Methods and apparatus relating to a camera including multiple optical chains

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286105-A1
Application number	US-201615085961-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Camera methods and apparatus are described where the camera device includes multiple optical chains. In various embodiments two or more of the optical chains include light redirection devices such as mirrors or prisms. Sensors corresponding to multiple different optical chains, but not necessarily all optical chains, are parallel to each other. In some embodiments sensors corresponding to different optical chains are located in the same plane at the front or rear of the camera. However other sensor mounting positions are also possible.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A camera device, comprising:
a plurality of at least three optical chain modules, each optical chain module in said plurality including a lens, a plurality of deflection elements, and a sensor, said plurality of deflection elements including at least a first deflection element and a second deflection element, the sensor of each optical chain being mounted in a sensor plane, the sensor plane of different optical chains being parallel to one another.

2 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor planes of the different optical chains are the same plane.

3 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein the sensors of the different optical chain modules are mounted on a movable plate, said plate being arranged parallel to said sensor plane.

4 . The camera device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a two axis positioning module coupled to said movable plate; and a control module for controlling said two axis position module as a function of camera movement.

5 . The camera device of claim 4 , wherein said control module is an image stabilization module for determine the amount of movement of said plate to perform an image stabilization operation to compensate for camera movement.

6 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein the light passing through a first optical chain module in said plurality of optical chain modules crosses a light path of another optical chain module when the light passing though the first optical chain module travels from the first deflector element to the second deflector element of the first optical chain module.

7 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second deflection elements is a prism.

8 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein light beams passing though different optical chain modules cross each other when traveling between the first and second deflector elements of their respective optical chain modules.

9 . A camera device, comprising:
a plurality of optical chain modules, each optical chain module in said plurality including a lens, a plurality of deflection elements, and a sensor, said plurality of deflection elements including at least a first deflection element and a second deflection element, the sensor of each optical chain being mounted in a sensor plane, the sensor plane of different optical chains being parallel to one another; and wherein the light passing through a first optical chain module in said plurality of optical chain modules crosses a light path of another optical chain module when the light passing though the first optical chain module travels from the first deflector element to the second deflector element of the first optical chain module.

10 . The camera device of claim 9 , wherein light beams passing though different optical chain modules cross each other when traveling between the first and second deflector elements of their respective optical chain modules.

11 . The camera device of claim 9 further comprising an additional optical chain module which includes an image deflection element configured to change the direction of optical rays passing along an optical axis of said lens by substantially 90 degrees to direct said optical rays passing along said optical axis onto the sensor of the optical chain in which said deflection element and said lens are located.

Assignees

• Lightco Inc

Inventors

• Laroia Rajiv

Classifications

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N23/951

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

• H04N23/45 Primary

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title