Focusing lens assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a focusable lens assembly. A digital camera module includes a housing, an image sensor, a fixed lens assembly, and an adjustable lens assembly. The fixed lens assembly is at least partially coupled to the housing. The adjustable lens assembly is positioned within the housing between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly. The adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change a focal length of the digital camera module.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 606,762 filed on December 6, 2023, and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 18 / 953,857 filed on November 20, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to optics and, in particular, to cameras. Background Art

[0004] Cameras have become ubiquitous as they are placed in an increasing number of devices such as smartphones, tablets, watches, and action cameras. Resolution, dynamic range, signal quality, and image acquisition time are key performance metrics for cameras and image sensors included in cameras. As cameras become smaller to be included in other scenarios and use cases, some or all of these performance metrics become more difficult to meet. In addition, cameras are expected to be resistant to external contaminants so that they can be deployed in a variety of scenarios. Summary of the invention

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a digital camera module, which includes: a housing; an image sensor; a fixed lens assembly, which is at least partially coupled to the housing; and an adjustable lens assembly, which is positioned within the housing between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change the focal length of the digital camera module.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a head-mounted device, which includes: a frame; and a camera module set together with the frame, wherein the camera module includes: a housing; an image sensor; a fixed lens assembly, which is at least partially coupled to the housing; and an adjustable lens assembly, which is positioned within the housing between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change the focal length of the camera module.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a wearable device, which includes: an image sensor; a fixed lens assembly, the fixed lens assembly having an outermost lens, the outermost lens having a waterproof seal to prevent external contaminants from entering the fixed lens assembly and the image sensor; and an adjustable lens assembly, the adjustable lens assembly being located between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change the focal length of a camera module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

[0009] Figure 1 A camera module is shown having a lens stack that is adjusted along the z-axis to focus image light onto an image sensor.

[0010] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C An example schematic diagram of a digital camera module according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0011] Figure 3A An example fixed lens assembly including an optical element having a glass refractive lens according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 3B An example fixed lens assembly including an optical element having a plastic refractive lens according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an example camera module including a fixed lens assembly and an adjustable lens according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 5 An example implementation of a head mounted device according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown, which head mounted device can incorporate the disclosed camera module.

[0015] Figure 6 A head-mounted display (HMD) according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown, which can incorporate the disclosed camera module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Several embodiments of adjustable focus lens assemblies for head-mounted devices are described herein. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the techniques described herein can be implemented without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

[0017] Throughout this specification, reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "near eye" may be defined to include an element that is configured to be placed within 50 millimeters (mm) of a user's eye when a near eye device is in use. Thus, a "near eye optical element" or "near eye system" would include an element or elements that are configured to be placed within 50 mm of a user's eye.

[0019] In various aspects of the present disclosure, visible light can be defined as having a wavelength range of about 380 nanometers (nm) to 700nm. Invisible light can be defined as light with a wavelength outside the visible light range, such as ultraviolet light and infrared light. Infrared light having a wavelength range of about 700nm to 1mm includes near infrared light. In various aspects of the present disclosure, near infrared light can be defined as having a wavelength range of about 700nm to 1.6μm.

[0020] In aspects of the present disclosure, the term "transparent" may be defined as having a light transmission greater than 90%. In some aspects, the term "transparent" may be defined as a material having a visible light transmission greater than 90%.

[0021] Conventional camera lens assemblies include a lens stack having multiple lens elements. To adjust the focus, the lens stack moves along the optical axis to change the focus of the image light onto the image sensor. The lens stack moves through an opening in the housing of the camera, which allows external contaminants (including liquids) to enter the camera. In addition, moving the entire mass of the lens stack requires a lot of power and causes time delays during the focus operation.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable lens assembly is disposed between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly. During a focus operation, the fixed lens assembly does not move, while the adjustable lens assembly moves. This can allow the fixed lens assembly to have a waterproof seal relative to the housing of the camera module. In addition, adjusting only the adjustable lens assembly (rather than adjusting all lens elements in the lens assembly) allows for faster focus operations, which can also require less power.

[0023] In another potentially advantageous aspect of the present disclosure, the "camera breathing" effect is reduced. The camera breathing effect is generally associated with a change in the field of view (FOV) during autofocus. As an illustration, the FOV of a camera module generally narrows as the camera module autofocuses on a near-field object. When the camera module switches from focusing on a near-field object (e.g., within 1 meter) to a far-field object (e.g., 2 meters or more), the FOV of the camera module widens. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, since only the adjustable lens assembly is adjusted instead of the entire lens stack, the camera breathing effect can be reduced by about an order of magnitude. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lens can change the focal length, which can reduce the camera breathing effect. When the image captured by the camera is passed-through to be presented to the user on the display of a head-mounted viewer (headset), reducing the camera breathing effect can be particularly helpful in a mixed reality (MR) scenario. Of course, in many scenarios other than MR, it is also desirable to reduce the camera breathing effect.

[0024] Combination Figures 1 to 6 These and other embodiments are described in further detail.

[0025] Figure 1 A camera module 100 is shown having a lens stack 120 that is adjusted along a z-axis 196 to focus image light 191 onto an image sensor 110. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , lens stack 120 includes lens elements 121, 122, 123, and 124. Figure 1 Instead of the four lens elements shown in FIG. 1 , the lens stack 120 may include, for example, 5, 6, or 7 lens elements. To adjust the lens stack 120 , the actuator 140 is driven to move the lens stack 120 closer to or further away from the image sensor 110 .

[0026] Figure 1The lens stack 120 is shown to have to move up and down through the opening in the housing 145. Therefore, the interface 170 between the housing 145 and the lens stack 120 is susceptible to allowing external contaminants, including liquids, to enter the housing 145 of the camera module 100. To mitigate this weakness, the camera module 100 may include a cover window or cover glass (also referred to as a cover) 150 to prevent external contaminants from penetrating the housing 145. However, the cover 150 expands the physical footprint of the camera module 100, and the larger size of the cover 150 may negatively impact the aesthetics of the camera.

[0027] Figure 2A An example schematic diagram of a digital camera module 200 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The digital camera module 200 includes various components configured to support auto focus functionality. The camera module 200 may also provide a sealed (e.g., waterproof) housing during focusing operations. The digital camera module 200 includes a housing 240, an image sensor 210, a fixed lens assembly 220, and an adjustable lens assembly 230.

[0028] Housing 240 may be cylindrical or cubicle-shaped and is configured to protect image sensor 210 from dust, debris, or other environmental elements.

[0029] The image sensor 210 is configured to convert light (e.g., photons) into electrical signals that can be read by the processing logic 207 as image data. In some embodiments, the image sensor 210 can be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The image sensor 210 can be configured to receive visible light while rejecting (blocking) non-visible light. In some embodiments, one or more wavelength filters are disposed above the image sensor 210. In some embodiments, a near-infrared filter that receives a narrow-band near-infrared wavelength can be placed above the image sensor 210 so that the near-infrared filter is sensitive to the narrow-band near-infrared wavelength while rejecting visible light and wavelengths outside the narrow band.

[0030] Processing logic 207 may analyze image data generated by image sensor 210 and determine whether additional adjustments should be made to adjustable lens assembly 230. Image sensor 210 may be located in housing 240, or image sensor 210 may be coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to housing 240.

[0031] The fixed lens assembly 220 is at least partially coupled to or suspended from the housing 240. The fixed lens assembly 220 may include a plurality of lenses (e.g., three lenses, four lenses, five lenses, etc.) in a stacked configuration. Figure 2A , the fixed lens assembly 220 includes a first optical element 221, a second optical element 222, a third optical element 223, and a fourth optical element 224. The first optical element 221 can be considered as the outermost optical element because it is closest to the external environment of the camera module 200. The optical elements in the fixed lens assembly 220 can be diffractive lenses or refractive lenses. The fixed lens assembly 220 can seal the opening of the housing 240 at the interface 270 between the lens element 221 and the housing 240. In some embodiments, the opening in the housing 240 can be circular, and the lens element 221 can have a circular outer edge.

[0032] The lenses of the fixed lens assembly 220 may have optical axes aligned to focus externally incident image light 191. By separating the adjustable lens assembly 230 from the fixed lens assembly 220, the digital camera module 200 may make autofocus adjustments more quickly and may use less power to adjust the focus, as combining the lens assemblies may result in the adjustment mechanism having to move more weight during the focus adjustment operation.

[0033] Adjustable lens assembly 230 can be positioned within housing 240 between image sensor 210 and fixed lens assembly 220. Adjustable lens assembly 230 is configured to selectively change the focal length of digital camera module 200 by adjusting adjustable lens assembly 230 along z-axis 296 to focus image light 191 onto image sensor 210. According to an embodiment, the focal length of digital camera module 200 can be the focal length of an optical combination of fixed lens assembly 220 and adjustable lens assembly 230.

[0034] The adjustable lens assembly 230 may include an adjustable lens 231, two or more side supports 239, and a plurality of suspension arms 233 and 234. The adjustable lens 231 is an optical element configured to focus or disperse light from the fixed lens assembly 220 onto the image sensor 210. The adjustable lens 231 may be displaced toward the fixed lens assembly 220 or toward the image sensor 210 along an optical axis 293 of the adjustable lens.

[0035] The arms 233 and / or 234 may be configured to suspend the adjustable lens 231 and couple the adjustable lens 231 to the housing 240. The arms 233 and / or 234 may be suspension arms having elastic properties. The arms 233 and / or 234 are configured to selectively contract and extend based on a control signal received from the processing logic 207. According to one embodiment, the arms 233 and / or 234 may be implemented as springs or micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. In operation, the upper two arms 233 contract, while the lower two arms 234 extend, so that the adjustable lens 231 is displaced toward the fixed lens assembly 220. Conversely, the lower two arms 234 contract, while the upper two arms 233 extend, so that the adjustable lens 231 is displaced toward the image sensor 210. Although two upper arms 233 and two lower arms 234 are shown, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, more upper arms (eg, four) and more lower arms (eg, four) may be employed to selectively shift the adjustable lens 231 .

[0036] Figure 2B An example schematic diagram of a digital camera module 201 having an adjustable lens assembly 260 including rails and ball bearings according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The adjustable lens assembly 260 includes side fixed rails 269, optional suspension arms 263 and 264, ball bearings 267, rails 268, and an adjustable lens 231. The ball bearings 267 are disposed between the side fixed rails 269 and the rails 268. The ball bearings 267 can provide a certain spacing between the side fixed rails 269 and the rails 268. The rails 268 are coupled to the outer edge of the adjustable lens 231. When the arms 263 and 264 are extended and retracted, the ball bearings 267 can provide smooth movement when the adjustable lens 231 is adjusted along the z-axis 296 to focus the image light 191 onto the image sensor 210. In some embodiments, the suspension arms 263 and 264 are not included.

[0037] Figure 2C An example schematic diagram of a digital camera module 202 having an adjustable lens assembly 280 including guide rods according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The adjustable lens assembly 280 includes an adjustable lens 231, a guide mechanism 283, and the guide rods 281. The guide mechanism 283 is coupled to an outer edge of the adjustable lens 231. One or more guide rods 281 can be coupled to the housing 240 of the module 202. The guide mechanism 283 is positioned around the one or more guide rods 281 so that the one or more guide rods 281 extend through a gap in the guide mechanism 283. The gap in the guide mechanism 283 is Figure 2C296. As the adjustable lens 231 is adjusted along the z-axis 296 to focus the image light 191 onto the image sensor 210, the guide mechanism 283 slides up and down along the guide rod 281. Thus, the guide rod 281 keeps the adjustable lens 231 aligned along the z-axis 296 for different focal lengths. An arm or other MEMS device (not shown) similar to the arms 233 and 234 can provide mechanical movement to slide the adjustable lens 231 up and down along the guide rod 281 in the camera module 202.

[0038] Figure 3A An example fixed lens assembly 320 is shown that includes an optical element 321 having a glass refractive lens (also referred to as a glass lens portion) 341 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 3A , the fixed lens assembly 320 includes optical elements 321, 222, 223, and 224. The optical element 321 includes a glass lens portion 341 and an interface portion 343. The optical element 321 can be considered as the outermost optical element of the fixed lens assembly 320. The hard glass lens portion 341 (e.g., when compared to plastic) can prevent scratches on the optical element 321 because the optical element 321 may be exposed to the external environment. The interface portion 343 can be configured to surround and support the glass lens portion 341. The interface portion 343 of the optical element 321 can contact the housing 340 at the interface 370.

[0039] Figure 3A 3 shows that in some embodiments, the outermost lens of the fixed lens assembly 320 (e.g., optical element 321) can have a greater width (D1) than other optical elements of the fixed lens assembly 320 (e.g., optical elements 222, 223, and 224). In an embodiment, the outermost lens of the fixed lens assembly 320 (e.g., optical element 321) has a width (D1). Figure 3A As shown, housing 340 may be wider (dimension D2) than the outermost lens (eg, optical element 321) of fixed lens assembly 320. As shown in FIG.

[0040] Figure 3B An example fixed lens assembly 380 is shown that includes an optical element 371 having a plastic refractive lens (also referred to as a plastic lens portion) 361 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 3B, the fixed lens assembly 380 includes optical elements 371, 222, 223 and 224. The optical element 371 includes a plastic lens portion 361, an interface portion 363 and a hard coating 365, which is used to protect the plastic lens portion 361 from scratches because the plastic lens portion 361 may be exposed to the external environment. The plastic lens portion 361 is disposed between the hard coating 365 and the interface portion 363. The optical element 371 can be considered as the outermost optical element of the fixed lens assembly 380. The interface portion 363 can be configured to surround and support the plastic lens portion 361. The interface portion 363 of the optical element 371 can contact the housing 340 at the interface 370.

[0041] Figure 4 4 shows a schematic diagram of an example camera module 400 including a fixed lens assembly 420 and an adjustable lens 431 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 4 In FIG. 4 , the fixed lens assembly 420 includes refractive lenses 421, 422, 423, 424, and 425. Figure 4 In the embodiment of the present invention, the adjustable lens 431 is the only lens element in the adjustable lens assembly. A color filter array (CFA) 440 may be disposed between the image sensor 410 and the adjustable lens 431. Figure 4 In FIG. 4 , the adjustable lens 431 is disposed between the image sensor 410 and the fixed lens assembly 420. Figure 4 In the example shown, the outermost lens 421 is a refractive optical lens. The outermost lens 421 can be a negative meniscus lens. In the example shown, the adjustable lens 431 is wider than each of the plurality of optical elements 421, 422, 423, 424, and 425 in the fixed lens assembly 420.

[0042] Figure 5 An example implementation of a head mounted device 500 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown, which head mounted device 500 can incorporate the disclosed camera module as camera module 533. The head mounted device 500 can be implemented as an augmented reality (AR) head mounted viewer that is considered a head mounted display (HMD) 500. Although the device 500 is presented as an example device that can include a camera module having features of the present disclosure, other devices can also include camera modules having features described herein. The device 500 can be considered a "wearable device". In some implementations of the present disclosure, other wearable devices can include camera modules having features described herein.

[0043] HMD 500 includes a frame 514 coupled to arms 511A and 511B. Lens assemblies 521A and 521B are mounted to frame 514. Lens assemblies 521A and 521B may include prescription lenses matched to a particular user of HMD 500. The illustrated HMD 500 is configured to be worn on or around the head of a wearer of the HMD 500.

[0044] In some embodiments, the camera module 533 can capture images of the external environment of the HMD 500. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the camera module 533 is disposed in the frame 514 .

[0045] exist Figure 5 In the illustrated HMD 500, each lens assembly 521A / 521B includes a waveguide 550A / 550B to guide display light generated by the display 530A / 530B to an eyebox area for viewing by a user of the HMD 500. For example, the display 530A / 530B may include a beam scanning display or a Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCOS) display for guiding display light to the wearer of the HMD 500 to present a virtual image.

[0046] Lens assemblies 521A and 521B may appear transparent to the user to facilitate augmented reality or mixed reality, so that the user can view scene light from their surroundings while also receiving display light directed, for example, by waveguides 550A and 550B to one or both eyes of the user. Lens assemblies 521A and 521B may include two or more optical layers for different functions (e.g., display, eye tracking, and optical power). In some embodiments, display light from display 530A or 530B is directed only into one eye of the wearer of HMD 500. In an embodiment, displays 530A and 530B are used to direct display light into waveguides 550A and 550B, respectively. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also be used for head-mounted devices (e.g., smart glasses) that do not necessarily include a display but are configured to be worn on or around the wearer's head.

[0047] The frame 514 and the arms 511A and 511B may include supporting hardware for the HMD 500, such as processing logic 507, wired and / or wireless data interfaces for sending and receiving data, a graphics processor, and one or more memories for storing data and computer executable instructions. The processing logic 507 may include circuits, logic, instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium, application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) circuits, and / or one or more processors. In one embodiment, the HMD 500 may be configured to receive wired power. In one embodiment, the HMD 500 is configured to be powered by one or more batteries. In one embodiment, the HMD 500 may be configured to receive wired data including video data via a wired communication channel. In one embodiment, the HMD 500 is configured to receive wireless data including video data via a wireless communication channel. The processing logic 507 may be communicatively coupled to a network 580 to provide data to the network 580 and / or access data within the network 580. The communication channel between processing logic 507 and network 580 may be wired or wireless.

[0048] Figure 6 A head mounted display (HMD) 600 according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown, which can incorporate the disclosed camera module as a camera module 633. In an embodiment, the HMD 600 may include the camera module 633, which has the above-mentioned camera module 633. Figures 1 to 5 The features described. An HMD (such as HMD 600) is a type of head-mounted device that is typically worn on a user's head to provide artificial reality content to the user.

[0049] The example of the HMD 600 shown is shown to include a viewing structure 640, a top fixing structure 641, a side fixing structure 642, a rear fixing structure 643, and a front rigid body 644. Components 641, 642, 643, and 644 may be included in a frame of the HMD 600, and a camera module 633 may be provided with the frame. In some examples, the HMD 600 is configured to be worn on the head of a user of the HMD 600, wherein the top fixing structure 641, the side fixing structure 642, and / or the rear fixing structure 643 may include a fabric strap including an elastic and one or more rigid structures (e.g., plastic) for fixing the HMD 600 to the user's head. The HMD 600 may also optionally include one or more earpieces 620 for delivering audio to one or both ears of the user of the HMD 600.

[0050] The illustrated example of the HMD 600 also includes an interface film 618 for contacting the face of a user of the HMD 600 , wherein the interface film 618 is used to block at least some ambient light from reaching the eyes of the user of the HMD 600 .

[0051] The example HMD 600 may also include a chassis ( Figure 6 The underlying chassis and hardware are not explicitly shown in the figure). The hardware of the viewing structure 640 may include any of the following: processing logic, wired and / or wireless data interfaces for sending and receiving data, a graphics processor, and one or more memories for storing data and computer executable instructions. In one example, the viewing structure 640 can be configured to receive wired power and / or can be configured to be powered by one or more batteries. In addition, the viewing structure 640 can be configured to receive wired data and / or wireless data including video data.

[0052] The viewing structure 640 may include a display system having one or more electronic displays for directing display light to one or both eyes of a user of the HMD 600. The display system may include one or more of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or a micro-LED display for emitting light (e.g., content, images, videos, etc.) to the user of the HMD 600. The camera module 633 may be configured to capture images of the external environment of the HMD 600, and these images (or images derived from those images of the external environment) may be driven onto the display. The camera module 633 may capture "pass-through" images that are pushed onto the display so that the user of the HMD 600 can navigate the external environment. Virtual images may be added to the pass-through images captured by the camera module 633.

[0053] The disclosed digital camera module can provide various advantages over conventional digital camera modules. For example, even in the case of including several lenses (e.g., six lenses), the overall stack height can be lower than other embodiments. The size of the first lens can be implemented to have a smaller footprint than the footprint required for a glass cover that is not integrated into the housing. The absence of a lateral obstacle for carrying the first lens can enable the digital camera module to receive more light and pass it to the image sensor, which can produce higher image quality. According to an embodiment, the adjustable lens can be displaced up to, for example, 27um in either direction, which can produce a focus change of + / -4 diopters. In an embodiment, the displacement of the adjustable lens can produce a focus change of + / -2.5 diopters. As another example, the adjustable lens assembly of the disclosed digital camera module can produce a focus breathing effect that is imperceptible to the user of the digital camera module. The focus breathing effect is a phenomenon associated with a change (e.g., shrinking or expanding) in the overall field of view of the image sensor in response to focusing or defocusing a lens or lens assembly. In AR / VR applications, the focus breathing effect may be detrimental to the user's immersive experience.

[0054] Embodiments of the present invention may include an artificial reality system or be implemented in conjunction with an artificial reality system. Artificial reality is a form of reality that has been adjusted in some way before being presented to a user, and may include, for example, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), hybrid reality, or some combination and / or derivative thereof. Artificial reality content may include fully generated content or generated content combined with collected (e.g., real-world) content. Artificial reality content may include video, audio, tactile feedback, or some combination thereof, and any of which may be presented in a single channel or in multiple channels (e.g., stereoscopic video that produces a three-dimensional effect to the viewer). In addition, in some embodiments, artificial reality may also be associated with applications, products, accessories, services, or some combination thereof, which are used, for example, to create content in artificial reality and / or otherwise used in artificial reality (e.g., to perform activities in artificial reality). Artificial reality systems that provide artificial reality content can be implemented on a variety of platforms, including a head-mounted display (HMD) connected to a host computer system, a stand-alone HMD, a mobile device or computing system, or any other hardware platform capable of providing artificial reality content to one or more viewers.

[0055] The term "processing logic" in the present disclosure (e.g., processing logic 207 or processing logic 507) may include one or more processors, one or more microprocessors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and / or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that perform the operations disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a memory (not shown) is integrated into the processing logic to store instructions to perform operations and / or store data. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processing logic may also include analog circuits or digital circuits for performing operations.

[0056] The "memory" or "memory" described in the present disclosure may include one or more volatile or non-volatile memory architectures. The "memory" or "memory" may be removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Example memory technologies may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD), high-definition multimedia / data storage disk or other optical storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage device or other magnetic storage device, or any other non-transmission medium that can be used to store information for access by a computing device.

[0057] The network may include any network or network system, such as but not limited to the following: peer-to-peer networks; local area networks (LAN); wide area networks (WAN); public networks (e.g., the Internet); private networks; cellular networks; wireless networks; wired networks; combined wireless and wired networks; and satellite networks.

[0058] The communication channel may include or be routed through one or more wired or wireless communications using: IEEE 802.11 protocol, short-range wireless protocol, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (IC), or a combination of IEEE 802.11 and 802.11 protocols. 2 C), Universal Serial Port (USB), Controller Area Network (CAN), cellular data protocol (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G), optical communication network, Internet Service Provider (ISP), peer-to-peer network, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), public network (e.g., "Internet"), private network, satellite network, or other network.

[0059] The computing device may include a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a phablet, a smartphone, a feature phone, a server computer, or other device. The server computer may be located at a remote location in a data center, or may be stored locally.

[0060] The processes explained above are described in terms of computer software and hardware. The described techniques may constitute machine-executable instructions embodied in a tangible or non-transitory machine (e.g., computer) readable storage medium, which, when executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform the described operations. In addition, these processes may be embodied in hardware (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") or other hardware).

[0061] Tangible, non-transitory machine-readable storage media include any mechanism that provides (i.e., stores) information in a form that can be accessed by a machine (e.g., a computer, a network device, a personal digital assistant, a manufacturing tool, any device having a set of one or more processors, etc.). For example, machine-readable storage media include recordable / non-recordable media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.).

[0062] The above description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention (including the contents described in the Abstract) is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed. Although specific embodiments and examples of the present invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that various modifications within the scope of the present invention are possible.

[0063] These modifications can be made to the present invention in light of the above detailed description. The terms used in the appended claims should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification. Rather, the scope of the present invention will be determined entirely by the appended claims, which will be interpreted in accordance with established principles of claim interpretation.

Claims

1. A digital camera module, comprising: case; Image sensor; a fixed lens assembly at least partially coupled to the housing; as well as An adjustable lens assembly is positioned within the housing between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change a focal length of the digital camera module.

2. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The fixed lens assembly seals the opening of the housing.

3. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustable lens assembly includes an optical element, a suspension arm and a side support, Wherein, the suspension arm is configured to selectively retract to displace the optical element along the optical axis of the adjustable lens assembly.

4. The digital camera module according to claim 3, wherein: The suspension arm includes two upper arms and two lower arms, wherein the two upper arms are configured to displace the optical element toward the fixed lens assembly, and wherein the two lower arms are configured to displace the optical element toward the image sensor.

5. The digital camera module according to claim 3, wherein: The suspension arm includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device or includes a spring.

6. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustable lens assembly is configured to change the focal length of the digital camera module with a focus breathing effect that is imperceptible to a user of the digital camera module.

7. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The fixed lens assembly includes a plurality of optical elements optically aligned to direct incident light toward the adjustable lens assembly.

8. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: An outermost lens among the plurality of optical elements comprises glass.

9. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: An outermost lens of the plurality of optical elements comprises plastic, and wherein the outermost lens of plastic is covered by a hard coating.

10. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: The housing is wider than an outermost lens of the plurality of optical elements.

11. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: An interface between the housing and an outermost lens of the plurality of optical elements is waterproof.

12. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: The outermost lens is a negative meniscus lens.

13. The digital camera module according to claim 7, wherein: The outermost lens has a greater width than other optical elements in the fixed lens assembly, and wherein the adjustable lens assembly includes an adjustable lens that is wider than each of the plurality of optical elements in the fixed lens assembly.

14. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustable lens assembly includes an optical element, a ball bearing, a side support, and a guide rail, and wherein the ball bearing is disposed between the side support and the guide rail, and the guide rail is coupled to an outer edge of the optical element in the adjustable lens assembly.

15. The digital camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustable lens assembly includes an optical element, a guide mechanism, and a guide rod, wherein the guide mechanism is positioned around the guide rod so that the guide rod extends through a void in the guide mechanism, and wherein the guide mechanism is coupled to an outer edge of the optical element.

16. A head mounted device, comprising: frame; as well as A camera module provided together with the frame, wherein the camera module comprises: case; Image sensor; a fixed lens assembly at least partially coupled to the housing; and An adjustable lens assembly is positioned within the housing between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change a focal length of the camera module.

17. The head mounted device according to claim 16, further comprising: A display configured to present display light to an eyebox area, wherein the camera module is configured to capture an image of an external environment of the head mounted device, and wherein the image of the external environment is pushed to the display.

18. The head mounted device according to claim 16, wherein: The fixed lens assembly seals the opening of the housing.

19. The head mounted device according to claim 16, wherein: The adjustable lens assembly includes an optical element, a suspension arm, and a side support; Wherein, the suspension arm is configured to selectively retract to displace the optical element along the optical axis of the adjustable lens assembly.

20. A wearable device, comprising: Image sensor; a fixed lens assembly having an outermost lens having a waterproof seal to prevent external contaminants from entering the fixed lens assembly and the image sensor; as well as An adjustable lens assembly is positioned between the image sensor and the fixed lens assembly, wherein the adjustable lens assembly is configured to selectively change a focal length of the camera module.

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