Cellular camera phone

• US 8,261,992 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Cairns, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/105,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46225, 23547201-47203, 348/208.7
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A cell phone includes: a device for wireless communication; an imager sensor for capturing an image of an object; a lens system for projecting an image of the object onto the imager; a battery for powering the cell phone; a lens system for focusing images of the object onto the imager comprising: a focus element; at least two electrodes associated with the focus element; a control system to adjust the state of focus of the focus element by controlling the at least two electrodes.

Claims

1. A cell phone comprising:

a device for wireless communication;

a photosensor for capturing an image;

a battery for powering the cell phone;

an electrowetting fluid lens for focusing on images using fluids wherein the fluids touch at an interface;

a control system for altering the shape of the interface to adjust an entrance optical axis angle or direction relative to the fluid lens, the control system having;

at least two electrodes;

a controller to generate control signals applied to the electrodes;

a sensor to influence the control signals to compensate for movement of the cell phone;

wherein the electrowetting fluid lens is a polarization independent lens is fabricated using two isotropic materials with different dielectric constants and refractive indices.

2. A cell phone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation sensor;

an angular sensor and an inertial sensor.

3. A cell phone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation rate sensor;

an angular velocity sensor; and

a quartz inertial sensor.

4. A cell phone in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a processing module configured to extract information encoded by an encoded indicium.

5. A cell phone comprising:

a device for wireless communication;

a photosensor for capturing an image;

a battery for powering the cell phone;

an adaptive liquid crystal lens;

a control system for acting on the liquid crystal in the adaptive liquid crystal lens to change the focal length of the adaptive liquid crystal lens;

a sensor to influence the control system to compensate for movement of the cell phone;

wherein the electrowetting fluid lens is a polarization independent lens is fabricated using two isotropic materials with different dielectric constants and refractive indices.

6. A cell phone in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a sensor to influence the control system to compensate for movement of the cell phone wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation sensor;

an angular sensor and an inertial sensor.

7. A cell phone in accordance with claim 5, wherein the sensor control system comprises non-planar electrodes.

8. A cell phone in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a processing module configured to extract information encoded by an encoded indicium.

9. A cell phone comprising:

a device for wireless communication;

a battery for powering the cell phone;

an imager for capturing an image;

a variable lens system for focusing the image onto the imager, the variable lens system having a lens and at least two electrodes;

a control system for altering an entrance optical axis angle or direction relative to the lens

wherein the control system applies control signals to the at least two electrodes;

a sensor to influence the control system to compensate for movement of the cell phone;

wherein the electrowetting fluid lens is a polarization independent lens is fabricated using two isotropic materials with different dielectric constants and refractive indices.

10. A cell phone in accordance with claim 9, wherein the variable lens system comprises an electrowetting fluid element wherein at least two fluids touch at a fluid to fluid interface.

11. A cell phone in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation sensor;

an angular sensor and an inertial sensor.

12. A cell phone in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation rate sensor;

an angular velocity sensor; and

a quartz inertial sensor.

13. A cell phone in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a processing module configured to extract information encoded by an encoded indicium.

14. A cell phone comprising:

a device for wireless communication;

an imager sensor for capturing an image of an object;

a lens system for projecting an image of the object onto the imager;

a battery for powering the cell phone;

a lens system for focusing images of the object onto the imager comprising;

a focus element;

at least two electrodes associated with the focus element;

a control system to adjust the state of focus of the focus element by controlling the at least two electrodes;

wherein the electrowetting fluid lens is a polarization independent lens is fabricated using two isotropic materials with different dielectric constants and refractive indices.

15. A cell phone in accordance with claim 14, wherein the focus element comprises a liquid crystal variable focus lens.

16. A cell phone in accordance with claim 14, wherein the focus element comprises an electrowetting fluid element using at least two fluids touching at a fluid to fluid interface.

17. A cell phone in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a processing module configured to extract information encoded by an encoded indicium.

18. A cell phone in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a sensor to influence the control system to compensate for movement of the cell phone.

19. A cell phone in accordance with claim 18, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a rotation sensor;

an angular sensor and an inertial sensor.

20. A cell phone in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a processing module configured to extract information encoded by an encoded indicium.