Apple Inc.

One Drop Biosensor Technologies, LLC

Sano Intelligence, Inc.

Other

Scott Wallace Miller

Shashank Sharma

Nicholas D Smyth

Alfred N Mireault

Douglas Stuart Brodie

Aurelien R Hubert

Ashwin Pushpala

Matthew Chapman

Alan Szmodis

Weldon Hall

Hooman Hafezi

Simon S Lee

Brad Vaughn Johnson

Zachary W Birnbaum

Hao Zheng

Steven Webster

Ryan J Dunn

Shujun Tang

Qiang Yang

Yoshiyuki Takase

Jian Ouyang

Andrew S Jozefov

Rummel R Adriano

Matthew D Hill

Phillip R Sommer

Martin J Auclair

Jeffrey Nathan Gleason

Michael E Bausch

Martin P Schooping

Brian A Argyres

Lindsay M Alanen

Michael L Schneier

David H Hudson

Samuel M Hyatt

Mary A Dailor

James W Miller

Ihtesham H Chowdhury

David C Beard

Jason T Weaver

Erola Boix Sagarra

Simon John Pickford

Junwei Liu

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements. The suspension arrangements may include leaf springs attached to a carrier structure for the lens.

Camera with folded optics having moveable lens

Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift a lens and/or an image sensor along multiple axes. The VCM actuator may include a bottom flexure and a top flexure that connect one or more dynamic members to one or more static members. The VCM actuator may include stationary magnets and coils held by dynamic members. In some cases, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor along an optical axis, to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, and/or to tilt the image sensor relative to the orthogonal axis. In some examples, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, to move the lens along the optical axis, and/or to tilt the lens relative to the optical axis.

Camera actuator for lens and sensor shifting

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.

Folded camera with actuator for moving optics

A device may include a tip tilt camera module and a dynamic flexible printed circuit structure. The camera module as a whole may tilt around one or more axes. Within the camera module, the camera module may include one or more lenses and an image sensor, whereby the relative position between the lenses and image sensor may be adjustable. The printed circuit structure may provide an electrical connection between the camera module and one or more other components of the device outside the camera module. The printed circuit structure may include one or more flexible portions, at least one portion of which may be placed in torsion during rotation of the camera module.

Dynamic flexible printed circuit for a tip tilt OIS camera module

Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.

Additive coil structure for voice coil motor actuator

A device may have a multi-camera system including one or more camera modules. At least one camera module may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a chassis structure. The camera module may include a bearing structure including one or more stages moving on a plurality of rolling elements to allow the lenses and/or the image sensor to move in one or more directions. The chassis structure may form a limit for a span distance or length of a group of rolling elements. A portion of the chassis structure may include an opening to provide extra space to allow the span distance or length of the group of rolling elements to be extended, so as to reduce effects of raceway indentations on the rolling elements to the camera module performance.

Chassis cut-out to improve reliability and performance for cameras including bearing structures

In some embodiments, a camera includes a lens assembly in a lens carrier, an image sensor for capturing a digital representation of light transiting the lens, and a voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the voice coil motor includes a spring suspension assembly for moveably mounting the lens carrier to an actuator base, a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the actuator base through a magnet holder assembly and a focusing coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier and mounted to the actuator base through the suspension assembly. In some embodiments, the permanent magnets each generate a magnetic field of a respective permanent magnet field strength, and the magnet holder assembly generates a holder magnetic field of a holder magnetic field strength.

Camera actuator with magnet holder having magnetic field

Various embodiments include a dynamic flex circuit that may be used in a camera with a moveable image sensor. The dynamic flex circuit may include one or more fixed end portions, a moveable end portion, and an intermediate portion. In some embodiments, the fixed end portion may be connected to another flex circuit of the camera. The moveable end portion may be coupled with the moveable image sensor. The intermediate portion may be configured to allow the moveable end portion to move with the moveable image sensor. Some embodiments include a reinforcement arrangement that reinforces one or more portions of the dynamic flex circuit.

Dynamic flex circuit for camera with moveable image sensor

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and one or more light path folding elements (e.g., a prism). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.

Camera with folded optics

Various embodiments include a tilt actuator and a spring suspension arrangement for use in a camera having a folded optics arrangement. In some embodiments, the folded optics arrangement may include a light path-folding element that is coupled with a carrier and that is tilted using the tilt actuator. The spring suspension arrangement may suspend the carrier and the light path-folding element from a base structure, and may allow motion of the light path-folding element enabled by the tilt actuator. The spring suspension arrangement may include one or more springs attached to the carrier and to the base structure. In some embodiments, the spring suspension arrangement may further include one or more suspension wires attached to the spring(s) and to a stationary structure of the camera.

Folded optics with tilt actuator and spring suspension

Various embodiments include perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangements for cameras. A perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may be used to suspend a moveable platform of the camera from a base structure of the camera, and allow a lens group of the camera to move laterally. According to some embodiments, the perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may include one or more tabs that may be used as bumpers that cushion lateral movement of the moveable platform.

Perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement for camera

A flex circuit that may accommodate movement of an image sensor within a camera. The flex circuit generally includes a plurality of planar segments between a first end that is fixed relative to the image sensor and a second end that is fixed relative to one or more camera components. One or more of the planar segments twists when the image sensor is moved within the camera.

Moveable flex circuit for cameras with moveable image sensors

In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

Optical image stabilization with voice coil motor for moving image sensor

Various embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift an image sensor along multiple axes. Some embodiments include a magnet and coil arrangement. Some embodiments include a position sensing arrangement. Some embodiments include a flexure arrangement. Some embodiments include a coil structure and coil carrier assembly.

Camera with image sensor shifting

Various embodiments include a camera having one or more end stop bumpers. In some embodiments, the end stop bumper(s) may be at least partially disposed between a suspension platform of a camera and a lateral end stop defined by a stationary structure of the camera. The end stop bumper(s) may be configured to cushion movement of the suspension platform as the suspension platform approaches the lateral end stop. In some embodiments, the end stop bumper(s) may be part of a suspension spring structure coupled to the suspension platform.

Camera with end stop bumper

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Scott Wallace Miller