Mobile device with folding optical elements

Abstract

A device having a camera module, installed on the housing of the device such that the position of the camera module relative to the housing can be changed. One of the positions, an exposure position, involves optical elements which are oriented so as to be able to project light onto light-sensitive elements in order to produce an image on one or more sensors. A second position involves being flush against, and as close as possible to, the housing of the mobile device, by means of folding. The overall thickness of the camera module is structurally limited by the thickness of the thickest optical or light-sensitive element. The device contains structural elements for processing a digital representation of an image obtained from the light-sensitive elements. The camera module includes optical elements in the form of a set of thin lenses and/or mirrors, and one or a plurality of light-sensitive elements, namely sensors consisting of light-sensitive pixels. If the camera module has a plurality of sensors and a plurality of groups of lenses, separate light flows are directed onto corresponding sensors, wherein means for processing the digital representation of the image unite the images obtained from the sensors so as to produce a single image of increased quality. The use of a mobile device having such a camera module allows for producing high-quality images, especially in low-light conditions, while maintaining small device dimensions.