Dual camera magnet arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9781345-B1
Application number	US-201615043136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit includes an autofocus actuator. The autofocus actuator includes a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of a first optical package. The first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package. The second camera unit includes an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator. The optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator includes a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at 45-degrees to the first magnetic axis. The second camera unit includes a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at 135-degrees to the first magnetic axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multifunction mobile computing device, comprising:
a first camera unit housed within the multifunction mobile computing device for capturing at a first image sensor a first image of a first visual field through a first optical package, wherein
the first camera unit comprises an autofocus actuator,
the autofocus actuator comprises a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of the first optical package, and
the first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis through a center of the first optical package at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package; and

a second camera unit housed within the multifunction mobile computing device, wherein
the second camera unit comprises an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator,
the optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator comprises a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at a first angle bisecting a right angle relative to the first magnetic axis for optical image stabilization and autofocus motion control of components of the second optical package, and
the second camera unit comprises a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at a second angle bisecting a right angle relative to the first magnetic axis for optical image stabilization and autofocus motion control of components of a second optical package.

2. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein
the first camera unit comprises a first optical package with a first focal length for a first visual field,
the second camera unit comprises the second optical package with a second focal length for a second visual field, and
the first focal length is different from the second focal length.

3. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein
the autofocus actuator is configured to generate motion of the first optical package along an optical axis of the first optical package for autofocus adjustments without optical image stabilization, wherein the first optical package includes a lens and lens carrier.

4. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein
the optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator is configured both to generate motion of a second optical package along an optical axis of the second optical package for autofocus adjustments and to generate motion of the second optical package in directions orthogonal to the optical axis of the second optical package for optical image stabilization.

5. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein
the second camera unit comprises a second camera unit for simultaneously capturing at a second image sensor a second image of a second visual field through the second optical package.

6. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of autofocus coils affixed to the first optical package and situated between the first optical package and respective ones of the first plurality of magnets.

7. The multifunction mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein
the second camera unit of the multifunction device is installed in a second camera package located physically adjacent to a first camera package in which the first camera module is installed, and
the second camera unit is located in a position along a line orthogonal to the first magnetic axis.

8. A camera system, comprising:
a first camera unit, wherein
the first camera unit comprises an autofocus actuator,
the autofocus actuator comprises a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of a first optical package, and
the first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package; and

a second camera unit, wherein
the second camera unit comprises an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator,
the optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator comprises a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at 45-degrees to the first magnetic axis, and
the second camera unit comprises a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at 135-degrees to the first magnetic axis.

9. The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the first camera unit comprises a first optical package with a first focal length, and
the second camera unit comprises a second optical package with a second focal length.

10. The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the autofocus actuator is configured to generate motion of the first optical package along an optical axis of the first optical package for autofocus adjustments without optical image stabilization.

11. The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator is configured both to generate motion of a second optical package along an optical axis of the second optical package for autofocus adjustments and to generate motion of the second optical package in directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

12. The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the second camera unit comprises a second camera unit for simultaneously capturing at a second image sensor a second image of a second visual field through the second optical package.

13. The camera system of claim 8 , further comprising
a plurality of autofocus coils affixed to the first optical package and situated between the first optical package and respective ones of the first plurality of magnets.

14. The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the second camera unit of the camera system is installed in a second camera package located physically adjacent to a first camera package in which the first camera unit is installed, and
the second camera unit is located in a position along a line orthogonal to the first magnetic axis.

15. A camera system, comprising:
a first camera unit, wherein
the first camera unit comprises an autofocus actuator and a first image sensor,
the autofocus actuator comprises a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of a first optical package relative to the image sensor, and
the first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package; and

a second camera unit, wherein
the second camera unit comprises an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator and a second image sensor,
the optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator comprises a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at 45-degrees to the first magnetic axis, and
the second camera unit comprises a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at 135-degrees to the first magnetic axis.

16. The camera system of claim 15 , wherein
the first camera unit comprises a first optical package with a first focal length,
the second camera unit comprises a second optical package with a second focal length,
the first focal length is different from the second focal length.

17. The camera system of claim 15 , wherein
the autofocus actuator is configured to generate motion of the first image sensor along an optical axis of the first op

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Miller Scott W
• Mireault Alfred N
• Lee Simon S

Classifications

• G02B7/08 Primary

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• G02B27/646

  compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68) · CPC title

• H04N23/45

  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

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/57

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