Adapting camera systems to accessory lenses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10031312-B2
Application number	US-201615233669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2016
Priority date	Aug 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A small format factor camera system for mobile devices that provides improved image quality when using accessory lenses. The system may detect an accessory lens attached to the camera, either via sensing technology or by analyzing captured images. The system may analyze image data to determine current alignment (e.g., optical axis alignment, spacing, and/or tilt) of the accessory lens relative to the camera lens, and may shift the camera lens on one or more axes using a mechanical or optical actuator, for example to align the camera lens optical axis with the accessory lens optical axis. The system may also determine optical characteristics of the accessory lens, either via sensing technology or by analyzing captured images, and may apply one or more image processing functions to images captured using the accessory lens according to the determined optical characteristics of the accessory lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a camera comprising a photosensor and a camera lens, wherein the camera includes an actuator configured to adjust the camera lens with respect to the photosensor on one or more axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera lens; and
one or more processors configured to:
detect an accessory lens attached to the camera;
determine one or more image metrics from image data captured by the camera using the accessory lens;
determine a current position of an optical axis of the accessory lens with respect to the optical axis of the camera lens according to at least one of the one or more image metrics; and
direct the actuator to adjust the camera lens on at least one of the one or more axes orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera lens to improve alignment of the optical axis of the camera lens with the optical axis of the accessory lens.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more image metrics include one or more of sharpness, relative illumination, optical distortion, chromatic aberration, vignetting, magnification, and field of curvature.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
analyze the image data captured by the camera using the accessory lens to determine one or more optical characteristics of the accessory lens; and
apply one or more image processing functions to image data captured using the accessory lens according to the determined optical characteristics of the accessory lens.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the one or more optical characteristics include one or more of focal length, focal range, image circle diameter, or aberration parameters of the accessory lens of the accessory lens.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is further configured to adjust the camera lens on an axis perpendicular to the photosensor, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to direct the actuator to adjust the camera lens on the axis perpendicular to the photosensor to improve at least one of the one or more image metrics in images captured using the accessory lens.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is further configured to tilt the optical axis of the camera lens with respect to the photosensor, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a current tilt of the optical axis of the accessory lens with respect to the optical axis of the camera lens according to at least one of the one or more image metrics; and
direct the actuator to adjust tilt of the camera lens so that the optical axis of the camera lens is aligned with the optical axis of the accessory lens.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein, to detect an accessory lens attached to the camera, the one or more processors are configured to detect the accessory lens via a sensing technology interface, wherein the sensing technology is one of an electrical, magnetic, radio frequency (RF), or optical sensing technology.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
obtain one or more optical characteristics of the accessory lens via the sensing technology interface; and
apply one or more image processing functions to image data captured using the accessory lens according to the obtained optical characteristics of the accessory lens.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the one or more optical characteristics include one or more of focal length, focal range, image circle diameter, or aberration parameters of the accessory lens.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein, to detect an accessory lens attached to the camera, the one or more processors are configured to analyze the image data captured by the camera to determine changes to one or more optical characteristics of the camera, wherein the one or more optical characteristics include one or more of focal length or focal range of the camera.

11. A method, comprising:
performing, by one or more processors in a device comprising a camera that includes a photosensor, a camera lens, and an actuator configured to adjust the camera lens with respect to the photosensor on one or more axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera lens:
determining one or more image metrics from image data captured by the camera using an accessory lens attached to the camera;
determining a current position of an optical axis of the accessory lens with respect to an optical axis of the camera lens according to at least one of the one or more image metrics; and
directing the actuator to adjust the camera lens on at least one of the one or more axes orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera lens to improve alignment of the optical axis of the camera lens with the optical axis of the accessory lens.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the one or more image metrics include one or more of sharpness, relative illumination, optical distortion, chromatic aberration, vignetting, magnification, and field of curvature.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
analyzing, by the one or more processors, the image data captured by the camera using the accessory lens to determine one or more optical characteristics of the accessory lens; and
applying, by the one or more processors, one or more image processing functions to image data captured using the accessory lens according to the determined optical characteristics of the accessory lens.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the one or more optical characteristics include one or more of focal length, focal range, image circle diameter, or aberration parameters of the accessory lens of the accessory lens.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the actuator is further configured to adjust the camera lens on an axis perpendicular to the photosensor, the method further comprising directing, by the one or more processors, the actuator to adjust the camera lens on the axis perpendicular to the photosensor to improve at least one of the one or more image metrics in images captured using the accessory lens.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the actuator is further configured to tilt the optical axis of the camera lens with respect to the photosensor, the method further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, a current tilt of the optical axis of the accessory lens with respect to the optical axis of the camera lens according to at least one of the one or more image metrics; and
directing, by the one or more processors, the actuator to adjust tilt of the camera lens so that the optical axis of the camera lens is aligned with the optical axis of the accessory lens.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising detecting, by the one or more processors, that the accessory lens is attached to the camera by analyzing the image data captured by the camera to determine changes to one or more optical characteristics of the camera, wherein the one or more optical characteristics include one or more of focal length or focal range of the camera.

18. A device, comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more cameras, wherein at least one of the one or more cameras is a camera comprising:
a photosensor configured to capture light projected onto a surface of the photosensor; and
a camera lens configured to refract light from an object field located in front of the camera to form an image of a scene at an image plane at or near the surface of the phot

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Gross Kevin A
• Baer Richard L

Classifications

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• H04N25/61

  the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title