CAMERA MODULE

• US 20080019684A1
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Young Optics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Young Optics, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Chu-Ming, Yang, Sheng-Chieh, Shyu, Jyh-Horng
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/332
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/245 Optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

A camera module includes an image sensor, a first lens, a second lens and a beam splitting and combining component. The beam splitting and combining component is disposed between the first lens, the second lens and the image sensor. The first lens is suitable for imaging a first light beam of a first object onto the image sensor, while the second lens is suitable for imaging a second light beam of a second object onto the image sensor. In addition, both the first light beam and the second light beam are imaging onto the image sensor through the beam splitting and combining component. Therefore, the camera module is able to provide a two-way image-capturing function.

Claims

1. A camera module, comprising:

an image sensor;

a first lens, suitable for imaging a first light beam of a first object onto the image sensor;

a second lens, suitable for imaging a second light beam of a second object onto the image sensor; and

a beam splitting and combining component, disposed between the first lens, the second lens and the image sensor, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam are imaging onto the image sensor through the beam splitting and combining component.

2. The camera module as recited in claim 1, wherein the beam splitting and combining component comprises a total internal reflection prism having a total reflection surface, wherein the first lens and the second lens thereof are located at two adjacent side surfaces of the total internal reflection prism, the first light beam is suitable for passing through the total reflection surface to image onto the image sensor and the second light beam is suitable for being reflected by the total reflection surface to image onto the image sensor.

3. The camera module as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a first light shield, suitable for being shifted into or off between the beam splitting and combining component and the first object; and

a second light shield, suitable for being shifted into or off between the beam splitting and combining component and the second object.

4. The camera module as recited in claim 2, further comprising a first polarizing plate disposed between the first object and the beam splitting and combining component and a second polarizing plate disposed between the second object and the beam splitting and combining component, wherein the first polarizing plate is suitable to change the phase angle of the first light beam equal to θ

1, while the second polarizing plate is suitable to change the phase angle of the second light beam equal to θ

2 and the image sensor is suitable for simultaneously sensing the light beam with the phase angle θ

1 and the light beam with the phase angle θ

2.

5. The camera module as recited in claim 1, wherein the beam splitting and combining component comprises an X-prism, the X-prism has a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface intersecting each other, the first lens and the second lens are respectively located at two side surfaces opposite to each other, the first light beam is suitable for being reflected by the first reflection surface and imaging onto the image sensor, while the second light beam is suitable for being reflected by the second reflection surface and imaging onto the image sensor.

6. The camera module as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

a first light shield, suitable for being shifted into or off between the beam splitting and combining component and the first object; and

a second light shield, suitable for being shifted into or off between the beam splitting and combining component and the second object.

7. The camera module as recited in claim 5, further comprising a first polarizing plate disposed between the first object and the beam splitting and combining component and a second polarizing plate disposed between the second object and the beam splitting and combining component, wherein the first polarizing plate is suitable to change the phase angle of the first light beam to θ

1, while the second polarizing plate is suitable to change the phase angle of the second light beam to θ

2 and the image sensor is suitable for simultaneously sensing the light beam with the phase angle θ

1 and the light beam with the phase angle θ

2.

8. The camera module as recited in claim 1, wherein the beam splitting and combining component comprises a reflection mirror and the reflection mirror swings between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position, the reflection mirror reflects the first light beam onto the image sensor, while at the second position, the reflection mirror reflects the second light beam onto the image sensor.

9. The camera module as recited in claim 1, wherein the beam splitting and combining component comprises a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor (CMOS image sensor).

10. The camera module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first lens and the second lens are respectively a wide-angle lens.