Apple Inc.

Santiago Alban

Andrew David Fernandez

Richard Lawrence Baer

Abhishek Dhanda

David C Beard

Yunfeng Li

Arathi S Bale

Jianping Zhou

Parin Patel

Andrew Kenneth John McMahon

Kevin A Gross

Jianbin Nie

Devices, methods, and non-transitory program storage devices are disclosed to provide optical image stabilization (OIS) systems having a control mode with per-image frame recentering. Due to the mechanical limits of OIS systems' movement stroke, OIS systems are typically limited to being able compensate for no more than a few degrees of camera device rotation. If the device rotation motion is larger than the OIS movement stroke, the OIS movement becomes saturated, and the OIS is not able to compensate for the device's rotation motion anymore, which could generate image blurring. In order to handle relatively large device rotation motion and increase the exposure time for video capture under low-light scene conditions, it is desirable to utilize the limited OIS stroke more efficiently. This disclosure proposes new ideas for OIS systems that opportunistically re-center themselves over a time duration at the beginning of each video image frame to reduce image blurring.

Optical image stabilization (OIS) control mode with per-image frame recentering

Various embodiments include implementing optical image stabilization (OIS) in a camera module. For example, a controller may control an actuator of the camera module to move a lens group and/or an image sensor of the camera module to provide OIS movement. In various embodiments, OIS movement control is implemented according to a region-based blur reduction model that effects a greater reduction in blur associated with a target region of an image sensor, relative to one or more other regions of the image sensor.

Optical image stabilization with region-based blur reduction

Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for maintaining multiple cameras in focus on same objects and/or at same distances. In some examples, a subordinate camera may be configured to focus based on the focus of a primary camera. For instance, a focus relationship between the primary camera and the subordinate camera may be determined. The focus relationship may characterize the trajectory of the lens position of the subordinate camera with respect to the lens position of the primary camera. In various examples, the focus relationship may be updated.

Primary-subordinate camera focus based on lens position sensing

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

A camera system may include one or more controllers to perform in-field monitoring of autofocus performance and instability mitigation. The controllers may monitor one or more parameters associated with adjustment of a relative position between a lens group and an image sensor and/or one or more images. The controllers may analyze the parameters and/or images to calculate various metrics. The controllers may evaluate the metrics with respect to corresponding thresholds. The controllers may detect, based at least in part of the evaluation the metrics, one or more instability events associated with controller performance degradation. In response to detecting the instability events, the controllers may perform one or more remedial actions to mitigate the controller performance degradation.

In-field monitoring of autofocus performance and instability mitigation in camera systems

Various embodiments include camera movement control for reduced power consumption. Some embodiments, for example, may include operating a camera module in a power saving mode, in which focus movement control may be synchronized with frame capture. According to some examples, such synchronization may include holding a position (e.g., a focus position) of a lens group and/or an image sensor of the camera module during some integration time periods. Furthermore, such synchronization may include enabling power saving movement (e.g., between a focus position and a neutral position) of the lens group and/or the image sensor during some other time periods, such as during intervals (e.g., blanking intervals) between integration time periods, and/or during integration time periods for image frames that are expendable.

Camera movement control for reduced power consumption

At a processor of a camera-equipped electronic device, a first data set generated at a sensor incorporated within a camera module is obtained, and a second data set generated at one or more sensors external to the camera module is obtained. Based on the first set and second data sets, a first set of control signals is transmitted to the camera module. At a disturbance rejection controller integrated within the camera module, a second set of control signals is generated, based on the first set of control signals and on a third set of data obtained from the sensor incorporated within the camera module. The second set of control signals is transmitted to an actuator, which causes a displacement of a camera lens.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Santiago Alban