Apple Inc.

David C Beard

Richard John Topliss

Andrew David Fernandez

Santiago Alban

Abhishek Dhanda

Arathi S Bale

Scott Wallace Miller

Richard Lawrence Baer

Paul M Hubel

Aurelien R Hubert

Richard H Tsai

Douglas Stuart Brodie

Damien J Thivent

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for selecting a lens control mode for a camera in external magnetic fields or other types of non-magnetic interference. In embodiments, when the camera is activated, a test of a position sensor for the camera lens is performed by moving the camera lens through a range of positions and collecting values from the sensor. In embodiments, the sensor readings are analyzed to determine conditions such as (a) whether the sensor is saturated by an external magnetic field or non-magnetic interference, (b) whether the sensor's readings are within an error margin, and (c) whether a computed position offset for the sensor is valid. Based on the analysis, the camera is placed into a first control mode where movement of the lens is controlled using the position sensor, or a second control mode where lens movement is controlled without the position sensor.

Camera lens control during magnetic interference

In some embodiments, a plurality of images is captured through an image sensor of a camera during a period of time. The plurality of images is registered to calculate an image-sensor-based measure of movement of the camera during the period of time. The image-sensor-based measure of movement is compared to a motion-sensor-based measure of movement of the camera during the period of time, and a systematic offset between the motion-sensor-based measure of movement and the image-sensor-based measure of movement is calculated.

Calibration of optical image stabilization module with motion sensor using image comparisons

An actuator module for optical image stabilization of a lens assembly relative to an image sensor in a camera includes a coil mounting structure. A plurality of optical image stabilization (OIS) coils is mounted to the coil mounting structure. Some embodiments include a lens assembly structure configured to hold a lens assembly. A plurality of magnets is affixed to the lens assembly structure. Some embodiments include a spring assembly for coupling the coil mounting structure to the lens assembly structure, such that the lens assembly structure is movable relative to the coil mounting structure in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens assembly. The lens assembly comprises a light input side and an opposing light exit side for providing light for an image to an image sensor. The plurality of OIS coils is mounted closer to the light input side than the plurality of magnets.

Magnetic camera component mounting in cameras

Some embodiments include an optical image stabilization system. The optical image stabilization system includes a sensor. The sensor is configured for measuring movements of a camera module stabilized by the optical image stabilization system. Some embodiments further include an optical image stabilization control system for calculating from the movements a calculated position of a moving body. In some embodiments, the moving body is part of a camera module. Some embodiments further include an actuator control for generating electrical signals to move at least two actuators to achieve a calculated position of the moving body. In some embodiments, the actuator control system receives measurements from positions sensors that assess the position of the moving body.

Optical image stabilization compensations

An actuator module which includes a Hall sensor, configured to generate output signals indicating a displacement of a mobile component by a Lorentz actuator mechanism, can be calibrated to remove corruption of the output signals due to magnetic fields generated by a coil assembly of the actuator mechanism. Such calibration can include tracking and manipulating one or more of current strength, output signal voltage strength, and mobile component displacement to establish a relationship between output signal voltage and current applied to the coil assembly. The relationship can be used to generate, for a given generated output signal voltage and applied current strength, an offset signal voltage which can be subtracted from the voltage strength of the output signal to determine a corrected output signal, independent of coil assembly corruption, which indicates a displacement of the mobile component.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

David C Beard