Imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222476-B2
Application number	US-202318342938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2023
Priority date	Oct 22, 2020
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

An imaging device may generate a zoom image corresponding to a plurality of magnifications by adjusting an effective focal length through a multi-layer optical system including an active imaging array having an active imaging lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising:
a plurality of imaging lens arrays comprising a plurality of imaging optical lenses; and
a sensing array comprising a plurality of sensing elements configured to sense light passing through the plurality of imaging lens arrays,
wherein a first imaging lens array and a second imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprise an active imaging lens with a variable focal length, and a third imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprises a passive imaging lens with a fixed focal length,
wherein each of the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array are spaced apart from the sensing array, wherein each of the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array are separated from each other, and
wherein distances between the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array on an optical axis are fixed.

2. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the variable focal length of the active imaging lens is adjustable by changing at least one of a thickness or a sagittal value of the active imaging lens.

3. The imaging device of claim 2 , wherein the active imaging lens comprises an active wet lens comprising a polar liquid and an apolar liquid in a space between a plurality of electrodes, and
at least one of the sagittal value or the thickness of the active wet lens is changeable based on a voltage applied to the plurality of electrodes.

4. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein an effective focal length of the plurality of imaging lens arrays is adjustable based on a selected target magnification.

5. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein an effective focal length of the plurality of imaging lens arrays is identified based on focal lengths of imaging optical lenses included in the plurality of imaging lens arrays and distances between the plurality of imaging lens arrays.

6. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the variable focal length of the active imaging lens is adjustable based on an effective focal length corresponding to a selected target magnification.

7. The imaging device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store focal length-related information corresponding to a plurality of previously defined magnifications for each of the plurality of imaging lens arrays,
wherein a focal length of the active imaging lens is adjustable based on the stored focal length-related information.

8. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein all lenses of an imaging lens array, among the plurality of imaging lens arrays, comprising the active imaging lens are deformable to have a same focal length.

9. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprises a first imaging lens array and a second imaging lens array arranged in different planes in an optical axis, and the first imaging lens array comprises a positive lens and the second imaging lens array comprises a negative lens.

10. The imaging device of claim 9 , wherein all imaging lenses included in the first imaging lens array are positive lenses, and all imaging lenses included in the second imaging lens array are negative lenses.

11. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a number of arrays of the plurality of imaging lens arrays is three or more.

12. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein at least one imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprises a passive imaging lens having a fixed focal length.

13. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein positions of the plurality of imaging lens arrays are fixed in the optical axis.

14. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the sensing array and an imaging lens array that is most adjacent to the sensing array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays on an optical axis is fixed.

15. The imaging device of claim 1 , comprising:
a processor configured to acquire, based on sensing information sensed by the plurality of sensing elements sensing light passing through each of the plurality of imaging optical lenses in the sensing array, images of a first resolution individually corresponding to the plurality of imaging optical lenses and reconstruct an image of a second resolution higher than the first resolution.

16. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of imaging optical lenses is configured to focus the light to non-integer sensing elements.

17. An imaging device comprising:
a plurality of imaging lens arrays comprising a plurality of imaging optical lenses; and
a sensing array comprising a plurality of sensing elements configured to sense light passing through the plurality of imaging lens arrays,
wherein at least one imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprises an active imaging lens with a variable focal length, and
distances between the plurality of imaging lens arrays on an optical axis are fixed,
wherein when a field of view by the plurality of imaging lens arrays exceeds a super-wide threshold angle, a principal plane formed by the plurality of imaging lens arrays is located between the sensing array and an imaging lens array that is most adjacent to the sensing array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays.

18. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein an optical system in which the plurality of imaging lens arrays is combined provides a variable zoom magnification range between 0.5 times and 110 times, inclusive.

19. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein all imaging lenses of an imaging lens array comprising the active imaging lens are active imaging lenses.

20. An electronic terminal comprising:
a plurality of imaging lens arrays provided in a housing of the electronic terminal, each of the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprising a plurality of imaging optical lenses;
a sensing array comprising a plurality of sensing elements configured to sense light passing through the plurality of imaging lens arrays; and
a processor configured to generate an image corresponding to a target magnification based on the sensed light,
wherein a first imaging lens array and a second imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprise an active imaging lens with a variable focal length, and a third imaging lens array among the plurality of imaging lens arrays comprises a passive imaging lens with a fixed focal length,
wherein each of the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array are spaced apart from the sensing array, and
wherein each of the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array are separated from each other, and
wherein distances between the first imaging lens array, the second imaging lens array and the third imaging lens array on an optical axis are fixed.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Kyuhwan
• Nam Dong Kyung
• Lee Kiwoo

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/951

  by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio · CPC title

• H04N23/69

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

• G02B26/005

  based on electrowetting · CPC title

• G02B3/14

  of variable focal length · CPC title