Apparatus including a dual camera module and method of using the same

• US 7,619,683 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam; Hung H
• Application Number:
  US10/651,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 348/374, 348/222.1, 348/211.1
• US Class Current: 348/374
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• 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 23/55 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 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An apparatus such as a wireless telephone and methods of using the apparatus are disclosed, the apparatus having a dual camera module. The dual camera module includes a flex interconnect on which a first image module and a second image module are attached, each image module adapted to capture images. The two image modules can be placed such that images can be captured in different directions; at different resolutions; at different times; independently or simultaneously; generating independent or composite data streams.

Claims

1. A dual camera module comprising:

a substrate having circuitry thereon for receiving image data;

a first image module for capturing first image data of a first orientation of a first scene, and including a first output for transmitting the first image data to the circuitry on the substrate;

a second image module for capturing second image data of a second orientation of the first scene, different from the first orientation of the first scene, or a different scene, and including a second output for transmitting the second image data to the circuitry on the substrate; and

a flex interconnect having a common data line that is shared by the first and second image modules, the common data line being configured to electrically connect the first and second outputs to the circuitry on the substrate,

wherein, at the first image module, portions of the first image data are selectively blocked, based on a window-of-disinterest indicating the portions of the first image that are not to be transmitted on the common data line from the first image module, by successively tri-stating a connection between the first image module and the common data line during successive time periods and at the second image module, portions of the second image data are transmitted on the common data line during the successive time periods by successively tri-stating a connection between the second image module and the common data line, the successive time periods synchronizing the first and second image data received by the circuitry on the substrate to generate a picture-in-picture image that includes unblocked portions of the captured first image data and the transmitted portions of the second image data.

2. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, further comprising:

control lines, further data lines and at least one component on the flex interconnect that are shared by the first and second image modules.

3. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein each of the image modules comprises a lens and an imaging sensor.

4. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein each of the image modules comprises a lens and a combination imaging sensor and image processor.

5. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first image module faces a first direction and the second image module faces a second direction such that the first image data represents the first scene and the second image data represents the different scene.

6. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein each of the image modules is uniquely addressable.

7. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second image modules respond to a common or global address.

8. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein said flex interconnect includes an Inter-IC (I2C) bus.

9. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein said flex interconnect includes a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI).

10. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein each of the image modules is programmed to respond to a unique Inter-IC (I2C) address.

11. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein each of the image modules is programmed to respond to a common address.

12. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second image modules are configured to alternate the tri-stating of the connection with the common data line.

13. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first image module captures images at a first resolution and the second image module captures images at a second resolution.

14. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second image module face a common direction such that the first image module captures images from the first orientation of the first scene and the second image module captures images from the second orientation of the first scene.

15. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first image module captures images of a first color range and the second image module captures images of a second color range.

16. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein the first image module has a first focal length and a second image module has a second focal length.

17. The dual camera module recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first and second image modules have a shared, common housing and include first and second imaging arrays, respectively; and

the flex interconnect attaches the shared, common housing to the substrate and electrically connects the first and second imaging arrays to the circuitry of the substrate.

18. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a substrate having circuitry thereon for receiving image data; and

a dual camera module connected to said substrate, said dual camera module adapted to capture images, the dual camera module including

a first image module adapted to capture a first image in a first direction, and including a first output for transmitting the first captured image to the circuitry on the substrate,

a second image module adapted to capture second image in a second direction, and including a second output for transmitting the second captured image to the circuitry on the substrate, and

a common set of data lines that are shared by the first and second image modules, the common set of data lines being configured to electrically connect the first and second outputs to the circuitry on the substrate,

wherein, at the first image module, portions of the first captured image are selectively blocked, based on a window-of-disinterest indicating the portions of the first captured image that are not to be transmitted on the common set of data lines from the first image module, by successively tri-stating a connection between the first image module and the common set of data lines during successive time periods and at the second image module, portions of the second captured image are transmitted on the common set of data lines during the successive time periods by successively tri-stating a connection between the second image module and the common set of data lines, the successive time periods synchronizing the first and second captured images received by the circuitry on the substrate to generate a picture-in-picture image that includes unblocked portions of the first captured image and the transmitted portions of the second captured image.

19. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein each of the image modules comprises a lens and an imaging sensor.

20. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein each of the image modules comprises a lens and a combination sensor and image processor.

21. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein each of the image modules further comprises an imaging filter.

22. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions relative to each other.

23. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein said common set of data lines is included in a flex interconnect that includes an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus.

24. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein said common set of data lines is included in a flex interconnect that includes a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus.

25. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 24, wherein each of the image modules is programmed to respond to a unique slave select signal on the SPI bus.

26. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein each of the image modules is programmed to respond to a unique I2C address.

27. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein the image modules respond to a common address.

28. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a screen for displaying the picture-in-picture image.

29. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a screen coupled to the circuitry on the substrate for displaying the picture-in-picture image which includes the second captured image being selectively tri-stated based on a window-of-interest to generate a picture-in-picture orientation of the first and second captured image for display.

30. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein said first image module has a first focal length and said second image module has a second focal length.

31. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, wherein the first image module captures images of a first resolution and the second image module captures images of a second resolution.

33. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a screen for displaying the picture-in-picture image.

32. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a first image module adapted to capture a first image with a first orientation in a first direction and mounted on said substrate;

a second image module adapted to capture a second image with a second orientation in either the first direction or in a second direction and mounted on said substrate; and

a screen coupled to the substrate and adapted to display the first and second images captured by said first and second image modules,

wherein, at the first image module, portions of the first captured image are selectively blocked, based on a window-of-disinterest indicating the portions of the first captured image that are not to be transmitted on the common data line from the first image module, by successively tri-stating an output thereof during successive time periods and at the second image module, portions of the second captured image are transmitted on the common data line during the successive time periods by successively tri-stating an output thereof, the successive time periods synchronizing the first and second captured images received by circuitry on the substrate to generate a picture-in-picture image that includes unblocked portions of the first captured image and the transmitted portions of the second captured image on the screen.

34. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 32, wherein each of the image modules comprises a lens and an imaging sensor.

35. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 32, wherein each of the image modules is a combination sensor and image processor.

36. The electronic apparatus recited in claim 32, wherein said first image module faces the first direction and said second image module faces the second direction.

37. A method of operating an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus including first and second image modules having first and second outputs, respectively, said method comprising:

capturing first and second scenes, as first and second data streams, using the first image module and the second image module, respectively;

transmitting the first image data stream to circuitry on a substrate via at least one common data line and the first output of the first image module;

transmitting the second image data stream to the circuitry on the substrate via the at least one common data line and the second output of the second image module; and

synchronizing the first and second image data streams received by the circuitry on the substrate by (1) selectively blocking reception of portions of the first image data stream, based on a window-of-disinterest indicating the portions of the first image data stream that are not to be transmitted on the at least one common data line from the first image module such that the first output between the first image module and the at least one common data line is successively tri-stated during successive time periods to transmit by the first output unblocked portions of the first image data stream via the at least one common data line to the circuitry on the substrate, and (2) transmitting portions of the second image data stream on the at least one common data line during the successive time periods by successively tri-stating the second output between the second image module and the at least one common data line to generate a picture-in-picture image data stream that includes the unblocked portions of the first image data stream and the transmitted portions of the second image data stream.

38. The method recited in claim 37 wherein the at least one common data line is included in a shared tri-state bus and the synchronizing of the first and second image data streams includes selectively tri-stating the first and second outputs using the shared tri-state bus to generate the picture-in-picture image data stream.