 1
an integrated lens is formed on an underside of the flat translucent window
Implementation Method 2
patterned features like Fresnel lenses
Implementation Method 3
the perimeter groove circumscribing the photoflash and filled with an opaque material
Implementation Method 4
flat translucent window extending over the first camera and the photoflash
Data Source
AI summary
Mobile computing devices often incorporate a digital camera module to capture photographs and/or record video using one or more built-in digital cameras and photoflash LEDs. The photoflash LEDs are separated from the digital cameras and sensors within the digital camera module to provide an optical barrier therebetween. To aid the physical separation, a flat translucent window over the digital cameras is typically not shared with the photoflash LEDs. Such separation efforts are visually and tactilely evident to a user and introduce gaps that can be a source of moisture and/or particulate entry into the computing device. The presently disclosed technology introduces a common flat translucent window over the digital camera and photoflash LEDs within the digital camera module. Features adopted into the shared flat translucent window provide sufficient optical separation between the photoflash LEDs and the nearby cameras within the digital camera module.