Multi-layer flexure for supporting a motion image sensor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to multilayer flexures for supporting motion image sensors. Some embodiments can include a multilayer flexure that can be used in an optical image stabilization voice coil motor (OIS VCM) actuator of a camera. The multilayer flexure module can include a dynamic platform and a static platform and multilayer flexure arms mechanically connecting the dynamic platform to the static platform. In some examples, the multilayer flexure can include electrical traces configured to transmit signals from the dynamic platform to the static platform. The electrical traces can be routed from the dynamic platform to the static platform via the flexure arms. In some embodiments, the multilayer flexure can have a large stiffness in a Z direction aligned with an optical axis of the camera and can have a lower stiffness in X and Y directions corresponding to optical image stabilization directions of the OIS VCM actuator.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with application number 202080023926.6, application date March 27, 2020, and invention title "Multilayer Flexural Member for Supporting Motion Image Sensor". Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates in general to camera actuators and / or suspension systems, and more specifically, to actuator / suspension systems for image sensors in cameras having a motion image sensor arrangement. Background Technology

[0003] The emergence of small mobile versatility devices such as smartphones and tablets or tablets has led to a demand for integrating high-resolution, small-form-factor cameras 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 on the image plane captured by the camera's image sensor. In some of these autofocus mechanisms, the optical lens moves as a single rigid body along the camera's optical axis (known as the Z-axis) to refocus the camera.

[0004] Furthermore, high image quality is more easily achieved in small-form-factor cameras if lens movement along the optical axis is accompanied by minimal parasitic movement in other degrees of freedom (e.g., on the X and Y axes orthogonal to the camera's optical (Z) axis). Therefore, some small-form-factor cameras, including autofocus mechanisms, can also incorporate optical image stabilization (OIS) mechanisms that sense and react to external stimuli / disturbances by adjusting the position of the optical lens on the X and / or Y axes, in an attempt to compensate for unwanted lens movement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In some embodiments, a camera includes a lens holder, an image sensor, and a flexure assembly that supports the image sensor relative to the lens holder. The lens holder includes one or more lens elements coupled to the lens holder, wherein the lens elements define the optical axis of the camera. The image sensor is configured to capture light passing through the one or more lens elements and is configured to convert the captured light into an image signal. The flexure assembly supports the image sensor above or below the lens holder and includes a first frame coupled to the image sensor, a second frame coupled to a fixed component of the camera, a first layer of flexure arms, and a second layer of flexure arms. The first frame coupled to the image sensor is configured to move with the image sensor and receive the image signal generated by the image sensor. The first layer of flexure arms and the second layer of flexure arms are each configured to mechanically connect the first frame to the second frame and are configured to provide a corresponding path for an electrical trace routing the image signal from the first frame to the second frame. The second frame may include one or more connectors for connecting the second frame to circuitry of the camera, which also processes or causes the image signal to be displayed. The second flexible arm is mounted above or below the first flexible arm, wherein the first and second flexible arms are at least partially separated by an open space between them.

[0006] The arrangement of multiple flexible arms in a camera or voice coil motor actuator, positioned vertically relative to each other, can provide greater stiffness in the Z-direction along the camera's optical axis than in the X or Y-directions orthogonal to the optical axis. This arrangement also allows the image sensor, coupled to the dynamic platform of the flexible assembly, to maintain a constant or near-constant Z-position, while allowing the image sensor to move in the X and Y directions, for example, in response to optical image stabilization (OIS) actuation. Furthermore, using multiple flexible arms in a flexible assembly provides more paths for electrical traces compared to using a single-layer flexible arm. This, in turn, allows flexible assemblies incorporating multiple flexible arms to be more compact than single-layer flexible assemblies, while still being able to transmit similar or greater volumes of image signals.

[0007] In some embodiments, a voice coil motor actuator includes one or more actuator magnets, one or more actuator coils, a dynamic platform configured to be coupled to an image sensor, and a static platform, wherein the dynamic platform is configured to move relative to the static platform (although the static platform may also move relative to other components of the camera). The voice coil motor actuator also includes a first flexible arm configured to mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform. Additionally, the voice coil motor actuator includes a second flexible arm mounted above or below the first flexible arm and configured to mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform. The first and second flexible arms are at least partially separated by an open space between their respective flexible arms. The one or more actuator magnets and the one or more actuator coils are configured to magnetically interact to move the dynamic platform relative to the static platform in multiple directions parallel to planes extending through the first and second flexible arms.

[0008] In some embodiments, a mobile multifunction device includes a camera module comprising: one or more lens elements defining an optical axis; and an image sensor configured to capture light passing through the one or more lens elements and convert the captured light into an image signal. The mobile multifunction device also includes: a dynamic frame coupled to the image sensor; a static frame; a first flexible arm mechanically connecting the dynamic frame to the static frame; and a second flexible arm mounted above or below the first flexible arm, mechanically connecting the dynamic frame to the static frame. The dynamic frame and the flexible arms are configured to allow movement of the dynamic frame relative to the static frame. The first and second flexible arms are at least partially separated by an open space between them. The mobile multifunction device also includes electrical traces configured to transmit the image signal from the dynamic frame to the static frame. Additionally, the mobile multifunction device includes a display and one or more processors configured to cause the display to present an image based at least in part on one or more image signals that have been transmitted from a dynamic frame to a static frame via traces. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1A A top view of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0010] Figure 1BA perspective view of a cross section of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is shown, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0011] Figure 1C A perspective view of a cross section of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is shown, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0012] Figure 1D An example is shown of electrical traces on the flexible arm of a multi-layered flexible member according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2 An exploded view of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0014] Figure 3 Exemplary embodiments of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some implementations are illustrated. The actuator module or component includes multiple layers of flexure and can be used, for example, to provide autofocus by movement of a lens assembly and to provide optical image stabilization by movement of an image sensor.

[0015] Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some embodiments is shown. The actuator module or component includes multiple layers of flexure and can be used, for example, to provide autofocus by movement of a lens assembly and to provide optical image stabilization by movement of an image sensor.

[0016] Figure 5 An exploded view of components of an exemplary embodiment of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some embodiments is shown. The actuator module or component includes multiple layers of flexures and can be used, for example, to provide autofocus by movement of a lens assembly and to provide optical image stabilization by movement of an image sensor.

[0017] Figures 6A-6C An example of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform and displacing the dynamic platform in the X direction.

[0018] Figures 7A-7C An example of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform and displacing the dynamic platform in the Y direction.

[0019] Figure 8An exploded view of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a flexural arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0020] Figures 9A-9H Cross-sectional views of respective exemplary flexible arms according to some embodiments are illustrated. In some cases, according to some embodiments, one or more embodiments of the exemplary flexible arms can be used in multi-layer flexible members.

[0021] Figures 10A-10L Each example illustrates a partial top view of a corresponding exemplary flexible arm configuration according to some embodiments. In some cases, according to some embodiments, Figures 10A-10L One or more embodiments of the exemplary flexible arm configuration can be used in multilayer flexible components.

[0022] Figure 11 A block diagram of a portable multi-functional device with a camera is illustrated according to some implementation schemes.

[0023] Figure 12 A portable multi-functional device with a camera is shown according to some embodiments.

[0024] Figure 13 Exemplary computer systems, which may include cameras, are illustrated according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the exemplary computer systems may be configured to implement aspects of the systems and methods for camera control discussed herein.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.).

[0027] "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—e.g., circuits, memory storing program instructions that can be executed to perform the operation, etc. The reference to a unit / circuit / component being "configured as" to perform one or more tasks is explicitly intended to exclude paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.SC §112 for that unit / circuit / component. Furthermore, "configured as" can include general structures (e.g., general-purpose 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.

[0028] "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.

[0029] "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. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Multi-layer flexural arrangement

[0031] In some embodiments, a multi-layer flexural assembly includes a dynamic platform, a static platform, and multi-layer flexural arms connecting the static and dynamic platforms. The dynamic platform may include a first frame coupled to an image sensor. The static platform may include a second frame coupled to a static portion of a camera, such as a circuit board that receives image signals from the image sensor via traces routed on the flexural arms mechanically connecting the dynamic and static platforms. The multi-layer flexural assembly may also include spacer elements that mechanically connect the upper flexural arms to the lower flexural arms at corresponding points along the respective spans of the upper and lower flexural arms. For example, spacer elements mechanically connecting the flexural arms at different levels of the multi-layer flexural assembly can effectively reduce the beam length of the flexural arms, where different layers of flexural arms are mechanically connected to each other, by limiting the movement of the flexural arms relative to each other in the Z-direction. This can result in the multi-layer flexural assembly having greater stiffness in the Z-direction than in the X or Y-direction. For example, the dynamic platform supporting the image sensor using a multi-layered flexure can have a stiffness that restricts the movement of the image sensor in the Z direction (e.g., along the optical axis), up to three times the stiffness of a single-layered flexure in the Z direction. Additionally, the multi-layered flexure can have a stiffness similar to that of a single-layered flexure in the X and / or Y directions. Therefore, the multi-layered flexure can provide a greater Z stiffness than a single-layered flexure (and thus greater image sensor stability along the optical axis) while remaining flexible in the X and Y directions, allowing the magnets and coils of the voice coil motor to cause the image sensor to move in both directions.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, multilayer flexures can have a smaller footprint than single-layer flexures. For example, in some embodiments, traces can be routed via the flex arms of a multilayer flexure using more than one layer of flex arms. Therefore, due to the presence of multiple flex arms, there are more flex arms in the XY footprint of the multilayer flexure for routing traces compared to the case of a single-layer flexure. For example, traces can be routed on the flex arms of different layers of the multilayer flexure, thereby reducing the number of flex arms required in each layer of the multilayer flexure to route a given number of traces.

[0033] Furthermore, in some implementations, multilayer flexures can use thinner metal material for each of the multiple layers compared to flexures comprising only a single layer. This is because the Z-stiffness of a multilayer flexure is generated by the combined stiffness of the multiple layers and is further affected by the mechanical connections between the layers via spacer elements. The combination of layers can form a structure that is stiffer in the Z-direction than any single layer, and thus allows individual layers to be constructed from a thinner material than would be required to achieve similar Z-stiffness using a single-layer flexure. Using thinner metal material for each layer of a multilayer flexure compared to a flexure comprising only a single layer can improve the manufacturability of multilayer flexures by reducing etching-related problems, which make it more difficult to manufacture single-layer flexures with thicker metal layers.

[0034] In some embodiments, the multilayer flexure may further include one or more flexure stabilizers that restrict the movement of the flexure arms within the layers of the multilayer flexure relative to each other. For example, flexure stabilizers may connect flexures in the same layer in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis, while spacers may connect flexures in different layers in a plane parallel to the optical axis.

[0035] In some embodiments, the Z-stiffness, X-stiffness, and / or Y-stiffness of a multi-layered flexure can be tuned by: adjusting the number of flexure arms included in the multi-layered flexure; adjusting the thickness of the flexure arms included in the multi-layered flexure; including more or fewer spacer elements in the multi-layered flexure; adjusting the relative positions of the spacer elements included in the multi-layered flexure; and / or adjusting the number or position of flexural stabilizers included in the multi-layered flexure. In some embodiments, other variables can be adjusted to adjust the Z-stiffness, X-stiffness, and / or Y-stiffness of the multi-layered flexure.

[0036] Figure 1A A top view of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0037] The multi-layer flexure 102 includes a static platform / static frame 104, a dynamic platform / dynamic frame 106, and flexural arms 108. The multi-layer flexure 102 also includes spacer elements 110 that mechanically connect the flexural arms 108 of different layers to each other at corresponding points along the respective spans of the flexural arms 108. Additionally, the multi-layer flexure 102 includes flexural stabilizers 120 that maintain separation between the flexural arms 108 in a given layer of the multiple layers of the multi-layer flexure 102.

[0038] In some embodiments, a static platform such as static platform 104 may include a second frame surrounding the flexure arm 108 and the dynamic platform 106. In some embodiments, the second frame and the static platform may be the same component, or the second frame may be coupled to the static platform as two coupled components. In some embodiments, a dynamic platform such as dynamic platform 106 may be located at least partially within a circumference formed by the flexure arm such as flexure arm 108, and may include a first frame. In some embodiments, the dynamic platform and the first frame may be the same component, or the first frame may be coupled to the dynamic platform as two coupled components. In some embodiments, the dynamic platform such as dynamic platform 106 may be formed by an image sensor coupled to the first frame, the first frame being located within the second frame and mechanically connected to the second frame via flexure arms at multiple layers of a multi-layered flexure.

[0039] In some embodiments, the flexure arm 108 allows the dynamic platform 106 and / or the first frame to move relative to the static platform 104 and / or the second frame. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the static platform 104 and / or the second frame may be coupled to a fixed structure of the camera or mobile device, or may be coupled to another component of the camera or mobile device that is movable relative to other components of the camera or mobile device. Notably, when the multi-layer flexure is included in a voice coil motor (VCM), the first frame may include a dynamic platform coupled to another component of the camera, such as an image sensor. Additionally, the second frame may include a static platform coupled to another component of the camera, such as a printed circuit board or structural element of the camera. In some embodiments, the first frame may include multiple dynamic platform layers of the multi-layer flexure coupled together via spacer material, and the second frame may include multiple static platform layers coupled together via spacer material. Furthermore, the first frame may also include electrical traces carried on one or more dynamic platform layers within the dynamic platform layers. Additionally, the second frame may include electrical traces carried on one or more static platform layers within a static platform layer, wherein the flexure arm also carries electrical traces that connect the electrical traces of the dynamic platform layer to the electrical traces of the static platform layer.

[0040] In some embodiments, spacer elements such as spacer element 110 may be positioned along the span of the flexure arm at a location approximately midway between the connection between the flexure arm and the static or dynamic platform and one of the flexure stabilizers, such as flexure stabilizer 120. In some embodiments where the connection between the flexure arm and the static or dynamic platform is staggered within a layer of a multi-layered flexure, the spacer elements such as spacer element 110 may be pattern-like, such that the spacer elements are located at the midpoint of the corresponding span of the respective flexure arm, such as flexure arm 108. In some embodiments, the portion of the flexure arm corresponding to the spacer element such as spacer element 110 may be slightly larger than the other portions of the flexure arm, such as... Figures 1A-1C As shown, or in some embodiments, the portion of the flexure corresponding to the spacer element may have the same width as the flexure.

[0041] The following text is about Figures 3-4 In more detail, in some embodiments, the movement of a dynamic platform, such as dynamic platform 106, can be controlled by a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator in the X and Y directions, but may be uncontrolled in the Z direction, where the intention is for the movement in the Z direction to be small or zero. Since the multilayer flexure can have significantly greater stiffness in the Z direction than in the X and Y directions, the multilayer flexure can flex in the X and Y directions while remaining substantially stable (e.g., not moving) in the Z direction. In other embodiments, the position of the image sensor in the Z direction can be controlled via a voice coil motor actuator acting in the Z direction. In such embodiments, one or more parameters of the multilayer flexure can be adjusted to adjust the Z stiffness of the multilayer flexure. For example, fewer spacer elements or thinner flexure arms can be used to reduce the Z stiffness of the multilayer flexure.

[0042] In some implementations, multilayer flexural elements, such as multilayer flexural element 102, may include four or fewer flexural arms per layer in a given quadrant of the multilayer flexural element. For example, Figure 1A The multi-layer flexure 102 shown includes four flexure arms per quadrant per layer. For example, the upper layer 114 includes four flexure arms 108 per quadrant. Additionally, the lower layer 112 includes four flexure arms 108 per quadrant.

[0043] Figure 1B and Figure 1C A perspective view of a cross-section of a multi-layered flexural member according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 1B and Figure 1C The multi-layer flexural member 102 shown can be with Figure 1A The same multi-layered flexural member 102 is shown.

[0044] like Figure 1B and Figure 1C As shown, spacer elements such as spacer element 110 may include spacer material 116 placed between the upper layer 114 and the lower layer 112 of the multilayer flexure 102. However, open spaces may be maintained between the flexure arms of the respective layers, such that an air gap exists between the flexure arms, which allows the flexure arms at different layers of the multilayer flexure 102 to move relative to each other. For example, Figure 1C An air gap 118 is illustrated between the flexible arm 108 of the upper layer 114 and the flexible arm 108 of the lower layer 112. In some embodiments, the air gap 118 may have a height of approximately 80 micrometers or other suitable height.

[0045] Figure 1CA cross-section of spacer element 110 is also illustrated, wherein spacer material 116 mechanically connects the flexible arm 108 of upper layer 114 to the flexible arm 108 of lower layer 112. In some embodiments, the spacer material may be or may include an adhesive bonding material, solder material, or metal plating material that mechanically connects the upper flexible arm to the lower flexible arm, wherein the upper and lower flexible arms are mechanically connected at points on the spacer element along the span of the respective flexible arms.

[0046] In some embodiments, flexure stabilizer components such as flexure stabilizer 120 may be configured to mechanically connect the flexure arms 108 of upper layer 114 to other flexure arms 108 of upper layer 114 to prevent interference between flexure arms in the same layer. For example, when a flexure arm in a given layer deforms due to displacement of the dynamic platform in the X or Y direction, flexure stabilizer 114 may maintain the spacing between flexure arms at the location of the flexure stabilizer (such as a corner of multi-layer flexure 102). In a similar manner, the flexure stabilizer of lower layer 112 may prevent interference between flexure arms 108 of lower layer 112. For example, flexure stabilizer 120 may constrain the movement of a flexure arm of upper layer 114 or lower layer 112 relative to other flexure arms in the corresponding upper or lower layer in a plane extending through the upper or lower layer.

[0047] In some embodiments, the spacer element 110 may be placed at the midpoint of the span between the respective flexure stabilizer at the connection point with the static platform or the connection point with the dynamic platform and at the corner of the flexure arm located between the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0048] In some embodiments, electrical traces may be routed from a dynamic platform, such as dynamic platform 106, to a static platform, such as static platform 104, via a flexible arm, such as flexible arm 108. In some embodiments, the electrical traces may be electrically isolated from the metal flexible arm via a polyamide insulating layer. In some embodiments, the flexible arm may carry multilayer electrical signal traces, which are electrically isolated from and from the metal flexible body of the flexible arm via a polyamide insulating layer. In some embodiments, other types of insulators and trace elements may be used.

[0049] For example, Figure 1D Examples include electrical traces on the flexible arms of a multilayer flexure according to some embodiments. For example, a dynamic platform 106 is connected to a static platform 104 via a flexure 108 carrying electrical traces, the traces being composed of copper deposits 122 shielded by a polyimide layer 124.

[0050] Figure 2 An exploded view of a flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and multi-layered flexural arms connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform. In some embodiments, Figure 2The multi-layer flexural member 102 shown can be with Figures 1A-1D The same multi-flexible member 102 is shown.

[0051] exist Figure 2 In the exploded view, the upper layer 114 is illustrated as being above the spacer material 116 bonded to the lower layer 112. It should be noted that the spacer element 110 includes the spacer material 116 at the location of the spacer element 110. Figure 2 Connector 128 on dynamic platform 106 and connector 126 on static platform 104 are also illustrated, wherein electrical traces are routed between connector 128 on dynamic platform 106 and connector 126 on static platform 104 via electrical traces mounted on flexible arm 108. Connectors 126 and 128 are shown as examples, but in some embodiments, any number of connectors and / or different types of connectors may be used.

[0052] In some implementations, an image sensor is mounted to the dynamic platform, such as image sensor 308 mounted on dynamic platform 322. Figure 3 (as shown), or optical image stabilization circuitry, such as a flexible printed circuit board 518 that serves as a dynamic platform relative to the static portion of the multilayer flexure 522. Figure 5 As shown, signals can be sent to or received from connectors such as connectors 126 or 128 on the dynamic or static platform. For example, in some embodiments, connector 128 on the dynamic platform 106 may be coupled to a connector for an image sensor, and connector 126 on the static platform 104 may be coupled to other camera components that send or receive signals to or from the image sensor. In some embodiments, traces are routed between connectors 126 and 128 via the static platform 104, the flexure arm 108, and the dynamic platform 106. In some embodiments, traces may be located on the static platform 114, the flexure arm 108, and the dynamic platform 106 of the upper flexure layer 114. In some embodiments, traces may be located on the static platform 114, the flexure arm 108, and the dynamic platform 106 of the lower flexure layer 112. In some embodiments, traces may be routed on both the upper flexure layer 114 and the lower flexure layer 112. In some embodiments, one or more through-holes may pass through the spacer material 116 to connect a portion of an electrical trace on one of the upper or lower flexural layers 114 to another portion of an electrical trace on the other of the upper or lower flexural layers 114. In some embodiments, such electrical traces may receive or transmit information and / or power between components coupled to corresponding connectors 126 or 128.

[0053] In some embodiments, a multilayer flexure, such as multilayer flexure 102, may include electrical traces on both an upper flexure layer and a lower flexure layer. For example, in some embodiments, the upper flexure layer 114 and spacer material 116 may include openings (not shown) adjacent to or similar to connector 126, allowing some elements of the connector to pass through the upper layer 114 and spacer material 116 to engage with a connector (not shown) on the upper surface of the lower layer 112. Additionally, in some embodiments, connectors may be located on opposite sides of the multilayer flexure assembly, such as multilayer flexure 102. For example, a first set of connectors may be located on the outer surface of the upper flexure layer 114, and another set of connectors may be located on the outer surface of the lower flexure layer 112. In such embodiments, one or more through-holes may pass between the layers to transmit signals / power between electrical traces on the upper flexure layer 114 and electrical traces on the lower flexure layer 112. Additionally, in some embodiments, the spacer element 110 may include a spacer material 116 and a through-hole (not shown) that passes through the spacer material to connect electrical traces located on the respective upper flexural layer 114 and lower flexural layer 112. Furthermore, although not shown in each figure, as illustrated herein, [the following is a more detailed description of the process, but the full context is needed for a complete translation.] Figures 1A-1D , Figures 2-8 Other multilayer flexible components described herein may include connectors as described above.

[0054] Example of magnetic sensing for autofocus position detection

[0055] In some implementations, the compact camera module, which includes multi-layered flexural elements, may also include actuators that deliver functions such as autofocus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS). One method of delivering a very compact actuator for OIS is to use a voice coil motor (VCM) arrangement.

[0056] In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor (OIS VCM) actuator is designed such that the image sensor is mounted on a dynamic frame that translates in the X and Y directions. The image sensor (wire bonded, flip-chip / chip, BGA) may be mounted on a dynamic platform having electrical signal traces formed using an additive copper deposition process to connect the image sensor from the dynamic platform to a static platform. A flexural arm connects the dynamic platform to the static platform and supports the electrical signal traces formed by the additive copper deposition process. An optical image stabilization (OIS) coil is mounted on the dynamic platform. In some embodiments, the OIS coil interacts with common permanent magnets that also serve as part of an autofocus (AF) voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the OIS permanent magnets are mounted on the static portion of the optical image stabilization actuator to provide additional Lorentz force (e.g., in the case of high in-plane flexural stiffness).

[0057] Some implementations include a camera. The camera may include a lens, an image sensor, and an autofocus voice coil motor (AFVCM) actuator. The lens may include one or more lens elements mounted in a lens holder, which define the camera's optical axis (e.g., the Z-axis). The image sensor may be configured to capture light passing through the lens elements. Furthermore, the image sensor may be configured to convert the captured light into image signals, which are transmitted via traces mounted on a flexure arm to other components of the camera, such as further processing of the image signals or other circuitry causing storage or display of the captured image.

[0058] In some embodiments, the 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 retainer mounting attachment movably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of common magnets mounted to the actuator base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens retainer mounting attachment for generating a force for moving the lens retainer in a direction along the optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens retainer. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier (e.g., a dynamic platform) movably mounted to the actuator base, and a plurality of optical image stabilization coils movably mounted to the dynamic platform within the magnetic field of the common magnets for generating a force for moving the dynamic platform in multiple directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

[0059] In some implementations, shifting the image sensor allows for reduced motion mass and thus offers a significant power consumption benefit compared to OIS (Optical Component Displacement) designs. In some implementations, fabrication is achieved by directly depositing electrical traces onto a multilayer flexible component using an additive copper deposition process, which enables a smaller package size while meeting I / O requirements.

[0060] In some implementations, the optical image stabilization coil is mounted on a flexible printed circuit that carries power to the coil for operation of the optical image stabilization voice coil motor.

[0061] In some implementations, the optical image stabilization coil is mounted on a flexible printed circuit that is mechanically connected to the actuator base and mechanically isolated from the autofocus voice coil motor.

[0062] Figure 3 Exemplary embodiments of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some implementations are illustrated, which may be used, for example, to provide autofocus by moving a lens assembly in a small form factor camera and to provide optical image stabilization by moving an image sensor.

[0063] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, camera 300 includes a lens element 302 encapsulated within a lens assembly 304 housed in a lens carrier 306. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, camera 300 includes image sensor 308, which is used to capture a digital representation of the light from transmissive lens element 302. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, camera 300 includes an axial motion (autofocus) voice coil motor 310 for focusing light from lens element 302 onto image sensor 308 by moving a lens assembly 304 containing lens element 302 along the optical axis of lens element 302. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the axial motion voice coil motor 310 includes an autofocus suspension assembly 312 for movably mounting a lens carrier 306 to an actuator base 314, allowing the lens carrier to move relative to the actuator base. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the axial motion voice coil motor 310 includes: a plurality of common magnets 316 mounted to an actuator base 314 via an autofocus suspension assembly 312; and a focus coil 318 fixedly mounted to a lens carrier 306 and movably mounted to the actuator base 314 via the autofocus suspension assembly 312, such that the focus coil can move relative to the actuator base together with the lens assembly.

[0064] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, camera 300 further includes a lateral motion (optical image stabilization, OIS) voice coil motor 320. The lateral motion (OIS) voice coil motor 320 includes a dynamic platform 322, a flexible arm 324 for mechanically connecting the dynamic platform 322 to a static platform 326, and a plurality of lateral motion (OIS) coils 332 fixedly mounted to the dynamic platform 322 within the magnetic field of a common magnet 316, the plurality of lateral motion (OIS) coils being used to generate forces for moving the dynamic platform 322 in multiple directions orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens element 302.

[0065] In some embodiments, the dynamic platform 322, the flexible arm 324, and the static platform 326 are single metal components or other flexible components. In some embodiments, the flexible arm 324 mechanically connects the image sensor 308, which is resting on the dynamic platform 322, to the static platform 326 of the lateral motion (optical image stabilization) voice coil motor 320, and the flexible arm supports the electrical signal traces of the multi-layered flexible elements to the electrical signal traces 330 of the camera 300. In some embodiments, the flexible arm 324 includes a metal flexible body carrying the electrical signal traces, which are electrically isolated from the metal flexible body by a polyamide insulating layer.

[0066] In some implementations, the optical image stabilization coil 332 is mounted on a flexible printed circuit 334 that carries power to the coil 332 for operation of the (optical image stabilization) lateral motion voice coil motor 320.

[0067] In some implementations, the optical image stabilization coil 332 is mounted at an angle on a flexible printed circuit 334, which is mechanically connected to the actuator base 314 and mechanically isolated from the axial (autofocus) voice coil motor 310.

[0068] In some implementations, a bearing surface end stop is mounted to the base to limit the movement of the optical image stabilizing voice coil motor. For example, a bearing surface end stop (or multiple bearing surface end stops) Figure 3 (Not shown) can be installed between the actuator base 314 and the dynamic platform 322, such that the Z-journey of the dynamic platform 322 away from the lens element 302 in the Z direction is restricted. For example, at the bottom of the Z-journey distance, the dynamic platform 322 can be stopped by a bearing surface end stop, so that the dynamic platform 322 does not affect the actuator base 314.

[0069] Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some embodiments is shown. The actuator module or component includes multi-layer flexures and can be used, for example, to provide autofocus by moving a lens assembly in a small form factor camera and to provide optical image stabilization by moving an image sensor.

[0070] In some embodiments, the camera actuator 400 includes an actuator base 414, an autofocus voice coil motor 410, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor 420. The autofocus voice coil motor 410 includes a lens carrier 406 movably mounted to the actuator base 414 via an autofocus VCM suspension system 412, a plurality of common magnets 416 mounted to the base 414 via the suspension system 412, and an autofocus coil 418 fixedly mounted to the lens carrier 406 for generating force in the optical axis direction of one or more lens elements of the lens carrier 406.

[0071] In some embodiments, the optical image stabilizing voice coil motor 420 includes an image sensor carrier 422 (e.g., a dynamic platform) movably mounted to an actuator base 414, and a plurality of optical image stabilizing coils 430 mounted to the image sensor carrier 422 within a magnetic field 402 of a common magnet 416, the plurality of optical image stabilizing coils being used to generate forces 404 for moving the image sensor carrier 422 in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

[0072] In some embodiments, the image sensor carrier 422 further includes one or more flexible members 428 (e.g., flexible arms at multiple layers of a multilayer flexure) for mechanically connecting the image sensor 424, which is placed on the image sensor carrier 422, to the frame or static platform 408 of the optical image stabilizing voice coil motor 420.

[0073] In some embodiments, a flexible member (e.g., a flexure arm) 428 mechanically connects and electrically connects an image sensor 424, which is housed in an image sensor carrier 422 (e.g., a dynamic platform), to a frame 408 (e.g., a static platform) of an optical image stabilizing voice coil motor 420, and the flexible member (e.g., a flexure arm) 428 includes electrical signal traces. In some embodiments, the flexure arm or flexible member 428 includes metal flexures that carry the electrical signal traces, which are electrically isolated from the metal flexures by a polyamide insulating layer. In some embodiments, an optical image stabilizing coil 430 is mounted on a flexible printed circuit 426 that carries power to the coil 430 for operation of the optical image stabilizing voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilizing coil 430 is angle-mounted on the flexible printed circuit 426, which is mechanically connected to an actuator base 414 and mechanically isolated from the autofocus voice coil motor 410.

[0074] Figure 5 Examples of components of an exemplary embodiment of a camera having an actuator module or component according to some embodiments are illustrated. This actuator module or component includes multi-layer flexures and can be used, for example, to provide autofocus via movement of a lens assembly in a small form factor camera and to provide optical image stabilization via movement of an image sensor. In various embodiments, camera 500 may include optics 502 (e.g., one or more lens elements mounted in a lens holder), shield 504, magnet holder 506, magnet 508, lens carrier 510, autofocus (AF) coil 512, optical image stabilization (OIS) base 514, OIS coil 516, OIS flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 518, image sensor 520, multi-layer flexures 522 (e.g., one or more embodiments of multi-layer flexures according to the present invention), and / or traces 524.

[0075] Exemplary motion of a dynamic platform relative to a static platform in a multi-layered flexural member

[0076] Figures 6A-6C An example of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform and displacing the dynamic platform in the X direction.

[0077] exist Figures 6A-6CIn this configuration, the dynamic platform 604 is displaced to the left in the X direction relative to the static platform / static frame 602. For example, the dynamic platform may be displaced due to the Lorentz force generated by the OIS VCM actuator. As can be seen, the flexural arm 606 bends and / or deforms to allow the dynamic platform 604 to displace relative to the static platform 602. However, the spacer element 608 mechanically connects the flexural arm of the upper layer 612 to the flexural arm of the lower layer 614, such that the flexural arms 606 do not move relative to each other in the Z direction at the point where they are mechanically connected at the spacer element 608. As previously discussed, this reduces the effective beam length of the flexural arm 606 and allows the multi-layer flexural member 600 to have greater stiffness in the Z direction than in the X or Y direction. In some embodiments, the spacer element 608 is positioned along the span 618 between the flexural stabilizer 610 located at the corner of the flexural arm arrangement and the offset portion 616 to which the flexural arm is connected. In some embodiments, the spacer element 608 is located at or near the midpoint of the span 618 between the offset portion 616 of the flexural stabilizer 610 and the dynamic platform 604 or the offset portion 616 of the static platform 602.

[0078] In some embodiments, flexural stabilizers such as flexural stabilizer 610 constrain the movement of flexural arms 606 relative to each other at corners (or at other locations) in a plane extending through the layers of the multi-layered flexural members, such as a plane parallel to the upper layer 612 and / or the lower layer 614. Additionally, spacer elements may constrain the movement of flexural arms 606 relative to the upper or lower layer's flexural arms in a plane orthogonal to the plane extending through the upper layer 612 and / or the lower layer 614.

[0079] Figures 7A-7C An example of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a multi-layered flexure arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform and displacing the dynamic platform in the Y direction.

[0080] exist Figures 7A-7CIn this configuration, the dynamic platform 604 is displaced upward relative to the static platform / static frame 602 in the Y direction. For example, the dynamic platform may be displaced due to the Lorentz force generated by the OIS VCM actuator. As can be seen, the flexural arm 606 bends and / or deforms to allow the dynamic platform 604 to displace relative to the static platform 602. However, the spacer element 608 mechanically connects the flexural arm of the upper layer 612 to the flexural arm of the lower layer 614, such that the flexural arms 606 do not move relative to each other in the Z direction at the point where they are mechanically joined at the spacer element 608. As previously discussed, this reduces the effective beam length of the flexural arm 606 and allows the multi-layer flexural member 600 to have greater stiffness in the Z direction than in the X or Y direction. In some embodiments, the spacer element 608 is positioned along the span 618 between the flexural stabilizer 610 located at the corner of the flexural arm arrangement and the offset portion 616 to which the flexural arm is connected. In some embodiments, the spacer element 608 is located at or near the midpoint of the span 618 between the offset portion 616 of the flexural stabilizer 610 and the dynamic platform 604 or the offset portion 616 of the static platform 602.

[0081] An exemplary exploded view of a multilayer flexural member

[0082] Figure 8 An exploded view of a multi-layered flexure according to some embodiments is illustrated, the multi-layered flexure including a dynamic platform, a static platform, and a flexural arm connecting the static platform and the dynamic platform.

[0083] In some embodiments, a multilayer flexure, such as multilayer flexure 102 or any of the multilayer flexures described herein, may include two or more flexural layers. For example, in some embodiments, a multilayer flexure may include “N” flexural layers, where “N” is a number greater than 1. For example, in some embodiments, a multilayer flexure may include 2, 3, 4, or... up to “N” flexural layers. Figure 8 The ellipse in the figure is used to illustrate that additional groups of spacer material and flexural layers can be added to provide more layers to a multi-layered flexural member.

[0084] It should be noted that Figure 8 The exploded view shows the spacer material 806 separated from the upper flexural layer 802 and the lower flexural layer 804, while Figure 2The exploded view shown illustrates the spacer material 116 coupled to the lower flexural layer 112. It should also be noted that the spacer material 116 includes the spacer material included in the flexural stabilizer 808 and the spacer element 810. In some embodiments, each layer of the multilayer flexural member may include a dynamic platform 812, a static platform 814, and a flexural arm 816 mechanically connecting the dynamic platform to the static platform. Additionally, electrical traces may be routed along the flexural arm 816 to provide an electrical path between the dynamic platform 812 and the static platform 814.

[0085] In some embodiments, some layers may include electrical traces while others do not. For example, some layers may be added to increase the Z-stiffness of a multilayer flexure, but these layers may not be used for routing electrical traces. Instead, in some embodiments, multiple or all layers may include flexural arms of electrical traces routed therethrough.

[0086] In some implementations, more than one spacer material may be used. For example, in some implementations, adhesive spacer materials may be used to bond static platform layers together or to bond dynamic platform layers together, and solder spacer materials may be used to bond layers together at spacer elements.

[0087] In some embodiments, a multilayer flexural member having two or more layers may include additional spacer material similar to spacer material 806, which includes flexural stabilizer 808 and spacer element 810. The additional spacer material may be located below flexural layer 804, and additional flexural layers similar to flexural layer 804 may be located below the additional spacer material. In some embodiments, this pattern may be repeated to add any number of layers to the multilayer flexural member. In some embodiments, multiple or all layers of the multilayer flexural member may include electrical traces. Additionally, in some embodiments, some layers of the multilayer flexural member may carry electrical traces, while other layers may not. For example, for a three-layer flexural member, the upper and lower outer layers may include electrical traces, while the middle layer does not include electrical traces (or only includes through-holes connecting the upper and lower layers). In other embodiments, electrical traces may be carried by all three layers or other combinations of layers of a three-layer flexural member.

[0088] Exemplary flexural arm configuration

[0089] Figures 9A-9H Cross-sectional views of respective exemplary flexural arms according to some embodiments are illustrated. In some cases, one or more embodiments of the exemplary flexural arms can be used as multilayer flexural elements of voice coil motor (VCM) actuators (e.g., as shown herein in Figure 1-). Figure 8 Or any of the multilayer flexural elements described in Figure 10).

[0090] Figure 9AA cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900a according to some embodiments is illustrated. For example, the cross-sectional view of the flexible arm 900a may be taken along a plane parallel to the optical axis. The flexible arm 900a may have a width dimension (in... Figure 9A The middle label is indicated by "w") and the height dimension (in Figure 9A (Illustrated by "h"). In some examples, the height dimension may be greater than the width dimension. For example, in a particular embodiment, the height dimension may be about 40 micrometers to 80 micrometers, and the width dimension may be about 20 micrometers to 30 micrometers. It should be understood that the height dimension and / or width dimension may be any other suitable dimension.

[0091] Figure 9B A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900b according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900b may include an electrical trace 902b. The electrical trace 902b may be configured to transmit signals (e.g., image signals) from a dynamic platform to a static platform. The electrical trace 902b may be wired along at least a portion of the flexible arm 900b. In some examples, the electrical trace 902b may be located at the top portion of the flexible arm 900b. However, in other examples, the electrical trace 902b may additionally or alternatively be located at the middle and / or bottom portions of the flexible arm 900b. In some cases, the electrical trace 902b may be a conductive material. For example, the electrical trace 902b may be a copper deposit on the flexible arm 900b. In some embodiments, the electrical trace 902b may be electrically insulating. For example, the electrical trace 902b may be at least partially coated with a dielectric material 904b (e.g., polyimide).

[0092] Figure 9C A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900c according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900c may include multiple electrical traces 902c (e.g., referenced above). Figure 9B The described trace 902b). The trace 902c may be horizontally oriented side-by-side such that a horizontal plane passes through the trace 902c. The trace 902c may be routed along at least a portion of the flexible arm 900c. In some examples, the trace 902c may be located at the top portion of the flexible arm 900c. However, in other examples, the trace 902c may additionally or alternatively be located at the middle and / or bottom portions of the flexible arm 900c. In some embodiments, the trace 902c may be electrically insulated from the rest of the flexible arm 900c and / or from each other. For example, each of the traces 902c may be at least partially coated with a dielectric material 904c (e.g., polyimide).

[0093] Figure 9D A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900d according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900d may include multiple electrical traces 902d (e.g., referenced above). Figure 9BThe described trace 902b). The trace 902d may be vertically aligned side-by-side such that a vertical plane passes through the trace 902d. The trace 902d may be routed along at least a portion of the flexible arm 900d. In some examples, the trace 902d may be located at the top portion of the flexible arm 900d. However, in other examples, the trace 902d may additionally or alternatively be located at the middle and / or bottom portions of the flexible arm 900d. In some embodiments, the trace 902d may be electrically insulated from the rest of the flexible arm 900d and / or from each other. For example, each of the traces 902d may be at least partially coated with a dielectric material 904d (e.g., polyimide).

[0094] Figure 9E A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900e according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900e may include multiple electrical traces 902e (e.g., referenced above). Figure 9B The described trace 902b). The trace 902e may be routed from the dynamic platform to the static platform along at least a portion of the flexible arm 900e. In some embodiments, one or more traces of 902e may be located at the top portion of the flexible arm 900e, and one or more traces of 902e may be located at the bottom portion of the flexible arm 900e. In some embodiments, the trace 902d may be electrically insulated from the rest of the flexible arm 900e and / or from each other. For example, each of the traces 902d may be at least partially coated with a dielectric material 904e (e.g., polyimide).

[0095] Figure 9F A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900f according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900f may be formed of a variety of materials. For example, the flexible arm 900f may include a first material 902f sandwiching a second material 904f in between. In some examples, the first material and / or the second material 904f may include or be one or more electrical traces (e.g., referenced above). Figure 9B The described trace line 902b).

[0096] Figure 9G A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900g according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900g may include a concave portion 902g.

[0097] Figure 9H A cross-sectional view of a flexible arm 900h according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexible arm 900h may include a convex portion 902h.

[0098] In various embodiments, one or more of the flexural stabilizer components described herein may have the same characteristics as described herein (e.g., reference 1). Figures 9A-9H One or more of the flexural arms described herein have similar or identical cross sections.

[0099] Exemplary flexible arm arrangement of layers in a multi-layered flexible member

[0100] In some examples, the dynamic and / or static platforms of a multilayer flexure may include one or more offset portions (e.g., recessed portions, extruded portions, etc.). In some cases, one or more flexure arms may be offset to the dynamic and / or static platforms. For example, the dynamic platform may include two recessed offset portions located on opposite sides of the dynamic platform. However, in some embodiments, the dynamic and / or static platforms may include different offset portion configurations. Some non-limiting examples of offset portion configurations are referenced below. Figures 10A-10L Describe it.

[0101] Figures 10A-10L Each example illustrates a partial top view of a corresponding exemplary flexible arm configuration according to some embodiments. In some cases, Figures 10A-10L One or more embodiments of the exemplary flexible arm configuration can be used in multi-layer flexible elements (e.g., any of the multi-layer flexible elements described herein in Figures 1-9).

[0102] Figures 10A-10L The exemplary flexure module configuration provides some non-limiting examples of design feature variations that can be used in one or more embodiments of the multilayer flexure, VCM actuator and / or camera described herein.

[0103] Compared to the flexor arm, Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure arm configurations indicate variations of the flexure arm, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0104] (1a) The number of flexure arms can vary. For example, a layer of a multi-layer flexure may include one or more flexure arms. In a particular example, a layer of a multi-layer flexure may include four or fewer flexure arms arranged in an array of flexure arms.

[0105] (2a) The flexure arms may be parallel to each other. However, the flexure arms do not need to be parallel to each other.

[0106] (3a) The flexible arm may be parallel to the frame edge (e.g., the edge of the dynamic platform and / or static platform of a multi-layer flexible member).

[0107] (4a) The flexural arms can be evenly spaced apart from each other.

[0108] (5a) The width of the flexure arm may vary along the flexure arm and / or between the flexure arms;

[0109] (6a) The flexible arm may include features (e.g., recesses, extrusions, openings, etc.).

[0110] (7a) The cross-sectional shape of the flexible arm can be rectangular, concave and / or convex.

[0111] (8a) The flexible arm may be made of solid material, cladding or switching beam.

[0112] The inflection point relative to the flexure arm (or flexure arm array) (also referred to in this paper as the "bend" or "inflection point"), Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure module configurations indicate changes in inflection points, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0113] (1b) The flexure arm may include one or more inflection points.

[0114] (2b) The angle of the turning point can vary. In some examples, the angle can be 90 degrees. However,

[0115] In other examples, the turning angle can be an angle other than 90 degrees.

[0116] (3b) The turning radius at the turning point can vary.

[0117] Compared to flexural stabilizer components, Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure module configurations indicate variations in the flexure stabilizer components, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0118] (1c) One or more flexure stabilizer components may be connected to the flexure arm.

[0119] (2c) The flexure stabilizer component may be connected to some or all of the flexure arms.

[0120] (3c) The position of the flexure stabilizer member can be anywhere on the flexure arm. In some examples, the position of the flexure stabilizer member may differ between the flexure arms.

[0121] (4c) The angle between the flexure stabilizer member and the flexure arm can vary. In some examples, the angle between the flexure stabilizer member and the flexure arm can be 90 degrees. However, in other examples, the angle can be other than 90 degrees.

[0122] The offset relative to the dynamic platform and / or static platform, Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure module configurations indicate variations in the offset, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0123] (1d) An offset portion may exist at the root of the flexure arm where the flexure arm is connected to the dynamic platform and / or the static platform.

[0124] (2d) The offset portion can be, for example, a recessed portion, an extruded portion, etc.

[0125] Relative to the flexure connection angle with the dynamic platform and / or static platform, Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure module configurations indicate variations in the flexure arm connection angles, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0126] (1e) The flexure arm connection angle can vary. In some examples, the flexure arm connection angle can be 90 degrees. However, in other examples, the flexure arm connection angle can be an angle other than 90 degrees.

[0127] (2e) Different flexure arms can have different flexure arm connection angles.

[0128] (3e) For dynamic and / or static platforms with offset sections, the flexure arm can be connected to any available edge of the offset section.

[0129] In contrast to the flexure arm pattern (which in some cases may include a pattern formed by the flexure arm and flexure stabilizer components), Figures 10A-10L Some of the exemplary flexure module configurations indicate variations in the flexure arm pattern, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

[0130] (1f) The flexure pattern may be symmetrical. For example, the flexure pattern may be symmetrical along at least two axes orthogonal to the optical axis (e.g., the x-axis and the y-axis).

[0131] (1g) The flexure pattern may be asymmetrical. For example, the flexure pattern may be asymmetrical along at least one axis orthogonal to the optical axis (e.g., the x-axis or y-axis).

[0132] Regarding the spacer element pattern, the spacer element pattern may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following:

[0133] The spacing element pattern can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, etc. The spacing element can be located at the midpoint between the offset section and the flexural stabilizer span. Furthermore, the spacing elements can follow different patterns on different layers of a multi-layered flexural member. For example, in a multi-layered flexural member with more than two layers, some layers may have more spacing elements between them compared to other layers.

[0134] Figure 10A A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000a according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000a includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002a, a static platform configuration 1004a, a flexure arm configuration 1006a, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008a.

[0135] Figure 10BA partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000b according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000b includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002b, a static platform configuration 1004b, a flexure arm configuration 1006b, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008b.

[0136] Figure 10C A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000c according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000c includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002c, a static platform configuration 1004c, a flexure arm configuration 1006c, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008c.

[0137] Figure 10D A partial top view of a flexural module configuration 1000d according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexural module configuration 1000d includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002d, a static platform configuration 1004d, and a flexural arm configuration 1006d.

[0138] Figure 10E A partial top view of a flexural module configuration 1000e according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexural module configuration 1000e includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002e, a static platform configuration 1004e, and a flexural arm configuration 1006e.

[0139] Figure 10F A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000f according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000f includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002f, a static platform configuration 1004f, a flexure arm configuration 1006f, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008f.

[0140] Figure 10G A partial top view of a flexural module configuration 1000g according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexural module configuration 1000g includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002g, a static platform configuration 1004g, and a flexural arm configuration 1006g.

[0141] Figure 10H A partial top view of a flexural module configuration 1000h according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexural module configuration 1000h includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002h, a static platform configuration 1004h, and a flexural arm configuration 1006h.

[0142] Figure 10I A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000i according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000i includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002i, a static platform configuration 1004i, a flexure arm configuration 1006i, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008i.

[0143] Figure 10JA partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000j according to some embodiments is shown. The flexure module configuration 1000j includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002j, a static platform configuration 1004j, and a flexure arm configuration 1006j.

[0144] Figure 10K A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000k according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000k includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002k, a static platform configuration 1004k, a flexure arm configuration 1006k, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008k.

[0145] Figure 10L A partial top view of a flexure module configuration 1000L according to some embodiments is illustrated. The flexure module configuration 1000L includes a dynamic platform configuration 1002L, a static platform configuration 1004L, a flexure arm configuration 1006L, and a flexure stabilizer component configuration 1008L.

[0146] Multifunctional device example

[0147] This document describes implementations of electronic devices, user interfaces for such devices, and related processes for using such devices. In some implementations, the device is a portable communication device, such as a mobile phone, that also includes other functions such as PDA and / or music player functionality. Exemplary implementations of portable multi-functional devices include, but are not limited to, those from Apple Inc. (Cupertino, California). iPod and The device may also be other portable electronic devices, such as laptops, cameras, mobile phones, or tablets. It should also be understood that in some embodiments, the device is not a portable communication device, but a desktop computer with a camera. In some embodiments, the device is a gaming computer with an orientation sensor (e.g., an orientation sensor in a game controller). In other embodiments, the device is not a portable communication device, but a camera.

[0148] The following discussion describes an electronic device that includes a display and a touch-sensitive surface. However, it should be understood that the electronic device may include one or more other physical user interface devices, such as a physical keyboard, mouse, and / or joystick.

[0149] The device typically supports a variety of applications, such as one or more of the following: drawing applications, presentation applications, word processing applications, website creation applications, disk editing applications, spreadsheet applications, game applications, phone applications, video conferencing applications, email applications, instant messaging applications, fitness support applications, photo management applications, digital camera applications, digital video camcorder applications, web browsing applications, digital music player applications, and / or digital video player applications.

[0150] Various applications that can run on a device can use at least one shared physical user interface device, such as a touch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the touch-sensitive surface, as well as the corresponding information displayed on the device, can be adjusted and / or changed from one application to the next, and / or within the respective application. In this way, the shared physical architecture of the device (such as the touch-sensitive surface) can support various applications using a user interface that is intuitive and transparent to the user.

[0151] Now let’s turn our attention to implementations of portable devices with cameras. Figure 11 A block diagram illustrating an exemplary portable multifunction device 1100 according to some embodiments is shown, which may include one or more cameras (e.g., referenced above). Figures 3-5 (The camera mentioned above). For convenience, camera 1164 is sometimes referred to as an "optical sensor" and may also be named or referred to as an optical sensor system. Device 1100 may include memory 1102 (which may include one or more computer-readable storage media), memory controller 1122, one or more processing units (CPUs) 1120, peripheral interface 1118, RF circuitry 1108, audio circuitry 1110, speaker 1111, touch-sensitive display system 1112, microphone 1113, input / output (I / O) subsystem 1106, other input or control devices 1116, and external port 1124. Device 1100 may include multiple optical sensors 1164. These components may communicate via one or more communication buses or signal lines 1103.

[0152] It should be understood that device 1100 is only one example of a portable multifunctional device, and device 1100 may have more or fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or may have different configurations or arrangements of these components. Figure 11 The various components shown can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware, including one or more signal processing circuits and / or application-specific integrated circuits.

[0153] Memory 1102 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to memory 1102 by other components of device 1100 (such as CPU 1120 and peripheral interface 1118) may be controlled by memory controller 1122.

[0154] Peripheral interface 1118 can be used to couple the input and output peripherals of the device to CPU 1120 and memory 1102. One or more processors 1120 run or execute various software programs and / or instruction sets stored in memory 1102 to perform various functions of device 1100 and process data.

[0155] In some implementations, the peripheral interface 1118, CPU 1120, and memory controller 1122 may be implemented on a single chip, such as chip 1104. In other implementations, they may be implemented on separate chips.

[0156] RF (Radio Frequency) circuit 1108 receives and transmits RF signals, also known as electromagnetic signals. RF circuit 1108 converts electrical signals into electromagnetic signals and vice versa, and communicates with communication networks and other communication devices via these electromagnetic signals. RF circuit 1108 may include well-known circuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited to antenna systems, RF transceivers, one or more amplifiers, tuners, one or more oscillators, digital signal processors, codec chipsets, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, memory, etc. RF circuit 1108 can communicate wirelessly with networks and other devices, such as the Internet (also known as the World Wide Web (WWW)), intranets, and / or wireless networks (such as cellular telephone networks, wireless local area networks (LANs), and / or metropolitan area networks (MANs)). Wireless communication may use any of a variety of communication standards, protocols and technologies, including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and / or IEEE 802.11n), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, protocols for email (e.g., Internet Messaging Access Protocol (IMAP) and / or Post Office Protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g., Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Utilizing Extended Session Initiation Protocol (SIMPLE), Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS) and / or Short Message Service (SMS)), or any other suitable communication protocol including those not yet developed as of the date of this submission.

[0157] Audio circuitry 1110, speaker 1111, and microphone 1113 provide an audio interface between the user and device 1100. Audio circuitry 1110 receives audio data from peripheral interface 1118, converts the audio data into electrical signals, and transmits the electrical signals to speaker 1111. Speaker 1111 converts the electrical signals into sound waves that are audible to humans. Audio circuitry 1110 also receives electrical signals converted from sound waves by microphone 1113. Audio circuitry 1110 converts the electrical signals into audio data and transmits the audio data to peripheral interface 1118 for processing. The audio data can be retrieved from and / or transmitted by peripheral interface 1118 to memory 1102 and / or RF circuitry 1108. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 1110 also includes a headset jack (e.g., ...). Figure 12(1212). The headphone jack provides an interface between the audio circuitry 1110 and a removable audio input / output peripheral device, such as an output-only headphone or a headphone with both output (e.g., a mono or binaural headphone) and input (e.g., a microphone).

[0158] I / O subsystem 1106 couples input / output peripherals on device 1100, such as touchscreen 1112 and other input control devices 1116, to peripheral interface 1118. I / O subsystem 1106 may include display controller 1156 and one or more input controllers 1160 for other input or control devices. One or more input controllers 1160 receive electrical signals from / send electrical signals to other input or control devices 1116. Other input control devices 1116 may include physical buttons (e.g., push-buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dial pads, slider switches, joysticks, click wheels, etc. In some alternative embodiments, input controllers 1160 may be coupled to (or not coupled to) any of the following: keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and pointing device such as mouse. One or more buttons (e.g., ... Figure 12 (1208) may include up / down buttons for volume control of speaker 1111 and / or microphone 1113. One or more buttons may include a push-down button (e.g., Figure 12 (1206).

[0159] The touch-sensitive display 1112 provides input and output interfaces between the device and the user. The display controller 1156 receives electrical signals from and / or sends electrical signals to the touchscreen 1112. The touchscreen 1112 displays visual output to the user. Visual output may include graphics, text, icons, video, and any combination thereof (collectively, "graphics"). In some embodiments, some or all of the visual output may correspond to user interface objects.

[0160] Touchscreen 1112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor, or sensor array that accepts input from a user based on tactile and / or haptic contact. Touchscreen 1112 and display controller 1156 (along with any associated modules and / or instruction set in memory 1102) detect contact on touchscreen 1112 (and any movement or interruption of that contact) and translate the detected contact into interaction with user interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages, or images) displayed on touchscreen 1112. In one exemplary embodiment, the contact point between touchscreen 1112 and the user corresponds to the user's finger.

[0161] Touchscreen 1112 may use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology, LPD (Light Emitting Polymer Display) technology, or LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology, but other display technologies may be used in other embodiments. Touchscreen 1112 and display controller 1156 may use any of the various touch sensing technologies now known or to be developed hereafter, along with other proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining one or more contact points with touchscreen 1112, to detect contact and any movement or interruption therein. These various touch sensing technologies include, but are not limited to, capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies. In one exemplary embodiment, projected mutual capacitance sensing technology, such as that from Apple Inc. (Cupertino, California), is used. iPod and The technology discovered in [the text].

[0162] The touchscreen 1112 may have a video resolution exceeding 800 dpi. In some embodiments, the touchscreen has a video resolution of approximately 860 dpi. Users can interact with the touchscreen 1112 using any suitable object or accessory such as a stylus, finger, etc. In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to operate primarily through finger-based touch and gestures, which may be less precise than stylus-based input due to the larger contact area of ​​a finger on the touchscreen. In some embodiments, the device translates coarse finger-based input into precise pointer / cursor positions or commands to perform the user-desired actions.

[0163] In some embodiments, in addition to the touchscreen, device 1100 may include a touchpad (not shown) for activating or deactivating specific functions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive area of ​​the device that, unlike the touchscreen, does not display visual output. The touchpad may be a touch-sensitive surface separate from the touchscreen 1112, or an extension of the touch-sensitive surface formed by the touchscreen.

[0164] The device 1100 also includes a power system 1162 for supplying power to various components. The power system 1162 may include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., a battery, alternating current (AC)), a recharging system, a power fault detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)), and any other components associated with the generation, management, and distribution of power in the portable device.

[0165] The device 1100 may also include one or more optical sensors or cameras 1164. Figure 11An optical sensor 1164 is shown, coupled to an optical sensor controller 1158 in the I / O subsystem 1106. The optical sensor 1164 may include a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistor. The optical sensor 1164 receives light projected through one or more lenses from the environment and converts the light into data representing an image. In conjunction with an imaging module 1143 (also referred to as a camera module), the optical sensor 1164 can capture still images or video. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 1164 is located on the rear of the device 1100, opposite to a touchscreen display 1112 on the front of the device, such that the touchscreen display 1112 can act as a viewfinder for still image acquisition and / or video image acquisition. In some embodiments, another optical sensor is located on the front of the device, allowing the user to view images of other video conference participants on the touchscreen display for use in the video conference.

[0166] The device 1100 may also include one or more proximity sensors 1166. Figure 11 A proximity sensor 1166 is shown coupled to a peripheral device interface 1118. Alternatively, the proximity sensor 1166 may be coupled to an input controller 1160 in an I / O subsystem 1106. In some embodiments, the proximity sensor 1166 turns off and disables the touchscreen 1112 when the multifunction device 1100 is placed near the user's ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call).

[0167] Device 1100 includes one or more orientation sensors 1168. In some embodiments, the one or more orientation sensors 1168 include one or more accelerometers (e.g., one or more linear accelerometers and / or one or more rotational accelerometers). In some embodiments, the one or more orientation sensors 1168 include one or more gyroscopes. In some embodiments, the one or more orientation sensors 1168 include one or more of the following: Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), and / or other global navigation system receivers. GPS, GLONASS, and / or other global navigation system receivers can be used to obtain information about the position and orientation (e.g., longitudinal or lateral) of device 1100. In some embodiments, the one or more orientation sensors 1168 include any combination of orientation / rotation sensors. Figure 11One or more orientation sensors 1168 are shown coupled to a peripheral device interface 1118. Alternatively, one or more orientation sensors 1168 may be coupled to an input controller 1160 in an I / O subsystem 1106. In some embodiments, information is displayed on a touchscreen display 1112 in portrait or landscape view based on analysis of data received from one or more orientation sensors 1168.

[0168] In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 1102 include an operating system 1126, a communication module (or instruction set) 1128, a touch / motion module (or instruction set) 1130, a graphics module (or instruction set) 1132, a text input module (or instruction set) 1134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module (or instruction set) 1135, an arbitration module 1158, and an application program (or instruction set) 1136. Furthermore, in some embodiments, memory 1102 stores device / global internal state 1157. Device / global internal state 1157 includes one or more of the following: active application state, indicating which applications (if any) are currently active; display state, indicating what applications, views, or other information occupy various areas of the touchscreen display 1112; sensor state, including information acquired from the device's various sensors and input control devices 1116; and positional information regarding the device's position and / or orientation.

[0169] The operating system 1126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, or embedded operating systems such as VxWorks) includes various software components and / or drivers for controlling and managing general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between various hardware and software components.

[0170] The communication module 1128 facilitates communication with other devices via one or more external ports 1124 and includes various software components for processing data received by the RF circuitry 1108 and / or the external ports 1124. The external ports 1124 (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire, etc.) are adapted to be directly coupled to other devices or indirectly coupled via a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin) connector.

[0171] The contact / motion module 1130 can detect contact with the touchscreen 1112 (in conjunction with the display controller 1156) and other touch-sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel). The contact / motion module 1130 includes various software components for performing various operations related to contact detection, such as determining whether a contact has occurred (e.g., detecting a finger press event), determining whether there is movement of the contact and tracking that movement on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., detecting one or more finger drag events), and determining whether the contact has terminated (e.g., detecting a finger lift event or contact interruption). The contact / motion module 1130 receives contact data from the touch-sensitive surface. Determining the movement of a contact point, represented by a series of contact data, may include determining the rate (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction), and / or acceleration (change in magnitude and / or direction) of the contact point. These operations may be applied to a single contact point (e.g., single-finger contact) or multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g., "multi-touch" / multi-finger contact). In some embodiments, the contact / motion module 1130 and the display controller 1156 detect contact on the touchpad.

[0172] The touch / motion module 1130 can detect gesture input performed by the user. Different gestures on a touch-sensitive surface have different contact patterns. Therefore, gestures can be detected by detecting specific contact patterns. For example, detecting a single-finger tap gesture includes detecting a finger press event, and then detecting a finger lift-off (lift-away) event at the same (or substantially the same) location as the finger press event (e.g., at the icon location). As another example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on a touch-sensitive surface includes detecting a finger press event, then detecting one or more finger drag events, and subsequently detecting a finger lift-off (lift-away) event.

[0173] The graphics module 1132 includes various known software components for rendering and displaying graphics on the touchscreen 1112 or other displays, including components for changing the intensity of the displayed graphics. As used herein, the term "graphics" includes any object that can be displayed to a user, and includes, without limitation, text, web pages, icons (such as user interface objects including soft keys), digital images, videos, animations, etc.

[0174] In some implementations, the graphics module 1132 stores data representing the graphics to be used. Each graphic may be assigned a corresponding code. The graphics module 1132 receives one or more codes from applications, etc., specifying the graphics to be displayed, and also receives coordinate data and other graphic attribute data if necessary, and then generates screen image data for output to the display controller 1156.

[0175] The text input module 1134, which can be a component of the graphics module 1132, provides a soft keyboard for entering text in various applications (e.g., contacts 1137, email 1140, instant messaging 1141, browser 1147, and any other application that requires text input).

[0176] GPS module 1135 determines the location of the device and provides that information for use in various applications (e.g., to phone 1138 for location-based dialing, to camera 1143 as image / video metadata, and to applications that provide location-based services such as weather desktop applets, local yellow pages desktop applets, and map / navigation desktop applets).

[0177] Application 1136 may include the following modules (or instruction sets), or subsets or supersets thereof:

[0178] • Contacts module 1137 (sometimes called address book or contact list);

[0179] • Telephone module 1138;

[0180] Video conferencing module 1139;

[0181] • Email client module 1140;

[0182] • Instant Messaging (IM) module 1141;

[0183] Fitness support module 1142;

[0184] • Camera module 1143, used for still images and / or video images;

[0185] Image management module 1144;

[0186] • Browser module 1147;

[0187] • Calendar module 1148;

[0188] • Desktop mini-program module 1149 may include one or more of the following: weather desktop mini-program 1149-1, stock market desktop mini-program 1149-2, calculator desktop mini-program 1149-3, alarm clock desktop mini-program 1149-4, dictionary desktop mini-program 1149-5, and other desktop mini-programs obtained by the user and desktop mini-programs created by the user 1149-6.

[0189] • Desktop Mini Program Creator Module 1150, used to create user-created desktop mini programs 1149-6;

[0190] • Search module 1151;

[0191] • Video and music player module 1152, which may consist of a video player module and a music player module;

[0192] • Notepad module 1153;

[0193] • Map module 1154; and / or

[0194] • Online video module 1155.

[0195] Examples of other applications 1136 that can be stored in memory 1102 include other word processing applications, other image editing applications, drawing applications, display applications, Java-enabled applications, encryption, digital rights management, speech recognition, and speech duplication.

[0196] In conjunction with the touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, the contact module 1137 can be used to manage an address book or contact list (e.g., stored in application internal state 1157), including: adding names to the address book; deleting names from the address book; associating phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, or other information with names; associating images with names; categorizing and classifying names; providing phone numbers or email addresses to initiate and / or facilitate communication via telephone 1138, video conferencing 1139, email 1140, or IM 1141; and so on.

[0197] Combining RF circuitry 1108, audio circuitry 1110, speaker 1111, microphone 1113, touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, telephone module 1138 can be used to input character sequences corresponding to telephone numbers, access one or more telephone numbers in the address book 1137, modify entered telephone numbers, dial corresponding telephone numbers, initiate conversations, and disconnect or hang up when a conversation is completed. As described above, wireless communication can use any of a number of communication standards, protocols, and technologies.

[0198] Combining RF circuitry 1108, audio circuitry 1110, speaker 1111, microphone 1113, touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, optical sensor 1164, optical sensor controller 1158, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, contact list 1137, and telephone module 1138, video conferencing module 1139 includes executable instructions for initiating, conducting, and terminating video conferences between the user and one or more other participants based on user instructions.

[0199] Incorporating RF circuitry 1108, touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, email client module 1140 includes executable instructions for creating, sending, receiving, and managing emails in response to user commands. Combined with image management module 1144, email client module 1140 makes it very easy to create and send emails containing still images or video images captured by camera module 1143.

[0200] In conjunction with RF circuitry 1108, touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, instant messaging module 1141 includes executable instructions for inputting a character sequence corresponding to an instant message, modifying previously input characters, sending a corresponding instant message (e.g., using Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) protocols for telephone-based instant messaging or using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS protocols for internet-based instant messaging), receiving an instant message, and viewing received instant messages. In some embodiments, the sent and / or received instant messages may include graphics, photographs, audio files, video files, and / or other attachments supported in MMS and / or Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS). As used herein, "instant message" refers to both telephone-based messages (e.g., messages sent using SMS or MMS) and internet-based messages (e.g., messages sent using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS).

[0201] Combining RF circuitry 1108, touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, GPS module 1135, map module 1154, and music player module 1146, fitness support module 1142 includes executable instructions for creating fitness activities (e.g., with time, distance, and / or calorie burning goals); communicating with fitness sensors (exercise equipment); receiving fitness sensor data; calibrating sensors used to monitor fitness; selecting and playing music for fitness; and displaying, storing, and transmitting fitness data.

[0202] Incorporating a touchscreen 1112, a display controller 1156, an optical sensor 1164, an optical sensor controller 1158, a contact module 1130, a graphics module 1132, and an image management module 1144, the camera module 1143 includes executable instructions for: capturing still images or videos (including video streams) and storing them in memory 1102, modifying the characteristics of still images or videos, or deleting still images or videos from memory 1102.

[0203] Incorporating the touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, and camera module 1143, the image management module 1144 includes executable instructions for arranging, modifying (e.g., editing), or otherwise manipulating, tagging, deleting, presenting (e.g., in a digital slideshow or photo album), and storing still images and / or video images.

[0204] Combining RF circuit 1108, touch screen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, browser module 1147 includes executable instructions for browsing the Internet (including searching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages or portions thereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to web pages) according to user instructions.

[0205] Combining RF circuitry 1108, touchscreen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, email client module 1140, and browser module 1147, calendar module 1148 includes executable instructions for creating, displaying, modifying, and storing calendars and calendar-related data (e.g., calendar entries, to-dos, etc.) according to user instructions.

[0206] In conjunction with RF circuitry 1108, touchscreen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, and browser module 1147, desktop applet module 1149 is a micro-application that can be downloaded and used by a user (e.g., weather desktop applet 549-1, stock market desktop applet 549-2, calculator desktop applet 1149-3, alarm clock desktop applet 1149-4, and dictionary desktop applet 1149-5) or a user-created micro-application (e.g., user-created desktop applet 1149-6). In some embodiments, the desktop applet includes HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) files, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) files, and JavaScript files. In some embodiments, the desktop applet includes XML (Extensible Markup Language) files and JavaScript files (e.g., Yahoo! desktop applet).

[0207] Combining RF circuit 1108, touch screen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134 and browser module 1147, desktop applet creator module 1150 can be used by the user to create desktop applets (e.g., transferring user-specified portions of a webpage to a desktop applet).

[0208] Combining the touchscreen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, the search module 1151 includes executable instructions for searching the memory 1102 for text, music, sound, images, videos, and / or other files that match one or more search criteria (e.g., one or more user-specified search terms) according to user instructions.

[0209] Incorporating a touchscreen 1112, a display system controller 1156, a contact module 1130, a graphics module 1132, an audio circuit system 1110, a speaker 1111, an RF circuit system 1108, and a browser module 1147, the video and music player module 1152 includes executable instructions allowing users to download and play back recorded music and other sound files stored in one or more file formats (such as MP3 or AAC files), as well as executable instructions for displaying, showing, or otherwise playing back video (e.g., on the touchscreen 1112 or on an external display connected via external port 1124). In some embodiments, device 1100 may include the functionality of an MP3 player.

[0210] Combining the touchscreen 1112, display controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, and text input module 1134, the notepad module 1153 includes executable instructions for creating and managing notes, to-do items, etc., according to user instructions.

[0211] Combining the RF circuit system 1108, touch screen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, text input module 1134, GPS module 1135, and browser module 1147, the map module 1154 can be used to receive, display, modify, and store maps and map-related data (e.g., driving routes; data on shops and other points of interest at or near specific locations; and other location-based data) according to user instructions.

[0212] Incorporating touchscreen 1112, display system controller 1156, contact module 1130, graphics module 1132, audio circuitry 1110, speaker 1111, RF circuitry 1108, text input module 1134, email client module 1140, and browser module 1147, the online video module 1155 includes instructions that allow a user to access, browse, receive (e.g., via streaming and / or downloading), play (e.g., on the touchscreen or on an external display connected via external port 1124), send emails with links to specific online videos, and otherwise manage online videos in one or more file formats such as H.264. In some embodiments, instant messaging module 1141 is used instead of email client module 1140 to send links to specific online videos.

[0213] Each module and application identified above corresponds to a set of executable instructions for performing one or more of the functions described above and the methods described in this application (e.g., computer-implemented methods and other information processing methods described herein). These modules (i.e., instruction sets) need not be implemented as separate software programs, processes, or modules; therefore, various subsets of these modules can be combined or otherwise rearranged in various embodiments. In some embodiments, memory 1102 may store a subset of the modules and data structures described above. Furthermore, memory 1102 may store additional modules and data structures not described above.

[0214] In some implementations, device 1100 is the only device that performs operations on a predefined set of functions via a touchscreen and / or touchpad. By using a touchscreen and / or touchpad as the primary input control device for operating device 1100, the number of physical input control devices (such as push-buttons, dial pads, etc.) on device 1100 can be reduced.

[0215] A predefined set of functions, uniquely operable via a touchscreen and / or touchpad, includes navigation between user interfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by a user, navigates device 1100 from any user interface that can be displayed on device 1100 to a main menu, home menu, or root menu. In such embodiments, the touchpad may be referred to as a "menu button." In some other embodiments, the menu button may be a physical push-button or other physical input control device, rather than a touchpad.

[0216] Figure 12 An exemplary portable multifunction device 1100 according to some embodiments is depicted, which may include one or more cameras (e.g., referenced above). Figures 3-5(The camera described). Device 1100 may have a touchscreen 1112. Touchscreen 1112 may display one or more graphics within user interface (UI) 1200. In this embodiment, and in other embodiments described below, a user may select one or more graphics by gesturing on the graphics, for example, with one or more fingers 1202 (not drawn to scale in the figures) or with one or more styluses 1203 (not drawn to scale in the figures).

[0217] Device 1100 may also include one or more physical buttons, such as a “home” button or a menu button 1204. As previously described, menu button 1204 can be used to navigate to any application 1136 of a set of applications that can be executed on device 1100. Alternatively, in some embodiments, menu button 1204 is implemented as a soft key in a GUI displayed on touchscreen 1112.

[0218] In one embodiment, device 1100 includes a touchscreen 1112, a menu button 1204, a push-button 1206 for powering on / off and locking the device, a volume control button 1208, a SIM card slot 1210, a headphone jack 1212, and a docking / charging external port 1224. The push-button 1206 can be used to power on / off the device by pressing the button and holding it in the pressed state for a predefined time interval; to lock the device by pressing the button and releasing it before the predefined time interval has elapsed; and / or to unlock the device or initiate an unlocking process. In an alternative embodiment, device 1100 may also accept voice input via microphone 1113 for activating or deactivating certain functions.

[0219] It should be noted that although many of the examples in this article are provided with reference to the optical sensor / camera 1164 (at the front of the device), one or more rear-facing cameras or optical sensors pointing opposite to the display may be used in place of or to supplement the optical sensor / camera 1164 at the front of the device.

[0220] Exemplary computer system

[0221] Figure 13 An exemplary computer system 1300 according to some embodiments is illustrated, which may include one or more cameras (e.g., referenced above). Figures 3-5(The camera described). Computer system 1300 can be configured to perform any or all of the embodiments described above. In different embodiments, computer system 1300 can 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, consumer devices, video game controllers, handheld video game devices, application servers, storage devices, televisions, video recording devices, peripheral devices (such as switches, modems, routers), or any type of computing or electronic device in general.

[0222] Various implementations of the camera motion control system described herein, including the magnetic position sensing implementation described herein, can be executed in one or more computer systems 1300, which can interact with various other devices. It should be noted that, depending on the various implementations, the above description relative to... Figures 3-5 and Figures 11-12 Any component, action, or function described herein may be configured to Figure 13 The computer system 1300 is implemented on one or more computers. In an illustrated embodiment, the computer system 1300 includes one or more processors 1310 coupled to system memory 1320 via an input / output (I / O) interface 1330. The computer system 1300 also includes a network interface 1340 coupled to the I / O interface 1330, and one or more input / output devices 1350, such as a cursor control device 1360, a keyboard 1370, and a display 1380. In some cases, it is conceivable that an embodiment may be implemented using a single instance of the computer system 1300, while in other embodiments, multiple such systems or multiple nodes constituting the computer system 1300 may be configured to host different portions or instances of the embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, some elements may be implemented via one or more nodes of the computer system 1300 that are different from those nodes implementing other elements.

[0223] In various embodiments, computer system 1300 may be a single-processor system including one processor 1310 or a multiprocessor system including several processors 1310 (e.g., two, four, eight, or another suitable number). Processor 1310 may be any suitable processor capable of executing instructions. For example, in various embodiments, processor 1310 may 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 of processor 1310 may, but does not necessarily, implement the same ISA.

[0224] System memory 1320 may be configured to store camera control program instructions 1322 and / or camera control data accessible by processor 1310. In various embodiments, system memory 1320 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. In an illustrated embodiment, program instructions 1322 may be configured to implement a lens control application 1324 that includes any of the functions described above. Furthermore, existing camera control data 1332 in memory 1320 may include any of the information or data structures described above. In some embodiments, program instructions and / or data may be received, transmitted, or stored on a different type of computer-accessible medium or similar medium separate from system memory 1320 or computer system 1300. Although computer system 1300 is described as a functional implementation of the functional blocks of the preceding figures, any of the functionalities described herein may be implemented by such a computer system.

[0225] In one embodiment, I / O interface 1330 may be configured to coordinate I / O communication between processor 1310, system memory 1320, and any peripheral devices, including network interface 1340 or other peripheral device interfaces (such as input / output devices 1350). In some embodiments, I / O interface 1330 may perform any necessary protocol, timing, or other data conversions to convert data signals from one component (e.g., system memory 1320) into a format suitable for use by another component (e.g., processor 1310). In some embodiments, I / O interface 1330 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 1330 may be partitioned into two or more separate components, such as a northbridge and a southbridge. Furthermore, in some embodiments, some or all of the functionality of I / O interface 1330 (such as an interface to system memory 1320) may be directly incorporated into processor 1310.

[0226] Network interface 1340 may be configured to allow data exchange between computer system 1300 and other devices (e.g., carriers or agent devices) attached to network 1385, or between nodes of computer system 1300. In various embodiments, network 1385 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 1340 may support communication over wired or wireless general-purpose data networks (such as any suitable type of Ethernet network), for example; communication via telecommunications / telephone networks (such as analog voice networks or digital fiber optic communication networks); communication via storage area networks (such as Fibre Channel SANs); or communication via any other suitable type of network and / or protocol.

[0227] In some embodiments, input / output device 1350 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 1300. Multiple input / output devices 1350 may be present in computer system 1300 or distributed across various nodes of computer system 1300. In some embodiments, similar input / output devices may be separate from computer system 1300 and may interact with one or more nodes of computer system 1300 via wired or wireless connections (such as via network interface 1340).

[0228] like Figure 13As shown, memory 1320 may contain program instructions 1322 that can be executed by a processor to implement any of the elements or actions described above. In one embodiment, the program instructions can perform the methods described above. In other embodiments, different elements and data may be included. Note that the data may include any data or information described above.

[0229] Those skilled in the art will understand that computer system 1300 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 1300 may also be connected to other devices not illustrated, 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.

[0230] 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 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 1300 may be transmitted to computer system 1300 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.

[0231] 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 flexural assembly, the flexural assembly comprising: The dynamic framework is configured to support the image sensor; Static frame; A first-layer flexible arm is configured to mechanically connect the dynamic frame to the static frame. as well as A second flexible arm is mounted above or below the first flexible arm, and the second flexible arm is configured to mechanically connect the dynamic frame to the static frame. The first layer of flexible arms and the second layer of flexible arms are at least partially separated by an open space between the flexible arms.

2. The flexural assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: Electrical traces are routed between the dynamic frame and the static frame via either the first layer of flexible arms or the second layer of flexible arms.

3. The flexural assembly according to claim 2, wherein, The electrical traces are routed on the first layer of the flexible arm and on the second layer of the flexible arm.

4. The flexural assembly according to claim 2, wherein, The static frame is configured to be coupled to the circuit board of the camera module.

5. The flexural assembly according to claim 4, wherein, The dynamic framework includes an image sensor, and The electrical traces of the flexure assembly are configured to transmit image signals from the image sensor to the circuit board of the camera module.

6. The flexural assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A spacer element that mechanically connects a corresponding flexible arm in the first layer to a corresponding flexible arm in the second layer at one or more corresponding points along the respective spans of the flexible arms of the first and second layers.

7. The flexural assembly according to claim 6, wherein, The stiffness of the flexural component in the Z direction is greater than the corresponding stiffness in the X and Y directions, wherein the Z direction is along the optical axis of the image sensor, and the X and Y directions are orthogonal to the optical axis.

8. The flexural assembly according to claim 6, further comprising: One or more flexure stabilizer components are configured to mechanically connect a flexure arm of the first layer to other flexure arms of the first layer, or to mechanically connect a flexure arm of the second layer to other flexure arms of the second layer, such that the one or more flexure stabilizer components prevent interference between flexure arms.

9. The flexural assembly according to claim 8, wherein, The one or more flexure stabilizer components include: Four flexure stabilizer components are positioned adjacent to each corner of the flexure assembly.

10. The flexural assembly according to claim 9, wherein, The dynamic framework includes: An offset portion at opposite ends of the dynamic frame, wherein the flexural arms of the first and second layers are connected to the dynamic frame at the offset portion.

11. The flexural assembly of claim 10, wherein, The static framework includes: An offset portion at opposite ends of the static frame, wherein the flexible arms of the first and second layers are connected to the static frame at the offset portion.

12. The flexural assembly according to claim 11, wherein, The offset portion of the static frame and the offset portion of the dynamic frame are orthogonal to each other and are connected to the opposite ends of the flexural arms of the first and second layers.

13. The flexural assembly according to claim 12, wherein, The spacing element is approximately located at the midpoint between the offset portion of the static frame or the dynamic frame and the flexural stabilizer member located at the corner of the flexural assembly.

14. The flexural assembly according to claim 6, wherein, The spacer element includes: Spacer material that mechanically connects the flexural arms in the first layer of flexural arms to the flexural arms in the second layer of flexural arms at corresponding points. The static frame mentioned above includes: The first layer connected to the first layer of the flexible arm; The second layer connected to the second layer of the flexible arm; and The spacer material between the first and second layers of the static frame, wherein the first and second layers of the static frame are mechanically connected to each other via the spacer material.

15. The flexural assembly of claim 14, wherein, The dynamic framework includes: The first layer connected to the first layer of the flexible arm; The second layer connected to the second layer of the flexible arm; and The spacer material between the first and second layers of the dynamic frame, wherein the first and second layers of the dynamic frame are mechanically connected to each other via the spacer material. The portions of the flexible arms of the first layer and the flexible arms of the second layer that are not mechanically connected at corresponding points via spacer elements are separated by an air gap.

16. The flexural assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The first layer flexure or the second layer flexure includes a corresponding group of four or fewer flexures in the corresponding quadrant of the first layer or the second layer.

17. A method for assembling a flexural assembly, comprising: A first layer of the flexural assembly is provided, the first layer comprising: Static frame; Dynamic frameworks; and A flexible arm connecting the static frame and the dynamic frame; A second layer is provided for the flexural assembly, the second layer comprising: Static frame; Dynamic frameworks; and The flexible arm connecting the static frame and the dynamic frame; and The first layer is connected to the second layer via a spacer material, wherein when the first layer and the second layer are connected via the spacer material, the flexible arms of the first layer and the flexible arms of the second layer are at least partially separated by open spaces between the flexible arms of each layer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: The stiffness of the flexural assembly in the X direction, Y direction, or Z direction can be tuned by adjusting one or more of the following: The number of flexible arms included in the first and second layers; The thickness of the flexible arm; The number of spacer elements included between the first and second layer flexible arms, along the span of the flexible arms; Positioning of the spacer element along the span of the flexural arm; or The number and / or positioning of flexure stabilizers, wherein the flexure stabilizers mechanically connect the flexure arms of the first layer to other flexure arms of the first layer, or mechanically connect the flexure arms of the second layer to other flexure arms of the second layer.

19. A method for assembling a camera module, comprising: Provide flexural components, including: Dynamic framework; Static frame; A first-layer flexible arm, configured to mechanically connect the dynamic frame to the static frame; and A second flexible arm is mounted above or below the first flexible arm and configured to mechanically connect the dynamic frame to the static frame, wherein the first and second flexible arms are at least partially separated by an open space between the flexible arms. Couple the image sensor to the dynamic frame of the flexural component; and The static frame of the flexural component is coupled to the circuit board of the camera module.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: The image sensor is electrically connected to the circuit board via electrical traces of the flexure assembly, wherein the electrical traces are routed between the dynamic frame and the static frame via either the first layer of the flexure assembly or the second layer of the flexure assembly.

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