Abstract: A camera module with a vent in a housing thereof to allow for fluid communication between an interior of the camera module and an exterior of the camera module. A micro-porous membrane filter having a pore size smaller than 10 um is employed to cover the vent so as to reduce the flow of contaminants into the camera module.

Abstract: A camera module with no PCB that instead has a lens actuator/housing that has circuitry on a bottom surface thereof for direct electrical connection to a mobile electronic device. The housing further has a recess formed in the bottom surface thereof to receive an image sensor. The circuitry is three-dimensional in that it includes a first set of contact pads on one planar surface for connection to the mobile electronic device, a second set of contact pads on a planar surface within the recess for connection to the image sensor, and conductive traces that connect each of the contact pads of the first set with an associated one of the contact pads of the second set by having the trace follow a path from the first planar surface, along a intersecting third planar surface to the second planar surface.

Abstract: A camera module having a flash that is provided therein. The flash may be an LED light source. The LED may come in a package that is generally rectangular, with the exception that one corner is flattened. The camera module includes a housing that receives the light source, an image sensor, and a lens. The housing includes mating features that receive the LED package, those features including a flattened corner so that the LED package can only be received within the housing when it is properly oriented. The housing also includes electrical terminals for connection to the LED that include springs. When the LED package is properly oriented and received within the housing, contact pads on the LED package and the electrical terminals on the housing are pressed together against the resilient force of the spring.

Abstract: A camera module having a liquid crystal shutter that controls the time period during which the image sensor is exposed to light directed into the camera module. The shutter is located within the camera module housing, which may include EMI shielding and may include a lens actuator for moving a movable lens group. The shutter may be located before or after the movable lens group and before or after a fixed lens group that may also be included. The camera module may also include an IR filter for reducing the amount of IR light that reaches the image sensor.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a substrate and an image sensor mounted to a front side of the substrate. A lens module having a light blocking member is mounted to the front side of the substrate so that the light blocking member cooperates with the substrate to substantially prevent light from entering an interior region defined by the lens module and the substrate through a joint defined therebetween. A lens indexing member on the lens module cooperates with a substrate indexing member provided on the substrate to align the lens module with respect to the substrate.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a substrate and an image sensor mounted to a front side of the substrate. A lens module having a light blocking member is mounted to the front side of the substrate so that the light blocking member cooperates with the substrate to substantially prevent light from entering an interior region defined by the lens module and the substrate through a joint defined therebetween. A lens indexing member on the lens module cooperates with a substrate indexing member provided on the substrate to align the lens module with respect to the substrate.