Dual camera module and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027895-B2
Application number	US-201715585327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A dual camera module that includes a voice coil motor actuator and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The dual camera module comprises a first camera including a first lens module; a second camera including a second lens module, arranged to adjoin the first camera; and a controller for controlling the first camera and the second camera, wherein the controller identifies whether the first camera includes a first sensing module for sensing movement of the first lens module if a camera execution command is received, identifies whether the second camera includes a second sensing module for sensing movement of the second lens module if the first camera includes the first sensing module, identifies whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same type as each other if the second camera includes the second sensing module, and controls the first camera and the second camera at different time zones if the first sensing module and the second sensing module have the same types as each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual camera module comprising:
a first camera including a first lens module;
a second camera including a second lens module, arranged to adjoin the first camera; and
a controller for controlling the first camera and the second camera,
wherein the controller identifies whether the first camera includes a first sensing module for sensing movement of the first lens module if a camera execution command is received, identifies whether the second camera includes a second sensing module for sensing movement of the second lens module if the first camera includes the first sensing module, identifies whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same type as each other if the second camera includes the second sensing module, and controls the first camera and the second camera at different time zones if the first sensing module and the second sensing module have the same types as each other.

2. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a body module having a groove to which the first camera and the second camera are fixed; and
a memory storing specification information and identification information of the first and second cameras.

3. The dual camera module according to claim 2 , wherein, when identifying whether the first camera includes the first sensing module for sensing movement of the first lens module, the controller identifies whether the first camera includes the first sensing module, on the basis of the specification information of the first camera, which is stored in the memory.

4. The dual camera module according to claim 2 , wherein, when identifying whether the second camera includes the second sensing module for sensing movement of the second lens module, the controller identifies whether the first camera includes the first sensing module, on the basis of the specification information of the first camera, which is stored in the memory.

5. The dual camera module according to claim 2 , wherein, when identifying whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same types as each other, the controller identifies the types of the first and second sensing module, on the basis of the specification information of the first and second cameras.

6. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein, when identifying whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same types as each other, the controller controls the first and second cameras at different time zones if the first and second sensing modules are coil sensors.

7. The dual camera module according to claim 6 , wherein the coil sensors sense a current or voltage varied depending on a distance with the first lens module or the second lens module.

8. The dual camera module according to claim 6 , wherein, when the controller controls the first and second cameras at different time zones, a time zone for applying a driving signal for controlling movement of the first lens module to the first camera is different from a time zone for applying a driving signal for controlling movement of the second lens module to the second camera.

9. The dual camera module according to claim 8 , wherein, when applying the driving signal to the first and second cameras, the controller synthesizes a random high frequency signal to the driving signal that is a low frequency signal.

10. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein, when identifying whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same types as each other, the controller controls the first camera and the second camera at different time zones if the first and second sensing module are magnetic sensors.

11. The dual camera module according to claim 10 , wherein each of the magnetic sensors senses a change of a magnetic flux according to movement of the first lens module or the second lens module, and is at least one of a hall sensor, a magnetic resistance sensor, and a search coil sensor.

12. The dual camera module according to claim 10 , wherein, when the controller controls the first and second cameras at different time zones, a time zone for applying a driving signal for controlling movement of the first lens module to the first camera is different from a time zone for applying a driving signal for controlling movement of the second lens module to the second camera.

13. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein, when identifying whether the first camera includes the first sensing module for sensing movement of the first lens module, the controller drives the first camera and the second camera at the same time if the first camera does not include the first sensing module.

14. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein, when identifying whether the second camera includes the first sensing module for sensing movement of the second lens module, the controller drives the first camera and the second camera at the same time if the second camera does not include the second sensing module.

15. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein, when identifying whether the first sensing module of the first camera and the second sensing module of the second camera have the same types as each other, the controller drives the first camera and the second camera at the same time if the first sensing module and the second sensing module do not have the same types as each other.

16. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second cameras is a fixed focus camera,
the fixed focus camera including:
a fixed module provided with a through hole;
a lens module having at least one lens, fixed within the through hole of the fixed module; and
an image sensor for sensing an image incident through the lens of the lens module.

17. The dual camera module according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first and second cameras further includes an optical image stabilization (OIS) compensator that compensates for shaking of the lens module.

18. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second cameras is an auto-focus camera that includes a magnetic sensor,
the auto-focus camera including:
a fixed module provided with a through hole;
a lens module having at least one lens, linearly moving within the through hole of the fixed module;
a moving coil surrounding an outer circumference of the lens module;
a plurality of magnets arranged at an inner side of the through hole of the fixed module, sensing a change of a magnetic flux according to movement of the lens module;
a magnetic flux distortion protrusion protruded from the outer circumference of the lens module, distorting a flow of the magnetic flux according to movement of the lens module; and
an image sensor for sensing an image incident through the lens of the lens module.

19. The dual camera module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second cameras is an auto-focus camera that includes a coil sensor,
the auto-focus camera including:
a fixed module provided with a through hole;
a lens module having at least one lens, linearly moving within the through hole of the fixed module;
a moving coil surrounding an outer circumference of the lens module;
a coil sensor arranged in the fixed module, receiving a current or voltage varied depending on a distance with th

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kang Hyungjoo
• Kwon Sungdu
• Kwon Youngman
• Hong Samnyol
• Lee Jayong

Classifications

• G02B7/08 Primary

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• H04N23/55 Primary

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/68

  for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations · CPC title

• H04N23/45

  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 title