Mobile zoom using multiple optical image stabilization cameras

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9774787-B2
Application number	US-201514871716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A first camera unit includes a first actuator for moving a first optical package configured for a first focal length. In some embodiments, a camera system of a multifunction device includes a second camera unit of the multifunction device for simultaneously capturing a second image of a second visual field. In some embodiments, the second camera unit includes a second actuator for moving a second optical package configured for a second focal length. In some embodiments, the second actuator includes a second actuator lateral magnet. In some embodiments, the first optical package and the second optical package are situated between the first actuator later magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet along an axis between the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet. In some embodiments, no actuator lateral magnets are situated between the first optical package and the second optical package along the axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera system of a multifunction device, comprising:
a first camera unit of the multifunction device, the first camera unit for capturing a first image of a first visual field, wherein:
the first camera unit comprises a first actuator for moving a first optical package configured for a first focal length, and
the first actuator comprises:
a first actuator lateral magnet to move the first optical package in one or more directions orthogonal to a first optical axis of the first optical package; and
a first pair of actuator transverse magnets to move the first optical package along at least the first optical axis, the first pair of actuator transverse magnets situated on opposite sides of one another with respect to the first optical package; and

a second camera unit of the multifunction device, the second camera unit for capturing a second image of a second visual field, wherein:
the second camera unit comprises a second actuator for moving a second optical package configured for a second focal length, and
the second actuator comprises a second actuator lateral magnet to move the second optical package in one or more directions orthogonal to a second optical axis of the second optical package;

wherein:
the first optical package and the second optical package are situated between the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet along an axis between the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet; and
no actuator lateral magnets are situated between the first optical package and the second optical package along the axis.

2. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet have polarities aligned antiparallel to one another.

3. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first actuator and the second actuator each comprise a respective first pair of first actuator transverse magnets situated opposite one another with respect to the axis between the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet; and
the first actuator and the second actuator each comprise a respective second pair of first actuator transverse magnets situated opposite one another with respect to the axis between the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet.

4. The camera system of claim 3 , wherein:
the magnets of the respective first pair of first actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments parallel to the respective alignments of corresponding respective magnets of the first pair of second actuator transverse magnets.

5. The camera system of claim 3 , wherein:
the magnets of the respective first pair of first actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to the respective alignments of corresponding respective magnets of the first pair of second actuator transverse magnets.

6. The camera system of claim 5 , wherein:
the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet have polarities aligned at right angles to polarities of the respective first pair of first actuator transverse magnets.

7. The camera system of claim 1 , further comprising:
coils aligned with current circulating in a plane parallel to a plane in which the first actuator lateral magnet and the second actuator lateral magnet have polarities aligned.

8. A camera unit of a multifunction device, comprising:
an optical package;
an actuator for moving the optical package to a first focal length, wherein the actuator comprises:
an actuator lateral magnet to move the optical package in one or more directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical package, and
a first pair of actuator transverse magnets to move the optical package along at least the optical axis, the first pair of actuator transverse magnets situated on sides opposite one another with respect to an axis between the optical package and the actuator lateral magnet;

wherein:
the actuator lateral magnet is situated to one side of the optical package at which no actuator transverse magnets are present; and
the actuator does not include an actuator magnet opposite the actuator lateral magnet with respect to the optical package.

9. The camera unit of claim 8 , further comprising:
coils aligned with current circulating in a plane parallel to a plane in which the actuator lateral magnet and the actuator transverse magnets have polarities aligned.

10. The camera unit of claim 8 , further comprising:
coils aligned with current circulating in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which the actuator lateral magnet and the actuator transverse magnets have polarities aligned.

11. The camera unit of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second pair of actuator transverse magnets situated opposite one another with respect to the axis between the actuator lateral magnet and the optical package.

12. The camera unit of claim 11 , wherein:
the magnets of the first pair of actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to one another.

13. The camera unit of claim 11 , wherein:
the magnets of the second pair of actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to one another.

14. The camera unit of claim 11 , wherein:
the magnets of the first pair of actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to magnets of the second pair of actuator transverse magnets situated on a same side of the axis between the actuator lateral magnet and the optical package.

15. An actuator, comprising:
an actuator lateral magnet that moves an optical package in at least a first direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical package, and
a first pair of actuator transverse magnets that move the optical package in at least a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, the first pair of actuator transverse magnets situated on sides opposite one another with respect to an axis between the optical package and the actuator lateral magnet;
wherein:
the actuator lateral magnet is situated one on one side of the optical package at which no transverse magnets are present; and
the actuator does not include an actuator magnet opposite the actuator lateral magnet with respect to the optical package.

16. The actuator of claim 15 , further comprising:
coils aligned with current circulating in a plane parallel to a plane in which the actuator lateral magnet and the actuator transverse magnets have polarities aligned.

17. The actuator of claim 15 , further comprising:
coils aligned with current circulating in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which the actuator lateral magnet and the actuator transverse magnets have polarities aligned.

18. The actuator of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second pair of actuator transverse magnets situated opposite one another with respect to the axis between the actuator lateral magnet and the optical package.

19. The actuator of claim 18 , wherein:
the magnets of the first pair of actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to one another.

20. The actuator of claim 18 , wherein:
the magnets of the second pair of actuator transverse magnets have polarity alignments antiparallel to one another.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Miller Scott W
• Hubert Aurelien R
• Sharma Shashank
• Lee Simon S

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · 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

• H04N23/69 Primary

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