Multi-camera module

Abstract

A multi-camera module comprises a shell, a plurality of camera modules and a plurality of heating modules, wherein the camera modules and the heating modules are arranged in the shell. Each camera module comprises: a lens support; a circuit board disposed on a back surface of the lens holder and having a control element; and the lens module is partially arranged in the lens supporting piece and is provided with a front lens located outside the lens supporting piece. Each heating module comprises an electric connecting piece which is electrically connected with the control element; the heating piece is close to or in contact with the front lens and is electrically connected with the control element through the electric connecting piece; the temperature sensor is close to the front lens of the lens module and is electrically connected with the control element through the electric connecting piece, the temperature sensor is used for measuring the temperature near the front lens, and when the temperature is lower than the set temperature, the control element starts the heating piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a multi-camera module, in particular to a multi-camera module with automatic heating of front lenses. Background Art

[0002] Although some single-camera modules are currently equipped with heaters, the heaters must be turned on manually. In addition, the viewing range cannot be replaced, so the current single-camera modules still need to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-camera module to solve at least one of the above problems.

[0004] The present invention provides a multi-camera module, which includes a housing, a plurality of camera modules and a plurality of heating modules. The plurality of camera modules are arranged in the housing. Each camera module includes: a lens holder; a circuit board, which is arranged on the back of the lens holder and has a control element; and a lens module, which is partially arranged in the lens holder and has a front lens located outside the lens holder. The plurality of heating modules are arranged in the housing and correspond to the plurality of camera modules respectively. Each heating module includes: an electrical connector, which is electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board; a heating element, which is close to or in contact with the front lens of the lens module and is electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board through the electrical connector; and a temperature sensor, which is close to the front lens of the lens module and is electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board through the electrical connector, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature near the front lens, and when the temperature is lower than the set temperature, the control element turns on the heating element.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present invention, the housing has a transparent portion facing the multiple heating elements of the multiple heating modules and the multiple front lenses of the multiple lens modules.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present invention, the shell has an opening to expose multiple heating elements of multiple heating modules and multiple front lenses of multiple lens modules, and the multi-camera module also includes: a transparent cover plate arranged in the opening to cover the multiple heating elements of the multiple heating modules and the multiple front lenses of the multiple lens modules.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the transparent portion or the transparent cover is close to or in contact with a surface of the heating element away from the lens module.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the transparent portion or the transparent cover is not parallel to the plurality of front lenses.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, each front lens is not parallel to the corresponding heating element.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature sensor is disposed on a surface of the heating element that is close to or in contact with the front lens of the lens module.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of heating elements are heating plates having a plurality of openings respectively exposing the plurality of front lenses.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of heating elements are a plurality of annular heating elements separated from each other and respectively surrounding the plurality of front lenses.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the shell includes: a rear shell, which accommodates the lens support of each camera module, a circuit board and a part of the lens module, and a part of the electrical connector of each heating module; and a front shell, which accommodates another part of the lens module of each camera module, another part of the electrical connector of each heating module, a heating element and a temperature sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Aspects of the present invention are best understood from the following detailed description, which will be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that, in accordance with industry practice, various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. Indeed, the shapes of various features may be adjusted appropriately for clarity, and the dimensions of various features may be increased or decreased as desired.

[0015] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a multi-camera module (transparent cover not shown) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a camera module and a heating module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a camera module and a heating module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] The reference numerals are as follows:

[0022] 110: Shell

[0023] 110a: Opening

[0024] 112: rear housing

[0025] 114: Front housing

[0026] 120: Camera module

[0027] 122: Lens support

[0028] 124: Circuit board

[0029] 1241: Control elements

[0030] 126: Lens module

[0031] 1261: Front lens

[0032] 130: Heating module

[0033] 132: Electrical connectors

[0034] 134: Heating element

[0035] 134a: Opening

[0036] 140: Transparent cover

[0037] 150: Seals DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving the same, will be more readily understood by describing them in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to more fully and comprehensively convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0039] Spatially relative terms used herein, such as "lower" and "upper," are used to facilitate description of the relative relationship between one element or feature in the accompanying drawings. The true meaning of these spatially relative terms encompasses other orientations. For example, when a drawing is flipped 180 degrees, the relationship between one element and another might change from "lower" to "upper." Spatially relative terms used herein should be interpreted similarly.

[0040] As described in the prior art, some single-camera modules currently have heaters, but these heaters must be manually activated and cannot be adjusted for visual range. Therefore, current single-camera modules still need improvement. Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-camera module comprising a housing, multiple camera modules (including lens holders, circuit boards, and lens modules), and multiple heating modules (including electrical connectors, heating elements, and temperature sensors). The multi-camera module is capable of sensing the temperature near the front lens of each lens module, has an automatic heating function, and exhibits excellent waterproof performance. Therefore, the module is suitable for use in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as those in Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Level 5 vehicles.

[0041] Specifically, each heating module's temperature sensor senses the temperature near the front lens of the corresponding lens module. The temperature sensor is electrically connected to a control element on a circuit board. Therefore, when the sensed temperature falls below a set point, the circuit board's control element activates the heater to automatically heat the camera, eliminating the need for manual activation. The multiple lens modules and heating modules are housed within a housing, with no portion exposed to the outside. This ensures the multi-camera module exhibits excellent waterproof properties. Various embodiments of the multi-camera module of the present invention are described in detail below.

[0042] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a multi-camera module (transparent cover not shown) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a camera module and a heating module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a camera module and a heating module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 FIG is a cross-sectional diagram of a multi-camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the multi-camera module includes a housing 110, multiple camera modules 120, and multiple heating modules 130. The multiple heating modules 130 correspond to the multiple camera modules 120. Each camera module 120 includes a lens holder 122, a circuit board 124, and a lens module 126. Each heating module 130 includes an electrical connector 132, a heater 134, and a temperature sensor 136.

[0043] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, multiple camera modules 120 and multiple heating modules 130 are disposed within a housing 110. In some embodiments, the housing 110 has a transparent portion that faces the multiple heating elements 134 of the multiple heating modules 130 and the multiple front lenses 1261 of the multiple lens modules 126. In some embodiments, the housing 110 has an opening 110a to expose the multiple heating elements 134 of the multiple heating modules 130 and the multiple front lenses 1261 of the multiple lens modules 126. The multi-camera module further includes a transparent cover 140 disposed within the opening 110a to cover the multiple heating elements 134 of the multiple heating modules 130 and the multiple front lenses 1261 of the multiple lens modules 126. In some embodiments, the transparent portion or transparent cover 140 is adjacent to or in contact with a surface of the heating element 134 facing away from the lens module 126. In some embodiments, the transparent portion or transparent cover 140 and the heating element 134 are parallel to each other. In some embodiments, the heating element 134 contacts or is even entirely attached to the inner surface of the transparent portion or the transparent cover 140 .

[0044] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the housing 110 includes a rear housing 112 and a front housing 114. The rear housing 112 accommodates the lens holder 122, the circuit board 124, and a portion of the lens module 126 of each camera module 120, as well as a portion of the electrical connector 132 of each heating module 130. The front housing 114 accommodates another portion of the lens module 126 of each camera module 120, another portion of the electrical connector 132 of each heating module 130, the heater 134, and the temperature sensor 136.

[0045] The multiple camera modules 120 can have different viewing angles, for example, camera modules with viewing angles of 30°, 60°, 100°, and 120°, respectively, so that the multi-camera module of the present invention has a variety of viewing angles. Various embodiments of the lens holder 122, circuit board 124, and lens module 126 of the camera module 120 are described in detail below.

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, the lens holder 122 is configured to accommodate and support a portion of the lens module 126 .

[0047] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the circuit board 124 is disposed on the back of the lens holder 122 and has a control element 1241. In some embodiments, the control element 1241 is a microcontroller unit (MCU). In some embodiments, the control element 1241 is disposed on a surface of the circuit board 124 away from the lens module 126.

[0048] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 As shown, each camera module 120 further includes another circuit board (not labeled), which is disposed between the lens module 126 and the circuit board 124. In some embodiments, the other circuit board further has an image sensor (not labeled, such as a CMOS image sensor), which is disposed on a surface of the other circuit board near the lens module 126.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, the lens module 126 is partially disposed within the lens holder 122. In some embodiments, the lens module 126 has a plurality of lenses (not shown). The lens module 126 has a front lens 1261 located outside the lens holder 122. In some embodiments, the transparent portion or transparent cover 140 is not parallel to the plurality of front lenses 1261 to eliminate ghosting. In some embodiments, the angle between the transparent portion or transparent cover 140 and the plurality of front lenses 1261 (i.e., the tilt angle of the transparent portion or transparent cover 140) is within a range to effectively eliminate stray light. In some embodiments, the range of the angle is between 5 degrees and 15 degrees. In some embodiments, the transparent portion or transparent cover 140 has a silk screen pattern (e.g., a black silk screen pattern) to shield the area outside the visible range of the lens module 126 of the camera module 120 to help eliminate stray light.

[0050] Various embodiments of the electrical connector 132 , the heating element 134 , and the temperature sensor 136 of the heating module 130 will be described in detail below.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, the electrical connector 132 is electrically connected to the control element 1241 of the circuit board 124. In some embodiments, the circuit board 124 has a socket (not shown), into which one end of the electrical connector 132 is inserted, electrically connecting the control element 1241. In some embodiments, the socket is disposed on the surface of the circuit board 124 away from the lens module 126. In some embodiments, the electrical connector 132 is a flexible circuit board (FPC). However, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment. In other embodiments, the electrical connector 132 may be a flat cable or other suitable electrical connector.

[0052] like Figures 3 to 6As shown, the heating element 134 is close to or in contact with the front lens 1261 of the lens module 126, and is electrically connected to the control element 1241 of the circuit board 124 through the electrical connector 132. In some embodiments, the heating element 134 is connected to the electrical connector 132 through a spring connector (POGO Pin); however, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments. In other embodiments, the heating element may be integrally formed with the electrical connector, or the heating element may be connected to the electrical connector through other connecting elements (such as a wire-to-board connector or a board-to-board connector). In some embodiments, the heating element 134 is an electric heating circuit. In some embodiments, such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the plurality of heating elements 134 is a heating plate having a plurality of openings 134a, each of which exposes the plurality of front lenses 1261. In some embodiments, the plurality of heating elements 134 is a plurality of annular heating elements (not shown) separated from each other and respectively surrounding the plurality of front lenses 1261. In some embodiments, each front lens 1261 is not parallel to the corresponding heating element 134.

[0053] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the temperature sensor 136 is located near the front lens 1261 of the lens module 126 and is electrically connected to the control element 1241 of the circuit board 124 via the electrical connector 132. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 136 is disposed on a surface of the heater 134 that is near or in contact with the front lens 1261 of the lens module 126 and is electrically connected to the control element 1241 of the circuit board 124 via the heater 134 and the electrical connector 132. The temperature sensor 126 is configured to measure the temperature near the front lens 1261. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 126 is also configured to measure the temperature near the transparent portion or transparent cover 140. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 156 is a thermistor, such as a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor.

[0054] When the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 136 is lower than the set temperature (or referred to as the first set temperature, such as 0°C, -5°C, -10°C, -15°C, -20°C, or lower), the control unit 1241 automatically turns on the heating element 134 to achieve the defrosting / defogging effect. In some embodiments, when the control unit 1241 has turned on the heating element 134, when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 136 is equal to or greater than the set temperature (or referred to as the second set temperature, such as 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, or higher), the control unit 1241 automatically turns off the heating element 134.

[0055] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the multi-camera module further includes a seal 150 disposed between the rear housing 112 and the front housing 114 to prevent moisture from penetrating into the multi-camera module. The seal 150 may be, for example, an O-ring or other suitable seal.

[0056] However, the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. In other words, any simple equivalent variations and modifications made in accordance with the claims and the description of the invention are still within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, no embodiment or claim of the present invention is required to achieve all of the disclosed objects, advantages, or features of the present invention. Furthermore, the abstract and title are intended solely to assist in searching patent documents and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-camera module, comprising: a housing; A plurality of camera modules are disposed in the housing, wherein each of the camera modules comprises: a lens support; a circuit board disposed on a back surface of the lens holder and having a control element; and a lens module partially disposed within the lens holder and having a front lens disposed outside the lens holder; and A plurality of heating modules are disposed in the housing and correspond to the plurality of camera modules respectively, wherein each heating module includes: an electrical connector electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board; a heating element, close to or in contact with the front lens of the lens module, and electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board through the electrical connector; and A temperature sensor is located near the front lens of the lens module and is electrically connected to the control element of the circuit board through the electrical connector, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature near the front lens. When the temperature is lower than a set temperature, the control element turns on the heating element.

2. The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has a transparent portion facing the plurality of heating elements of the plurality of heating modules and the plurality of front lenses of the plurality of lens modules.

3. The multi-camera module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has an opening to expose the plurality of heating elements of the plurality of heating modules and the plurality of front lenses of the plurality of lens modules, and the multi-camera module further comprises: A transparent cover is arranged in the opening to cover the plurality of heating elements of the plurality of heating modules and the plurality of front lenses of the plurality of lens modules. 4 . The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the transparent portion or the transparent cover is close to or in contact with a surface of the heating element away from the lens module. 5 . The multi-camera module according to claim 2 , wherein the transparent portion or the transparent cover is not parallel to the plurality of front lenses. The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each front lens is not parallel to the corresponding heating element. 7 . The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is disposed on a surface of the heating element close to or in contact with the front lens of the lens module. 8 . The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating elements are a heating plate having a plurality of openings respectively exposing the plurality of front lenses. 9 . The multi-camera module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating elements are a plurality of annular heating elements separated from each other and respectively surrounding the plurality of front lenses.

10. The multi-camera module according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises: a rear housing for accommodating the lens holder of each camera module, the circuit board, a portion of the lens module, and a portion of the electrical connector of each heating module; and A front shell accommodates another part of the lens module of each camera module and another part of the electrical connector of each heating module, the heating element and the temperature sensor.

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