CAMERA ASSEMBLY WITH FILTER PROVIDING DIFFERENT EFFECTIVE ENTRANCE PUPIL SIZES BASED ON LIGHT TYPE
A camera assembly includes a lens barrel assembly comprising at least one optical element arranged about an optical axis. The camera assembly further includes a filter substantially coaxial with the optical axis. The filter presenting a first aperture having a first width for transmission of infrared light and a second aperture having a second width for transmission of visible light, the second width less than the first width. The second aperture may be defined by a center region of the filter that is transparent to visible light and infrared light, and the first aperture may be defined by the center region and a perimeter region substantially surrounding the center region, the perimeter region transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.
1 . A camera filter comprising:
a center region transparent to visible light and infrared light; and
a perimeter region substantially surrounding the center region, the perimeter region transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.
2 . The camera filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a planar member defining the center region and the perimeter region; and
wherein the center region is a through-hole in the planar member.
3 . The camera filter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate defining the center region and the perimeter region, the substrate being transparent to visible light and infrared light; and
a material disposed in the perimeter region and substantially absent from the center region, the material transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.
4 . The camera filter of claim 3 , wherein the material is disposed at a surface of the substrate.
5 . The camera filter of claim 3 , wherein the material is embedded within the substrate.
6 . A camera assembly comprising the camera filter of claim 1 .
7 . A portable electronic device comprising the camera assembly of claim 6 .
8 . A camera assembly comprising:
a lens barrel assembly comprising at least one optical element arranged about an optical axis; and
a filter substantially coaxial with the optical axis, the filter presenting a first aperture having a first width for transmission of infrared light and a second aperture having a second width for transmission of visible light, the second width less than the first width.
9 . The camera assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the filter comprises a planar member substantially perpendicular to the optical axis, the planar member comprising:
a center region substantially coaxial with the optical axis, the center region being transparent to both visible light and infrared light; and
a perimeter region surrounding the center region, the perimeter region being transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.
10 . The camera assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the planar member is composed of a material opaque to visible light and transparent to infrared light; and
the center region is a void in the material of the planar member.
11 . The camera assembly of claim 10 , wherein the material is composed of at least one of: germanium (Ge), silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and infrared plastic.
12 . The camera assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the planar member comprises:
a substrate transparent to both visible light and infrared light; and
material disposed at the substrate in a region defining the perimeter region, wherein the material is transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light; and
wherein the region of the substrate defining the center region is substantially devoid of the material.
13 . The camera assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the lens barrel assembly comprises an aperture substantially coaxial with the optical axis; and
the filter is disposed at the aperture.
14 . The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the aperture is at a distal surface of the lens barrel assembly.
15 . The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the aperture is internal to the lens barrel assembly.
16 . The camera assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
an imaging sensor disposed at one end of the lens barrel assembly and substantially coaxial with the optical axis.
17 . The camera assembly of claim 16 , wherein the imaging sensor comprises:
a set of pixel sensors to capture visible light; and
a set of pixel sensors to capture infrared light.
18 . The camera assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:
a dual band pass filter disposed between the at least one optical element and the imaging sensor.
19 . A portable electronic device comprising the camera assembly of claim 8 .
20 . An electronic device comprising:
a structured light projector to project infrared light; and
a camera assembly to capture infrared light and visible light incident on an aperture of the camera assembly, the camera assembly comprising:
a filter arranged substantially coaxial with the aperture, the filter to provide an entrance pupil having a first effective width for infrared light and an entrance pupil having a second effective width for visible light, the second effective width less than the first effective width; and
an imaging sensor to capture imagery based on the infrared light and visible light transmitted through the filter.
21 . The electronic device of claim 20 , wherein the filter comprises:
a center region transparent to visible light and infrared light; and
a perimeter region substantially surrounding the center region and transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.
22 . The electronic device of claim 21 , wherein:
the perimeter region comprises material transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light; and
the center region is devoid of the material.