Apparatus and method comprising deformable lens element
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an image sensor;
a lens assembly comprising a deformable lens element for focusing an image onto the image sensor, wherein the lens assembly has a first lens setting having a first plane of optical focus and a second lens setting having a second plane of optical focus; and
a trigger for activating a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal can be maintained in an active state;
wherein the apparatus is configured to;
in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, capture in succession a plurality of frames of image data with the image sensor; and
in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, change a lens setting of the lens assembly such that (i) the lens assembly is in the first lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data and (ii) the lens assembly is in the second lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data.
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a deformable lens element can be provided wherein a deformable lens element can be deformed to change an optical property thereof by the impartation of a force to the deformable lens element.
192 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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an image sensor; a lens assembly comprising a deformable lens element for focusing an image onto the image sensor, wherein the lens assembly has a first lens setting having a first plane of optical focus and a second lens setting having a second plane of optical focus; and a trigger for activating a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal can be maintained in an active state; wherein the apparatus is configured to; in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, capture in succession a plurality of frames of image data with the image sensor; and in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, change a lens setting of the lens assembly such that (i) the lens assembly is in the first lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data and (ii) the lens assembly is in the second lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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an image sensor; a lens assembly having a first lens setting having a first plane of optical focus and a second lens setting having a second plane of optical focus, the lens assembly comprising; a focus module, comprising (i) a boundary element, (ii) a focus membrane, and (iii) a focus fluid entrapped between the boundary element and the focus membrane; a deforming element in communication with the focus module for applying a force to the focus membrane to achieve a plane of optical focus; and a lens controller coupled to the deforming element for providing a control signal to the deforming element to vary the force applied to the focus membrane to achieve a lens setting; and a trigger for activating a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal can be maintained in an active state; wherein the apparatus is configured to; in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, capture in succession a plurality of frames of image data with the image sensor; and in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, change a lens setting of the lens assembly such that (i) the lens assembly is in the first lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data and (ii) the lens assembly is in the second lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus, comprising:
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an image sensor; a lens assembly having a first lens setting having a first plane of optical focus and a second lens setting having a second plane of optical focus, the lens assembly comprising; a focus module, comprising (i) a boundary element, (ii) a focus membrane, and (iii) a focus fluid entrapped between the boundary element and the focus membrane; a deforming element in communication with the focus module for applying a force to the focus membrane to achieve a plane of optical focus, wherein the deforming element comprises a plurality of tabs that curl in the direction of the focus membrane to apply the force; and a lens controller coupled to the deforming element for providing a control signal to the deforming element to vary the force applied to the focus membrane to achieve a lens setting; and a trigger for activating a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal can be maintained in an active state; wherein the apparatus is configured to; in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, capture in succession a plurality of frames of image data with the image sensor; and in response to the trigger signal being maintained in the active state, change a lens setting of the lens assembly such that (i) the lens assembly is in the first lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data and (ii) the lens assembly is in the second lens setting for at least one of the plurality of captured frames of image data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification