Pop-out zoom camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12517417-B2
Application number	US-202519178909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2025
Priority date	Sep 18, 2020
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

Cameras with OIS capable of performing multi zoom super macro photography and handheld electronic devices comprising such cameras. A camera may include a lens comprising N lens elements L1-LN divided into two or more lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis starting with L1 on an object side and ending with LN on an image side, adjacent lens groups separated by a respective air-gap d1 along the lens optical axis; an image sensor with a sensor diagonal SD between 7 and 20 mm separated from lens element LN by an air-gap d2 along the lens optical axis; and an actuator for controlling air-gaps d1 and d2 to switch the camera between M≥1 operative pop-out states and a collapsed state and to focus the camera on an object at an object-lens distance of less than 30 cm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A camera system, comprising:
a camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, the camera having an effective focal length (EFL) in the range of 7 mm to 40 mm; a motion sensor for sensing an undesired linear motion of the camera system; a depth estimator for estimating the distance between the camera and an object; an optical image stabilization (OIS) controller configured to receive depth values from the depth estimator, to estimate undesired motion (d 0 ), and to calculate a required sensor shift (d S ) or a required lens shift (d L ) for performing closed-loop control; and an actuator operative to move the camera or a component of the camera to compensate for the undesired linear motion of the camera system, wherein the compensation depends on the undesired linear motion and on the distance between the camera and the object when the distance is smaller than 50 cm.

2 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the distance is smaller than 40 cm.

3 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the distance is smaller than 20 cm.

4 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein EFL≥9 mm.

5 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein EFL≤30 mm.

6 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the compensation for the undesired linear motion of the camera system is in two or more directions.

7 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the moving component is the lens.

8 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the moving component is the image sensor.

9 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the camera system is included in a mobile device.

10 . The camera system of claim 9 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

11 . A method for compensating for an undesired linear motion of a camera system, comprising:
providing a camera comprising an image sensor and a lens, the camera having an effective focal length (EFL) in the range of 7 mm to 40 mm; providing a motion sensor for sensing the undesired linear motion of the camera system; providing a depth estimator for estimating the distance between the camera and an object; providing an optical image stabilization (OIS) controller configured to receive depth values from the depth estimator, to estimate undesired motion (d 0 ), and to calculate a required sensor shift (d S ) or a required lens shift (d L ) for performing closed-loop control; and moving the camera or a component of the camera to compensate for the undesired linear motion of the camera system, wherein the compensation depends on the undesired linear motion and on the distance between the camera and the object when the distance is smaller than 50 cm.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the distance is smaller than 40 cm.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the distance is smaller than 20 cm.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein EFL≥9 mm.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein EFL≤30 mm.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compensation for the undesired linear motion of the camera system is in two or more directions.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the moving component is the lens.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the moving component is the image sensor.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the camera system is included in a mobile device.

20 . The method of 19 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

Assignees

• Corephotonics Ltd

Inventors

• Shabtay Gal
• Goldenberg Ephraim
• Yedid Itay
• Rudnick Roy
• Dror Michael
• Scherer Michael
• Shemesh Ziv
• Goulinski Nadav

Classifications

• G03B2205/0046

  Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming · CPC title

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · CPC title

• G03B5/02

  Lateral adjustment of lens · CPC title

• G02B13/009

  having zoom function · CPC title

• G02B13/0045 Primary

  having five or more lenses · CPC title