Auto focus and optical image stabilization in a compact folded camera

• US 10,459,205 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goldenberg, Ephraim, Shabtay, Gal, Avivi, Gal, Dror, Michael, Bachar, Gil, Jerby, Itay, Yedid, Itay
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavarias, Arnel C
• Application Number:
  US16/289,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20190204563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 359554, 359557, 2502011, 2502012, 2502014, 34820899, 3482082, 34820812, 396 52, 396 55
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

Compact folded camera modules having auto-focus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS) capabilities and multi-aperture cameras including such modules. In an embodiment, a folded camera module includes an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path with a first optical axis to a second optical path with a second optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis, an image sensor and a lens module carrying a lens with a symmetry axis parallel to the second optical axis. The lens module can be actuated to move in first and second orthogonal directions in a plane perpendicular to the first optical axis, the movement in the first direction being for auto-focus and the movement in the second direction being for OIS. The OPFE can be actuated to tilt for OIS.

Claims

1. An optical path folding element (OPFE) actuation sub-assembly comprising:

a) a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator for actuating the OPFE to tilt around a virtual hinge axis positioned externally to the OPFE, the VCM actuator including a magnet rigidly coupled to the OPFE and a coil rigidly coupled to a base; and

b) a Hall-bar co-located with the coil and used for measuring a magnetic field in the Hall-bar correlated with an amount of tilt of the OPFE, wherein the Hall-bar measurement has a sensitivity that is increased by an increase in a relative motion between the magnet and the Hall-bar, the increase in the relative motion enabled by the positioning of the virtual hinge axis externally to the OPFE.

2. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the relative motion between the magnet and the Hall-bar is in a tilt range of ±

1°

from a rest position of the OPFE.

3. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hanging structure with a plurality of flexible tilted hanging members that hang the OPFE over the base.

4. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of flexible tilted hanging members includes 4 flexible tilted hanging members.

5. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the tilted hanging members is fixedly mounted to the base at a first member end and attached to the OPFE at a second member end.

6. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the tilted hanging members attached to the OPFE at the second member end is attached through a side panel fixedly coupled to a side of the OPFE.

7. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the OPFE is a prism.

8. The OPFE actuation sub-assembly of claim 3, wherein the hanging structure is designed to prevent the OPFE from tilts or translations other than the tilt around the virtual hinge.

9. A folded camera comprising:

a) an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding an optical path from a first direction to a second direction;

b) a lens;

c) an image sensor; and

d) an actuation sub-assembly comprising;

a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator for actuating the OPFE to tilt around a virtual hinge axis positioned externally to the OPFE for optical image stabilization (OIS), wherein the VCM actuator includes a magnet rigidly coupled to the OPFE and a coil rigidly coupled to a base, and

a Hall-bar co-located with the coil and used for measuring a magnetic field in the Hall-bar correlated with an amount of tilt of the OPFE, wherein the Hall-bar measurement has a sensitivity that is increased by an increase in a relative motion between the magnet and the Hall-bar, the increase in the relative motion enabled by the positioning of the virtual hinge axis externally to the OPFE.

10. The folded camera of claim 9, wherein the relative motion between the magnet and the Hall-bar is in a tilt range of ±

1°

from a rest position of the OPFE.

11. The folded camera of claim 9, further comprising a hanging structure with a plurality of flexible tilted hanging members that hang the OPFE over the base.

12. The folded camera of claim 11, wherein the plurality of flexible tilted hanging members includes 4 flexible tilted hanging members.

13. The folded camera of claim 11, wherein each of the tilted hanging members is fixedly mounted to the base at a first member end and attached to the OPFE at a second member end.

14. The folded camera of claim 13, wherein each of the tilted hanging members attached to the OPFE at the second member end is attached through a side panel fixedly coupled to a side of the OPFE.

15. The folded camera of claim 9, wherein the OPFE is a prism.

16. The folded camera of claim 11, wherein the hanging structure is designed to prevent the OPFE from tilts or translations other than the tilt around the virtual hinge.

17. The folded camera of claim 9, included in a smart-phone.

18. The folded camera of claim 10, included in a smart-phone.

19. The folded camera of claim 11, included in a smart-phone.

20. The folded camera of claim 12, included in a smart-phone.