Corephotonics Ltd.

Itay Yedid

Ephraim Goldenberg

Gil Bachar

Gal Shabtay

Michael Dror

Itay Jerby

Gal Avivi

Roy Rudnick

Yiftah Kowal

Gal Barak

Noy Cohen

Nadav Goulinski

Emil Bronstein

Michael Scherer

Ziv Shemesh

Tal Korman

Kobi Goldstein

Itay Manor

Yonatan Mandel

Rami Boltanski

Itamar Boral

Vinay Bhus

Oriel Grushka

Yehonatan Mandel

Daniel Boltinsky

Itay Jerbi

Compact folded camera modules having auto-focus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS) capabilities and multi-aperture cameras including such modules. In an embodiment, a folded camera module includes an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path with a first optical axis to a second optical path with a second optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis, an image sensor and a lens module carrying a lens with a symmetry axis parallel to the second optical axis. The lens module can be actuated to move in first and second orthogonal directions in a plane perpendicular to the first optical axis, the movement in the first direction being for auto-focus and the movement in the second direction being for OIS. The OPFE can be actuated to tilt for OIS.

Auto focus and optical image stabilization in a compact folded camera

Digital cameras comprising a lens assembly comprising N lens elements L-Lstarting with Lon an object side, wherein N is ≥4, an image sensor having a sensor diagonal S, and a pop-out mechanism that controls a largest air-gap d between two consecutive lens elements within lens elements Land Lto bring the camera to an operative pop-out state and a collapsed state, wherein the lens assembly has a total track length TTL in the operative pop-out state and a collapsed total track length cTTL in the collapsed state, wherein Sis in the range of 7-20 mm and wherein cTTL/S<0.6.

Slim pop-out cameras and lenses for such cameras

Actuators for rotating an optical-path-folding-element with two, first and second, degrees of freedom in an extended rotation range around two respective rotation axes, folded cameras including such actuators and dual-cameras including a folded camera as above together with an upright camera.

Optical-path folding-element with an extended two degree of freedom rotation range

Folded cameras and dual folded-upright cameras that reduce a mobile electronic device and specifically a smartphone bump footprint and height. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section of the folded camera. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section and a lens subsection of the folded camera.

Compact folded camera structure

Actuators for rotating or tilting an optical element, for example an optical path folding element, comprising a voice coil motor (VCM) and a curved ball-guided mechanism operative to create a rotation or tilt movement of the optical element around a rotation axis upon actuation by the VCM. In some embodiments, an actuator includes two, first and second VCMs, and two curved ball-guided mechanisms operative to create rotation or tilt around respective first and second rotation axes.

Rotational ball-guided voice coil motor

Voice coil motor (VCM) actuators for rotating an optical path folding element (OPFE) over an extended scanning range relative to a scanning/rotation range needed for optical image stabilization (OIS).

Folded camera structure with an extended light- folding-element scanning range

Folded Tele cameras, comprising: an optical path folding element (OPFE) for a folding a first optical path OPto second optical path OP, a lens including N lens elements, the lens being divided into four lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis and marked, in order from an object side of the lens to an image side of the lens, G, G, Gand G, and an image sensor, wherein the lens elements of a lens group do not move with respect to each other, wherein Gand Gdo not move with respect to each other, wherein Gand Gdo not move with respect to each other, wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor (ZF) continuously between a minimum zoom factor marked ZFcorresponding to a minimal effective focal length marked EFLand a maximum zoom factor marked ZFcorresponding to a maximal effective focal length marked EFLby moving Gand Gtogether relative to the image sensor and by moving Gand Gtogether relative to the image sensor.

Folded cameras with continuously adaptive zoom factor

Digital cameras, optical lens modules for such digital cameras and methods for assembling lens elements in such lens modules. In various embodiments, the digital cameras comprise an optical lens module including N≥3 lens elements L, each lens element comprising a respective front surface Sand a respective rear surface S. In various embodiments the first lens element toward the object side, Land its respective front surfaces Shave optical and/or mechanical properties, such as a clear aperture, a clear height and a mechanical height that are larger than respective properties of following lens elements and surfaces. This is done to achieve a camera with large aperture stop, given a lens and/or camera height.

Folded camera lens designs

Multi-cameras and in particular dual-cameras comprising a Wide camera comprising a Wide lens and a Wide image sensor, the Wide lens having a Wide effective focal length EFLand a folded Tele camera comprising a Tele lens with a first optical axis, a Tele image sensor and an OPFE, wherein the Tele lens includes, from an object side to an image side, a first lens element group G, a second lens element group Gand a third lens element group G, wherein at least two of the lens element groups are movable relative to the image sensor along the first optical axis to bring the Tele lens to two zoom states, wherein an effective focal length (EFL) of the Tele lens is changed from EFLin one zoom state to EFLin the other zoom state, wherein EFL>1.5×EFLand wherein EFL>1.5×EFL.

Multi-aperture cameras with at least one two state zoom camera

Folded cameras comprising a movable lens having a lens optical axis and positioned in an optical path between an optical path folding element (OPFE) and an image sensor, wherein the OPFE folds light from a first direction to a second direction, the second direction being substantially along the lens optical axis, and an actuator for controlled lens movement, the actuator including or being attached to a shield partially surrounding the lens, the shield having an opening positioned and dimensioned to enable installation of the lens into the shield from an insertion direction substantially parallel to the first direction. A folded camera disclosed herein may be included together with an upright camera in a dual-camera.

Compact folded camera

Actuators for carrying and actuating a lens having a first optical axis, the lens receiving light folded from a second optical axis substantially perpendicular to the first optical axis, comprising first and second VCM engines coupled to the lens and first and second linear ball-guided rails operative to create movement of the lens in two substantially orthogonal directions upon actuation by respective VCM engines.

Linear ball guided voice coil motor for folded optic

Cameras with OIS capable of performing multi zoom super macro photography and handheld electronic devices comprising such cameras. A camera may include a lens comprising N lens elements L-Ldivided into two or more lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis starting with Lon an object side and ending with Lon an image side, adjacent lens groups separated by a respective air-gap dalong the lens optical axis; an image sensor with a sensor diagonal Sbetween 7 and 20 mm separated from lens element Lby an air-gap dalong the lens optical axis; and an actuator for controlling air-gaps dand dto switch the camera between M≥1 operative pop-out states and a collapsed state and to focus the camera on an object at an object-lens distance of less than 30 cm.

Pop-out zoom camera

Scanning Tele cameras (STCs) based on two optical path folding element (OPFE) field-of-view scanning and mobile devices including such STCs. A STC may comprise a first OPFE (O-OPFE) for folding a first optical path OPto a second optical path OP, an O-OPFE actuator, a second OPFE (I-OPFE) for folding OPto a third optical path OP, an I-OPFE actuator, a lens, a lens actuator and an image sensor, wherein the STC has a STC native field-of-view (n-FOVT), wherein the O-OPFE actuator is configured to rotate the O-OPFE around a first axis and the I-OPFE actuator rotates the I-OPFE around a second axis for scanning a scene with the n-FOVT, wherein the lens actuator is configured to move the lens for focusing along a third axis, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis and parallel to the third axis.

Scanning Tele camera based on two prism field of view scanning

Scanning Tele cameras (STCs) based on two optical path folding element (OPFE) field-of-view scanning and mobile devices including such STCs. A STC may comprise a first OPFE (O-OPFE) for folding a first optical path OPto a second optical path OP, an O-OPFE actuator, a second OPFE (I-OPFE) for folding OPto a third optical path OP, an I-OPFE actuator, a lens, a lens actuator and an image sensor, wherein the STC has a STC native field-of-view (n-FOV), wherein the O-OPFE actuator is configured to rotate the O-OPFE around a first axis and the I-OPFE actuator rotates the I-OPFE around a second axis for scanning a scene with the n-FOV, wherein the lens actuator is configured to move the lens for focusing along a third axis, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis and parallel to the third axis.

Growing community of inventors

Karme Yosef, Israel

Itay Yedid