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Apple wins a Patent relating to their Face ID Camera positioned under an iPhone Display making it Invisible to the user

1 cover Camera under display patent FEB 28  2023

Earlier this morning Patently Apple posted a supply chain report claiming that Apple's first iPhone with an under display Face ID camera was likely to surface in the 2025-2026 timeline. Coincidentally, Apple was granted yet another patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office regarding this next-gen feature that could do away with their Dynamic Island on a number of iPhone models.

Apple notes that in various implementations of this invention, an apparatus includes a display having a front surface and a back surface. The display includes a plurality of pixel regions that emit light from the front surface to display a displayed image and a plurality of apertures that transmit light from the front surface to the back surface. The apparatus includes a camera disposed on a side of the back surface of the display. The camera is configured to capture a captured image. The apparatus includes a processor coupled to the display and the camera.

The processor is configured to receive the captured image and apply a first digital filter to a first portion of the captured image and a second digital filter, different than the first digital filter, to a second portion of the captured image to reduce image distortion caused by the display.

In various implementations, a method includes receiving, from a camera disposed on a side of a back surface of a display that emits light from a front surface of the display, a captured image. The method includes applying a first digital filter to a first portion of the captured image and applying a second digital filter, different than the first digital filter, to a second portion of the captured image to reduce image distortion caused by the display.

In various implementations, a method includes receiving, from a camera disposed on a side of a back surface of a display that emits light from a front surface of the display, a captured image. The captured image corresponds to light that has passed through the display and restoration optics configured to reduce image distortion caused by the display. The method includes applying a digital filter to at least a portion of the captured image to further reduce image distortion caused by the display.

In various implementations, an apparatus includes a display having a front surface and a back surface. The display includes a plurality of pixel regions that emit light from the front surface to display a displayed image and a plurality of apertures that transmit light from the front surface to the back surface, wherein the plurality of apertures are apodized. The apparatus includes a camera disposed on a side of the back surface of the display. The camera is configured to capture a captured image. The apparatus includes a processor coupled to the display and the camera. The processor is configured to apply a digital filter to the captured image to reduce image distortion caused by the display.

Apple's patent FIG. 3 below is front view of an electronic device including a uniform bezel with a camera under the display that's not visible to the user; FIG. 4 illustrates an example operating environment; FIG. 12 illustrates a functional block diagram of a device including restoration optics configured to reduce image distortion caused by a display; and 16B illustrates apodized apertures in the display.

2 Apple patent FACE ID under display  FEB 28  2023

Below are a Few Technical Points highlighted in Apple's Patent Claims:

  • An apparatus comprising: a display having a front surface and a back surface, the display including a plurality of pixel regions that emit light from the front surface of the display to display a displayed image and a plurality of apertures that transmit light from the front surface to the back surface; a camera disposed on a side of the back surface of the display, the camera configured to capture a captured image; restoration optics disposed between the display and the camera, the restoration optics configured to reduce image distortion caused by the display; and a processor coupled to the display and the camera, the processor configured to apply a digital filter to at least a portion of the captured image to further reduce the image distortion caused by the display.
  • The restoration optics amplifies spatial frequencies corresponding to valleys in a point spread function of the display; it also reduces spatial peaks in a point spread function of the display; it also includes an optical filter; also includes a phase-shift mask; also includes at least one of a lens or a bandpass filter.
  • The camera includes a lens separate from the restoration optics; it also includes a bandpass filter separate from the restoration optics.
  • A method comprising: receiving, from a camera disposed on a side of a back surface of a display that emits light from a front surface of the display, a captured image, wherein the captured image corresponds to light that has passed through the display and restoration optics configured to reduce image distortion caused by the display; and applying a digital filter to at least a portion of the captured image to further reduce image distortion caused by the display.

 

For more details, review Apple's granted patent US 11592864 B2.

Apple Inventors

  • Kathrin Berkner: Manager of Camera Incubation team
  • Moe (Mohammad) Yeke Yazdandoost: Tech Lead – Lead Sensing Systems Architect
  • Manohar Srikanth: Apple R&D | MIT PhD | System Architect
  • Marduke Yousefpor: Senior Technologist
  • Ting S.: Prototyping Engineer

 

10.52FX - Granted Patent Bar

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