Ams introduces ambient light sensors for edge-to-edge smartphone displays

     Ams announced the TSL2520 and TSL2521 ambient light sensors, which fit into a small bezel or gap to allow the smartphone's screen to extend from the edge of the case to the other end without holes. By using the TSL2520/21 to maximize the viewable screen area, smartphone manufacturers can provide the best user experience while enabling efficient camera image correction.

     The ams TSL2520 is an ambient light sensor (ALS) that features four photodiodes for visible light sensing and two infrared photodiodes, a combination that inhibits IR interference and can measure ambient light intensity (lux) very accurately. The photodiode is placed at the end of the sensor's 2mm x 1mm x 0.5mm package (the smallest package on the market), which means that the device can be placed in the gap between the display and the phone housing to maximize the screen size - body ratio.

     The TSL2521 offers the same ALS functionality and the same mechanical specifications as the TSL2520, but also features flicker detection. The TSL2521 senses flashes in artificial light sources such as leds with frequencies up to 7kHz, providing an image correction input to the phone's camera. This allows the camera to eliminate streaks and other flickering artifacts that distort captured images and videos.

     The sensor's accuracy and high sensitivity measure ambient light levels as low as 1mlux, support responsive display brightness management, and help improve camera image quality.

     Jian Liu, Director of Strategic Initiatives for ams' Integrated Optical Sensor Business Line, said: "ams offers the industry's broadest portfolio of optical sensors for display management and camera management in mobile phones. "This latest offering offers discrete ambient light and flicker sensing capabilities that further expand the range of options available to phone manufacturers, enabling them to further push the boundaries of smartphone screen share and display management performance."