Folded camera with continuously adaptive zoom factor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11947247-B2
Application number	US-202318319506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2023
Priority date	Dec 1, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Folded Tele cameras comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path OP 1 to a second optical path OP 2 , a lens including N=8 lens elements, the lens being divided into three lens groups numbered, in order from an object side of the lens, G 1 , G 2 and G 3 , and an image sensor, wherein G 1 and G 3 are included in a single G 13 carrier, wherein G 2 is included in a G 2 carrier, wherein both the G 13 carrier and the G 2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G 2 relative to G 13 , wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor continuously between a minimum zoom factor ZF MIN and a maximum zoom factor ZF MAX by moving the G 2 carrier relative to the G 13 carrier and by moving the G 13 carrier relative to the image sensor, and wherein an effective focal length (EFL) is 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm. The G 2 carrier may be positioned by a lens transporter within the G 13 carrier at a particular zoom factor to form a lens pair to enable optical investigation and/or transporting of the lens pair.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera module, comprising:
a folded continuous zoom Tele (FCZT) camera comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path (OP 1 ) to a second optical path (OP 2 ), a lens including N lens elements, the lens being divided into three lens groups numbered, in order from an object side of the lens, G 1 , G 2 and G 3 and having a lens aperture height H A measured along OP 1 , and
an image sensor,
wherein the FCZT camera is configured to change a zoom factor (ZF) continuously between a minimum zoom factor ZF MIN and a maximum zoom factor ZF MAX by moving G 1 and G 3 together relative to G 2 and by moving G 2 relative to the image sensor, wherein the camera module has a camera module height H M measured along OP 1 , and wherein H M <H A +3 mm.

2. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M <H A +2.5 mm.

3. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M <H A +2.0 mm.

4. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M <H A +1.75 mm.

5. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M is in the range of 5 mm-12.5 mm.

6. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M is in the range of 5 mm-10 mm.

7. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M is in the range of 5 mm-9 mm.

8. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H M is in the range of 5 mm-8 mm.

9. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H A is in the range of 3 mm-10 mm.

10. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein H A is in the range of 4 mm-8 mm.

11. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein G 1 and G 3 are included in a single G 13 carrier, wherein G 2 is included in a G 2 carrier, wherein G 1 and G 3 are moved together relative to G 2 by moving the G 13 carrier relative to the G 2 carrier.

12. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein both the G 13 carrier and the G 2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G 2 relative to G 13 .

13. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the FCZT camera has effective focal length (EFL) that fulfills 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm.

14. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a cut lens with a cut lens aperture height H A-CUT measured along an axis parallel to OP 1 and with a lens aperture width W A measured along an axis perpendicular to both OP 1 and OP 2 , and wherein W A is larger than H A-CUT by between 5% and 50%.

15. The camera module of claim 1 , included in a multi-camera together with Wide camera.

16. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the EFL is switched continuously between a minimal effective focal length EFL MIN corresponding to ZF MIN and a maximal effective focal length EFL MAX corresponding to ZF MAX , and wherein a ratio EFL MAX /EFL MIN >1.5.

17. The camera module of claim 16 , wherein EFL MAX /EFL MIN >1.75.

18. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the EFL is switched continuously between a minimal effective focal length EFL MIN corresponding to ZF MIN and a maximal effective focal length EFL MAX corresponding to ZF MAX , and wherein EFL MIN is in the range of 7.5 mm-25 mm and wherein EFL MAX is in the range of 20 mm-50 mm.

19. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the OPFE is a prism.

20. The camera module of claim 19 , wherein the prism is a cut prism with a prism optical height H P-CUT measured along an axis parallel to OP 1 and a prism optical width W P measured along an axis perpendicular to both OP 1 and OP 2 , and wherein W P is larger than H P-CUT by between 5% and 30%.

21. The camera module of claim 1 , included in a smartphone.

Assignees

• Corephotonics Ltd

Inventors

• Boltanski Rami
• Goldenberg Ephraim
• Rudnick Roy

Classifications

• G03B17/12 Primary

  with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets · CPC title

• G02B15/143103

  arranged ++- · CPC title

• H04N23/69 Primary

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• G02B7/102 Primary

  controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14) · CPC title

• G03B17/17

  with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera · CPC title