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GB2607837A - A camera assembly - Google Patents

A camera assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2607837A
GB2607837A GB2213133.8A GB202213133A GB2607837A GB 2607837 A GB2607837 A GB 2607837A GB 202213133 A GB202213133 A GB 202213133A GB 2607837 A GB2607837 A GB 2607837A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
reflector
image sensor
housing
camera assembly
optical path
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB2213133.8A
Other versions
GB2607837B (en
GB202213133D0 (en
Inventor
George Webber Dominic
Charles Richards David
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cambridge Mechatronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Cambridge Mechatronics Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cambridge Mechatronics Ltd filed Critical Cambridge Mechatronics Ltd
Publication of GB202213133D0 publication Critical patent/GB202213133D0/en
Publication of GB2607837A publication Critical patent/GB2607837A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2607837B publication Critical patent/GB2607837B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B17/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
    • G03B17/02—Bodies
    • G03B17/17—Bodies with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B13/00—Optical objectives specially designed for the purposes specified below
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B13/00—Optical objectives specially designed for the purposes specified below
    • G02B13/001—Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras
    • G02B13/0055—Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras employing a special optical element
    • G02B13/0065—Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras employing a special optical element having a beam-folding prism or mirror
    • G02B13/007—Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras employing a special optical element having a beam-folding prism or mirror the beam folding prism having at least one curved surface
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B23/00—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices
    • G02B23/02—Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors
    • G02B23/08—Periscopes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
    • G02B27/64—Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image
    • G02B27/646—Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B3/00—Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers
    • G03B3/10—Power-operated focusing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B30/00—Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B5/00—Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H04N23/50—Constructional details
    • H04N23/54—Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H04N23/50—Constructional details
    • H04N23/55—Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B2205/00—Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
    • G03B2205/0053—Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element
    • G03B2205/0076—Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element using shape memory alloys

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
  • Studio Devices (AREA)
  • Lenses (AREA)

Abstract

A camera assembly (100) comprising: a housing (10); a window (12) on a first side of the housing (10); an image sensor (40) extending along the first side (10a) of the housing (10) or along a second side (10b) of the housing (10) opposite the first side, an optical path (2, 4, 6) being defined between the window (12) and the image sensor (40); and a first reflector (20) and a second reflector (30) sequentially positioned along the optical path (2, 4, 6) for forming an image onto the image sensor (40), the first and second reflectors (20, 30) are each configured to deflect the optical path (2, 4, 6); wherein the second reflector (30) is configured to focus the image onto the image sensor (40).

Claims (16)

Claims
1. A camera assembly comprising: a housing; a window on a first side of the housing; an image sensor extending along the first side of the housing or along a second side of the housing opposite the first side, an optical path being defined between the window and the image sensor; a first reflector and a second reflector sequentially positioned along the optical path for forming an image onto the image sensor, the first and second reflectors are each configured to deflect the optical path; wherein the second reflector is configured to enlarge the image that is being formed onto the image sensor, in absence of any optical element provided between the second reflector and the image sensor in the optical path.
2. A camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first reflector and the second reflector are configured to collectively focus the image onto the image sensor.
3. A camera apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or both of the first reflector and the second reflector are configured to have a positive focal length.
4. A camera apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or both of the first reflector and the second reflector comprise a gradient-index (GRIN) prism having a gradient of refractive index across the prism.
5. A camera apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the GRIN prism is formed by one of neutron irradiation, chemical vapour deposition, partial polymerisation and ion exchange.
6. A camera apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or both of the first reflector and the second reflector comprise a convex mirror or a prism having a curvaceous form.
7. A camera apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first reflector and/or the second reflector comprises a reflective coating at a reflective surface.
8. A camera assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first reflector is moveable relative to the housing for effecting one or more of zoom, autofocus (AF) and optical image stabilisation (OIS).
9. A camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first reflector comprises a mirror and/or a prism.
10. A camera apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more optical elements provided along the optical path, the one or more optical elements and the second reflector and/or the first reflector are configured to collectively focus the image onto the image sensor.
11. A camera assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the optical elements is moveable relative to the housing for effecting one or more of zoom, autofocus (AF) and optical image stabilisation (OIS).
12. A camera assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an adjustable shutter positioned in the optical path between the first and second reflectors, wherein elements of the adjustable shutter are moveable for controlling the amount of light passing through and thereby varying the depth of field of the camera assembly.
13. A camera assembly according to any one of the claims 8, 11 or 12, further comprises a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator, the SMA actuator comprising one or more SMA components each configured to, on contraction, effect the said movement.
14. A camera assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first reflector and the second reflector are each configured to deflect the optical path to a direction substantially perpendicular to respective incident light along the optical path.
15. A camera assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of length and the width of the image sensor being greater than a depth of the housing defined by the said opposite sides of the housing .
16. A camera assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the camera assembly forms a part of a smartphone, and wherein the image sensor has an image sensing surface of at least 116mm2, or at least 225mm2, or at least 286mm2.
GB2213133.8A 2020-02-26 2021-02-26 A camera assembly Active GB2607837B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2002731.4A GB2592579A (en) 2020-02-26 2020-02-26 A camera assembly
PCT/GB2021/050492 WO2021171030A1 (en) 2020-02-26 2021-02-26 A camera assembly

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB202213133D0 GB202213133D0 (en) 2022-10-26
GB2607837A true GB2607837A (en) 2022-12-14
GB2607837B GB2607837B (en) 2024-12-18

Family

ID=70108235

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2002731.4A Pending GB2592579A (en) 2020-02-26 2020-02-26 A camera assembly
GB2213133.8A Active GB2607837B (en) 2020-02-26 2021-02-26 A camera assembly

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2002731.4A Pending GB2592579A (en) 2020-02-26 2020-02-26 A camera assembly

Country Status (3)

Country Link
CN (1) CN115151862A (en)
GB (2) GB2592579A (en)
WO (1) WO2021171030A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN113784027B (en) * 2021-09-09 2023-06-23 东莞华贝电子科技有限公司 Periscope type camera assembly and electronic equipment
WO2023135432A1 (en) * 2022-01-13 2023-07-20 Cambridge Mechatronics Limited Actuator assembly

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6535340B1 (en) * 1997-09-22 2003-03-18 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Optical element and picture taking system including the optical element
US6876390B1 (en) * 1999-12-07 2005-04-05 Olympus Corporation Image-forming optical system
WO2006055094A1 (en) * 2004-09-14 2006-05-26 Cdm Optics, Inc. Low height imaging system and associated methods
US7605989B1 (en) * 2008-07-22 2009-10-20 Angstrom, Inc. Compact auto-focus image taking lens system with a micromirror array lens and a lens-surfaced prism
WO2016024161A2 (en) * 2014-07-11 2016-02-18 Dynaoptics Pte Ltd Hybrid continuous zoom lens system and method
US20160241764A1 (en) * 2015-02-13 2016-08-18 Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Co., Ltd. Structures and Methods for Capturing Images by a Portable Electronic Device
US20170131526A1 (en) * 2015-11-09 2017-05-11 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Reflecting imaging apparatus and mobile device having the same
US10469734B2 (en) * 2017-01-23 2019-11-05 Gachisoft Inc. Camera adjusting focus using rotating method and object processing apparatus using the same
CN110471241A (en) * 2019-03-29 2019-11-19 瑞声声学科技(深圳)有限公司 Camera lens driver
CN110515189A (en) * 2019-09-27 2019-11-29 Oppo广东移动通信有限公司 Off-axis catadioptric camera and electronic device

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5735991B2 (en) 2010-02-26 2015-06-17 ケンブリッジ メカトロニクス リミテッド SMA actuator
GB201412848D0 (en) 2014-07-18 2014-09-03 Cambridge Mechatronics Ltd Suspension system for a camera lens element

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6535340B1 (en) * 1997-09-22 2003-03-18 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Optical element and picture taking system including the optical element
US6876390B1 (en) * 1999-12-07 2005-04-05 Olympus Corporation Image-forming optical system
WO2006055094A1 (en) * 2004-09-14 2006-05-26 Cdm Optics, Inc. Low height imaging system and associated methods
US7605989B1 (en) * 2008-07-22 2009-10-20 Angstrom, Inc. Compact auto-focus image taking lens system with a micromirror array lens and a lens-surfaced prism
WO2016024161A2 (en) * 2014-07-11 2016-02-18 Dynaoptics Pte Ltd Hybrid continuous zoom lens system and method
US20160241764A1 (en) * 2015-02-13 2016-08-18 Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Co., Ltd. Structures and Methods for Capturing Images by a Portable Electronic Device
US20170131526A1 (en) * 2015-11-09 2017-05-11 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Reflecting imaging apparatus and mobile device having the same
US10469734B2 (en) * 2017-01-23 2019-11-05 Gachisoft Inc. Camera adjusting focus using rotating method and object processing apparatus using the same
CN110471241A (en) * 2019-03-29 2019-11-19 瑞声声学科技(深圳)有限公司 Camera lens driver
CN110515189A (en) * 2019-09-27 2019-11-29 Oppo广东移动通信有限公司 Off-axis catadioptric camera and electronic device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2607837B (en) 2024-12-18
GB202213133D0 (en) 2022-10-26
CN115151862A (en) 2022-10-04
GB2592579A (en) 2021-09-08
GB202002731D0 (en) 2020-04-08
WO2021171030A1 (en) 2021-09-02

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