Portable devices with adjustable optical arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9986144-B2
Application number	US-201615174992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A portable device comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first front surface and a first back surface. The first portion comprises an image sensor and a first imaging optical arrangement lying in imaging connection with the image sensor and defining a first field of view with a wide angle of view. The second portion comprises a second imaging optical arrangement. The first and the second portions are movably coupled to allow adjustment of the device to a closed position with the second portion lying against the first back surface, with the second imaging optical arrangement aligned with the first imaging optical arrangement, whereby the first and the second imaging optical arrangements define a second field of view, and to open positions with the second portion lying outside the first field of view.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable device comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first front surface and an opposite first back surface facing to front and back sides of the first portion, respectively;
the first portion comprising an image sensor and a first imaging optical arrangement in imaging connection with the image sensor, the first imaging optical arrangement being configured to define a first field of view of the image sensor having a wide angle of view, and a viewing direction of the image sensor to the back side of the first portion;
the second portion comprising a second imaging optical arrangement;
the first and the second portions being foldably coupled to allow adjustment of the device to a closed position with the second portion lying opposite to the first portion, against the first back surface, with the second imaging optical arrangement aligned with the first imaging optical arrangement so as to define, together with the first imaging optical arrangement, a second field of view of the image sensor different from the first field of view, and to open positions with the second portion lying outside the first field of view of the image sensor;
wherein the second portion has a second front surface and an opposite second back surface facing to front and back sides of the second portion, respectively; and
the portable device being foldable to the closed position with the first and the second back surfaces of the first and the second portions lying against each other, and to the open positions with an opening angle between the back surfaces.

2. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wide angle of view of the first field of view lies in a range of 60° to 120° , for example, in a range of 60° to 90° .

3. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second imaging optical arrangement is configured to produce the second field of view narrower than the first field of view.

4. A portable device as defined in claim 3 , wherein the second imaging optical arrangement comprises a teleconverter.

5. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a display on the first front surface thereof.

6. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second portions comprise a first and a second display section, respectively, facing towards the front sides of the first and the second portions.

7. A portable device as defined in claim 6 , wherein the first and the second portions are coupled via a flexible folding portion, the first and the second display sections forming a single flexible display extending over the flexible folding portion.

8. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second portions are coupled via a flexible folding portion.

9. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second portions are coupled via a hinge about which the first and the second portions are pivotable relative to each other.

10. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is configured to detect infrared light.

11. A portable device as defined in claim 10 , wherein the first portion further comprises an infrared light source configured to illuminate a scene viewed by the image sensor by infrared light.

12. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends along a central plane, and the first imaging optical arrangement is folded so as to guide light to the image sensor substantially parallel to the central plane.

13. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , implemented as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer.

14. A portable device comprising a first portion and a second portion foldably coupled, each of them having a front surface and an opposite back surface facing to front and back sides of the first and the second portions, respectively;
the portable device being foldable to a folded position with the back surfaces of the first and the second portions lying against each other, and to open positions with a non-zero opening angle between the back surfaces;
the first and the second portions comprising a first and a second display section, respectively, facing towards the front sides of the first and the second portions;
the first portion comprising an image sensor and a first imaging optical arrangement in imaging connection with the image sensor, configured to define a viewing direction of the image sensor to the back side of the first portion;
the second portion comprising a second imaging optical arrangement located, with the device in the folded position, so as to form, together with the first imaging optical arrangement, a combined imaging optical arrangement in imaging connection with the image sensor.

15. A portable device as defined in claim 14 , wherein the first imaging optical arrangement defines a first field of view of the image sensor, and the combined imaging optical arrangement defines a second field of view of the image sensor which is different from the first field of view.

16. A portable device as defined in claim 15 , wherein the second field of view is narrower than the first field of view of the image sensor.

17. A portable device comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first front surface and an opposite first back surface facing to front and back sides of the first portion, respectively;
the first portion comprising an image sensor and a first imaging optical arrangement in imaging connection with the image sensor, the first imaging optical arrangement being configured to define a first field of view of the image sensor, and a viewing direction of the image sensor to the back side of the first portion;
the second portion comprising a second imaging optical arrangement;
the first and the second portions being movably coupled to allow adjustment of the device to a closed position with the second portion lying opposite to the first portion, against the back surface thereof, with the second optical arrangement aligned with the first imaging optical arrangement so as to define, together with the first optical arrangement, a second field of view of the image sensor different from the first field of view, and to open positions with the second portion lying outside the first field of view of the image sensor;
the first portion further comprising a flash light source and a first flash optical arrangement configured to guide light emitted by the flash light source to the back side into a first field of illumination;
the second portion further comprising a second flash optical arrangement located so as to be positioned, with the device in the closed position, aligned with the first flash optical arrangement, so as to form, together with the first flash optical arrangement, a combined flash optical arrangement configured to guide light emitted by the flash light source into a second field of illumination different from the first field of illumination.

18. A portable device as defined in claim 17 , wherein the first field of view of the image sensor is wider than the second field of view, and the first field of illumination is wider than the second field of illumination.

19. A portable device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a flash light source configured to guide light emitted by a flash light source into a first field of illumination or a second field of illumination, wherein the second field of illumination is different from the first field of illuminat

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Tuulos Eero
• Konttori Urho
• Juhola Mikko
• Eromäki Marko
• Salmelin Eero

Classifications

• G03B30/00

  Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles · CPC title

• G03B17/04

  collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type · CPC title

• G03B5/00

  Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing · CPC title

• H04N23/50 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H04N23/57 Primary

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