Apple wins a patent for a next

Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to light source modules, including, without limitation, next-gen flash light source modules on an iPhone, iPad and MacBooks that includes a laser-pumped phosphor light source.

A light source module, which can include a camera "flash" module can emit light which illuminates a space external to the light source module and can include the camera field of view, thereby illuminating subjects within the camera field of view for images of said subjects captured by the camera. Apple's granted patent focuses on a possible new a laser-pumped phosphor light source.

Apple notes that some patent embodiments provide a mobile device which includes a camera and a light source module embedded in the mobile device. The light source module includes one or more light sources, including at least a laser-pumped phosphor light source. The laser-pumped phosphor light source includes a photoluminescent phosphor and a laser diode to generate laser light within a first wavelength range to pump the photoluminescent phosphor. Exposure of the photoluminescent phosphor to the laser light results in emission of visible light within a second wavelength range according to a laser-pumped emission spectrum associated with the photoluminescent phosphor.

(6) Some embodiments provide a light source module for a camera. The light source module includes a laser-pumped phosphor light source and one or more LED light sources. The laser-pumped phosphor light source includes a photoluminescent phosphor and a laser diode to generate laser light within a first wavelength range to pump the photoluminescent phosphor. Exposure of the photoluminescent phosphor to the laser light results in emission of visible light within a second wavelength range according to a laser-pumped emission spectrum associated with the photoluminescent phosphor. The one or more LED light sources are configured to generate LED light according to respective LED emission spectrums.

Apple's patent FIG. 1A below illustrates an iPhone that includes a camera and an embedded light source module which includes one or more light sources, including at least a laser-pumped phosphor light source; FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a first example design for the laser-pumped phosphor light source of FIG. 1A.

Apple's patent FIG. 2A above illustrates a top view of an example of a design for an array that includes a laser-pumped phosphor light source and multiple LEDs; FIG. 2B illustrates a top view of a light source module corresponding to the array depicted in FIG. 2A, including optics associated with the laser-pumped phosphor light source and optics associated with the multiple LEDs.

Apple's patent claim number seven states: The mobile device's optical element corresponds to one of: a first optical element associated with a first field-of-view (FOV) design for a laser flash module; a second optical element associated with a second FOV design for a laser flash module; a third optical element associated with a FOV visual field indicator (VFI) design for a laser flash module, the FOV VFI design to enable illumination of edges of a corresponding FOV for the camera; or a fourth optical element associated with a spot light design for a laser flash module.

For more details, review Apple's granted patent 11658465.

Apple's Inventors

Posted by Jack Purcher on May 23, 2023 at 05:13 AM in 2. Granted Patents, Apple iPhone, Camera Related | Permalink | Comments (0)