Lens assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282584-A1
Application number	US-201514668887-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Examples of the disclosure enable a mobile device to generate high quality images. In some examples, the mobile device includes a lens assembly that includes a first lens configured to provide positive optical power, and a telephoto stage including a second lens configured to provide negative optical power, and a third lens configured to perform one or more of increasing a sharpness and decreasing a distortion of an image associated with light transmitted through the lens assembly. The lens assembly has a track length that is less than or equal to approximately 6.0 mm and a focal length that is greater than or equal to approximately 7.3 mm. Aspects enable a lens assembly to be used in a mobile device environment, such that a mobile device including and/or associated with the lens assembly is configured to take high quality images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A lens assembly comprising:
a first lens configured to provide positive optical power; and a telephoto stage comprising a second lens and a third lens, the second lens configured to provide negative optical power, and the third lens configured to perform one or more of increasing a sharpness or decreasing a distortion of an image associated with light transmitted through the lens assembly, the lens assembly having a track length that is less than or equal to approximately 6.0 mm and a focal length that is greater than or equal to approximately 7.3 mm.

2 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lens has one or more aspheric surfaces.

3 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the telephoto stage is configured to provide negative optical power.

4 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second lens has one or more aspheric surfaces.

5 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second lens is a telephoto lens.

6 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second lens is configured to adjust a chromatic aberration of the image.

7 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third lens has one or more aspheric surfaces.

8 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third lens is configured to provide positive optical power.

9 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third lens is configured to adjust a field curvature of the image, the third lens comprising an inner portion configured to adjust the field curvature to a first extent, and an outer portion configured to adjust the field curvature to a second extent greater than the first extent.

10 . The lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lens assembly has a back focal length greater than or equal to approximately 1.0 mm.

11 . A mobile device comprising:
a lens barrel comprising a housing that at least partially defines a cavity therein; and a lens assembly comprising:
a first lens configured to provide positive optical power,
a second lens configured to provide negative optical power, and
a third lens configured to perform one or more of increasing a sharpness or decreasing a distortion of an image associated with light transmitted through the lens assembly, the second lens and the third lens positioned within the cavity, the lens assembly having a track length that enables the lens assembly to be positioned within the housing and a focal length that is greater than or equal to the track length.

12 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the lens barrel includes an inner surface that defines an aperture, the first lens within the aperture.

13 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein each of the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens has a plurality of aspheric surfaces.

14 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the second lens is configured to adjust a chromatic aberration of the image.

15 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the third lens is configured to provide positive optical power.

16 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the third lens is configured to adjust a field curvature of the image, the third lens comprising an inner portion configured to adjust the field curvature to a first extent, and an outer portion configured to adjust the field curvature to a second extent greater than the first extent.

17 . The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the lens assembly has a back focal length greater than or equal to approximately 1.0 mm.

18 . A method for collecting light using a lens assembly, the method comprising:
bending, at a first lens having one or more aspheric surfaces, a plurality of light rays towards a first focal point a first distance from the first lens, the first lens configured to provide positive optical power, at least a portion of the plurality of light rays in a spectrum of near-infrared light of a light emitting diode light source; bending, at a second lens having one or more aspheric surfaces, the plurality of light rays towards a second focal point a second distance farther from the first lens than the first distance, the second lens configured to provide negative optical power; and directing, at a third lens having one or more aspheric surfaces, the plurality of light rays towards a sensor module such that the sensor module is configured to generate an image based on the plurality of light rays, the third lens configured to perform one or more of increasing a sharpness or decreasing a distortion of the image, the lens assembly having a track length that is less than or equal to approximately 6.0 mm and a focal length that is greater than or equal to approximately 7.3 mm.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising adjusting, at the second lens, a chromatic aberration of the image.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising adjusting, at the third lens, a field curvature of the image, wherein one or more first light rays of the plurality of light rays traversing an inner portion of the third lens are adjusted to a first extent, and one or more second light rays of the plurality of light rays traversing an outer portion of the third lens are adjusted to a second extent, the second extent being greater than the first extent.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Cui Chengwu

Classifications

• H04N5/33

  Transforming infrared radiation (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20) · CPC title

• G02B13/14

  for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation ({G02B13/008, } G02B13/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B9/16 Primary

  all the components being simple · CPC title

• H04N5/2254

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02B13/02

  Telephoto objectives, i.e. systems of the type + - in which the distance from the front vertex to the image plane is less than the equivalent focal length · CPC title