Zoom dual-aperture camera with folded lens

• US 10,571,665 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2018
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shabtay, Gal, Goldenberg, Ephraim, Avivi, Gal, Bachar, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Dagnew, Mekonnen D
• Application Number:
  US16/172,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20190107692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 486 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/02 Telephoto objectives, i.e. systems of the type + - in which the distance from the front vertex to the image plane is less than the equivalent focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/04 Reversed telephoto objectives
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• 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 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• 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 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Zoom digital cameras comprising a Wide sub-camera and a folded fixed Tele sub-camera. The folded Tele sub-camera may be auto-focused by moving either its lens or a reflecting element inserted in an optical path between its lens and a respective image sensor. The folded Tele sub-camera is configured to have a low profile to enable its integration within a portable electronic device.

Claims

1. An auto-focus (AF) mechanism capable of being integrated in a folded Tele sub-camera configured to accommodate for a Tele lens module having a Tele lens module height, wherein the Tele lens has a Tele lens symmetry axis, wherein the AF mechanism is configured to move the Tele lens along the Tele lens symmetry axis and wherein the AF mechanism has a height not exceeding the Tele lens module height and not larger than 6.5 mm.

2. The AF mechanism of claim 1, wherein the Tele lens module height is not larger than 5.7 mm.

3. The AF mechanism of claim 1, wherein a Tele lens module plane facing an object side and a Tele lens module plane facing a substrate side do not touch AF mechanism parts.

4. The AF mechanism of claim 1, wherein the AF mechanism includes a plurality of magnets and associated coils, and wherein a Tele lens module plane facing an object side and a Tele lens module plane facing a substrate side do not have magnets and coils.

5. The AF mechanism of claim 3, wherein the Tele lens module plane facing the object side and the Tele lens module plane facing the substrate side do not have magnets.

6. The AF mechanism of claim 5, wherein the coils are positioned laterally on one or two sides of the Tele lens module that are perpendicular to the Tele lens module plane facing an object side and the Tele lens module plane facing a substrate side.

7. A lens module having an aperture diameter (AD) and a height (H) and carrying a lens, the lens module capable of being integrated in a folded sub-camera module having a camera module height (CMH) together with an image sensor and a reflecting element receiving light along a first optical path from an object side, the lens including a group of N lens elements L₁ to L_N in order from an object side to an image side and having a lens symmetry axis along a second optical path positioned substantially perpendicular to the first optical path, the N lens elements designed to have a diameter substantially not exceeding AD, wherein CMH<

(1.25×

(1 mm+AD)) in millimeters and not larger than 6.5 mm, and wherein an auto-focus (AF) mechanism with an AF mechanism height not exceeding H is configured to move the lens along the lens symmetry axis.

8. The lens module of claim 7, wherein the lens module height is not larger than 5.7 mm.

9. The lens module of claim 7, wherein the image sensor has a sensor size S, fulfilling the condition ⅓

inch≥

S≥

¼

inch.

10. A lens module comprising a lens that includes a group of N lens elements L₁ to L_N in order from an object side to an image side and having a lens symmetry axis, wherein the lens module has an aperture diameter (AD) which is defined by an optical aperture of first lens element L₁ and wherein the lens elements from a second lens element L₂ to L_N are designed to have a diameter substantially not exceeding AD.

11. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the lens is designed for an image sensor with size S fulfilling the condition ⅓

inch≥

S≥

¼

inch.

12. The lens module of claim 10, capable of being integrated together with an image sensor positioned at the image side and with a reflecting element in a digital camera, wherein the reflecting element reflects light arriving from the object side along a first optical path to a second optical path substantially perpendicular to the first optical path towards the image side, thereby providing a folded optical path between the object side and the image sensor, and wherein the lens symmetry axis is along the second optical path.

13. The lens module of claim 10, wherein each lens element has a respective diameter and wherein, from the object side to the image side, the diameter of each lens element L_i, 2≤

i≤

N, is reduced in size relative to the diameter of an immediately previous lens element L_i-1.

14. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the diameter of each lens element does not exceed AD by more than 20%.

15. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the diameter of each lens element does not exceed AD by more than 10%.

16. The lens module of claim 10, wherein L₁ has positive refractive power, wherein L₂ has negative refractive power and wherein a third lens element L₃ has positive refractive power.

17. The lens module of claim 10, wherein a sub-group of three lens elements comprising L₁, L₂ and a third lens element L₃ is characterized by having at least two different Abbe numbers.

18. The lens module of claim 17, wherein the Abbe numbers are respectively greater than 50 for L₁, smaller than 30 for L₂ and greater than 50 for L₃.

19. The lens module of claim 17, wherein the Abbe numbers are respectively greater than 50 for L₁, smaller than 30 for L₂ and smaller than 30 for L₃.

20. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the lens module has an effective focal length (EFL) in the range 11-16 mm.

21. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the lens module has an effective focal length (EFL) in the range 20-30 mm.

22. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the lens module has a F number (F #) in the range 2.4 to 4.

23. The lens module of claim 22, wherein the lens module has a F number (F #) in the range 2.4 to 3.2.

24. The lens module of claim 10, wherein the lens module has an effective focal length EFL and a F number (F #) and wherein AD is approximately equal to EFL/F #.

25. The lens module of claim 24, wherein the lens is designed for an image sensor with a size S fulfilling the condition ⅓

inch≥

S≥

¼

inch.

26. The lens module of claim 24, wherein each lens element has a respective diameter and wherein, from the object side to the image side, the diameter of each lens element L_i, 2≤

i≤

N, is reduced in size relative to the diameter of an immediately previous lens element L_i-1.

27. The lens module of claim 24, wherein the diameter of each lens element does not exceed AD by more than 10%.

28. The lens module of claim 24, wherein L₁ has positive refractive power, wherein L₂ has negative refractive power and wherein a third lens element L₃ has positive refractive power.

29. The lens module of claim 24, wherein a sub-group of three lens elements comprising L₁, L₂ and a third lens element L₃ is characterized by having at least two different Abbe numbers, and wherein the Abbe numbers are respectively greater than 50 for L₁, smaller than 30 for L₂ and greater than 50 for L₃.

30. The lens module of claim 24, wherein a sub-group of three lens elements comprising L₁, L₂ and a third lens element L₃ is characterized by having at least two different Abbe numbers, wherein the Abbe numbers are respectively greater than 50 for L₁, smaller than 30 for L₂ and smaller than 30 for L₃.

31. The lens module of claim 24, wherein EFL in the range 20-30 mm and wherein F # is in the range 2.4 to 4.

32. The lens module of claim 24, wherein EFL in the range 11-16 mm and wherein F # is in the range 2.4 to 3.2.