Locking control method for telescopic camera module of shooting equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a locking control method for a telescopic camera module of shooting equipment, and the method comprises the steps: detecting the state of the shooting equipment and transmitting a corresponding control signal when the telescopic camera module is in a locking state; if yes, the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure is started or increased according to the first control signal, and electromagnetic force facing the locking initial position is generated or increased, so that the moving unit is maintained at the locking initial position or the influence of impact force is reduced. According to the locking control method for the telescopic camera module of the shooting equipment, the camera module can be powerfully protected, the camera module can be quickly responded to stretch out and draw back, the problem that the locking force and the push-out force of an existing locking scheme are contradictory is solved, and the safety of the shooting equipment is improved. According to the camera module, the electromagnetic driving structure can be used as an additional locking structure to be combined with an existing static locking structure for use, and even the existing static locking force can be properly reduced, so that the structure of the camera module is effectively simplified, and the size of the camera module is optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a locking control method for a retractable camera module of a shooting device. Background Art

[0002] In the current application of smart camera equipment, consumers have higher and higher requirements for the image quality of camera modules. Supporting the telescopic camera module in the camera equipment has gradually become a new technical hotspot. However, when the camera equipment falls, swings or bumps, this telescopic camera module is easily damaged, resulting in malfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to design a locking solution for the telescopic drive structure of the camera module.

[0003] The existing locking technologies for telescopic drive structures mainly include stepping locks, electromagnetic locks, mechanical locks, etc. Among them, the solutions of stepping locks and mechanical locks have problems such as complex structure, slow response, large size and difficulty in reducing size. The electromagnetic-based locking technology has a relatively simple structure and fast response, but there is a problem that the locking force is too large to be pushed out, and the locking force is too small and the telescopic drive structure is easily damaged when it falls, swings or bumps. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new technology that can prevent the retractable camera module from being damaged when it falls, swings or bumps, and can quickly respond to the extension and retraction of the camera module, while having a more optimized module structure and volume. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a locking control method for a retractable camera module of a shooting device, which can provide strong protection for the camera module while quickly responding to the extension and retraction of the camera module, simplifying the camera module structure and optimizing the camera module volume.

[0005] Based on the above considerations, the present invention provides a locking control method for a retractable camera module of a shooting device, wherein the retractable camera module comprises a moving unit and an electromagnetic driving structure, wherein the electromagnetic driving structure is used to generate an electromagnetic force away from a locking initial position under the action of a forward current, so as to drive the moving unit to move along an optical axis for focusing; the locking control method comprises: when the retractable camera module is in a locked state, detecting the state of the shooting device, and if the shooting device is in a first state capable of causing the moving unit to be displaced, turning on or increasing the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure according to a first control signal, and generating or increasing an electromagnetic force toward the locking initial position, so as to maintain the moving unit in the locking initial position or reduce the influence of the impact force.

[0006] Preferably, if the photographing device is in the second state where the moving unit cannot be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure is turned off or reduced according to the first control signal.

[0007] Preferably, if the shooting device is in the first state, the mobile unit position detection is synchronously turned on; if the shooting device is in the second state, the mobile unit position detection is periodically turned on; if it is detected that the mobile unit is not in the locking initial position, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the second control signal to generate or increase the electromagnetic force toward the locking initial position so as to pull the mobile unit back to the locking initial position.

[0008] Preferably, if the acceleration data of the shooting device is greater than a preset threshold or produces a free fall motion, the shooting device is determined to be in a first state that enables the mobile unit to be displaced; otherwise, the shooting device is determined to be in a second state that does not enable the mobile unit to be displaced.

[0009] Preferably, acceleration data of the photographing device is detected by an acceleration sensor, and whether the photographing device generates free fall motion is determined based on the acceleration data.

[0010] Preferably, the acceleration sensor detects acceleration data with no direction restriction.

[0011] Preferably, the acceleration data is received by a main control chip of the photographing device and the first control signal is issued.

[0012] Preferably, the acceleration data is received by a driving control chip of the retractable camera module to send out the first control signal.

[0013] Preferably, if the photographing device is in the first state in which the moving unit can be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure is turned on or increased according to the first control signal and lasts for a preset time.

[0014] Preferably, if the photographing device is in the first state capable of causing the mobile unit to generate displacement, the magnitude of the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure that is turned on or increased according to the first control signal is positively correlated with the magnitude of the detected acceleration data.

[0015] Preferably, the electromagnetic drive structure includes a coil unit and a magnet unit, wherein the coil unit includes one or more groups of coils, and when the coil unit is energized, the magnetic field generated by the coil unit interacts with the magnetic field of the magnet unit to generate an electromagnetic force toward or away from the locking initial position.

[0016] Preferably, the retractable camera module further includes a static locking structure; the locking control method further includes: if the shooting device is in the second state, the moving unit is maintained in the locking initial position by the static locking structure; if the shooting device is in the first state, the moving unit is maintained in the locking initial position by the static locking structure and the electromagnetic driving structure under the action of reverse current.

[0017] Preferably, the static locking structure is a magnetic locking structure, a spring locking structure, a mechanical locking structure or a step locking structure.

[0018] The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device of the present invention, when the retractable camera module is in the locking state, detects the state of the shooting device and sends a corresponding control signal: if the shooting device is in the first state that can cause the mobile unit to generate displacement, then according to the first control signal, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased, and the electromagnetic force toward the initial locking position is generated or increased, so as to maintain the mobile unit in the initial locking position or reduce the impact of the impact force; preferably, the position of the mobile unit can also be detected, if the mobile unit is not in the initial locking position, then according to the second control signal, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased, and the electromagnetic force toward the initial locking position is generated or increased, so as to pull the mobile unit back to the initial locking position. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device of the present invention can not only provide strong protection for the camera module, but also quickly respond to the extension and retraction of the camera module, overcome the contradiction between the locking force and the push-out force of the existing locking scheme, and can use the electromagnetic drive structure as an additional locking structure in combination with the existing static locking structure, and even appropriately reduce the existing static locking force, effectively simplifying the camera module structure and optimizing the camera module volume. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a retractable camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 The present invention is a flowchart of a locking control method for a retractable camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar devices (modules) or steps throughout different drawings. Implementation

[0022] In order to solve the problems in the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention provides a locking control method for a retractable camera module of a shooting device. When the retractable camera module is in a locked state, the state of the shooting device is detected and a corresponding control signal is issued: if the shooting device is in a first state that allows a moving unit to be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the first control signal, and an electromagnetic force is generated or increased toward the locking initial position, so as to maintain the moving unit in the locking initial position or reduce the impact of the impact force.

[0023] In the following specific description of the preferred embodiments, reference will be made to the attached drawings which constitute a part of the present invention. The attached drawings show by way of example specific embodiments that can implement the present invention. The illustrative embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive of all embodiments according to the present invention. It will be appreciated that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logical modifications may also be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following specific description is not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is limited by the appended claims.

[0024] Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of a retractable camera module of a shooting device of the present invention is shown, and the retractable camera module includes a fixed unit, a moving unit, and an electromagnetic driving structure 300. Among them, the fixed unit generally includes a base 101, and the moving unit includes a carrier 201 and a lens assembly (not shown) contained in the carrier 201. The electromagnetic driving structure 300 includes a magnet unit 301, coil units 302 and 303, and a moving magnetic structure in which the magnet unit 301 is arranged on the carrier 201 and the coil units 302 and 303 are arranged on the base 101 is shown as an example for explanation; in other embodiments not shown, a moving coil structure with an opposite arrangement can also be adopted, that is, the coil units 302 and 303 are arranged on the carrier 201, and the magnet unit 301 is arranged on the base 101. In short, as long as one of the magnet unit 301, coil units 302 and 303 is arranged on the carrier 201, and the other of the magnet unit 301, coil units 302 and 303 is arranged on the base 101, it can be used to achieve the purpose of the present invention. Specifically, the coil unit may include one or more groups of coils, and two groups of coils 302 and 303 are shown here as examples. When the coil unit 302 or 303 is powered on, the magnetic field generated by the coil unit 302 or 303 interacts with the magnetic field of the magnet unit 301 to generate an electromagnetic force toward or away from the initial locking position (i.e., the position where the carrier 201 is located at the bottom of the base 101). When the retractable camera module is in the working state, the electromagnetic drive structure 300 generates an electromagnetic force away from the initial locking position under the action of the forward current of the coil unit 302 or 303, so as to drive the carrier 201 to drive the lens assembly to move along the optical axis Z direction, thereby realizing the focusing function.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device of the present invention includes: when the retractable camera module is in the locked state, detecting the state of the shooting device, if the shooting device is in the first state that allows the mobile unit to be displaced, then turning on or increasing the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure according to the first control signal, generating or increasing the electromagnetic force toward the initial locking position, so as to maintain the mobile unit in the initial locking position or reduce the impact of the impact force. Preferably, if the shooting device is in the second state that does not allow the mobile unit to be displaced, then turning off or reducing the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure according to the first control signal to save power consumption.

[0026] Specifically, the acceleration data a of the camera device can be detected by an acceleration sensor, and based on the detected acceleration data a, it is determined whether the camera device is in a first state that can cause the mobile unit to be displaced or a second state that cannot cause the mobile unit to be displaced. Generally speaking, there are two situations in which the mobile unit can be displaced: (1) If the acceleration data a of the camera device is greater than a preset threshold (for example, the preset threshold is 1.5g, the detected acceleration data a=2g>1.5g, g is the gravitational acceleration), it is considered that the camera device is subjected to a significant impact, such as a swing or a bump, and it can be determined that the camera device is in the first state in which the mobile unit can be displaced; (2) If the detected acceleration data a=g and the duration exceeds a preset time, such as 10ms, it is considered that the camera device is in free fall and may be in the process of falling, and is about to cause a collision or other problems that can cause the mobile unit to be displaced. It can also be determined that the camera device is in the first state in which the mobile unit can be displaced. In addition to the above two situations, it is determined that the camera device is in the second state in which the mobile unit cannot be displaced.

[0027] Since the larger the detected acceleration data is, the greater the impact force may be, and accordingly, the larger the reverse current required to maintain the mobile unit in the locked initial position or reduce the impact of the impact force is. Therefore, preferably, if the shooting device is in the first state that allows the mobile unit to generate displacement, the magnitude of the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure that is turned on or increased according to the first control signal is positively correlated with the magnitude of the detected acceleration data.

[0028] Preferably, the acceleration sensor detects acceleration data of unrestricted direction, so as to respond promptly to unexpected situations such as the falling, swinging or bumping of the shooting device, thereby providing strong protection for the retractable camera module of the shooting device.

[0029] Preferably, once it is determined that the shooting device is in the first state that can cause the mobile unit to be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the first control signal and continued for a preset time, for example, 2s. During this preset duration, even if it is determined again that the shooting device is in the second state that cannot cause the mobile unit to be displaced, it is still processed according to the first state that can cause the mobile unit to be displaced, that is, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is continuously turned on or increased to ensure the safety of the retractable camera module.

[0030] Preferably, the acceleration data can be received by the main control chip of the shooting device to send out the first control signal; the acceleration data can also be received by the driving control chip of the retractable camera module to send out the first control signal.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, it is further preferred that the position of the mobile unit can also be detected. For example, if the shooting device is in a first state that allows the mobile unit to be displaced, the mobile unit position detection is synchronously turned on; if the shooting device is in a second state that does not allow the mobile unit to be displaced, the mobile unit position detection is periodically turned on. If it is detected that the mobile unit is not in the initial locking position, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the second control signal to generate or increase the electromagnetic force toward the initial locking position, so as to pull the mobile unit back to the initial locking position.

[0032] In addition, the retractable camera module of the present invention may further include a static locking structure. For example, Figure 1 It is shown that the magnetic conductive unit 102 is arranged on the base 101. When the retractable camera module is in a non-working state, the magnetic conductive unit 102 and the magnet unit 301 attract each other to generate a static locking force. At this time, the magnetic conductive unit 102 and the magnet unit 301 can be used as a magnetic locking structure. In other embodiments not shown, a spring locking structure, a mechanical locking structure or a stepping locking structure can also be used. The electromagnetic drive structure can be used as an additional locking structure in combination with the static locking structure: if the shooting device is in a second state in which the mobile unit cannot be displaced, the mobile unit is maintained in the initial locking position by the static locking structure to save power consumption; if the shooting device is in a first state in which the mobile unit can be displaced, the mobile unit is maintained in the initial locking position by the static locking structure and the electromagnetic drive structure under the action of the reverse current to ensure safety. Thereby, the problem of the contradiction between the locking force and the pushing force of the existing locking scheme is overcome, and the existing static locking force can even be appropriately reduced, which effectively simplifies the camera module structure and optimizes the camera module volume.

[0033] In summary, the locking control method of the retractable camera module of the photographing device of the present invention detects the state of the photographing device and sends a corresponding control signal when the retractable camera module is in a locked state: if the photographing device is in a first state that enables the movable unit to generate displacement, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the first control signal, and an electromagnetic force toward the initial locking position is generated or increased, so as to maintain the movable unit in the initial locking position or reduce the impact of the impact force. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the photographing device of the present invention can not only provide strong protection for the camera module, but also quickly respond to the extension and retraction of the camera module, overcoming the contradiction between the locking force and the pushing force of the existing locking scheme, and can use the electromagnetic drive structure as an additional locking structure in combination with the existing static locking structure, and can even appropriately reduce the existing static locking force, effectively simplifying the camera module structure and optimizing the camera module volume.

[0034] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention. Therefore, in any case, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-restrictive. Furthermore, it is apparent that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements and steps, and the wording "a" does not exclude the plural. Multiple elements stated in a device claim may also be implemented by one element. The words first, second, etc. are used to indicate names and do not indicate any particular order.

Claims

1. A locking control method for a retractable camera module of a photographing device, characterized in that: The retractable camera module comprises a moving unit and an electromagnetic driving structure, wherein the electromagnetic driving structure is used to generate an electromagnetic force away from an initial locking position under the action of a forward current, so as to drive the moving unit to move along the optical axis for focusing; The locking control method comprises: When the retractable camera module is in a locked state, the state of the shooting device is detected. If the shooting device is in a first state that allows the mobile unit to be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to a first control signal to generate or increase an electromagnetic force toward the locked initial position, so as to maintain the mobile unit in the locked initial position or reduce the impact of the impact force.

2. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the photographing device is in the second state where the moving unit cannot be displaced, the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure is turned off or reduced according to the first control signal.

3. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: If the shooting device is in the first state, the mobile unit position detection is synchronously turned on; if the shooting device is in the second state, the mobile unit position detection is periodically turned on; if it is detected that the mobile unit is not in the locking initial position, the reverse current of the electromagnetic drive structure is turned on or increased according to the second control signal to generate or increase the electromagnetic force toward the locking initial position so as to pull the mobile unit back to the locking initial position.

4. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: If the acceleration data of the shooting device is greater than a preset threshold or a free fall motion occurs, it is determined that the shooting device is in a first state that enables the mobile unit to be displaced; otherwise, it is determined that the shooting device is in a second state that does not enable the mobile unit to be displaced.

5. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The acceleration data of the shooting device is detected by an acceleration sensor, and it is determined whether the shooting device generates a free fall motion based on the acceleration data.

6. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The acceleration sensor detects acceleration data with no direction restriction.

7. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The acceleration data is received by the main control chip of the shooting device, and the first control signal is sent.

8. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The acceleration data is received by the driving control chip of the retractable camera module, and the first control signal is sent.

9. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the photographing device is in the first state that enables the moving unit to generate displacement, the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure is turned on or increased according to the first control signal and lasts for a preset time.

10. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: If the photographing device is in the first state that enables the mobile unit to generate displacement, the magnitude of the reverse current of the electromagnetic driving structure that is turned on or increased according to the first control signal is positively correlated with the magnitude of the detected acceleration data.

11. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electromagnetic drive structure includes a coil unit and a magnet unit. The coil unit includes one or more groups of coils. When the coil unit is energized, the magnetic field generated by the coil unit interacts with the magnetic field of the magnet unit to generate an electromagnetic force toward or away from the locking initial position.

12. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The retractable camera module further includes a static locking structure; The locking control method further comprises: If the shooting device is in the second state, the moving unit is maintained in the locking initial position by the static locking structure; if the shooting device is in the first state, the moving unit is maintained in the locking initial position by the static locking structure and the electromagnetic driving structure under the action of reverse current.

13. The locking control method of the retractable camera module of the shooting device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The static locking structure is a magnetic locking structure, a spring locking structure, a mechanical locking structure or a step locking structure.

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