Camera with sensor shift auto focus mechanism

Abstract

Various embodiments include cameras with sensor shifting mechanisms. For example, the cameras can include voice coil motor (VCM) actuators to move an image sensor relative to a lens group to provide an autofocus (AF) function. According to some embodiments, the VCM actuators can include one or more coils attached to a coil carrier, and one or more magnets attached to a stationary structure of the camera. The coil carrier can be attached to an image sensor package such that the image sensor can move in at least one direction parallel to an optical axis defined by the lens group along with the coil carrier. In some embodiments, the cameras can include one or more suspension arrangements to suspend the coil carrier and / or the image sensor package from one or more stationary structures of the camera.

Description

Background Technology Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates in its entirety to the architecture of a camera including a sensor-shift autofocus (AF) mechanism.

[0003] Related technical descriptions

[0004] The emergence of small, mobile multi-purpose devices such as smartphones and tablets or tablets has led to a demand for high-resolution, small-form-factor cameras integrated into these devices. Some small-form-factor cameras incorporate optical image stabilization (OIS) mechanisms that sense and react to external stimuli / disturbances by adjusting the position of optical lenses on the X and / or Y axes, attempting to compensate for unwanted lens movement. Some small-form-factor cameras incorporate autofocus (AF) mechanisms that adjust the focal length of the object so that the object plane in front of the camera is focused onto the image plane captured by the image sensor. In some of these autofocus mechanisms, the optical lens moves as a single rigid body along the camera's optical axis to refocus the camera. Attached Figure Description

[0005] Figures 1A to 1D A view of an exemplary camera with a sensor-shift autofocus (AF) mechanism according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 1A A side sectional view of the camera is shown. Figure 1B A perspective view is shown, including some suspension and actuator components, such as the camera. Figure 1C A top view is shown, illustrating an exemplary curved arrangement that may be included in a camera. Figure 1D A bottom perspective view is shown, which includes some external components and some electronic components mounted on the underside of a substrate that may be included in the camera.

[0006] Figure 2 A partial exploded view of an exemplary camera with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism according to some embodiments is shown.

[0007] Figures 3A to 3B A view showing an exemplary magnet coil arrangement of a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator according to some embodiments is shown, which may be included in a camera having a sensor shift AF mechanism. Figure 3A A perspective view showing the arrangement of magnet coils is shown. Figure 3B A cross-sectional view including the arrangement of magnet coils is shown.

[0008] Figures 4A to 4B Examples of AF motion that can be implemented in a camera with a sensor-shift AF mechanism according to some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 4A An example of an upward AF stroke is shown. Figure 4BAn example of a downward AF stroke is shown.

[0009] Figure 5 A partial anatomical view of an exemplary camera with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism according to some embodiments is shown, wherein the camera includes electronic components mounted on the top side of a ceramic substrate.

[0010] Figure 6 A partial anatomical view of another exemplary camera with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism according to some embodiments is shown, wherein the camera includes electronic components mounted on the underside of an organic substrate.

[0011] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an exemplary device, which may include a camera with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism, is shown according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer system, which may include a camera with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism, is shown according to some embodiments.

[0013] This specification includes references to "one embodiment" or "implementation". The use of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner consistent with this disclosure.

[0014] The term "comprising" is open-ended. As used in the appended claims, it does not exclude additional structures or steps. Consider the following cited claim: "An apparatus comprising one or more processor units..." Such claims do not exclude the inclusion of additional components (e.g., network interface units, graphics circuitry, etc.).

[0015] "Configured as" refers to various units, circuits, or other components that can be described or stated as being "configured as" to perform one or more tasks. In such a context, "configured as" is used to imply a structure (e.g., a circuit) that includes a unit / circuit / component that performs one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a unit / circuit / component is allegedly configured to perform the task even when the specified unit / circuit / component is currently inoperable (e.g., not switched on). Units / circuits / components used with the language "configured as" include hardware such as circuits, memory storing program instructions that can be executed to perform the operation, etc. Referring to a unit / circuit / component as being "configured as" to perform one or more tasks is explicitly intended to exclude reference to 35 U.S.SC §112(f) for that unit / circuit / component. Furthermore, "configured as" can include general structures (e.g., general circuits) manipulated by software and / or firmware (e.g., FPGAs or general-purpose processors executing software) in a manner capable of performing one or more tasks to be solved. "Configured to" may also include adjusting the manufacturing process (e.g., a semiconductor manufacturing facility) to manufacture equipment (e.g., an integrated circuit) suitable for performing one or more tasks.

[0016] "First," "second," etc. As used herein, these terms serve as labels for the nouns preceding them and do not imply any type of ordering (e.g., spatial, temporal, logical, etc.). For example, a buffer circuit may be described herein as performing write operations on a "first" value and a "second" value. The terms "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that the first value must be written before the second value.

[0017] "Based on." As used herein, this term describes one or more factors that influence the determination. This term does not exclude additional factors influencing the determination. That is, the determination may be based solely on these factors or at least partially on them. Consider the phrase "A is determined based on B." In this case, B is the factor influencing the determination of A, and such phrases do not exclude the possibility that the determination of A may also be based on C. In other instances, A may be determined solely on B.

[0018] It will also be understood that while the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the intended scope, a first contact may be referred to as a second contact, and similarly, a second contact may be referred to as a first contact. Both the first contact and the second contact are contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0019] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the specification and appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also cover the plural forms unless the context otherwise expressly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and covers any and all possible combinations of one or more of the items listed in connection with the description. It will also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including” as used in this specification specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0020] As used herein, depending on the context, the term "if" can be interpreted as meaning "when..." or "in response to determination" or "in response to detection". Similarly, depending on the context, the phrase "if it is determined..." or "if [the stated condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "when it is determined..." or "in response to determination..." or "when [the stated condition or event] is detected" or "in response to detection". Detailed Implementation

[0021] Various embodiments include cameras with sensor shifting mechanisms. For example, the camera may include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator to move an image sensor relative to a lens group, thereby providing autofocus (AF) functionality. According to some embodiments, the VCM actuator may include one or more coils attached to a coil holder, and one or more magnets attached to a stationary structure of the camera. The coil holder may be attached to an image sensor package such that the image sensor, together with the coil holder, can move in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis defined by the lens group. In some embodiments, the camera may include one or more suspension arrangements to suspend the coil holder and / or the image sensor package from one or more stationary structures of the camera.

[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description in order to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some embodiments may be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, processes, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the embodiments.

[0023] Figures 1A to 1D A view of an exemplary camera 100 with a sensor-shift autofocus (AF) mechanism is shown. Figure 1A A side sectional view of camera 100 is shown. Figure 1B A perspective view of some suspension and actuator components, including camera 100, is shown. Figure 1C A top view of an exemplary curved arrangement that may be included in camera 100 is shown. Figure 1D A bottom perspective view is shown, which includes some external components and some electronic components mounted on the underside of a substrate that may be included in the camera 100. Figure 1A The exemplary XYZ coordinate system shown can be applied to the implementations discussed throughout this disclosure.

[0024] In various embodiments, camera 100 may include lens group 102, image sensor 104, and sensor shift AF mechanism (which can be used to move image sensor 104 relative to lens group 102). Lens group 102 may include one or more optical elements defining optical axis 106. Lens group 102 may be fixedly coupled to lens barrel 108. For example, lens group 102 may be housed within lens barrel 108, such as... Figure 1A As shown. Image sensor 104 can be configured to capture image data based on light passing through lens group 102. Image sensor 104 can be fixedly coupled to substrate 110, for example, such that image sensor 104 can move together with substrate 110. According to various embodiments, image sensor 104, substrate 110 and / or one or more other components may be included in an image sensor package.

[0025] In some embodiments, the sensor shifting AF mechanism may include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator and one or more suspension arrangements. The VCM actuator may include one or more magnets 112 and one or more coils 114. The magnet 112 may be attached to a stationary structure of the camera 100. For example, the magnet 112 may be attached to a bracket 116 that at least partially encloses the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the bracket 116 may serve as a magnet holder and housing (e.g., a shield). In some non-limiting embodiments, the magnet 112 may include a corner magnet. For example, as... Figure 1B As shown, magnet 112 can be four corner magnets. The corner magnets can be mounted at the corners of bracket 116 (which may also correspond to the corners of camera 100). In various embodiments, coil 114 can be attached to coil holder 118, which is fixedly coupled to the image sensor package. Coil holder 118 can be attached to substrate 110 (e.g., via...). Figure 1A(Adhesive at the bonding line 120 in the middle). According to various embodiments, coil 114 may be positioned close to magnet 112 such that coil 114 can electromagnetically interact with magnet 112 to generate a Lorentz force that moves the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to optical axis 106 (e.g., in the Z-axis direction), as also referenced herein. Figures 3A to 4B As stated above.

[0026] In various embodiments, the suspension arrangement may include a spring suspension arrangement 122 and / or a flexural arrangement 124. For example, the spring suspension arrangement 122 may be configured to suspend a coil support 118, such as a magnet 112, a bracket 116, and / or a base structure 126, from one or more stationary structures of the camera 100. Furthermore, the spring suspension arrangement 122 may be configured to allow movement of the coil support 118 actuated by a VCM actuator. In some examples, the spring suspension arrangement 122 may include an upper leaf spring 128 and / or a lower leaf spring 130, such as... Figures 1A to 1B As shown. The upper leaf spring 128 can be attached to the coil support 118 and to the magnet 112 (and / or bracket 116). The lower leaf spring 130 can be attached to the coil support 118 and to the magnet 112 (and / or base structure 126).

[0027] In some implementations, the curved arrangement 124 can be used for suspension and / or for routing electrical signals. For example... Figure 1C As shown, the bending arrangement 124 may include an inner platform 132, an outer platform 134, and one or more bending arms 136. The inner platform 132 may be connected to the substrate 110, for example, via an electrical connection 138. The outer platform 134 may be connected to the base structure 126 (e.g., via...). Figure 1A (Adhesive at the joint line 140 in the middle). The curved arm 136 can be connected to the internal platform 132 and to the external platform 134. In some embodiments, the curved arm 136 may have sufficient stiffness to provide at least some support in the suspension function of the suspension arrangement. In addition, the curved arm 136 may have sufficient consistency at least in the Z-axis direction to allow movement initiated by the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the curved arm 136 may have sufficient in-plane stiffness (e.g., in the XY plane) to limit undesirable movement in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 106. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the curved arrangement 124 may be designed to allow controlled movement in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 106, for example, in embodiments of the camera 100 including a sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) mechanism.

[0028] According to various embodiments, the curved arrangement 124 may include one or more electrical traces 140 for routing electrical signals (e.g., drive signals, image signals, and / or power signals). In some embodiments, the electrical traces 142 may form a conductive path between the inner platform 132 and the outer platform 134. This may be achieved, for example, on the curved arm 136 and / or where the electrical traces 142 are included. Figure 1D As shown, a portion of the curved arrangement (e.g., a portion of the external platform 134) may extend from the interior of the camera 100 to one or more external components located outside the camera 100 (e.g., one or more processors of a device included therein in the camera 100), and the electrical trace 142 may be used to transmit electrical signals between the camera 100 and the external components.

[0029] According to various embodiments, camera 100 may include optical elements 144 attached to coil support 118, such as... Figure 1A As shown. Optical element 144 allows at least a portion of the light passing through lens group 102 to reach image sensor 104. Optical element 144 may be positioned along optical axis 106, for example, positioned between lens group 102 and image sensor 104. In some examples, optical element 144 may include an optical filter (e.g., an infrared cutoff filter (IRCF)). In various embodiments, image sensor 104 may be completely encapsulated within a chamber 146 defined by substrate 110, coil support 118, and optical element 142, for example, as Figure 1A As shown. The chamber can be a dustproof chamber that protects the image sensor 104 from dust and / or other debris that may undesirably affect image quality, camera performance, and / or user experience.

[0030] In some embodiments, camera 100 may include one or more position sensors 148 and / or one or more other electronic components 150 mounted on substrate 110. For example, such as Figure 1A and Figure 1D As shown, the position sensor 148 and / or electronic components 150 may be mounted on the bottom side of the substrate 110 facing the bottom of the camera 100. Furthermore, the camera 100 may include one or more probe magnets 152 attached to the inner surface of a bottom cover 154, which at least partially encloses the bottom portion of the camera 100, for example, as shown in the image. Figure 1AAs shown. Position sensor 148 can be used to detect the position of image sensor 104 in at least one direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) parallel to optical axis 106. For example, position sensor 148 and corresponding probe magnet 152 can be positioned close to each other such that when position sensor (together with image sensor package) moves relative to probe magnet 152 in the Z-axis direction, position sensor 148 can sense changes in the magnetic field of probe magnet 152. In some embodiments, electronics 150 may include one or more drivers for providing drive current to coil 114, for example, via a conductive path including substrate 110, coil support 118, and / or suspension arrangement. In some embodiments, the driver may receive actuator command signals from one or more controllers (e.g., controllers inside camera 100 and / or controllers located outside camera 100), which may be delivered to the driver via bending arrangement 124.

[0031] In some embodiments, the bottom cover 154 may at least partially enclose the bottom of the camera 100 and one or more sides of the camera 100. For example... Figure 1A As shown, the bracket 116 may have a lower portion attached to the base structure 126, and the bottom cover 154 may have an upper portion that at least partially overlaps with the lower portion of the bracket 116, for example, as Figure 1A The dashed area 156 is roughly shown. Therefore, in some embodiments, the bracket 116 and the bottom cover 154 may together form one or more sides of the camera 100.

[0032] According to various embodiments, the lens barrel 108 may be fixedly attached to the bracket 116. For example, the lens barrel 108 may include a flange 158 that projects radially (e.g., relative to the optical axis 106) outward away from the lens group 102. The underside of the flange 158 may be fixedly attached (e.g., via...) Figure 1A The adhesive at the joint line 160 is applied to the top surface of the bracket 116, for example, as shown. Figure 1A The dashed area 162 is roughly shown. Therefore, in various non-limiting embodiments, the lens group 102 can be a fixed, stationary component of the camera 100.

[0033] like Figure 1AAs shown, the coil holder 118 may define an upper stop 164 (e.g., together with the bracket 116) and / or a lower stop 166 (e.g., together with the base structure 126). In some embodiments, the coil 114 is at least partially embedded in a recess and / or pit within the coil holder 118. The coil holder 118 may include a first portion attached to the substrate 110, a second portion extending from the first portion toward the optical axis 106, and a third portion extending from the first portion away from the optical axis. An optical element 144 may be attached to the second portion. The third portion may define the upper stop 164, the lower stop 166, and a recess (in which the coil 114 may be at least partially embedded). The recess may be positioned in the Z-axis direction between the upper stop 164 and the lower stop 166.

[0034] Figure 2 A partial exploded view of an exemplary camera 200 with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism is shown. In various embodiments, the camera 200 may include a lens assembly 202, a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly 204, a substrate and bending assembly 206, and / or a bottom cover 208 (e.g., Figure 1A (e.g., bottom cover 154). These components may also be referred to herein as sub-components (and / or modules) of the overall assembly of camera 200. Lens assembly 202 may include, for example, referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The lens group 102 and lens barrel 108 are described. The VCM actuator assembly 204 may include, for example, those referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The magnet 112, bracket 116, coil 114, coil support 118, optical element 144, spring suspension arrangement 122, and / or base structure 126 are described herein. The substrate and bending assembly 206 may include those referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The image sensor 104, substrate 110 and / or curved arrangement 124 are described.

[0035] In some embodiments, the VCM actuator assembly 204 and / or the substrate and bending assembly 206 may be assembled at one or more locations and / or commercial entities (e.g., manufacturers, suppliers, etc.) that are different from the locations and / or commercial entities of the overall assembly for the camera 200. This may include coupling the VCM actuator assembly 204 to the substrate and bending assembly 206 (e.g., via adhesive bonding), coupling the lens assembly 202 to the VCM actuator assembly 204 (e.g., using adhesive during active alignment), and attaching the bottom cover 208 to the base structure 154 and / or the bracket 116.

[0036] Figures 3A to 3B A view of an exemplary magnet coil arrangement 300 of a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator is shown, which may be included in a camera having a sensor shift AF mechanism. Figure 3AA perspective view showing the arrangement of magnet coils 300 is shown. Figure 3B A cross-sectional view including a magnet coil arrangement 300 is shown. In various embodiments, the magnet coil arrangement may include one or more magnets 302 (e.g., Figure 1B The magnet 112) and one or more coils 304 (e.g., Figures 1A to 1B (coil 114 in the coil). In some embodiments, magnet 302 may include a trapezoidal corner magnet, for example, such as... Figure 3A As shown. Furthermore, in some non-limiting embodiments, coil 304 may include a coil having a chamfered corner portion adjacent to the corresponding corner magnet, for example, as... Figure 3A As shown.

[0037] Figure 3B An exemplary magnetic field line 306 associated with the magnetic field of magnet 302 is indicated. When a drive current is supplied, coil 304 can be driven to interact electromagnetically with magnet 302, thereby generating a Lorentz force that moves image sensor package 308.

[0038] Figures 4A to 4B Examples of AF motion that can be implemented in a camera with a sensor-shift AF mechanism according to some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 4A An example of an upward AF stroke is shown, where the Lorentz force, as described above, typically has an upward direction, as indicated by arrow 402a. Figure 4B An example of a downward AF stroke is shown, where the Lorentz force, as described above, typically has a downward direction, as indicated by arrow 402b. Figures 4A to 4B The dashed lines in the diagram indicate the initial positions of certain components (e.g., including the image sensor package 306) that move during the AF stroke, and the corresponding solid lines indicate the subsequent positions of those movable components generated by the AF stroke.

[0039] Figure 5 A partial anatomical view of an exemplary camera 500 with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism is shown, wherein the camera 500 includes electronic components mounted on the top side of a ceramic substrate. In various embodiments, the camera 500 may include a lens assembly 502, a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly 504, a substrate and bending assembly 506, and / or a bottom cover 508. These components may also be referred to herein as sub-assemblies (and / or modules) of the overall assembly of the camera 500. The lens assembly 502 may include, for example, referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The lens group 102 and the lens barrel 108 are mentioned above.

[0040] In some embodiments, the VCM actuator assembly 504 may include a bracket 510 having a protrusion 512 extending downward from the top of the bracket 510. A probe magnet 514 (e.g., for position sensing) may be attached to the bracket 510. For example, the probe magnet 514 may be attached to the protrusion 512 such that the probe magnet 514 is positioned next to the inner surface of the coil holder 516 (to which the coil 518 may be attached). A base structure 520 may be attached to the bottom portion of the bracket 510.

[0041] In some embodiments, the substrate and bending assembly 506 may include electronic components 522 mounted on the top side of the ceramic substrate 526, including a position sensor 524. The position sensor 524 may be positioned below the probe magnet 514 to detect changes in the magnetic field of the probe magnet 514 as the position sensor 524 moves relative to the probe magnet 514. Furthermore, an optical element 528 (e.g., an optical filter such as an IRCF) may be attached to the top side of the ceramic substrate 526. An image sensor 530 may be attached to the ceramic substrate 526, for example, in a flip-chip configuration below the optical element 528. Additionally, the substrate and bending assembly 506 may include a bent arrangement 532 attached to the bottom side of the ceramic substrate 526 (e.g., Figures 1A to 1D (The curved arrangement 124 in the middle).

[0042] Figure 6 A partial anatomical view of another exemplary camera 600 with a sensor-shifting AF mechanism is shown, wherein the camera includes electronic components mounted on the bottom side of an organic substrate. In various embodiments, camera 600 may include a lens assembly 602, a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly 604, a substrate and bending assembly 606, and / or a bottom cover 608. These components may also be referred to herein as sub-assemblies (and / or modules) of the overall assembly of camera 600. Lens assembly 602 may include, for example, referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The lens group 102 and the lens barrel 108 are mentioned above.

[0043] VCM actuator assembly 604 may include, for example, those referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1D The magnet 112, bracket 116, coil 114, coil support 118, optical element 144, spring suspension arrangement 122, and / or base structure 126 are described herein. The substrate and bending assembly 606 may include those referenced herein. Figures 1A to 1DThe image sensor 104, the bending arrangement 124, and the organic substrate 610 are described. Furthermore, the substrate and bending assembly 606 may include electronic components 612 mounted on the bottom side of the organic substrate 610, including a position sensor 614. The image sensor 104 may be attached to the top side of the organic substrate 610, for example, using a wire bonding configuration with wires 616. A probe magnet 618 may be attached to the inner surface of the bottom cover 608. The probe magnet 618 may be positioned below the position sensor 614 such that the position sensor 614 can detect changes in the magnetic field of the probe magnet 618 when the position sensor 614 moves relative to the probe magnet 618.

[0044] Figure 7 A camera, which may include a sensor-shifting AF mechanism, is shown according to some embodiments (e.g., Figures 1A to 1D Camera 100 Figure 2 Camera 200 Figure 5 Camera 500 Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an exemplary device 700 (such as a camera 600). In some embodiments, device 700 may be a mobile device and / or a multi-functional device. In various embodiments, device 700 may be any of a variety of types of devices, including but not limited to: personal computer systems, desktop computers, laptops, notebook computers, tablet computers, all-in-one computers, tablet computers or netbooks, mainframe computers, handheld computers, workstations, network computers, cameras, set-top boxes, mobile devices, augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) headsets, consumer devices, video game controllers, handheld video game devices, application servers, storage devices, televisions, video recording equipment, peripheral devices (such as switches, modems, routers), or any type of computing or electronic device in general.

[0045] In some embodiments, device 700 may include a display system 702 (e.g., including a display and / or a touch-sensitive surface) and / or one or more cameras 704. In some non-limiting embodiments, the display system 702 and / or one or more forward-facing cameras 704a may be located on the front side of device 700, for example, as shown in the image. Figure 7 As shown. Additionally or alternatively, one or more rear-facing cameras 704b may be disposed at the rear of the device 700. In some embodiments including multiple cameras 704, some or all of the cameras may be identical or similar to each other. Additionally or alternatively, some or all of the cameras may be different from each other. In various embodiments, the position and / or arrangement of the cameras 704 may vary. Figure 7 The cameras shown.

[0046] Among other things, device 700 may include memory 706 (e.g., including operating system 708 and / or application / program instructions 710), one or more processors and / or controllers 712 (e.g., including CPU, memory controller, display controller and / or camera controller, etc.) and / or one or more sensors 716 (e.g., orientation sensor, proximity sensor and / or position sensor, etc.). In some embodiments, device 700 may communicate with one or more other devices and / or services (such as computing device 718, cloud service 720, etc.) via one or more networks 722. For example, device 700 may include a network interface (e.g., network interface 710) that enables device 700 to transmit data to and receive data from network 722. Additionally or alternatively, device 700 may communicate wirelessly with other devices using any of a variety of communication standards, protocols and / or technologies.

[0047] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an exemplary computing device, referred to as computer system 800, is shown. This exemplary computing device may include or host a camera having a sensor-shift AF mechanism (e.g., Figures 1A to 1D Camera 100 Figure 2 Camera 200 Figure 5 Camera 500 Figure 6 The implementation scheme of camera 600 (e.g., in this article) is as follows: Figures 1A to 7 As described above. Furthermore, the computer system 800 can implement methods for controlling the operation of the camera and / or for performing image processing on images captured by the camera. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, the device 700 (referencing herein) Figure 7 The components described herein may include some or all of the functional components of the computer system 800 described herein.

[0048] Computer system 800 can be configured to execute any one or all of the above-described embodiments. In different embodiments, computer system 800 can be any type of device, including but not limited to: personal computer systems, desktop computers, laptops, notebook computers, tablet computers, all-in-one computers, tablet computers or netbooks, mainframe computers, handheld computers, workstations, network computers, cameras, set-top boxes, mobile devices, augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) headsets, consumer devices, video game controllers, handheld video game devices, application servers, storage devices, televisions, video recording equipment, peripherals (such as switches, modems, routers), or any type of computing or electronic device in general.

[0049] In the illustrated implementation, computer system 800 includes one or more processors 802 coupled to system memory 804 via input / output (I / O) interface 806. Computer system 800 also includes one or more cameras 808 coupled to I / O interface 806. Computer system 800 also includes a network interface 810 coupled to I / O interface 806 and one or more input / output devices 812, such as cursor control device 814, keyboard 816, and display 818. In some cases, it is conceivable that the implementation may be carried out using a single instance of computer system 800, while in other implementations, multiple such systems or multiple nodes constituting computer system 800 may be configured to host different parts or instances of the implementation. For example, in one implementation, some elements may be implemented via one or more nodes of computer system 800 that are different from those implementing other elements.

[0050] In various implementations, computer system 800 can be a single-processor system including one processor 802, or a multiprocessor system including several processors 802 (e.g., two, four, eight, or another suitable number). Processor 802 can be any suitable processor capable of executing instructions. For example, in various implementations, processor 802 can be a general-purpose or embedded processor implementing any of a variety of instruction set architectures (ISAs) (such as x86, PowerPC, SPARC, or MIPS ISA or any other suitable ISA). In a multiprocessor system, each processor 802 can typically, but does not necessarily, implement the same ISA.

[0051] System memory 804 may be configured to store program instructions 820 accessible by processor 802. In various embodiments, system memory 804 may be implemented using any suitable memory technology, such as static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), non-volatile / flash memory, or any other type of memory. Additionally, existing camera control data 822 in memory 804 may include any of the aforementioned information or data structures. In some embodiments, program instructions 820 and / or data 822 may be received, transmitted, or stored on a different type of computer-accessible medium or similar medium separate from system memory 804 or computer system 800. In various embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented via such computer system 800.

[0052] In one embodiment, I / O interface 806 may be configured to coordinate I / O communication between processor 802, system memory 804, and any peripheral devices (including network interface 810 or other peripheral device interfaces, such as input / output devices 812) within the device. In some embodiments, I / O interface 806 may perform any necessary protocol, timing, or other data conversions to convert data signals from one component (e.g., system memory 804) into a format suitable for use by another component (e.g., processor 802). In some embodiments, I / O interface 806 may include support for devices attached, for example, via various types of peripheral buses (e.g., variants of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard or the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard). In some embodiments, the functionality of I / O interface 806 may be divided among two or more separate components, such as a north bridge and a south bridge. Furthermore, in some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of I / O interface 806 (such as an interface to system memory 804) may be directly incorporated into processor 802.

[0053] Network interface 810 may be configured to allow data exchange between computer system 800 and other devices (e.g., carriers or agent devices) attached to network 824, or between nodes of computer system 800. In various embodiments, network 824 may include one or more networks, including but not limited to local area networks (LANs) (e.g., Ethernet or enterprise networks), wide area networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet), wireless data networks, some other electronic data network, or some combination thereof. In various embodiments, network interface 810 may support communication via wired or wireless general-purpose data networks (such as any suitable type of Ethernet network), for example; via telecommunications / telephone networks (such as analog voice networks or digital fiber optic communication networks); via storage area networks (such as Fibre Channel SANs), or via any other suitable type of network and / or protocol.

[0054] In some implementations, input / output device 812 may include one or more display terminals, keyboards, keypads, touchpads, scanning devices, voice or optical recognition devices, or any other device suitable for inputting or accessing data by one or more computer systems 800. Multiple input / output devices 812 may be present in the computer system 800 or distributed across various nodes of the computer system 800. In some implementations, similar input / output devices may be separate from the computer system 800 and may interact with one or more nodes of the computer system 800 via wired or wireless connections (such as through network interface 810).

[0055] Those skilled in the art will understand that computer system 800 is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of embodiments. Specifically, computer systems and devices may include any combination of hardware or software capable of performing the indicated functions, including computers, network devices, internet devices, PDAs, wireless telephones, pagers, etc. Computer system 800 may also be connected to other devices not shown, or conversely, may operate as a stand-alone system. Furthermore, the functionality provided by the illustrated components may, in some embodiments, be combined into fewer components or distributed across additional components. Similarly, in some embodiments, the functionality of some of the illustrated components may not be provided, and / or other additional functions may be available.

[0056] Those skilled in the art will also recognize that while various items are shown as being stored in memory or on storage devices during use, these items, or portions thereof, may be transferred between memory and other storage devices for memory management and data integrity purposes. Alternatively, in other embodiments, some or all of these software components may be executed in memory on another device and communicate with the illustrated computer system via inter-computer communication. Some or all of the system components or data structures may also be stored (e.g., as instructions or structured data) on a computer-accessible medium or portable article of manufacture for reading by a suitable drive, various examples of which are described above. In some embodiments, instructions stored on a computer-accessible medium separate from computer system 800 may be transmitted to computer system 800 via a transmission medium or signal (such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals transmitted via communication media such as networks and / or wireless links). Various embodiments may also include receiving, transmitting, or storing instructions and / or data implemented according to the above description on a computer-accessible medium. Generally, computer-accessible media may include non-transitory computer-readable storage media or memory media, such as magnetic or optical media, like discs or DVD / CD-ROMs, and volatile or non-volatile media, such as RAM (e.g., SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.), ROM, etc. In some embodiments, computer-accessible media may include transmission media or signals, such as electrical signals, electromagnetic signals, or digital signals transmitted via communication media such as networks and / or wireless links.

[0057] In various implementations, the methods described herein can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the order of the blocks of the method can be changed, and various elements can be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. Various modifications and changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure. The various implementations described herein are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. Thus, multiple examples may be provided for a component described herein as a single example. The boundaries between various components, operations, and data repositories are somewhat arbitrary, and specific operations are shown in the context of a particular exemplary configuration. Other allocations of functionality are contemplated, which may fall within the scope of the appended claims. Finally, the structures and functions of discrete components presented in exemplary configurations can be implemented as combined structures or components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the implementations as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A camera, the camera comprising: a lens group comprising one or more lens elements defining an optical axis; an image sensor package comprising: an image sensor to capture image data based on light passing through the lens group; and a substrate to which the image sensor is attached; a coil holder fixedly coupled with the image sensor package such that the image sensor package is movable along with the coil holder; an optical element attached to the coil holder and positioned along the optical axis, wherein the image sensor is fully encapsulated within a chamber defined by the substrate, the coil holder, and the optical element; and a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator to move the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis, the VCM actuator comprising: one or more magnets attached to a stationary structure of the camera; and one or more coils fixedly coupled with the coil holder and positioned proximate to the one or more magnets such that the one or more coils are electromagnetically interactable with the one or more magnets to produce a Lorentz force to move the image sensor in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises: an optical filter.

3. The camera of claim 1, the camera further comprising: a suspension arrangement to suspend the coil holder from at least one of: the one or more magnets; or a base structure of the camera, wherein the base structure is positioned below the one or more magnets; wherein the suspension arrangement is configured to allow motion of the coil holder initiated by the VCM actuator.

4. The camera of claim 3, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises at least one of: an upper leaf spring attached to the coil holder and to the one or more magnets; or a lower leaf spring attached to the coil holder and to the base structure.

5. The camera of claim 3, the camera further comprising: a flex arrangement comprising: an inner platform attached to the substrate; an outer platform attached to the base structure; one or more flex arms attached to the inner platform and to the outer platform; and one or more electrical traces on the one or more flex arms to route electrical signals between the inner platform and the outer platform.

6. The camera of claim 1, wherein the VCM actuator is controllable to provide autofocus (AF) of an image on the image sensor.

7. The camera of claim 1, wherein: the stationary structure comprises: a cradle at least partially encasing the coil holder; the camera further comprising: a lens barrel to which the lens group is fixedly attached; and the lens barrel is fixedly attached to the cradle.

8. The camera of claim 1, further comprising: a position sensor to detect a position of the image sensor in the at least one direction parallel to the optical axis, wherein the position sensor is fixedly attached to a bottom side of the baseboard facing a bottom of the camera; and a probe magnet fixedly attached to an inner surface of a bottom cover of the camera, wherein the probe magnet is positioned proximate to the position sensor such that the position sensor can sense a magnetic field change of the probe magnet as the image sensor moves in the at least one direction.

9. The camera of claim 1, wherein: the stationary structure comprises a cradle at least partially encasing the coil holder; and the camera further comprises: a position sensor to detect a position of the image sensor in the at least one direction parallel to the optical axis, wherein the position sensor is fixedly attached to a top side of the baseboard facing a top of the camera; and a probe magnet fixedly attached to the cradle, wherein the probe magnet is positioned proximate to the position sensor such that the position sensor can sense a magnetic field change of the probe magnet as the image sensor moves in the at least one direction.

10. An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; memory storing program instructions executable by the one or more processors to control operation of a camera; and the camera, comprising: a lens group comprising one or more lens elements defining an optical axis; an image sensor package comprising: an image sensor to capture image data based on light passing through the lens group; and a baseboard to which the image sensor is attached; a coil holder fixedly coupled with the image sensor package such that the image sensor package can move together with the coil holder; an optical element attached to the coil holder and positioned along the optical axis, wherein the image sensor is fully encapsulated within a chamber defined by the baseboard, the coil holder, and the optical element; and a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator to move the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis, the VCM actuator comprising: one or more magnets attached to a stationary structure of the camera; and one or more coils fixedly coupled with the coil holder and positioned proximate to the one or more magnets such that the one or more coils can electromagnetically interact with the one or more magnets to produce a Lorentz force to move the image sensor in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the optical element comprises: an optical filter.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the camera further comprises: a base structure at least partially surrounding the substrate; a suspension arrangement for suspending the coil holder from: the one or more magnets; and the base structure; wherein the suspension arrangement is configured to allow movement of the coil holder initiated by the VCM actuator.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises: an upper leaf spring attached to the coil holder and to the one or more magnets; and a lower leaf spring attached to the coil holder and to the base structure.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the camera further comprises: a flex arrangement comprising: an inner platform attached to the substrate; an outer platform attached to the base structure; one or more flex arms attached to the inner platform and to the outer platform; and one or more electrical traces on the one or more flex arms for routing electrical signals between the inner platform and the outer platform.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the VCM actuator to provide autofocus (AF) of an image on the image sensor.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein: the stationary structure comprises: a cradle at least partially enclosing the coil holder; the camera further comprises: a lens barrel to which the lens group is fixedly attached; and the lens barrel is fixedly attached to the cradle.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more magnets comprise corner magnets mounted at corners of the cradle.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein: the substrate comprises a ceramic substrate; the image sensor package further comprises: one or more electronic components on a top side of the ceramic substrate; and the image sensor is connected to the ceramic substrate in a flip-chip configuration.

19. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein: the substrate comprises an organic substrate; the image sensor package further comprises: one or more electronic components on a bottom side of the organic substrate; and the image sensor is connected to the organic substrate in a wire-bond configuration.

20. A voice coil motor (VCM) actuator module, the VCM actuator module comprising: ​ a coil support fixedly coupled with an image sensor substrate of a camera, wherein the coil support defines an opening configured to allow light to pass from a lens group of the camera through an optical element attached to the coil support at the opening along an optical axis defined by the lens group to an image sensor attached to the image sensor substrate, wherein the image sensor is fully encapsulated within a chamber defined by the image sensor substrate, the coil support, and the optical element; one or more coils attached to the coil support; a cradle at least partially encasing the coil support; one or more magnets attached to the cradle, wherein the VCM actuator module is configured such that the one or more coils are capable of electromagnetically interacting with the one or more magnets to produce a Lorentz force that moves the coil support relative to the cradle in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis; and a suspension arrangement suspending the coil support from one or more stationary components of the VCM actuator module and allowing motion of the coil support in the at least one direction. ​

Images