Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a camera or optical module for a camera is provided, the camera or optical module comprising: —a first substrate with a plurality of first optical devices, —a second substrate with a plurality of second optical devices, —and a spacer between the first substrate and the second substrate, the spacer having a first and a second attachment surface, the first substrate attached to the first attachment surface and the second spacer attached to the second attachment surface, —the spacer having a through hole from the first attachment surface to the second attachment surface so that there is an interior space between the first substrate and the second substrate, the interior space being hermetically closed off, —the first optical devices and the second optical devices being mutually arranged so that light impinging, from an object side, on a first optical device is directed to an assigned second optical device through the interior space, —the camera further comprising a screen device

Abstract: Fabricating a wafer-scale spacer/optics structure includes replicating optical replication elements and spacer replication sections directly onto an optics wafer (or other wafer) using a single replication tool. The replicated optical elements and spacer elements can be composed of the same or different materials.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various RGB-IR cameras, as well as new applications and methods of using such cameras. An apparatus includes an image sensor module including an image sensor. The image sensor has an active region including pixels operable to sense radiation in the visible and IR parts of the spectrum. The module can include, in some cases, a switchable IR filter disposed between the active region of the image sensor and an optical assembly. In various implementations, the module can be used in conjunction with one or more of the following: generating color images, generating IR images, performing iris recognition, performing facial recognition, and performing eye tracking/eye gazing.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes cameras having an optical channel that includes spatially separated sensors for sensing different parts of the optical spectrum. For example, in one aspect, an apparatus includes an image sensor module having an optical channel and including a multitude of spatially separated sensors to receive optical signals in the optical channel. The multitude of spatially separated sensors includes a first sensor operable to sense optical signals in a first spectral range, and a second sensor spatially separated from the first sensor and operable to sense optical signals in a second spectral range different from the first spectral range.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes structured light projection in which a structured light projector includes a light emitter and a compound patterned mask. The mask includes a spacer substrate that is transparent to a wavelength of light emitted by the light emitter. On a first side of the spacer substrate is a first reflective surface having apertures therein to allow light to pass through. Lenses are arranged to focus light, produced by the light emitter, toward the apertures in the first reflective surface. A second reflective surface on a second side of the spacer substrate opposite the first side has apertures therein to allow light passing through the spacer substrate to exit the compound patterned mask.

Abstract: A demodulation image sensor, such as used in time of flight (TOF) cameras, extracts all storage- and post-processing-related steps from the pixels to another array of storage and processing elements (proxels) on the chip. The pixel array has the task of photo-detection, first processing and intermediate storage, while the array of storage and processing elements provides further processing and enhanced storage capabilities for each pixel individually. The architecture can be used to address problems due to the down-scaling of the pixel size. Typically, either the photo-sensitivity or the signal storage capacitance suffers significantly. Both a lower sensitivity and smaller storage capacitances have negative influence on the image quality. The disclosed architecture allows for keeping the storage capacitance unaffected by the pixel down-scaling. In addition to that, it provides a high degree of flexibility in integrating more intelligence into the image sensor design already on the level of the pixel array.

Abstract: A time of flight (TOF) based camera system includes an illumination module that illuminates only portion of the sensor's field of view that translates to a given region of the pixels of the imaging sensor. The acquired data of the pixel region is processed and/or readout, typically. After the exposure time of the first pixel region is completed, a second pixel region is illuminated and the second pixel region is processed. This procedure can be repeated a couple of times up to a few hundred even thousand times until the entire pixel array is readout and possibly read-out a number of times. The full depth image is then reconstructed based on the results from the different pixel region acquisitions. This system can be used to reduce stray light. Compared to state-of-the-art TOF camera, the presented method and device show improvements in background light stability and a reduction in multiple reflections.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing multi-path effects (stray light and multiple reflections) in 3D time of flight cameras by partly masking the camera's illumination elements.

Abstract: An optoelectronic module includes one or more image sensors including photosensitive regions. The module includes a first imager including a first stack of beam shaping elements disposed over the image sensor(s) to direct incoming light to a first photosensitive region, and a second imager including a second stack of beam shaping elements disposed over the image sensor(s) to direct incoming light to a second photosensitive region. Each particular stack includes a respective high-dispersion beam shaping element, where the high-dispersion beam shaping element of the first stack forms part of an achromatic doublet at an object side of the first stack. The high-dispersion beam shaping element in the second stack is part of a laterally contiguous array of beam shaping elements that does not include the high-dispersion beam shaping element that forms part of the achromatic doublet at the object side of the first stack.

Abstract: An illumination system including at least one light source such as an electroluminescent element, e.g. a light emitting diode (LED), and at least one optical element whose surface is structured by diffraction and/or refraction type optical microstructures. In order to shape the beam, the optical element includes at least two sections whose optical microstructures and therefore optical properties are different from one another. The pattern of the microstructures in each of the at least two sections is, at least over a predetermined angular range, rotationally symmetric with respect to the optical axis or another symmetry axis.

Abstract: Compact opto-electronic sensor modules are described that allow detection of an object's motion occurring in spatial regions (e.g., quadrants) that are located primarily directly about the surface of a device in which the module is located. For example, light (e.g., infra-red) from a light emitting element in the module can illuminate substantially all, or at least a significant percentage of, areas in a plane directly above the surface of the device. Each of multiple light detecting elements in the module can be arranged to receive light from a respective detection zone directly above the surface of the device.

Abstract: The disclosure describes light sensing optoelectronic modules that include reflective surfaces to enhance light collection and/or light emission. For example, an optoelectronic module can include a light sensing element mounted on a substrate. A spacer over the substrate has a through-hole over the light sensing element. The through-hole is defined by a surface that is at least partially sloped or curved with respect to a plane of the substrate. The surface is highly reflective for light detectable by the light sensing element. Various methods for fabricating the modules are described as well.

Abstract: Improved field-of-illumination (FOI) and field-of-view (FOV) matching for 3D time-of-flight cameras is provided using light emitters with rectangular reflectors. A better adjustment of the FOI with the camera's FOV has the following advantages: optimal use of emitted light and reduced multi-path problems. Furthermore, embodiments bring the benefit for rather low-cost customization of the illumination to match the FOI to the specified FOV.

Abstract: A novel photo-sensitive element for electronic imaging purposes and, in this context, is particularly suited for time-of-flight 3D imaging sensor pixels. The element enables charge-domain photo-detection and processing based on a single gate architecture. Certain regions for n and p-doping implants of the gates are defined. This kind of single gate architecture enables low noise photon detection and high-speed charge transport methods at the same time. A strong benefit compared to known pixel structures is that no special processing steps are required such as overlapping gate structures or very high-ohmic poly-silicon deposition. In this sense, the element relaxes the processing methods so that this device may be integrated by the use of standard CMOS technology for example. Regarding time-of-flight pixel technology, a major challenge is the generation of lateral electric fields. The element allows the generation of fringing fields and large lateral electric fields.

Abstract: The modulation scheme disclosed in this invention report allows for utilizing multiple 3D time-of-flight cameras at the same time by exploiting the inherent pseudo noise properties of the optical modulation signals. Compared to recent systems based on pure pseudo noise modulation signals, the stochastic measurement error in a single-camera environment is significantly reduced. The basic concept relies on the generation of a three level optical modulation signal that includes two pseudo noise sequences.

Abstract: Due to their parallel illumination and acquisition for all the pixels, today's state-of-the-art time-of-flight (TOF) range cameras suffer from erroneous measurements caused by multiple reflections in the scene. The invention proposes to compensate for the multi-path fusing the results obtained by applying two spatially different illumination schemes, typically one to achieve highest possible lateral resolution and for the second one structuring the emitted light and by doing so lowering the lateral resolution but limiting the impact of multiple reflections.

Abstract: Compact optoelectronic modules are described and can be used in various electronic or other appliances, such as television units. For example, a light emitting device, a first sensor or sensor module such as an infra-red sensor or an infra-red receiver module, and a second sensor or sensor module such as an ambient light sensor or ambient light sensor module, can be integrated into a single compact optoelectronic module. Multiple such optoelectronic modules can be fabricated in a wafer-level process.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing structured light comprises a first optical arrangement which comprises a microlens array comprising a multitude of transmissive or reflective microlenses which are regularly arranged at a lens pitch P and an illumination unit for illuminating the microlens array. The illumination unit comprises an array of light sources for emitting light of a wavelength L each and having an aperture each, wherein the apertures are located in a common emission plane which is located at a distance D from the microlens array. For the lens pitch P, the distance D and the wavelength L, the following equation applies P2=2LD/N, wherein N is an integer with N?1. High-contrast high-intensity light patterns can be produced.

Abstract: Manufacturing optical devices (e.g., for cameras) includes providing and allocating mount elements to lens modules wherein the mount elements are to be arranged within the optical devices to define a fixed separation distance between the lens modules and the image sensor plane. The mount elements have variable mount FFL sections by means of which the geometrical distance between the lens module and the image sensor plane is adjusted for each lens module, individually or in groups dependent on the optical properties of the lens modules, to compensate the variation of the lens module values among the lens modules, so that the focal planes of the lens modules falls into the image sensor plane.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a device that includes an opto-electronic module includes creating a wafer stack including multiple active optical components mounted on a substrate wafer, and an optics wafer including multiple passive optical components. The optics wafer can include a blocking portion, which is substantially non-transparent for at least a specific wavelength range, and a transparent portion, which is substantially non-transparent for the specific wavelength range. Each opto-electronic module includes a substrate member, an optics member, an active optical component mounted on the substrate member, and a passive optical component. The optics member is directly or indirectly fixed to the substrate member. The opto-electronic modules can have excellent manufacturability, small dimensions and high alignment accuracy.