Combo color and flicker detection sensor fits bezel-less smartphones

Targeting bezel-less and ultra-narrow bezel smartphones, the TCS3410 combined ambient light/RGB color and flicker detection sensor from ams measures 2 x 1 mm with a 0.5-mm height. In addition, the low-profile makes it easy to fit in waterdrop notch designs used in selfie cameras or in the ultra-narrow bezel of a smartphone. This maximizes the screen-to-body ratio for a wider viewable display area.

Ams said it has completely re-engineered the circuit and package to make it easier for smartphone manufacturers to fit the sensor in the bezel area. The increased pixel sensitivity of the combo sensor translates into less die area for the photodiodes with no loss of overall sensitivity compared to the earlier generation of ambient light sensor products.

The photodiodes are located at one end of the package, so that the area which needs to be exposed to ambient light, for instance in the camera aperture, can be as small as 0.28 mm², said ams.

The TCS3410 can offer smoother and more responsive display-brightness management even in the low-light conditions, better white balancing and image color correction, and the elimination of artifacts in camera images and videos caused by high frequency flickering from artificial light sources, said the company.

The TCS3410 features high-sensitivity, low noise red/green/blue (RGB), clear and flicker detection channels, high-accuracy correlated color temperature (CCT), and ambient light measurement down to 1 mlux. The combo sensor also offers an increased adjustable gain up to 4096x, which delivers excellent low light performance for flicker detection and ambient light sensing, said the company.

In addition, the improvements in flicker detection capability have extended the range of flicker frequencies detected up to 7 kHz at up to 11-bit resolution. The combination of improved sensitivity and sampling rate enables a smartphone to detect flicker with much higher frequency at lower light. Other features include a 1.8-V supply, configurable sleep mode, and an I²C interface for communication with a host processor in fast mode at up to 1 Mbits/s.

The company also offers the TMD3719 optical sensor that integrates ambient light sensing, proximity detection, and flicker detection sensing in a single module for operation behind an OLED display screen in a bezel-less smartphone.

The TCS3410 ambient light and flicker detection sensor is available in production volumes. An evaluation board is available on request.