Electronic device with integrated optical navigation module and microlens array therefore

1. A portable device comprising:

a display on which information and/or images are displayed;

a transparent surface;

a lens array forming a corresponding image of an object using light received through the transparent surface;

a light sensor comprising a plurality of pixels to detect the formed image of the object;

a controller to use the detected image to determine a motion of the object relative to the transparent surface, and to navigate a cursor and/or a menu on the display according to the determined motion; and

an aperture array between the lens array and the light sensor which selectively blocks portions of the light to prevent the portions from being received at non-selected pixels, wherein the aperture array comprises at least two sets of apertures, a first set of apertures being located at a first distance away from the light sensor and the second set of apertures being located at a second distance away from the light sensor, the first distance being different from the second distance such that light passes sequentially through the first set of apertures and then the second set of apertures.

2. The portable device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing on which the display and the transparent surface are mounted and having a cavity housing the one or more lenses, the light sensor, and the controller.

3. The portable device of claim 2 , wherein the portable device comprises a handheld device, and the housing is shaped to be held in one hand.

4. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the object is a fingertip, and the detected motion corresponds to a motion of the fingertip relative to the transparent surface.

5. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein each portion of the one or more lenses corresponds to one of the pixels and directs a portion of the image to the one corresponding pixel, and the portable device further comprises an aperture array between the one or more lenses and the light sensor which selectively blocks portions of the light to prevent the portions from being received at non-corresponding pixels while allowing the remaining portions to be received at the corresponding pixels.

6. The portable device of claim 5 , wherein a distance between the transparent surface and the sensor is substantially 1 mm.

7. The portable device of claim 1 , further comprising a light source which emits a light at the object which is used by the light sensor to detect the formed image of the object.

8. The portable device of claim 7 , wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

9. The portable device of claim 7 , wherein the light source comprises a laser which produces an interference pattern using the object to produce the image of the object.

10. The portable device of claim 1 further comprising a third set of apertures located a third distance away from the light sensor, the third set of apertures being in contact with the light sensor.

11. A portable device for use with a display on which information and/or images are displayed, the portable device comprising:

a wafer;

a light source;

a light guide configured to receive light from the light source and disposed on the wafer in an area not required for receiving images;

a transparent surface;

a microlens array comprising a plurality of lenslets, each lenslet forming a corresponding image of an object using light generated from the light source, output from the light guide, and received through the transparent surface;

a light sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel corresponding uniquely to one of the plurality of lenslets, to detect the formed images of the object; and

a controller to use the detected images to determine a motion of the object relative to the transparent surface, and to output the detected motion to the display for use in navigating a cursor and/or a menu on the display according to the determined motion.

12. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the portable device is external to the display.

13. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is disposed substantially 1 mm from the transparent surface.

14. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the microlens array is directly bonded to the light sensor according to a resist reflow process or injection molding process.

15. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the microlens array further comprises an aperture system which blocks portions of light from non-corresponding lenslets so as to prevent the portions from being received on a same pixel.

16. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein each lenslet forms the corresponding image of the surface on the corresponding pixel at a corresponding offset from a centerline of the lenslet, and an amount of the offset varies as a function of distance from an edge of the light sensor.

17. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein each lenslet has a diameter, the diameter is in a range at or between 5 to 200 microns, and a height of the microlens array is in a range at or between 5 to 500 microns.

18. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein each lenslet corresponds to one of the pixels, and a number of pixels of the light sensor is in a range at or between 50 to 2,000 pixels.

19. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the portable device comprises a telephone having the display.

20. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the light sensor is a circular light sensor having pixels that correspond to concentric lenslets.