PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12105247-B2
Application Number: US-202318197882-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Beam-tilting light source enclosures

Abstract:
An optical module includes a beam-tilting light source enclosure. The enclosure is coupled to a substrate that includes a light emitter connected thereto. The enclosure has a geometry such that the enclosure has a first surface configured to couple substantially flat to the substrate and a second surface tilted with respect to the first surface and configured to couple substantially flat to a component of an electronic device through which the light is to project. The enclosure is optically transmissive and covers the light source when coupled to the substrate. In this way, the enclosure may be assembled and used in the electronic device by coupling the first surface to the substrate and coupling the second surface to the component.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a cover; and 
 an optical module coupled to the cover, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a light emitter coupled to the substrate; and 
 an enclosure, coupled to the substrate over the light emitter, comprising:
 a lens that shapes light emitted from the light emitter; 
 a flat optical surface, through which the light from the light emitter travels, that is opposite the lens and positioned parallel to the cover and transverse to the substrate; 
 a first flat handling surface adjacent the flat optical surface; and 
 a second flat handling surface opposite the first flat handling surface; wherein: 
 
 
 the first flat handling surface and the second flat handling surface are transverse to the flat optical surface; 
 a first length of the first flat handling surface is less than a second length of the second flat handling surface; 
 the first flat handling surface extends between the substrate and the flat optical surface; and 
 the second flat handling surface extends between the substrate and a flat surface that forms a corner with the flat optical surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the flat surface is adjacent the flat optical surface;
 is parallel to the substrate; and 
 is contiguous with the flat optical surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the corner is a first corner; and 
 the flat surface forms a second corner with the first flat handling surface. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second length is between the substrate and the flat optical surface. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first flat handling surface and the second flat handling surface are transverse to the substrate. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first flat handling surface and the second flat handling surface are parallel to each other. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is optically transmissive. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a unitary structure. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive coupling the enclosure to the substrate. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible circuit electrically coupled to the substrate. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is connected to one or more processing units, input/output components, communication components, or non-transitory storage media. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate is connected via a flexible circuit. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitter comprises at least one of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), a vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL), a light-emitting diode (LED), a resonant-cavity LED (RC-LED), a superluminescent LED (SLED), an organic LED (OLED), or a micro LED (mLED). 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a ceramic, a printed circuit board, or a flexible circuit. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the enclosure is doped with a particle that is not optically transmissive. 
     
     
       16. An optical module, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a light emitter coupled to the substrate; and 
 an enclosure, coupled to the substrate over the light emitter, comprising:
 a lens that shapes light emitted from the light emitter; 
 a flat optical surface, through which the light from the light emitter travels, that is opposite the lens and positioned and transverse to the substrate; 
 a first flat handling surface adjacent the flat optical surface; and 
 a second flat handling surface opposite the first flat handling surface; wherein: 
 
 the first flat handling surface and the second flat handling surface are transverse to the flat optical surface; 
 a first length of the first flat handling surface is less than a second length of the second flat handling surface; 
 the first flat handling surface extends between the substrate and the flat optical surface; and 
 the second flat handling surface extends between the substrate and a flat surface that forms a corner with the flat optical surface. 
 
     
     
       17. The optical module of  claim 16 , wherein the light emitter is electrically coupled to one or more conductive pads or traces on the substrate one or more wire bonds. 
     
     
       18. The optical module of  claim 17 , wherein the light emitter is electrically coupled to the one or more conductive pads or traces on the substrate via one or more wire bonds. 
     
     
       19. The optical module of  claim 16 , further comprising a thin-film optical filter coupled to the enclosure. 
     
     
       20. The optical module of  claim 19 , wherein the thin-film optical filter transmits a first wavelength of light while blocking a second wavelength of light.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/751,820, filed May 24, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/537,086, filed Aug. 9, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,366,246, which is a nonprovisional of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/735,975, filed Sep. 25, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if fully disclosed herein. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to light source enclosures for electronic devices. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to light source enclosures that tilt the axis of light beams with respect to an external surface of an electronic device in which they are used. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many electronic devices use light sources. For example, many remote control devices use an infrared diode to transmit instructions to another device, such as a television or a set top box. By way of another example, many mobile electronic devices (such as smart phones, tablet computing devices, laptop computing devices, and so on) use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a flash or other light source for a camera, in a proximity sensor, and so on. 
     Light sources are often packaged in enclosures. The enclosures are typically configured such that an axis of an emitted light beam is perpendicular to a surface of the enclosure. Separate components or devices may be used to alter the direction of the beam. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to beam-tilting light source enclosures. An optical module includes a beam-tilting light source enclosure. The enclosure is coupled to a substrate that includes a light emitter connected thereto. The enclosure has a geometry such that the enclosure has a first surface configured to couple substantially flat to the substrate and a second surface tilted with respect to the first surface and configured to couple substantially flat to a component of an electronic device through which the light is to project. The enclosure can be optically transmissive (e.g., optically transmissive to at least one wavelength of light) over a large range of wavelengths or only around the wavelength of the light beam and cover the light source when coupled to the substrate. In this way, the enclosure may be assembled and used in the electronic device by coupling the first surface to the substrate and coupling the second surface to the component. This may accomplish light tilting with substantially reduced assembly errors in a significantly less complex and more cost-effective fashion than other potential alternatives. 
     In various embodiments, an electronic device includes a cover and an optical module coupled to the cover. The optical module includes a substrate, a light emitter coupled to the substrate, and an optically transmissive enclosure coupled to the substrate over the light emitter. The optically transmissive enclosure includes a lens that shapes (or focuses, collimates, or otherwise shapes in any alternative way) the light emitted from the light emitter and an optical surface, through which the light from the light emitter travels, that is opposite the lens and positioned parallel to the cover and transverse to the substrate. 
     In some examples, the optically transmissive enclosure is a unitary structure. In various examples, the light emitter produces a measurable response to at least one of a reflection or a backscatter of the light onto itself. In some implementations of such examples, the electronic device is operative to detect at least one of a touch on or proximity of an object to the cover when the light emitter produces the measurable response to the at least one of the reflection or the backscatter of the light onto itself. 
     In various examples, the optically transmissive enclosure and the substrate form a sealed cavity around the light emitter. In various examples, the electronic device further includes an alignment mechanism, coupled to the cover, that defines an area in which the optically transmissive enclosure is at least partially positioned. 
     In some embodiments, an optical module includes a substrate; a light emitter coupled to the substrate; and a unitary optically transmissive enclosure, coupled to the substrate over the light emitter, including an optical surface that is oriented transverse to the substrate. Light emitted from the light emitter travels through the optical surface at a transverse angle with respect to the optical surface. 
     In some examples, the enclosure includes a lens that is opposite the optical surface and that shapes (or focuses, collimates, or otherwise shapes in any alternative way) the light. In various implementations of such examples, the lens is a shaped surface of the unitary optically transmissive enclosure. In various implementations of such examples, the light travels through the lens and the optical surface. In some implementations, a lens is coupled to an interior surface of the enclosure opposite the optical surface wherein the lens shapes (or focuses, collimates, or otherwise shapes in any alternative way) the light. 
     In various examples, the unitary optically transmissive enclosure further includes a flat surface that is adjacent the optical surface and parallel to the substrate. In some examples, the unitary optically transmissive enclosure further includes a first flat handling surface adjacent the optical surface and a second flat handling surface opposite the first flat handling surface. The first flat handling surface and the second flat handling surface are transverse to the optical surface. 
     In some embodiments, an optical module includes a substrate, a light emitter coupled to the substrate, and an optically transmissive enclosure molded to the substrate around the light emitter. The optically transmissive enclosure includes a curved exterior surface that functions as a lens and a coupling surface, adjacent the curved exterior surface, that is oriented transverse to the substrate. Light emitted from the light emitter is shaped (or focused, collimated, or otherwise shaped in any alternative way) as the light travels through the curved exterior surface at a transverse angle with respect to the coupling surface. 
     In some examples, the optically transmissive enclosure and the substrate completely surround the light emitter. In various examples, the optically transmissive enclosure further includes a planar surface that is parallel to the substrate and adjacent the curved exterior surface. In various examples, the optically transmissive enclosure is formed of a polymer. In some examples, the optically transmissive enclosure at least partially encapsulates the light emitter. In various examples, the light deflects when travelling through the curved exterior surface. In some examples, the curved exterior surface is convex with respect to the substrate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements. 
         FIG.  1 A  depicts a first example electronic device that includes an optical module having a beam-tilting enclosure. 
         FIG.  1 B  depicts an example cross-sectional view of the electronic device of  FIG.  1 A , taken along line A-A of  FIG.  1 A , illustrating a first example optical module. 
         FIG.  2    depicts a second example optical module. 
         FIG.  3    depicts a third example optical module. 
         FIG.  4    depicts a fourth example optical module. 
         FIG.  5    depicts a fifth example optical module. 
         FIG.  6    depicts a sixth example optical module. 
         FIG.  7    depicts an example assembly including multiple different optical modules. 
         FIG.  8    depicts a seventh example optical module. 
         FIG.  9    depicts an eighth example optical module. 
         FIG.  10    depicts a flow chart illustrating a first example method for assembling an optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. This first example method may assemble one or more of the optical modules of  FIGS.  1 B- 7   . 
         FIG.  11    depicts a flow chart illustrating a second example method for assembling an optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. This second example method may assemble the optical module of  FIG.  8   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims. 
     The description that follows includes sample apparatuses, systems, and methods that embody various elements of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the described disclosure may be practiced in a variety of forms in addition to those described herein. 
     An electronic device may include a light source that emits a light beam along an axis. In some electronic devices, the light beam may travel along the axis unchanged through an external surface of the electronic device such that the axis is orthogonal to the external surface. In other electronic devices, the electronic device may use various techniques to tilt the axis. 
     For example, an electronic device may use one or more light sources that are also sensitive to and generate a detectable response to the contact on, proximity to, and/or movement of objects across an optically transmissive (e.g., optically transmissive to at least one wavelength of light) component, such as a cover glass or other cover. A light source may emit light towards the external surface of the cover glass. If an object is present at the external surface, the light may reflect and/or scatter back to the light source. The light source may be operable to receive and detect the properties of such reflected and/or scattered light. In some situations, the light source may be a light source that only receives light of the same wavelength range as it emits. 
     Regardless, the light may need to travel through the cover glass such that an axis of the light is at a tilt in order for the light source to detect and characterize the motion of a target in the plane defined by the cover glass. For example, for an object motion in the aforementioned plane, light that travelled with a tilted axis may experience a Doppler shift. Light that did not travel with a tilted axis may not experience a Doppler shift due to the orthogonality of the object motion vector to the propagation vector of light. In this way, the light source may be able to characterize the object motion, but only if the light travels tilted. This is one example where a light source may be configured to transmit light through an external surface of an electronic device tilted with respect to the external surface. 
     Another application may involve a proximity detector, a flood light emitter, and/or a structured light projector used by a mobile computing device (such as a phone, tablet computing device, laptop computing device, and so on) in facial recognition. In such an example, the proximity detector, flood light emitter, and/or structured light projector may transmit light through a cover glass or other exterior surface with a tilted axis to compensate for a user tendency to hold the mobile computing device at an angle to the user&#39;s face. A number of different applications may tilt light from a light source in this way. 
     Various techniques may be used to accomplish such a tilt. By way of one example, freeform optical elements may be used to tilt the light beam from a light source in a sensor module or other optical module. However, such optics may involve very exacting manufacturing and assembly tolerances. For example, a freeform lens may be used to tilt light in this way, but may have such a steep slope (potentially close to 90 degrees) that even extremely minor errors in placement of the light source may result in a significantly differently tilted light beam than intended. This may cause a large number of costly and inefficient assembly errors that result in unusable modules. 
     By way of another example, the light source may be mounted at a tilt within an electronic device using a complex system of multiple different structural components. Each of these multiple different structural components may be variously coupled to each other, the electronic device, and the light source. Though light tilt may be accomplished in this manner, the assembly of such a composite structure may be challenging and problematic, particularly at small sizes. This may result in this technique being expensive, inefficient, and error prone. This approach may also cause a large number of costly and inefficient assembly errors that result in unusable modules. 
     The following disclosure relates to beam-tilting light source enclosures. An enclosure may be coupled to a substrate that includes a light emitter connected thereto. The enclosure may have a geometry such that the enclosure has a first surface configured to couple substantially flat to the substrate and a second surface tilted with respect to the first surface and configured to substantially couple flat to a component of an electronic device through which the light is to project. The enclosure may be optically transmissive (e.g., optically transmissive to at least one wavelength of light) and cover the light source when coupled to the substrate. The enclosure may also be reflective or absorptive for wavelengths other than the wavelength of the light source. In this way, an optical module may be assembled and used in the electronic device by coupling the first surface to the substrate and coupling the second surface to the component. This may accomplish light tilting with substantially reduced assembly errors due to the reduced slope of the lens in a significantly less complex and more cost-efficient fashion than other approaches. 
     In some embodiments, an optical module may include a unitary optically transmissive enclosure coupled to a substrate over a light emitter on the substrate. The unitary optically transmissive enclosure may include an optical surface that is oriented transverse to the substrate. Light emitted from the light emitter travels through the optical surface at a transverse angle with respect to the optical surface. 
     In various embodiments, an optically transmissive enclosure may be molded to a substrate around a light emitter on the substrate. The optically transmissive enclosure may include a convex or concave exterior surface that functions as a lens and a coupling surface that is adjacent to the convex or concave exterior surface and is oriented transverse to the substrate. Light emitted from the light emitter is shaped as the light travels through the convex or concave exterior surface at a transverse angle with respect to the coupling surface. 
     In some embodiments, an electronic device includes a cover glass and an optical module coupled to the cover glass. The optical module includes an optically transmissive enclosure coupled to a substrate over a light emitter. The optical module includes a lens on or defined by an interior surface that shapes (or focuses, collimates, and/or any other shaping) light emitted from the light emitter. The optical module also includes an optical surface through which the light from the light emitter travels that is opposite the lens and positioned parallel to the cover glass and transverse to the substrate. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS.  1 A- 11   . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these Figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
       FIG.  1 A  depicts a first example electronic device  100  that includes an optical module having a beam-tilting enclosure. The electronic device  100  includes a cover  101 , such as a cover glass, and a housing  102 .  FIG.  1 B  depicts an example cross-sectional view of the electronic device  100  of  FIG.  1 A , taken along line A-A of  FIG.  1 A , illustrating a first example optical module  103 . 
     The optical module  103  includes a substrate  106  and a light emitter  107  or other light source coupled to the substrate  106 . The optical module  103  also includes an optically transmissive (e.g., optically transmissive to at least one wavelength of light) enclosure  112  that can be transmissive or opaque to wavelengths outside the wavelength range of the light emitter  107  and coupled to the substrate  106  over the light emitter  107 . 
     The optically transmissive enclosure  112  includes an optical surface  120  coupled to an interior surface  109  of the cover  101 . The optical surface  120  is positioned parallel to the cover  101  and transverse to the substrate  106 . The optically transmissive enclosure  112  also includes an interior surface  111  opposite the optical surface  120  and handling surfaces  104 ,  105  that are adjacent the optical surface  120  and the substrate  106 . In this example, the handling surfaces  104 ,  105  are flat handling surfaces that are oriented transverse to the optical surface  120  and the substrate  106 . 
     Light from the light emitter  107  travels through the optically transmissive enclosure  112  from the interior surface  111  through the optical surface  120  while having a tilted axis. The light that travels through the optical surface  120  then travels through the cover  101  with a tilted axis. 
     In  FIG.  1 B , the effects of refraction have been omitted for the purposes of simplicity. In other words, ray angles are not shown to change while light is going into one material from another. In various implementations, ray angles may change while light is going into one material to another due to diffraction without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  2    depicts a second example optical module  203 . Similar to the optical module  103  of  FIG.  1 B , the optical module  203  includes an optically transmissive enclosure  212  coupled to a substrate  206  (such as via an adhesive  217  that connects a coupling surface  221  of the optically transmissive enclosure  212  to the substrate  206 ) over a light emitter  207 . Likewise, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  includes an optical surface  220  that is transverse to the substrate  206  and is coupled to an interior surface  209  of a cover  201  (such as a cover glass), such as via an adhesive  218 . 
     Contrasted with the optical module  103  of  FIG.  1 B , the optical module  203  includes a lens  213 . In this example, the lens  213  shapes light  208  from the light emitter  207  as the light  208  travels at a tilt through the lens  213  and the optically transmissive enclosure  212  from the interior surface  211  to the optical surface  220  and through the cover  201  from an interior surface  209  to a point  214  on an exterior surface  210 . 
     In this example, the lens  213  (and other lenses discussed below) is shown to be a refractive lens. However, in various implementations, other kinds of lenses may be used. For example, in other examples, the lens  213  (and other lenses discussed below) may be a diffractive lens (such as a Fresnel lens, a grating-based lens, and so on), a gradient refractive index lens, a lens based on sub-wavelength elements, and so on without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       230  illustrate s transverse angle between the tilted axis of the light  208  and the exterior surface  210  of the cover  201 . By extension, as the optical surface  220  is positioned parallel to the interior surface  209  and the exterior surface  210  of the cover  201 ,  230  also corresponds to the transverse angles between the tilted axis of the light  208  and the optical surface  220 . 
     Thus, the light  208  may be tilted with substantially reduced assembly errors in a significantly less complex and more cost-effective fashion than other approaches. Similarly, the optical module  203  may be assembled and coupled to the cover  201  with substantially reduced assembly errors in a significantly less complex and more cost-effective fashion than other approaches. 
     Similar to the optical module  103  of  FIG.  1 B , the optical module  203  includes handling surfaces  204 ,  205 , which are shown as flat handling surfaces. The parallel orientation of the handling surfaces  204 ,  205  may allow machines or humans to handle the optical module  203  (such as during assembly of the optical module  203 , transport of the optical module  203 , coupling of the optical module  203  to the cover  201 , and so on) from the sides in the illustrated orientation despite the irregular geometry. 
     Further, as contrasted with the optical module  103  of  FIG.  1 B , the optical module  203  includes an additional handling surface  216 . The handling surface  216  is substantially flat and substantially parallel to the substrate  206 . The parallel orientation of the handling surface  216  and the substrate  206  may allow machines or humans to handle the optical module  203  from an axis aligned with the handling surface  216  and the substrate  206  despite the irregular geometry. This provides additional flexibility in handling the optical module  203  (such as during assembly of the optical module  203 , transport of the optical module  203 , coupling of the optical module  203  to the cover  201 , and so on) over the optical module  103  of  FIG.  1 B . 
     One or more alignment mechanisms  219  may be coupled to and/or in contact with the cover  201 . Such an alignment mechanism  219  may aid a machine or human in coupling the optical module  203  to the cover  201 . 
     For example, the alignment mechanism  219  may be an alignment ring coupled to the cover  201 . The alignment ring may define an area. The area defined by the alignment ring may guide a machine or human when placing the optical module  203  to the cover  201 . As such, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be at least partially positioned in the area defined by the alignment ring. In some implementations, the alignment mechanism  219  may be removed after the optical module  203  is coupled to the cover  201 . 
     In this example, the lens  213  is defined by the interior surface  211  of the optically transmissive enclosure  212 . Thus, the lens  213  is a shaped surface of the optically transmissive enclosure  212 . However, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, the lens may be a separate component coupled to the optically transmissive enclosure  212 . 
     In this example, the lens  213  does not bend the light  208  as the light  208  travels through the lens  213 . However, in other examples, the lens  213  may be tilted with respect to the substrate  206  or otherwise configured to bend or deflect the light  208 . Alternatively, other components may be used to bend or deflect the light  208 . Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In some examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be a unitary structure. This may reduce complexity in optical module  203  assembly over multiple piece structures. In other examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be a composite structure. 
     In various examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be formed of a material that is optically transmissive (e.g., optically transmissive to at least one wavelength of light). In other words, the material may be transparent, translucent, or otherwise allow light to pass through. Such a material may be glass, polymer, and/or various other optically transmissive substances. 
     Although optically transmissive enclosure  212  is illustrated and described as being entirely optically transmissive, it is understood that this is an example. In some implementations, one or more portions of the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may not be optically transmissive. For example, the portions may be coated with a substance that is not optically transmissive. By way of another example, the portions may be doped with and/or otherwise contain particles that are not optically transmissive. In still other examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be a composite structure of optically transmissive and non-optically transmissive components where the portions correspond to the non-optically transmissive components. Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     For example, in some implementations, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  may be formed of an optically transmissive material with one or more thin-film optical filters coupled thereto. Such thin-film optical filters may selectively transmit some wavelengths of light while blocking others. 
     In some examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  and the substrate  206  may form a sealed cavity around the light emitter  207 . This may prevent dust, moisture, or other contaminants from damaging the light emitter  207  and/or obstructing the light  208 . In other examples, the optically transmissive enclosure  212  and the substrate  206  may form a cavity with one or more openings around the light emitter  207 . In such an example, other techniques may be used to compensate the light  208  for dust, moisture, or other contaminants. 
     The substrate  206  may include circuitry and/or conductive pathways. The substrate  206  may be formed of a ceramic, printed circuit board, flexible circuit, and so on. 
     The light emitter  207  may be electrically coupled to one or more conductive pads or traces on the substrate  206  via one or more wire bonds  215  and/or another electrical connection mechanism. The substrate  206  may be electrically connected to one or more other components, such as one or more interconnected processing units, input/output components, communication components, non-transitory storage media (which may take the form of, but is not limited to, a magnetic storage medium; optical storage medium; magneto-optical storage medium; read only memory; random access memory; erasable programmable memory; flash memory; and so on), and so on. For example, the substrate  206  may be electrically connected to one or more such other components via a flexible circuit  222  or other electrical connection mechanism. 
     The optical module  203  may be used for a variety of different purposes. In some implementations, a light emitter  207  that produces a measureable response to the reflection and/or backscatter of its own light  208  onto itself may be used. If such a light emitter  207  is based on a resonant optical cavity and exhibits coherent emission, the light emitter  207  may be mainly sensitive to its own light  208 . For example, the light emitter  207  may be a coherent or partially coherent surface-emitting semiconductor light source (e.g., a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), a vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL), or a light-emitting diode (LED) (e.g., a resonant-cavity LED (RC-LED), a superluminescent LED (SLED), and so on), or the like. In some implementations, the light emitter  207  may also be an incoherent emitter such as an organic LED (OLED), a micro LED (mLED), or the like. The light emitter  207  may transmit the light  208  and efficiently receive reflected and/or backscattered light back if there is an object at the close vicinity of the point  214  on the exterior surface  210  on the cover  201 . Movement of an object in the plane of the exterior surface  210  can then be characterized by determining the frequency of the Doppler shift experienced by the backscattered light  208 . The information enabling the calculation of the Doppler shift may be obtained using one or more signals from the light emitter  207 . For a light  208  that is not tilted, a Doppler shift does not occur due to the orthogonality of the object motion vector and light propagation direction. IN addition to the object movement, the backscattered light  208  can be used to detect the presence and/or proximity of an object to the exterior surface  210 . 
     However, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, the optical module  203  may be used to tilt the light from the light emitter  207  for other purposes without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Although the optically transmissive enclosure  212  is illustrated and described as having a particular geometry, it is understood that this is an example. Other configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     By way of illustration,  FIG.  3    depicts a third example optical module  303 . Similar to the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2   , the optical module  303  includes a substrate  306  and an optically transmissive enclosure  312  that has an optical surface  320  and handling surfaces  304 ,  305 ,  316 . However, the optical surface  320  and the handling surfaces  304 ,  305 ,  316  are differently sized and are angled differently with respect to each other than the optical surface  220  and handling surfaces  204 ,  205 ,  216  of the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2   . For example, the handling surfaces  304 ,  305  are transverse with respect to the optical surface  320  whereas the handing surfaces  204 ,  205  are substantially perpendicular to the optical surface  220  of the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2   . Further, the optical module  303  includes a separate lens  313  coupled to the optically transmissive enclosure  312 . 
     In another example,  FIG.  4    depicts a fourth example optical module  403 . Similar to the optical module  303  of  FIG.  3   , the optical module  403  has an optically transmissive enclosure  412  coupled to a substrate  406  that has an optical surface  420  and handling surfaces  404 ,  405 ,  416  that are differently sized and are angled differently with respect to each other than the optical surface  220  and handling surfaces  204 ,  205 ,  216  of the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2   . By way of contrast with the optical module  303  of  FIG.  3   , the optical surface  420  of the optical module  403  has a smaller size than the optical surface  320  of the optical module  303  of  FIG.  3   . 
     Likewise, the optical module  503  of  FIG.  5    has an optically transmissive enclosure  512  coupled to a substrate  506  that has an optical surface  520  and handling surfaces  504 ,  505 ,  516  where the optical surface  520  is even smaller than the optical surface  420  of the optical module  403  of  FIG.  4   . Further, the handling surface  516  is substantially larger than the handling surface  416  of the optical module  403  of  FIG.  4   . Moreover, the optical module  503  omits a lens. 
     However, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, a lens may be formed at and/or coupled to and inner portion of the optically transmissive enclosure  512  opposite the optical surface  520  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  6    depicts a sixth example optical module  603 . Similar to the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2   , the optical module  603  includes a substrate  606  and an optically transmissive enclosure  612  that has an optical surface  620  and handling surfaces  604 ,  605 . However, the optically transmissive enclosure  612  has sloped (such as chamfered, beveled, and so on) edges adjacent to the optical surface  620  and the handling surfaces  604 ,  605 . These sloped edges mate with sloped edges of an alignment mechanism  619  as compared to the gap defined between the optically transmissive enclosure  212  and the alignment mechanism  219  of  FIG.  2   . Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In this example, the optically transmissive enclosure  612  defines a lens  613 . In some examples, this lens  613  may beam-tilt light passing through the lens  613 . As the axis of the lens  613  may already be tilted to sufficiently beam-tilt the light, the optically transmissive enclosure  612  may be differently shaped in some embodiments so that the substrate  606  is parallel to the cover  601  instead of being tilted with respect to the cover  601  as shown. 
     Further, although  FIG.  2    illustrates a single optical module  203  that transmits light  208  at an angle with respect to the cover  201 , it is understood that this is an example. Other configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     By way of a first example,  FIG.  7    depicts an example assembly including multiple different optical modules  703   a - 703   c  coupled to a cover  701 , such as a cover glass. Each of the optical modules  703   a - 703   c  include optically transmissive enclosures  712   a - 712   c  that have different geometries. Each of the optical modules  703   a - 703   c  may respectively transmit light  708   a - 708   c  having axes at different angles with respect to the cover  701 . 
     As shown, the optical module  703   b  may transmit light  708   b  through the cover  701  without a tilt. In an implementation where the optical module  703   b  was used to detect the movement of the object across the cover  701 , a detection technique based on determining the Doppler frequency shift of the reflected and/or backscattered light  708   b  may not be used as the orthogonality of the movement and light  708   b  propagation directions may prevent a Doppler shift from occurring. However, the optical module  703   b  may still be used to detect the contact and/or proximity of an object to the cover  701 . Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In still other examples, an optical module may include multiple light emitters. In such an example, a lens (such as a lens that is concave with respect to the light emitters) may be defined or disposed over multiple of the light sources. This may allow light from each of the light emitters to travel at different angles. Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Additionally, although the optical module  203  of  FIG.  2    is illustrated and described above as transmitting light  208  through the same surface of the optically transmissive enclosure  212  that is coupled to the cover  201 , it is understood that this is an example. Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     For example,  FIG.  8    depicts a seventh example optical module  803 . The optical module  803  includes an optically transmissive enclosure  812  molded to a substrate  806  over a light emitter  807 . The optically transmissive enclosure  812  may be formed of an optically transmissive material, such as a polymer, that is overmolded over the substrate  806  and light emitter  807 . The optically transmissive enclosure  812  and substrate  806  may completely and/or substantially completely surround the light emitter  807  such that the optically transmissive enclosure  812  at least partially encapsulates the light emitter  807 . 
     The optically transmissive enclosure  812  may include a curved exterior surface  840  and a coupling surface  820  adjacent to the curved exterior surface. The curved exterior surface  840  may function as a lens to shape light  808  from the light emitter  807 . For example, the light  808  emitted from the light emitter  807  may be shaped by the curved exterior surface  840  as the light  808  travels through the curved exterior surface  840  at a transverse angle with respect to a coupling surface  820 . 
     The optically transmissive enclosure  812  may also include a coupling surface  820  that is adjacent the interior surface  809  of the cover  801  (which may be a cover glass). The coupling surface  820  may not be an optical surface as the light  808  passes through the curved exterior surface  840  instead of the coupling surface  820 . As such, the curved exterior surface  840  may be the optical surface in this example. 
     The curved exterior surface  840  may be convex with respect to the cover  801  (and/or the substrate  806 ) and define a gap  841  between the curved exterior surface  840  and an interior surface  809  of the cover  801 . In some implementations, this gap  841  may be filled with a gas, such as air. 
     In other implementations, the gap  841  may be filled by another substance. In some examples of such other implementations, the substance may be one that has a refractive index that is the same or substantially the same as the gas, the optically transmissive enclosure  812 , and/or the cover  801  to prevent differences in the refractive index from bending the light  808 . 
     In various implementations, the gap  841  may be configured to bend or deflect the light  808  as the light  808  travels through the curved exterior surface  840 . For example, the gap  841  may be filled with a substance having a substantially different refractive index than the optically transmissive enclosure  812 , and/or the cover  801 . 
     The optically transmissive enclosure  812  may further include handling surfaces  804 ,  805 ,  816 . The handling surface  816  may be a planar surface that is parallel to the substrate  806  and adjacent to the curved exterior surface  840 . 
     Although the optical module  803  is illustrated and described as having an optically transmissive enclosure  812  that includes the curved exterior surface  840 , it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, the curved exterior surface  840  may be omitted. In some examples of such implementations, a lens may be coupled to the optically transmissive enclosure  812  in place of the curved exterior surface  840 . 
     The optical modules  103 - 803  of  FIGS.  1 B- 8    are illustrated and described as used as part of a system that transmits and receives reflected and/or backscattered light to detect touch of an object on, proximity of an object to, and/or movement of an object across a cover. However, it is understood that these are examples. In other implementations, one or more optical modules may be used to implement a proximity detector, flood light emitter, and/or structured light projector used in facial recognition. 
     For example,  FIG.  9    depicts an eighth example optical module  903  coupled to an exterior glass component  901 . The optical module  903  includes an enclosure  912  coupled to a substrate  906 . A diffuser  953  may be coupled to the enclosure  912  over a flood emitter  907  that is coupled to the substrate  906 . Further, a filter glass  952  may be coupled to the enclosure  912  over a transmitter and receiver  951  that is part of a proximity sensor. The enclosure  912  may couple the substrate  906  to the exterior glass component  901  such that the substrate  906 , the flood emitter  907 , and/or the proximity sensor transmitter and receiver  951  are positioned transverse to the exterior glass component  901 . 
     Although the enclosure  912  is illustrated and described as a connected assembly of components including the diffuser  953  and the filter glass  952 , it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, the enclosure  912  may be a unitary optically transmissive enclosure as discussed above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, such a unitary optically transmissive enclosure may be configured with different regions that function as a diffuser and/or an optical filter. In other examples, a diffuser and/or an optical filter may be coupled to one or more regions of such a unitary optically transmissive enclosure. In still other implementations, a separate unitary optically transmissive enclosure may be coupled to the substrate  906  over each of the flood emitter  907  and/or the proximity sensor transmitter and receiver  951 . Various configurations are possible and contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  10    depicts a flow chart illustrating a first example method  1000  for assembling an optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. This first example method  1000  may assemble one or more of the optical modules  103 - 703  of  FIGS.  1 B- 7   . 
     At  1010 , a light source or other light emitter may be coupled to a substrate. In some implementations, the light source may be a surface-emitting semiconductor light source, such as a VCSEL), a VECSEL, an LED (such as an OLED, a RC-LED, a mLED, a SLED, and so on), or the like. At  1020 , an enclosure is coupled to the substrate over the light source. The enclosure may be optically transmissive. The enclosure may be a unitary structure. The enclosure may define an optical surface transverse to the substrate through which the light source is configured to project. At  1030 , the optical surface of the enclosure is coupled to a cover (such as a cover glass) or other external component of the electronic device. 
     Although the example method  1000  is illustrated and described as including particular operations performed in a particular order, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, various orders of the same, similar, and/or different operations may be performed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     For example, the method  1000  is illustrated and described as both assembling the optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. However, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, one or more of  1010  and  1020  or  1030  may be omitted and the method  1000  used to either assemble the optical module or include the optical module in an electronic device without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Various configurations are possible and contemplated. 
       FIG.  11    depicts a flow chart illustrating a second example method  1100  for assembling an optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. This second example method  1100  may assemble the optical module  803  of  FIG.  8   . 
     At  1110 , a light source or other light emitter may be coupled to a substrate. At  1020 , an enclosure is molded to the substrate over the light source. The enclosure may be molded to the substrate as part of an overmolding process. The enclosure may be optically transmissive. The enclosure may be a unitary structure. The enclosure may define a coupling surface. The enclosure may define a convex or concave surface operable to function as a lens. The enclosure may be molded to the substrate over the light source such that the light source is configured to emit light through the convex or concave surface. At  1130 , the coupling surface of the enclosure is connected to a cover (such as a cover glass) or other external component of the electronic device. 
     Although the example method  1100  is illustrated and described as including particular operations performed in a particular order, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, various orders of the same, similar, and/or different operations may be performed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     For example, the method  1100  is illustrated and described as both assembling the optical module and including the optical module in an electronic device. However, it is understood that this is an example. In various implementations, one or more of  1110  and  1120  or  1130  may be omitted and the method  1100  used to either assemble the optical module or include the optical module in an electronic device without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Various configurations are possible and contemplated. 
     As described above and illustrated in the accompanying figures, the present disclosure relates to beam-tilting light source enclosures. An enclosure may be coupled to a substrate that includes a light emitter coupled thereto. The enclosure may have a geometry such that the enclosure has a first surface configured to couple substantially flat to the substrate and a second surface tilted with respect to the first surface and configured to substantially couple flat to a component of an electronic device through which the light is to project. The enclosure may be optically transmissive and cover the light source when coupled to the substrate. In this way, an optical module may be assembled and used in the electronic device by coupling the first surface to the substrate and coupling the second surface to the component. This may accomplish light tilting with substantially reduced assembly errors in a significantly less complex and more cost-efficient fashion than other approaches. 
     In the present disclosure, the methods disclosed may be implemented as sets of instructions or software readable by a device. Further, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed are examples of sample approaches. In other embodiments, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged while remaining within the disclosed subject matter. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. 
     The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20230516
Publication Date: 20241001
Grant Date: 20241001
Priority Date: 20180925
Inventors: MCCORD, MICHAEL K.
Mutlu, Mehmet
LINDERMAN, RYAN J.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G01S7/4813", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/481", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V3/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V5/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V17/101", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01V8/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01V8/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/4813", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01S7/481", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V17/101", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V5/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V3/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01V8/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 69884586