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US5136150A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image sensor having light guides for communication with image plane

Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1990-12-26
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Granted: 1992-08-04
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Expires: 2010-12-26
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is an image sensor including a circuit board, an array of light emitting elements for emitting light to an image plane, an array of light receiving elements for receiving image information transmitted by reflected light from the image plane, and plural pairs of light wave guides interposed between the light emitting elements and the image plane and between the image plane and the light receiving elements. Both the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements are mounted on the same surface of the circuit board.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tetsuo Fukushima
  • 👤 Kenichiro Suetsugu
  • 👤 Tokuhito Hamane
  • 👤 Junji Ikeda
  • 👤 Yukio Maeda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 13:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/024; H04N1/028; H04N1/02815; H04N1/0282; H04N1/02835; H04N1/03; H04N1/031; H04N1/0311; H04N1/0312; H04N1/0314

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
An image sensor comprising: a circuit board; at least one light emitting element, mounted on one surface of said circuit board, for emitting light to an image plane; at least one light receiving element, mounted on said surface of said circuit board, for receiving image information transmitted by reflected light form the image plane; a first light wave guide means interposed between said light emitting element and said image plane; and a second light wave guide means interposed between said light receiving element and a position at said image plane where it will pick up light form said first light wave guide means which is reflected at the image plane, said first light wave guide means having a light wave guiding path which is enlarged in cross section from said light emitting element towards said image plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
An image sensor comprising: a circuit board; at least one light emitting element, mounted on one surface of said circuit board, for emitting light to an image plane; at least one light receiving element, mounted on said surface of said circuit board, for receiving image information transmitted by reflected light form the image plane; a first light wave guide means interposed between said light emitting element and said image plane; and a second light wave guide means interposed between said light receiving element and a position at said image plane where it will pick up light form said first light wave guide means which is reflected at the image plane, said first light wave guide means having a light wave guiding path which is enlarged in cross section from said light emitting element towards said image plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 59 words
The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein said first light wave guide means comprises a plurality of light wave guide members positioned in a line and wherein the light wave guide members at the ends of the line have respective ends greater in size than those of the light wave guide members in the middle of the line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein said first light wave guide means and said second light wave guide means are inclined in opposite directions with respect to said image plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein said first and second light wave guide means are positioned substantially in the form of a figure "V" with the apex adjacent the image plane.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4317137A Cited
US4257071A Cited
US4671612A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-08-04 1996-02-03 1996-08-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-08-04 2000-02-03 2000-08-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-08-04 2004-02-03 2004-08-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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