FLEXIBLE IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS WITH A PLURALITY OF IMAGE FORMING UNITS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20100007714A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Woon-bae, Choi, Min-seog, Lee, Seung-wan
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A flexible image photographing apparatus includes a plurality of image photographing units to photograph a photographing object. A flexible body receives the plurality of image photographing units and may be transformed when a force is applied. A control portion is disposed at the flexible body to control each of the plurality of image photographing units to photograph the photographing object. The control portion stores images of the photographing object and performs various kinds of photography.

Claims

1. A flexible image photographing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of image photographing units formed to photograph an object;

a flexible body to receive the plurality of image photographing units, the flexible body formed to be transformed when a force is applied; and

a control portion disposed at the flexible body, which control portion controls the plurality of image photographing units to photograph the object and stores images of the photographing object.

2. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of image photographing units comprises:

an image sensor to convert light reflected by the object into an electrical signal; and

a lens portion disposed in front of the image sensor, which lens portion comprises at least one lens to allow the light to enter the image sensor.

3. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image sensor of a selected image photographing unit has a resolution higher than the image sensors of other image photographing units.

4. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 2, wherein each image sensor has the same resolution.

5. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image sensors have resolution different from one another.

6. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 2, wherein each image photographing unit comprises:

at least one of an auto focusing function, a mechanical shutter function, and a zooming function.

7. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lens portions have focusing distance and magnification different from one another.

8. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after the force is removed, the flexible body maintains the transformed shape.

9. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after the force is removed, the flexible body restores to an original state.

10. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control portion comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

11. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible body comprises a display unit to display the images photographed by the plurality of image photographing units.

12. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display unit is transformed integrally with the flexible body.

13. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display unit comprises a hard material not transformed integrally with the flexible body and is disposed to rotate with respect to the flexible body,

wherein the flexible body can be transformed after the display unit is separated from a rear surface of the flexible body.

14. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control portion one of:

controls the plurality of image photographing units to photograph the object at the same time, and

divides the plurality of image photographing units into at least two groups of image photographing units and controls the divided groups to photograph the object in a regular sequence.

15. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control portion controls the plurality of image photographing units to perform at least one of a panoramic photography, a three-dimensional photography, and a super-macro photography.

16. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each image photographing unit is disposed at the flexible body and is exchangeable.

17. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a transformation driving portion to transform the flexible body corresponding to a signal from the control portion.

18. The flexible image photographing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the transformation driving portion comprises at least one of:

an electroactive polymer,

a piexoelectric material,

a shape memory alloy, and

a motor driving structure.

19. A method for manufacturing a flexible image photographing apparatus, comprising:

manufacturing a plurality of image photographing units at a wafer level;

attaching a supporting film to top surfaces of the image photographing units;

cutting the plurality of image photographing units manufactured at a wafer level so that the plurality of image photographing units is connected with one another only by the supporting film;

filling a flexible material around each image photographing unit to form a flexible body, exclusive of top and bottom surfaces of the image photographing units;

removing the supporting film; and

attaching a control portion formed of a flexible printed circuit board to a rear surface of the flexible body.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, after the supporting film is removed, forming a blocking layer at a top surface of the flexible body to protect the plurality of image photographing units.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

disposing a flexible rear housing at a rear surface of the control portion.

22. A method for manufacturing a flexible image photographing apparatus, comprising:

manufacturing a plurality of image photographing units in a first process;

preparing a body assembly including a control portion and a flexible body in a second process separate from the first process; and

installing the plurality of image photographing units in the flexible body.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the flexible body comprises:

a plurality of sockets into which the plurality of image photographing units is detachably installed.

24. A photographing apparatus comprising:

a flexible body comprising a flexible transformable material;

image modules arranged in the flexible body, which image modules take photographs of an object of interest, each image module comprising;

a lens disposed proximate a front surface of the flexible body, on which lens light reflected from the object of interest impinges, and

an imaging sensor, which receives the reflected light from a corresponding lens and converts the received light into electrical signals representative of images; and

a control portion comprising a flexible transformable layer coupled to a rear surface of the flexible body and the image sensors, which control portion controls the image modules to take the photographs of the object of interest and stores images of the photographs.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the imaging sensor of each image module has a pre-selected resolution and wherein the image modules arranged in the flexible body detachably.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the lens of each image module has a pre-selected focal length and magnification.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the flexible body comprises a rectangular shape transformable into one of a convex and concave shape in one of a horizontal and vertical direction with respect to a longer dimension of the rectangular shape.