Modular camera and electronic device

Abstract

The application discloses a module camera and an electronic device. The electronic device comprises a module camera and a host device, and the host device can be a mobile phone. The module camera comprises a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor can be at least one of a multispectral image sensor, a wide-angle image sensor and a long-focus image sensor. The second sensor comprises a main imaging sensor. The module camera returns data of the first sensor and the second sensor to the host device at a high speed for image processing, and generates a shooting image. The module camera in the application cooperates with the mobile phone to enrich shooting play methods. Users can freely install the module camera according to shooting requirements, and can shoot high-quality images at will. The module camera further comprises a first processing chip. After receiving and processing data of the first sensor, the first processing chip transmits the data to the second sensor. The second sensor transmits data of the first sensor and the second sensor to the host device through a high-speed channel for processing, so that the overall image processing speed is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of photography, and more particularly to a modular camera and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread use of smartphones, tablets, and other devices, users have increasingly higher demands for the camera performance of these devices. To address this, detachable external optical modules can be added to these devices. Taking smartphones as an example, when higher camera performance is required, external optical modules can be used to expand shooting capabilities or improve image quality in specific scenarios. Images are captured by the phone's camera and processed directly by the phone. During regular use, the external optical module can be detached, balancing the need for improved phone shooting performance with portability; however, it still has shortcomings in data transmission and image capture quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a modular camera and electronic device. The modular camera and electronic device provided in this application will be described below, and the following multiple beneficial effects can be combined with each other.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a modular camera for mounting on a host device. The modular camera includes functional components and communication components. The functional components include a first sensor, a second sensor, a first processing chip, a first connection line, a second connection line, and a third connection line. The first connection line electrically connects the first sensor and the first processing chip, and the second connection line electrically connects the first processing chip and the second sensor. The communication component is mounted on the functional components and includes a first circuit structure. The first circuit structure includes a first port, and the third connection line electrically connects the first port and the second sensor. The first circuit structure is used for communication connection with the host device.

[0005] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the modular camera may include a sensor and an optical lens, the optical lens including multiple optical lenses. For example, the optical lens may be a zoom lens, capable of 5x, 10x, or 20x optical zoom. The modular camera enables front-end image acquisition extension functions; image data acquired by the modular camera can be transmitted to a host device via a high-speed channel, cooperating with the host device to complete image processing, thereby achieving the imaging function.

[0006] For example, a zoom lens includes multiple lens groups, at least one of which is movable along the optical axis, and in conjunction with the allocation of optical power of each group, achieves continuous change of focal length.

[0007] For example, the zoom lens may also include an aperture stop disposed between the lens groups, the aperture of which is variable, to limit the amount of light entering, reduce stray light and adjust the image brightness to obtain better aperture effect, while facilitating aberration correction.

[0008] Zoom lenses can image light onto a sensor. Light reflected from the subject is refracted by the zoom lens and then incident on the sensor to form an image.

[0009] The aforementioned modular camera, on the one hand, redesigns the cascading relationship between the first and second sensors, allowing data from both sensors to share the same transmission channel back to the host device's main processing chip, occupying only one set of interface resources and thus effectively saving interface resources. In this way, after receiving and processing the data from the first sensor through the first processing chip, the modular camera transmits it to the second sensor, which then sends the data from both sensors to the host device for processing via a high-speed channel, thereby improving the overall image processing speed.

[0010] On the other hand, some image processing algorithms from the main processing chip can be moved to the first processing chip, such as image transcoding and image resizing, thereby freeing up the main processing chip's resources, reducing its processing burden, and enabling more functions to be implemented on the main processing chip. Through the cooperation of the first and main processing chips, data processing capabilities can be effectively improved, thus enhancing the display effect. For example, better image quality, faster image processing speed, and higher processing efficiency can be achieved.

[0011] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first circuit structure further includes a second port electrically connected to the first port; the module camera further includes a mounting base for mounting the module camera on a host device, wherein the mounting base includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, the first connecting portion being detachably connected to the communication component, and the second connecting portion being detachably connected to the host device; the mounting base further includes a second circuit structure, the second circuit structure including a third port and a fourth port electrically connected to each other, the second port being electrically connected to the third port, and the fourth port being electrically connected to an external interface of the host device.

[0012] In this way, different mounting bases can be flexibly and quickly replaced according to actual usage needs to adapt to different host devices.

[0013] For example, the structural form and orientation of the connection structure and / or external interface used for detachable connection with the mounting base may differ in different host devices. When it is necessary to mount the module camera on different host devices, the first connection part of the original mounting base can be detached from the communication component, and the second connection part of the original mounting base can be detached from the original host device.

[0014] Then, replace the mounting base with a new one. Connect the first connection part of the new mounting base to the communication component, and connect the second connection part of the new mounting base to the new host device. The first connection part of the new mounting base can be the same as the first connection part of the original mounting base, and the third port of the circuit structure of the new mounting base can be the same as the third port of the circuit structure of the original mounting base to adapt to the same communication component. The second connection part of the new mounting base can be different from the second connection part of the original mounting base, and the fourth port of the circuit structure of the new mounting base can be different from the fourth port of the circuit structure of the original mounting base. In this way, the modular camera can be adapted to different host devices.

[0015] Furthermore, the mounting bracket is also used for electrical connection between the communication components and the host device, so that signal transmission can be achieved between the host device and the module camera, thereby ensuring that the module camera can work properly.

[0016] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the first sensor is used to acquire a first data signal and transmit the first data signal to the first processing chip via a first connection line; the first processing chip is used to obtain a second data signal based on the first data signal and transmit the second data signal to the second sensor via a second connection line; the second sensor is used to acquire a third data signal and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the first port via a third connection line.

[0017] In this way, the data from the first and second sensors can share the same transmission channel to be transmitted back to the main processing chip of the host device, occupying only one set of interface resources, thereby effectively saving interface resources.

[0018] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the connection lines of the functional components satisfy at least one of the following conditions: the interface protocol supported by the first connection line includes at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol; the interface protocol supported by the second connection line includes at least one of the SPI protocol, the I2C protocol, and the I3C protocol; and the interface protocol supported by the third connection line includes at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0019] According to the embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the first connection line includes at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol. This enables the first connection line to transmit high-speed signals, thereby meeting the bandwidth requirements when the first sensor transmits high-resolution, high-frame-rate image data to the first processing chip. Through the aforementioned interface protocol, the first data signal acquired by the first sensor can be transmitted to the first processing chip at a high speed and with low latency for front-end preprocessing by the first processing chip.

[0020] According to the embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the second connection line includes at least one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol and I3C protocol, which enables the second connection line to transmit low-speed signals, helps to reduce the overall power consumption and wiring complexity of the module camera, and saves interface resources of functional components.

[0021] According to the embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the third connection line includes at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol. This enables the third connection line to transmit high-speed signals, thereby meeting the bandwidth requirements when the second sensor transmits high-resolution, high-frame-rate image data to the first circuit structure. Through the aforementioned interface protocol, the second data signal and the third data signal acquired by the second sensor can be transmitted to the first circuit structure at a high speed and with low latency, and then transmitted to the host device via the first circuit structure. The main processing chip in the host device then processes the second and third data signals.

[0022] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the functional component further includes a fourth connection line, which is electrically connected to the first port and the first processing chip; the interface protocol supported by the fourth connection line includes any one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol and I3C protocol.

[0023] This allows the fourth connection line to transmit low-speed signals, which helps reduce the overall power consumption and wiring complexity of the module camera, and saves interface resources of functional components.

[0024] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first port is used to transmit a first control signal to the first processing chip via a fourth connection line.

[0025] For example, the first control signal can be generated by the main processing chip of the host device. Thus, the main processing chip can dynamically adjust the processing algorithm of the first processing chip according to the current shooting scene and the acquisition characteristics of the first sensor, and adjust the cooperation relationship between the first sensor and the second sensor in combination with the characteristics of the first sensor to achieve a better display effect.

[0026] For example, the first processing chip can update at least one of the following processing algorithms according to the first control signal: dynamic frame rate configuration parameters, image pixel configuration parameters, image grayscale compensation configuration parameters, overexposure noise suppression algorithm, and brightness averaging algorithm.

[0027] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first sensor includes at least one of a wide-angle image sensor, a telephoto image sensor, or a multispectral image sensor.

[0028] With the optional configuration of various sensor types, the modular camera can adapt to diverse application scenarios, exhibiting excellent applicability and flexibility. Furthermore, image data acquired by different types of first sensors can be transmitted to the first processing chip via the first connection line using high-speed signals. After front-end processing by the first processing chip, the data is then uniformly transmitted back to the host device via the second sensor, realizing flexible access and high-speed data transmission of different types of sensors in a cascaded architecture.

[0029] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the functional components further include a third sensor, a second processing chip, a fifth connection line, and a sixth connection line, wherein the fifth connection line is electrically connected to the third sensor and the second processing chip, and the sixth connection line is electrically connected to the second processing chip and the second sensor.

[0030] In this way, all sensor data transmissions share the same third connection line, eliminating the need for additional sensors to occupy the main processing chip's interface resources. Therefore, the sensor expansion of the modular camera is not limited by the number of interfaces on the main processing chip, allowing for flexible increases in the number of sensors based on actual application needs, demonstrating excellent scalability and design flexibility.

[0031] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first circuit structure includes a first power transmission line; the second port includes a first power supply contact and a first ground contact, the first power transmission line being electrically connected to the first power supply contact and grounded through the first ground contact; the third port includes a second power supply contact and a second ground contact; the fourth port includes a third power supply contact and a third ground contact, the second power supply contact and the third power supply contact being electrically connected to each other, and the second ground contact and the third ground contact being electrically connected to each other; the first power supply contact is used to be electrically connected to the second power supply contact, the third power supply contact is used to be electrically connected to the fourth power supply contact of the external interface, and the fourth power supply contact is electrically connected to the second power transmission line of the host device; the first ground contact is used to be electrically connected to the second ground contact, the third ground contact is used to be electrically connected to the fourth ground contact of the external interface, and the second power transmission line is grounded through the fourth ground contact.

[0032] In this way, the host device can supply power to the module camera, thereby ensuring that the module camera can work normally.

[0033] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first circuit structure further includes a first signal transmission line, the second port further includes a first signal contact, the first signal contact being electrically connected to the first signal transmission line; the third port further includes a second signal contact, the fourth port further includes a third signal contact, the second signal contact and the third signal contact being electrically connected to each other; the first signal contact is used to be electrically connected to the second signal contact, the third signal contact is used to be electrically connected to the fourth signal contact of the external interface, and the fourth signal contact is electrically connected to the second signal transmission line of the host device; the signal transmitted by the first signal transmission line is a clock signal.

[0034] In this way, signal transmission between the host device and the modular camera can be realized. The clock signal can provide a timing reference to the first control unit of the modular camera to achieve orderly operation, logical calculation and control.

[0035] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first circuit structure further includes a first communication chip, which is electrically connected to a first port, and the first circuit structure is used to communicate with a second communication chip in a host device through the first communication chip.

[0036] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the communication component further includes a first housing, in which a first communication chip is disposed, and the first housing is detachably connected to a first connection portion of the mounting base. When the module camera is mounted on the host device, the first communication chip and the second communication chip are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, wherein the first communication chip includes a first antenna, and the second communication chip includes a second antenna, and the first antenna is used to align with the second antenna. This allows the first antenna and the second antenna to communicate more effectively.

[0037] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the communication component further includes a fixed base and a movable base. The fixed base is mounted on the first housing, and the movable base is disposed opposite to the fixed base along a first direction. The fixed base carries the movable base along the first direction, and the movable base is movable relative to the fixed base along a first plane, the first plane being perpendicular to the first direction. The first communication chip is fixed on the movable base. A first alignment structure is also included, fixed on the movable base. The first alignment structure is used to align with a second alignment structure in the host device. During the alignment process between the first and second alignment structures, the first alignment structure drives the first communication chip to move relative to the fixed base along the first plane via the movable base. After the first and second alignment structures are aligned, the first antenna and the second antenna are aligned.

[0038] This can effectively improve the alignment accuracy of the first and second antennas, thereby improving the communication performance between the first and second antennas.

[0039] In some implementations, the first alignment structure includes a first magnet array that surrounds the first communication chip circumferentially. The first magnet array is used to attract the second magnet array of the second alignment structure. This simplifies the structure of both the first and second alignment structures, reduces assembly difficulty, and lowers costs.

[0040] In some implementations, the first and second magnet arrays can be Helbeck magnet arrays. This allows the first and second magnet arrays to have greater magnetic attraction and smaller volume.

[0041] In some implementations, the movable seat and the fixed seat can be connected by ball bearings. In this way, the movable seat can move relative to the fixed seat along a first plane, and the ball bearings can effectively improve the smoothness of the movement of the movable seat relative to the fixed seat.

[0042] In some implementations, the communication component further includes a third cover plate, with the movable seat positioned between the third cover plate and the fixed seat along the first direction. The third cover plate provides a limit to the movable seat along the second direction. This prevents the movable seat from disengaging from the fixed seat, thus avoiding the ball bearings from detaching from the mounting cavity.

[0043] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the first circuit structure further includes a circuit board, a first signal transmission element, and a second signal transmission element; one end of the first signal transmission element is a first port, the other end of the first signal transmission element is electrically connected to the circuit board, the circuit board is electrically connected to one end of the second signal transmission element, and the other end of the second signal transmission element is electrically connected to the first communication chip; the mounting base is fixed to the first housing via the circuit board, and the second signal transmission element is a flexible circuit board.

[0044] Flexible circuit boards are characterized by their flexibility and deformability. For example, when the first alignment structure moves the first communication chip relative to the fixed base along the first plane via the movable seat, the first communication chip can move relative to the circuit board along the first plane. During this process, the second signal transmission component can deform accordingly to adapt to the movement of the first communication chip.

[0045] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the circuit board can be detachably mounted on the first housing in multiple mounting postures, including a first mounting posture and a second mounting posture; in the first mounting posture, the first communication chip has a first mounting position, and in the second mounting posture, the first communication chip has a second mounting position, and the first mounting position and the second mounting position are distributed along a first plane.

[0046] This allows modular cameras to be better compatible with different host devices, thereby further improving the compatibility of modular cameras and making cross-device user experience better.

[0047] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the second mounting posture is obtained by rotating the first mounting posture by a first angle about a first axis extending along a first direction; the circuit board is connected to the first housing through at least two connectors, wherein the circuit board has a plurality of mounting holes, the plurality of mounting holes are arranged symmetrically about the first axis, and each connector passes through a mounting hole and the first housing along the first direction.

[0048] In this way, by inserting the connectors through different mounting holes, the circuit board can be mounted in the first housing in different mounting postures (e.g., the first mounting posture and the second mounting posture).

[0049] In a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a host device and a module camera, wherein the module camera is the first aspect described above, and a module camera in any possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the module camera is mounted on the host device, and a first circuit structure is communicatively connected to the host device.

[0050] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of the second aspect can be referenced from the first aspect mentioned above, as well as the beneficial effects in any possible implementation of the first aspect, which will not be elaborated here.

[0051] In one possible implementation of the second aspect described above, the host device includes a display screen, a rear cover, and a connecting structure. The rear cover and the display screen are arranged sequentially along the thickness direction of the host device. An opening is provided on the rear cover, extending through the rear cover along the thickness direction of the host device. The connecting structure is disposed on the opening and protrudes relative to the rear cover in a direction away from the display screen. The connecting structure is detachably connected to the module camera.

[0052] When the connection structure is connected to the module camera, the module camera can be installed on the back of the host device and can be used as a rear camera module.

[0053] In some implementations, the modular camera may include a mounting base for mounting the modular camera on a host device. The mounting base includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part, the first connecting part being detachably connected to a communication component, and the second connecting part being detachably connected to a connection structure.

[0054] In this way, different mounting bases can be flexibly and quickly replaced according to actual usage needs to adapt to different host devices.

[0055] For example, the structural form and orientation of the connection structure and / or external interface used for detachable connection with the mounting base may differ in different host devices. When it is necessary to mount the module camera on different host devices, the first connection part of the original mounting base can be detached from the communication component, and the second connection part of the original mounting base can be detached from the original host device.

[0056] Then, replace the mounting base with a new one. Connect the first connection part of the new mounting base to the communication component, and connect the second connection part of the new mounting base to the new host device. The first connection part of the new mounting base can be the same as the first connection part of the original mounting base, and the third port of the circuit structure of the new mounting base can be the same as the third port of the circuit structure of the original mounting base to adapt to the same communication component. The second connection part of the new mounting base can be different from the second connection part of the original mounting base, and the fourth port of the circuit structure of the new mounting base can be different from the fourth port of the circuit structure of the original mounting base. In this way, the modular camera can be adapted to different host devices.

[0057] In one possible implementation of the second aspect above, the first circuit structure further includes a first communication chip, and the host device includes a second communication chip and a motherboard; the first communication chip is electrically connected to the first port and is used to communicate with the second communication chip; the second communication chip is located inside the host device and is disposed on the connection structure, and the second communication chip is electrically connected to the motherboard.

[0058] In this way, data and control signals can be transmitted. Furthermore, when the module camera is mounted to the host device via a connection structure, the second communication chip can be placed as close as possible to the first communication chip.

[0059] In one possible implementation of the second aspect described above, the orthographic projection of the connection structure onto the first plane is the first projection, the first plane being perpendicular to the thickness direction of the host device; the orthographic projection of the second communication chip onto the first plane is the second projection, the second projection being located at the edge of the first projection; the first projection includes a fan-shaped region, the fan-shaped region and the top of the host device being located on opposite sides of a second axis, the second axis extending along the width direction of the host device and overlapping with the geometric center of the first projection; the center of the fan-shaped region is the geometric center of the first projection; the first side and the second side of the fan-shaped region both extend radially along the fan-shaped region; the first angle between the first side and the second axis is in the range of 15° to 60°; the second angle between the second side and the second axis is in the range of 120° to 165°; the second projection overlaps with the fan-shaped region.

[0060] In this way, the second communication chip will not occupy the main layout space in the middle part of the connection structure, thus it can be better compatible with the different layout requirements of internal components of different host devices. As a result, the second communication chips of different host devices can be laid in roughly the same position, which allows different host devices to better adapt to the same module camera. Attached Figure Description

[0061] Figure 1A A perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 1B An exploded view of a portion of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of a comparative scheme in an embodiment of this application, in which a module camera transmits data to a host device; Figure 3A This illustration shows a schematic diagram of a module camera transmitting data to a host device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3B A perspective view of a modular camera according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3C An exploded view of the components in a modular camera according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3D An exploded view of a portion of the structure of each component of a modular camera according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 4 This illustration shows a module camera transmitting data to a host device according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 5A An exemplary structure of the host device in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5B An exemplary structure two of the host device in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5C An exemplary structure three of the host device in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 5D An exemplary structure four of the host device in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 6 An exemplary structure of a zoom function component in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 7A This illustrates a contracted state of a functional component in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7B This illustrates the extended state of a functional component in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8A A perspective view of a fixed-focus functional component according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 8BAn exploded view of a fixed-focus functional component according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 9A A perspective view of the communication component in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 9B An exploded view of the communication component in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 9C The communication component in the embodiment of this application is shown along Figure 9A A sectional view of section AA in the middle; Figure 10A A perspective view of the mounting base in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 10B A perspective view of a portion of the structure of the mounting base in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 10C An exploded view of the mounting base in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 11A A top view of the module camera in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 11B The module camera along the edge of the embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 11A A cross-sectional view of section BB in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 11C according to Figure 11B An exploded view of the module camera in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 12A An assembly diagram of a host device and a module camera of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 12B An exploded view of the host device and module camera of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 13A The locked state of the mounting base and the host device in the electronic device in the embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 13A A 3D view of an electronic device; Figure 13B The electronic device in the embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 13A A sectional view of the CC section; Figure 14A The unlocked states of the mounting base and the host device in the electronic device in this embodiment of the application are shown. Figure 14A A 3D view of an electronic device; Figure 14B The electronic device in the embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 14A A sectional view of section DD in the middle; Figure 15 An exemplary structure of the guide slot in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 16A An exemplary arrangement of a bracket according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 16AThis is an assembly diagram of the bracket in the modular camera; Figure 16B An exemplary arrangement of a bracket according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 16B This is an exploded view of the support structure within the modular camera. Figure 17A A cross-sectional view of an exemplary circuit structure for the electrical connection between the host device and the module camera in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 17B An assembly diagram of an exemplary circuit structure for the electrical connection between the host device and the module camera in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 17C An exploded view of a portion of the exemplary circuit structure for the electrical connection between the host device and the module camera in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 18A according to Figures 17A to 17C An exemplary structure of a circuit structure in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 18B according to Figure 18A The connection terminals of a circuit structure in an embodiment of this application are shown; Figure 19A according to Figures 17A to 17C A perspective view of the circuit structure used to implement power supply in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 19B according to Figures 17A to 17C An exploded view of the circuit structure used to implement power supply in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 19C according to Figure 19A and Figure 19B An equivalent circuit diagram for implementing power supply is shown in an embodiment of this application; Figure 20A This invention illustrates an electrical connection diagram used to implement the transmission of data signals and control signals in an embodiment of this application. Figure 20B An equivalent circuit diagram for implementing data signal and control signal transmission in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 21A A schematic diagram of electrical connections used to implement data transmission in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 21B according to Figure 21A An exemplary structure of a first communication chip and a second communication chip in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 22A This application illustrates an exemplary configuration of the alignment structure. Figure 22A A three-dimensional view of part of the structure of the host device and communication components; Figure 22B This application illustrates an exemplary configuration of the alignment structure. Figure 22B An exploded view of part of the structure of the host device and communication components; Figure 22C This application illustrates an exemplary configuration of the alignment structure. Figure 22C For the structure of the host device and communication components in Figure 22A A three-dimensional sectional view of the EE section; Figure 23A This illustration shows an exemplary configuration orientation of the second communication chip of several different host devices in embodiments of this application; Figure 23B This application illustrates exemplary configuration orientations of the second communication chip in several different host devices according to embodiments of the present application. Figure 24A A schematic diagram showing different mounting postures of the circuit board in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 24B This application illustrates different mounting orientations of the circuit board in embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 25A A schematic diagram showing one installation posture of the communication component in an embodiment of this application is illustrated; Figure 25B This illustration shows one installation posture of the communication component in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 26A A schematic diagram showing another installation posture of the communication component in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 26B This illustration shows another mounting posture of the communication component in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 27A A perspective view of a host device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 27B An exploded view of a portion of the structure of a host device according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 28 An exemplary configuration scheme for a second communication chip in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 29A This paper illustrates a layout scheme for devices in several host devices according to embodiments of this application; Figure 29B This application illustrates a second layout scheme for devices in several host devices according to embodiments of the present application; Figure 30A A perspective view of another host device in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 30B Another host device is shown in the embodiments of this application. Figure 30A A cross-sectional view of section KK in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] This application provides a modular camera (or "extended camera") that can be mounted on a host device to improve the shooting performance of the host device. For ease of description, in this application embodiment, the device composed of the modular camera and the host device is referred to as an electronic device.

[0064] It should be noted that the modular camera mentioned in the embodiments of this application is a front-end image acquisition extension unit. The modular camera may include a sensor and an optical lens, and the optical lens may include multiple optical lenses. For example, the optical lens may be a zoom lens, which can achieve 5x, 10x or 20x optical zoom, and can realize the front-end image acquisition extension function. The image data acquired by the modular camera can be transmitted to the host device, and cooperate with the host device to complete image processing, thereby realizing the imaging function.

[0065] It should be noted that the host device mentioned in the embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, any of the following electronic devices: mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), handheld computer, touch screen TV, walkie-talkie, netbook, POS machine, personal digital assistant (PDA), smart home, smart wearable device (e.g., smartwatch, smart bracelet, smart glasses, smart helmet), virtual reality (VR) electronic device, augmented reality (AR) electronic device, smart vehicle, smart robot, industrial equipment, etc. This application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0066] It should be noted that the electronic devices in the embodiments of this application can be applied to various communication systems or communication protocols, such as Bluetooth (BT) communication technology, global positioning system (GPS) communication technology, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication technology, wideband code division multiple access wireless (WCDMA) communication technology, long term evolution (LTE), 5G communication technology, and other future communication technologies, etc. This application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0067] For ease of description, this application will use a mobile phone as an example of a host device.

[0068] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An exemplary structure of an electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 1A This is a 3D view of electronic device 1. Figure 1B This is an exploded view of a portion of the structure of electronic device 1. (Reference) Figure 1A and Figure 1B Electronic device 1 may include host device 10 and module camera 20.

[0069] Before describing the specific structure of electronic device 1, this application will first combine... Figure 1A and Figure 1B The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are defined. The length direction of the host device 10 can be the X-axis direction; for example, the direction from the bottom of the host device 10 (e.g., the end where the charging port is located) to the top of the host device 10 (e.g., the end where the front-facing camera is located) can be the positive X-axis direction. The width direction of the host device 10 can be the Y-axis direction; for example, when the user holds the host device 10 vertically and faces the display screen 100, the direction from the right side of the host device 10 to the left side can be the positive Y-axis direction. The thickness direction of the host device 10 can be the Z-axis direction; for example, the direction from the front of the host device 10 (e.g., the side where the display screen is located) to the back of the host device 10 (e.g., the side where the back cover is located). The following explanation uses examples where the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are mutually perpendicular.

[0070] It is understood that the parallelism in this application is not absolute. Approximate parallelism due to processing and assembly errors (e.g., an angle of 0.1° between two structural features) is also within the scope of parallelism in this application. Similarly, the perpendicularity in this application is not absolute. Approximate perpendicularity due to processing and assembly errors (e.g., an angle of 89.9° between two structural features) is also within the scope of perpendicularity in this application. This application does not impose specific limitations on this, and the limitations on perpendicularity will not be repeated below.

[0071] Additionally, it should be noted that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," and "bottom" used in this document are exemplary orientations of the electronic device 1, and do not indicate or imply that the component referred to must have a specific orientation. These orientations may vary depending on actual use and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0072] Continue to refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe host device 10 of the electronic device 1 may include a display screen 100, a housing 110 and a camera module 120.

[0073] The display screen 100 can be a self-emissive display screen, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display screen, a micro (or mini) light-emitting diode (LED) display screen, or a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) display screen. Alternatively, the display screen 100 can also be a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen that requires a backlight. The display screen 100 has a display surface for displaying images and a back surface disposed opposite to the display surface.

[0074] The housing 110 and the display screen 100 can be arranged opposite each other along the Z-axis and together form a receiving cavity for accommodating the electronic components of the host device 10. For example, the electronic components may include a camera module 120 and a motherboard 142.

[0075] It should be noted that, in this application, "component A and component B are arranged opposite each other along a certain direction" means that component A and component B are arranged face-to-face in that direction, and the projections of component A and component B along that direction at least partially overlap. Based on this, component A and component B may be spaced apart or closely fitted together in that direction, as will not be elaborated further below.

[0076] In some embodiments, the housing 110 may include a middle frame 111 and a rear cover 112. Along the Z-axis, the middle frame 111 may be located between the rear cover 112 and the display screen 100 to support the rear cover 112 and the display screen 100. That is, the rear cover 112 and the display screen 100 are arranged sequentially along the negative Z-axis.

[0077] In some of these implementations, the middle frame 111 may include a middle plate 1111 and a border 1112. The middle plate 1111 is generally similar to a plate-like structure, and the border 1112 may surround the middle plate 1111 around its circumference.

[0078] In some implementations, the middle frame 111 and the back cover 112 can be a single integrated structure, meaning that the middle frame 111 and the back cover 112 are integrally formed. Alternatively, in some alternative implementations, the middle frame 111 and the back cover 112 can be formed separately and then assembled together; this application does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0079] The camera module 120 may include multiple cameras, enabling the host device 10 to have relatively complete conventional shooting functions. For example, in some implementations, the camera module 120 may include three cameras: a main camera 120a, an ultra-wide-angle camera 120b, and a telephoto camera 120c. The main camera 120a is used to meet everyday shooting needs such as recording life or taking snapshots of people; the ultra-wide-angle camera 120b is used to meet the needs of shooting large scenes such as group photos or architectural shots; and the telephoto camera 120c is used to meet the needs of shooting distant scenes such as outdoor landscapes.

[0080] In some embodiments, the host device 10 may further include a camera decorative cover 121, which is located on the side of the housing 110 opposite to the display screen 100 and is applied to the camera module 120 along the Z-axis to protect the camera module 120 and also to provide an aesthetic decoration effect, making the back of the host device 10 more design-oriented. In some implementations, the camera decorative cover 121 may also be referred to as "deco".

[0081] In some implementations, the camera cover 121 can protrude from the housing 110 away from the surface of the display screen 100, thereby providing more space in the host device 10 to accommodate the camera module 120, and allowing the camera module 120 to be larger, thus improving the shooting performance of the camera module 120.

[0082] In some implementations, the camera cover 121 may have a light-entry hole 122. The light-entry hole 122 and the camera module 120 are arranged opposite each other along the Z-axis. Light from outside the host device 10 can enter the camera module 120 through the light-entry hole 122 to enable the camera module 120 to take pictures. For example, the light-entry hole 122 may also be covered with a light-transmitting lens (not shown) to allow light from outside the host device 10 to pass through while also providing waterproofing and dustproofing.

[0083] In some implementations, the camera decorative cover 121 can be a regular shape such as a circle, rectangle, or triangle. Alternatively, in other implementations, the camera decorative cover 121 can be other irregular shapes, and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0084] The motherboard 142 serves as the core integration and control hub of the host device 10. The motherboard 142 may integrate a main processing chip 1421, a memory, and a communication module. The memory and communication module are electrically connected to the main processing chip 1421. The memory stores instructions and data, while the communication module enables wired, waveguide, optical, or wireless communication functions for the host device 10. For example, it can implement 3G / 4G / 5G wireless communication, as well as wireless local area networks (WLAN), Bluetooth (BT), and near field communication (NFC) technologies for mobile phones. It is understood that the components on the host device 10 are not limited to those described above; other electronic devices that enable the host device 10's performance are also included, which will not be listed here.

[0085] In some of these implementations, the main processing chip 1421 can be a system on chip (SOC).

[0086] The module camera 20 of electronic device 1 is detachably connected to the host device 10, for example, in Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the illustrated embodiment, the module camera 20 can be disposed on the side of the housing 110 of the host device 10 away from the display screen 100. In this case, the module camera 20 can be used as a rear camera module. However, this application is not limited to this. In fact, the module camera 20 can be disposed at any position on the host device 10. For example, in some other embodiments, the module camera 20 can also be disposed on the side of the display surface of the display screen 100 of the host device 10. In this case, the module camera 20 can be used as a front camera module.

[0087] When the host device 10 is equipped with the module camera 20, the module camera 20 can also be electrically connected to the host device 10, so that signal transmission can be realized between the host device 10 and the module camera 20, such as any one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data) and control signal transmission.

[0088] It should be noted that the electrical connection mentioned in this application can be a direct electrical connection or an indirect electrical connection through one or more intermediate components, which will not be elaborated further below.

[0089] For example, in shooting scenarios with high performance requirements, such as long-distance shooting or shooting in low-light environments, the module camera 20 can be mounted on the host device 10. In this way, the host device 10 can supply power to the module camera 20 and send control signals to the module camera 20 to control it to take pictures. The module camera 20 can transmit image data signals to the host device 10, and the host device 10 can process, display, and store the image data transmitted by the module camera 20. This makes operation simpler and more convenient, avoiding the process of exporting images before processing and editing when using a camera alone.

[0090] In normal use, such as when only simple shooting needs are required or there are no shooting needs, the module camera 20 can be detached from the main device 10, and shooting can be performed through the main device 10's own camera module 120. This makes it more convenient for users to use, store, or carry the main device 10, improving the convenience of daily use.

[0091] It is understood that the host device 10 will not significantly limit the size of the modular camera 20, thus allowing the modular camera 20 to be designed as large as possible to achieve better shooting performance. For example, the size of the modular camera 20 along the Z-axis can be designed to be as large as possible to achieve vertical expansion; similarly, the size of the modular camera 20 along the X-axis and Y-axis can also be designed to be as large as possible to achieve horizontal expansion.

[0092] In some implementations, the image data transmitted from the module camera 20 to the host device 10 can be raw image data (or "weak data signals"), meaning that these data signals have not been processed (e.g., compressed or otherwise optimized), retaining the details at the time of data acquisition, and the data volume is large. This ensures the accuracy and integrity of the data, avoiding the loss of shooting details.

[0093] In some implementations, the transmission rate of image data from the module camera 20 to the host device 10 can be greater than or equal to 10.7Gbps, thereby meeting the data signal transmission requirements of large data volumes.

[0094] In some implementations, the module camera 20 can be any one or more of a standard camera module, a telephoto camera module, a wide-angle camera module, an ultra-telephoto camera module, an ultra-wide-angle camera module, or a periscope camera module, and this application does not impose specific limitations on this. Additionally, the module camera 20 can include one or more cameras (e.g., two, three, or four, etc.), and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0095] It is understood that the structures of the host device 10 and the module camera 20 are only schematically shown in the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application. The actual shape, size, position and structure of the host device 10 and the module camera 20 are not limited by the drawings. The host device 10 and / or the module camera 20 may also include more or fewer components than those shown in the drawings.

[0096] For example, Figure 2 This diagram illustrates a comparative embodiment of the present application where the module camera 20 transmits data to the host device 10. (See reference...) Figure 2 The module camera 20 may include a first sensor 205-1 and a second sensor 205-2. The data collected by the first sensor 205-1 and the data collected by the second sensor 205-2 are transmitted in parallel to the main processing chip 1421 through their respective independent data channels. The main processing chip 1421 processes the two data channels and outputs them respectively.

[0097] However, the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2 each occupy a set of interface resources of the main processing chip 1421, resulting in a shortage of interface resources. This problem becomes particularly prominent when the module camera 20 contains a larger number of sensors, and the main processing chip 1421 may even be unable to support the access of more sensors due to the limited number of interfaces.

[0098] Furthermore, the main processing chip 1421 needs to process the data transmitted by the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2 simultaneously, which places high demands on the parallel processing capability of the main processing chip 1421. When multiple data streams arrive simultaneously, the processing bandwidth of the main processing chip 1421 is limited, making it difficult to process multiple data streams at full rate at the same time. This results in the inability to fully utilize the performance advantages of the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2, affecting the final display effect.

[0099] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a modular camera, which may include functional components and a communication component mounted on the functional components. The functional components include a first sensor, a second sensor, and a first processing chip. The first processing chip processes the data collected by the first sensor and transmits it to the second sensor, which then transmits it to the communication component. The communication component is connected to a host device to transmit the data sent by the second sensor to the host device, whereby the main processing chip processes the data.

[0100] In this way, the data from the first and second sensors share the same transmission channel to be sent back to the host device, occupying only one set of interface resources of the host device's main processing chip, instead of each sensor occupying its own set of interface resources. This effectively saves the interface resources of the main processing chip. In addition, the first processing chip can carry out some image processing functions. Through the cooperation between the first processing chip and the main processing chip, the data processing capability can be effectively improved, thereby enhancing the display effect.

[0101] In some embodiments of this application, the modular camera 20 can be used in conjunction with a host device 10, such as a mobile phone, to capture high-quality images. For example, users can use the modular camera 20 to take photos anytime, anywhere, and then edit the images in real-time using an application on the host device 10 before sharing them to social media platforms or other applications with a single click, thus meeting users' needs for high-quality imaging and instant sharing. Furthermore, the modular camera 20 can also integrate the unique capabilities of different types of sensors. For example, through the cooperation of the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2, it can enrich shooting options and optimize image quality, thereby enhancing the user's shooting experience.

[0102] In some embodiments of this application, the power consumption of the modular camera 20 is low. For example, the power consumption of the modular camera 20 may be lower than the operating power consumption of Bluetooth in some cases, thereby saving energy and being environmentally friendly, and meeting environmental protection requirements. Furthermore, since the modular camera 20 adopts a modular design, it can be detachably connected to the host device 10 via the mounting bracket 220. Therefore, when the host device 10, such as a mobile phone, is updated year by year, the user only needs to retain and reuse the modular camera 20 to continuously obtain upgraded shooting performance without having to repeatedly purchase camera parts. This reduces usage costs while enabling the performance of the modular camera 20 to be continuously upgraded.

[0103] The technical solution of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0104] Figure 3A A schematic diagram is shown in which a module camera 20 transmits data to a host device 10 according to an embodiment of this application. Figures 3B to 3D An exemplary structure of a modular camera 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 3B A stereoscopic view of module camera 20. Figure 3C An exploded view of each component in modular camera 20. Figure 3D This is an exploded view of a portion of the structure within each component. For ease of observation, Figure 3B and Figure 3C The host device 10 is shown in dashed lines. Figure 3C and Figure 3D The assembly direction of each component is indicated by dashed arrows. (Reference) Figures 3A to 3DThe module camera 20 can be installed on the host device 10. The module camera 20 may include a functional component 200 and a communication component 210.

[0105] In some embodiments, the functional component 200 can be a general-purpose component with cross-device reusability, thereby further improving usability, enabling reuse in multiple scenarios, and reducing costs. For example, in the embodiments of this application, the functional component 200 can be a general-purpose component, which can be installed on the host device 10 as part of the modular camera 20, or reused in other cameras, but this application is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the functional component 200 can also be a dedicated component to better meet the functional design requirements of the modular camera 20, thereby improving the working performance of the modular camera 20.

[0106] The functional component 200 may include a first sensor 205-1, a second sensor 205-2, a first processing chip 206-1, a first connection line M1, a second connection line M2, and a third connection line M3.

[0107] The first connection line M1 electrically connects the first sensor 205-1 and the first processing chip 206-1 to realize signal transmission between the first sensor 205-1 and the first processing chip 206-1. The second connection line M2 electrically connects the first processing chip 206-1 and the second sensor 205-2 to realize signal transmission between the first processing chip 206-1 and the second sensor 205-2.

[0108] Communication component 210 is mounted on functional component 200. Communication component 210 may include a first circuit structure 212, which may include a first port P1 and a third connection line M3 electrically connecting the first port P1 and the second sensor 205-2 to realize signal transmission between the first port P1 and the second sensor 205-2.

[0109] In some embodiments of this application, the second sensor 205-2 may be the main imaging sensor.

[0110] The first circuit structure 212 can be communicatively connected to the host device 10 to realize signal transmission between the module camera 20 and the host device 10. For example, the first circuit structure 212 can send data signals collected by various components of the module camera 20 (e.g., the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2) to the host device 10, and then the main processing chip 1421 in the host device 10 processes the data signals. For example, the host device 10 can also send control signals to the first circuit structure 212, and then the first circuit structure 212 controls various components of the module camera 20 (e.g., the first processing chip 206-1) according to the control signals.

[0111] It should be noted that the connection line mentioned in the embodiments of this application does not represent a single signal line. In fact, a connection line may include one or more signal lines, such as two, three, or four, etc., and this application does not impose specific limitations on this. For example, when the interface protocol supported by the first connection line M1 is DPHY, the first connection line M1 can be a differential signal line, that is, the first connection line M1 may include two signal lines, which always transmit electrical signals with opposite polarities and equal amplitudes. For example, when the signal of one signal line is high, the signal of the other signal line is low; when the signal of one signal line decreases, the signal of the other signal line increases synchronously.

[0112] It should be noted that the term "electrical connection" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be understood as the conduction or connection between two or more components to transmit signals / energy. In the embodiments of this application, "electrical connection" can be understood as components physically contacting and electrically conducting; it can also be understood as the form in which different components in a circuit structure are connected through physical lines capable of transmitting electrical signals, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs), or cables. The term "electrical connection" will not be explained again below.

[0113] The aforementioned module camera 20, on the one hand, by redesigning the cascading relationship between the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2, allows the data from the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2 to share the same transmission channel and be transmitted back to the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10, occupying only one set of interface resources, thereby effectively saving interface resources.

[0114] For example, the first sensor 205-1 is used to acquire a first data signal and transmit the first data signal to the first processing chip 206-1 via the first connection line M1. The first processing chip 206-1 is used to obtain a second data signal based on the first data signal and transmit the second data signal to the second sensor 205-2 via the second connection line M2. The second sensor 205-2 is used to acquire a third data signal and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the first port P1 via the third connection line M3. The first circuit structure 212 can transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the host device 10, and then the main processing chip 1421 in the host device 10 processes the second data signal and the third data signal.

[0115] On the other hand, some image processing algorithms of the main processing chip 1421 can be moved forward to the first processing chip 206-1, thereby freeing up the resources of the main processing chip 1421, alleviating the processing resource pressure on the main processing chip 1421, and thus enabling more functions to be implemented on the main processing chip 1421. Through the cooperation of the first processing chip 206-1 and the main processing chip 1421, data processing capabilities can be effectively improved, thereby enhancing the display effect. For example, better image quality, faster image processing speed, and higher processing efficiency can be achieved.

[0116] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates the configuration of the sensors, processing chips, and connection lines in the modular camera 20 provided in this application embodiment.

[0117] Continue to refer to Figures 3A to 3D In some embodiments of this application, the functional component 200 may further include a first connecting circuit board 207-1, a second connecting circuit board 207-2, and a third connecting circuit board 207-3.

[0118] The first sensor 205-1 and the first processing chip 206-1 can be mounted on the first connecting circuit board 207-1. One end of the second connecting circuit board 207-2 is electrically connected to the first connecting circuit board 207-1, and the other end of the second connecting circuit board 207-2 is electrically connected to the third connecting circuit board 207-3. The second sensor 205-2 can be mounted on the third connecting circuit board 207-3. The third connecting circuit board 207-3 can be electrically connected to the first port P1.

[0119] In some implementations, the first connection line M1 may include traces in the first connection circuit board 207-1 to electrically connect the first sensor 205-1 and the first processing chip 206-1 on the first connection circuit board 207-1, thereby realizing the transmission of the first data signal.

[0120] In some implementations, the second connection line M2 may include traces in the first connection circuit board 207-1, traces in the second connection circuit board 207-2, and traces in the third connection circuit board 207-3, so as to electrically connect the first processing chip 206-1 on the first connection circuit board 207-1 and the second sensor 205-2 on the third connection circuit board 207-3, thereby realizing the transmission of the second data signal.

[0121] In some implementations, the third connection line M3 may include traces in the third connection circuit board 207-3 to electrically connect the second sensor 205-2 and the first port P1, thereby enabling the transmission of the second data signal and the third data signal.

[0122] Alternatively, the third connection line M3 may have other structural forms, excluding the wiring in the third connection circuit board 207-3. For example, the third connection line M3 may include the connection terminals of a connector, and the second sensor 205-2 and the first port P1 may be electrically connected through the connector.

[0123] In some implementations, the first connecting circuit board 207-1 and the second connecting circuit board 207-2 can be electrically connected via a connector. For example, the connector may include a board-to-board (BTB) connector, a flexible flat cable (FFC) connector, etc., and this application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0124] Similarly, in some implementations, the second connecting circuit board 207-2 and the third connecting circuit board 207-3 can be electrically connected via a connector. In some implementations, the third connecting circuit board 207-3 and the first port P1 can be electrically connected via a connector.

[0125] In some implementations, the first connection circuit board 207-1 can be a printed circuit board capable of carrying the first sensor 205-1 and the first processing chip 206-1.

[0126] Similarly, in some of these implementations, the third connecting circuit board 207-3 can be a printed circuit board to accommodate the second sensor 205-2.

[0127] In some implementations, the second connecting circuit board 207-2 can be a flexible circuit board. When the functional component 200 includes a retractable zoom camera, the second connecting circuit board 207-2 can undergo flexible deformation during the extension and retraction of the functional component 200 along the Z-axis to adapt to the displacement changes of the functional component 200 during the extension and retraction process. This maintains the stability of the electrical connection between the first connecting circuit board 207-1 and the third connecting circuit board 207-3, avoiding circuit board breakage or signal transmission interruption due to rigid connection, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the zoom camera during the extension and retraction process.

[0128] In some embodiments of this application, the first processing chip 206-1 can process the first data signal to obtain a second data signal. For example, the processing may include any one of transcoding, image resizing, and data stream hierarchical sampling.

[0129] In some embodiments of this application, the second sensor 205-2 can package the second data signal and the third data signal together and then transmit them uniformly to the first port P1. Alternatively, in other embodiments of this application, the second sensor 205-2 may not package the second data signal and the third data signal, but instead transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the first port P1 in a time-division multiplexing manner through the same transmission channel. That is, the second data signal and the third data signal can share the third connection line M3 and be transmitted to the first port P1 in a time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner.

[0130] In some embodiments of this application, the first sensor 205-1 may include at least one of a wide-angle image sensor, a telephoto image sensor, or a multispectral image sensor.

[0131] With the optional configuration of various types of sensors, the modular camera 20 can adapt to diverse application scenarios, exhibiting excellent applicability and flexibility. Furthermore, image data acquired by different types of first sensors 205-1 can be transmitted at high speed to the first processing chip 206-1 via the first connection line M1. After front-end processing by the first processing chip 206-1, the data is then uniformly transmitted back to the host device 10 via the second sensor 205-2, realizing flexible access and high-speed data transmission of different types of sensors in a cascaded architecture.

[0132] For example, when the first sensor 205-1 includes a wide-angle image sensor, the module camera 20 can acquire images with a large field of view, which is suitable for scenarios such as landscape shooting or large-scene monitoring; when the first sensor 205-1 includes a telephoto image sensor, the module camera 20 can acquire images of distant targets, which is suitable for scenarios such as distant shooting or distant observation; when the first sensor 205-1 includes a multispectral image sensor, the module camera 20 can acquire image information of multiple spectral bands, which is suitable for scenarios such as color recognition, material analysis or special imaging needs.

[0133] For example, when the first sensor 205-1 includes a wide-angle image sensor, a telephoto image sensor, and a multispectral image sensor, and the second sensor 205-2 is the image sensor of the main camera (or the main image sensor), it can combine the advantages of the main image sensor's high resolution, the wide range of the wide-angle image sensor, the long distance of the telephoto image sensor, and the good color effect of the multispectral image sensor, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect.

[0134] In some embodiments of this application, the first sensor 205-1 may also be at least one of a ToF sensor, a thermal imaging sensor, etc.

[0135] For example, when the first sensor 205-1 is a ToF sensor, the module camera 20 can acquire the depth information of each target in the shooting scene by emitting and receiving light pulses, and realize depth ranging. It can be applied to scenarios such as portrait blurring, gesture recognition, spatial modeling or AR interaction. By introducing a ToF sensor, the module camera 20 can stably acquire depth data under different lighting conditions, assist the main image sensor and other sensors to achieve more accurate imaging adjustment and improve imaging effect.

[0136] For example, when the first sensor 205-1 is a thermal imaging sensor, the module camera 20 can sense the thermal radiation distribution of the target and convert it into a temperature image, which is suitable for night shooting, temperature detection and other scenarios. By introducing a thermal imaging sensor, the module camera 20 can also perform thermal radiation difference imaging even in environments with no light or extremely poor light, thus expanding the application scenarios of the module camera 20.

[0137] In some embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the first connection line M1 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol. The DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol are two protocols within the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) protocol family.

[0138] This enables the first connection line M1 to transmit high-speed signals, thereby meeting the bandwidth requirements when the first sensor 205-1 transmits high-resolution, high-frame-rate image data to the first processing chip 206-1. Through the aforementioned interface protocol, the first data signal acquired by the first sensor 205-1 can be transmitted to the first processing chip 206-1 at a high speed and with low latency for front-end preprocessing by the first processing chip 206-1.

[0139] Furthermore, the path of the first connecting line M1 is relatively short, resulting in less attenuation and delay during signal transmission, which further ensures the integrity and stability of high-speed signals during transmission.

[0140] In some implementations, the data signal transmission rate of the first connection line M1 can be greater than or equal to 1GB / s. For example, the rate can be 1GB / s, 1.5GB / s, 2GB / s, 2.5GB / s, or 3GB / s, etc. This application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0141] In some embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the second connection line M2 may include at least one of the following: Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol, Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) protocol, and Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit (I3C) protocol.

[0142] This allows the second connection line M2 to transmit low-speed signals, which helps reduce the overall power consumption and wiring complexity of the module camera 20 and saves interface resources of the functional component 200.

[0143] In some implementations, the second connection line M2 can also support interface protocols including the high-speed serial computer expansion bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, PCIe) protocol. This allows for flexible selection of the appropriate interface protocol based on actual needs. For example, when transmitting small amounts of data, SPI, I2C, or I3C protocols can be used to transmit low-speed signals, thereby reducing power consumption and saving pin resources; when transmitting large amounts of data, the PCIe protocol can be used to ensure sufficient transmission bandwidth. With the support of multiple interface protocols, the second connection line M2 has a wider range of applications, can adapt to different types of sensors and control requirements, and enhances the functional scalability and design flexibility of the module camera 20.

[0144] In some embodiments of this application, the interface protocol supported by the third connection line M3 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0145] This enables the third connection line M3 to transmit high-speed signals, thereby meeting the bandwidth requirements when the second sensor 205-2 transmits high-resolution, high-frame-rate image data to the first circuit structure 212. Through the aforementioned interface protocol, the second data signal and the third data signal acquired by the second sensor 205-2 can be transmitted to the first circuit structure 212 at a high speed and with low latency, and then transmitted to the host device 10 via the first circuit structure 212. The main processing chip 1421 in the host device 10 then processes the second and third data signals.

[0146] Furthermore, the path of the third connection line M3 is shorter, resulting in less attenuation and delay during signal transmission, which further ensures the integrity and stability of high-speed signals during transmission.

[0147] In some embodiments of this application, high-speed signals are transmitted through the first connection line M1 and the third connection line M3, while low-speed signals are transmitted through the second connection line M2. This can effectively solve the architecture stacking problem of the transmission rate limitation caused by the excessively long transmission link of the high-speed interface, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0148] In other embodiments of this application, the first connection line M1, the second connection line M2, and the third connection line M3 may also transmit signals at other rates. For example, the first connection line M1, the second connection line M2, and the third connection line M3 may all transmit high-speed signals. Alternatively, the first connection line M1, the second connection line M2, and the third connection line M3 may all transmit low-speed signals.

[0149] Continue to refer to Figures 3A to 3D In some embodiments of this application, functional component 200 may further include a fourth connection line M4, which can electrically connect the first port P1 and the first processing chip 206-1. The interface protocols supported by the fourth connection line M4 include any one of the SPI, I2C, and I3C protocols. This enables the fourth connection line M4 to transmit low-speed signals, helping to reduce the overall power consumption and wiring complexity of the module camera 20, and saving interface resources of functional component 200.

[0150] In some implementations, the first port P1 can transmit a first control signal to the first processing chip 206-1 via the fourth connection line M4, so that the first processing chip 206-1 can process the first data signal according to the first control signal to obtain the second data signal.

[0151] For example, the first control signal may be generated by the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10. Thus, the main processing chip 1421 can dynamically adjust the processing algorithm of the first processing chip 206-1 according to the current shooting scene and the acquisition characteristics of the first sensor 205-1, and adjust the cooperation relationship between the first sensor 205-1 and the second sensor 205-2 in combination with the characteristics of the first sensor 205-1 to achieve a better display effect.

[0152] For example, the first processing chip 206-1 can update at least one of the following processing algorithms according to the first control signal: dynamic frame rate configuration parameters, image pixel configuration parameters, image grayscale compensation configuration parameters, overexposure noise suppression algorithm, and brightness averaging algorithm.

[0153] In some implementations, the fourth connection line M4 may include traces in the first connection circuit board 207-1, the second connection circuit board 207-2, and the third connection circuit board 207-3 to electrically connect the first port P1 and the first processing chip 206-1 on the first connection circuit board 207-1.

[0154] It is understood that functional component 200 can also include more sensors, such as three, four, or five sensors, to achieve more functions. The newly added sensors can be cascaded with the second sensor 205-2 in a similar manner. Thus, all sensor data transmissions share the same transmission channel as the third connection line M3, and the added sensors do not require additional interface resources of the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10. Therefore, the sensor expansion of the modular camera 20 is not limited by the number of interfaces of the main processing chip 1421, and the number of sensors can be flexibly increased according to actual application needs, exhibiting good scalability and design flexibility.

[0155] The following is an example of this.

[0156] Figure 4 This illustration shows a module camera 20 transmitting data to a host device 10 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 . refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments of this application, the functional component 200 may further include a third sensor 205-3, a second processing chip 206-2, a fifth connection line M5, and a sixth connection line M6.

[0157] The fifth connection line M5 is electrically connected to the third sensor 205-3 and the second processing chip 206-2 to realize signal transmission between the third sensor 205-3 and the second processing chip 206-2. The sixth connection line M6 is electrically connected to the second processing chip 206-2 and the second sensor 205-2 to realize signal transmission between the second processing chip 206-2 and the second sensor 205-2.

[0158] For example, the third sensor 205-3 is used to acquire a fourth data signal and transmit the fourth data signal to the second processing chip 206-2 via the fifth connection line M5. The second processing chip 206-2 is used to obtain a fifth data signal based on the fourth data signal and transmit the fifth data signal to the second sensor 205-2 via the sixth connection line M6. The second sensor 205-2 can transmit the second data signal, the third data signal, and the fifth data signal to the first port P1 via the third connection line M3. The first circuit structure 212 can transmit the second data signal, the third data signal, and the fifth data signal to the host device 10, whereby the main processing chip 1421 in the host device 10 processes the second data signal, the third data signal, and the fifth data signal.

[0159] In some implementations, functional component 200 may include a seventh connection line M7, which can electrically connect the first port P1 and the second processing chip 206-2. The first port P1 can transmit a second control signal to the second processing chip 206-2 via the seventh connection line M7, so that the second processing chip 206-2 can process the fourth data signal according to the second control signal to obtain a fifth data signal.

[0160] For example, the second control signal may be generated by the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10. Thus, the main processing chip 1421 can dynamically adjust the processing algorithm of the second processing chip 206-2 to achieve better display results.

[0161] It is understandable that the third sensor 205-3 is related to the above. Figures 3A to 3D The first sensor 205-1 in the illustrated embodiment is essentially the same, and the fifth connection line M5 is the same as described above. Figures 3A to 3D The first connecting line M1 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially the same as the sixth connecting line M6. Figures 3A to 3D The second connection line M2 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially the same as the seventh connection line M7. Figures 3A to 3D The fourth connection line M4 in the illustrated embodiment is essentially the same. Therefore, please refer to the above for details. Figures 3A to 3D The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0162] After introducing the data signals and control signals transmitted between the module camera 20 and the host device 10, the following section will continue to describe the installation method between the module camera 20 and the host device 10 with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0163] Continue to refer to Figures 3A to 3D In some feasible solutions, the modular camera 20 may also include a mounting base 220. By providing the mounting base 220, a detachable connection between the modular camera 20 and the host device 10 can be achieved. Therefore, different mounting bases 220 can be flexibly and quickly replaced according to actual usage requirements to adapt to different host devices 10. Furthermore, the mounting base 220 is also used for electrical connection between the communication component 210 and the host device 10, thus enabling signal transmission between the host device 10 and the modular camera 20, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the modular camera 20.

[0164] For example, the mounting base 220 may include a first connecting portion 221 and a second connecting portion 222. The first connecting portion 221 is detachably connected to the communication component 210, and the second connecting portion 222 is detachably connected to the host device 10. Thus, the mounting base 220 can mount the modular camera 20 onto the host device 10, achieving a detachable connection between the host device 10 and the modular camera 20.

[0165] The first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may include a second port P2, which is electrically connected to the first port P1. The mounting base 220 may include a second circuit structure 223, which may include a third port P3 and a fourth port P4 that are electrically connected to each other. The second port P2 is electrically connected to the third port P3, and the fourth port P4 is electrically connected to the external interface 140. This enables signal transmission between the host device 10 and the module camera 20.

[0166] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may include a connection structure 130 and an external interface 140. The connection structure 130 may be detachably connected to the second connection portion 222 to enable the detachable installation of the modular camera 20.

[0167] It is understood that the structure and orientation of the connection structure 130 and / or external interface 140 of different host devices 10 may differ. When it is necessary to install the module camera 20 on different host devices 10, the first connection part 221 of the original mounting base 220 can be disassembled from the communication component 210, and the second connection part 222 of the original mounting base 220 can be disassembled from the original host device 10.

[0168] Then, replace the new mounting base 220, connect the first connection portion 221 of the new mounting base 220 to the communication component 210, and connect the second connection portion 222 of the new mounting base 220 to the new host device 10. The first connection portion 221 of the new mounting base 220 can be the same as the first connection portion 221 of the original mounting base 220, and the third port P3 of the second circuit structure 223 of the new mounting base 220 can be the same as the third port P3 of the second circuit structure 223 of the original mounting base 220, to adapt to the same communication component 210. The second connection portion 222 of the new mounting base 220 can be different from the second connection portion 222 of the original mounting base 220, and the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the new mounting base 220 can be different from the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the original mounting base 220. In this way, the modular camera 20 can be adapted to different host devices 10.

[0169] For example, Figures 5A to 5DExemplary structures of several different host devices 10 in embodiments of this application are shown. Figure 5A In the embodiment shown, the connection structure 130 of the host device 10 can be circular in shape, and the external interface 140 can be located on the periphery of the connection structure 130.

[0170] for Figure 5A The second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 of the host device 10 shown can be arranged circumferentially to allow for detachable connection with the connecting structure 130. The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 can be located on the surface of the mounting base 220 opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the connecting structure 130 to allow for electrical connection with the external interface 140.

[0171] exist Figure 5B In the illustrated embodiment, the connection structure 130 of the host device 10 can be circular in shape, and the external interface 140 can be located on the end face of the connection structure 130. Furthermore, since the camera module 120 of the host device 10 is arranged in a ring, the external interface 140 can be located close to the center of the connection structure 130.

[0172] for Figure 5B The second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 of the host device 10 shown can be arranged circumferentially to allow for detachable connection with the connecting structure 130. The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 can be located on the surface of the mounting base 220 opposite to the end face of the connecting structure 130 and positioned close to the center of the connecting structure 130 to allow for electrical connection with the external interface 140.

[0173] exist Figure 5C In the illustrated embodiment, the connection structure 130 of the host device 10 can be circular in shape, and the external interface 140 can be located on the end face of the connection structure 130. Furthermore, since the camera module 120 of the host device 10 has a pie-shaped layout, the external interface 140 can be located close to the upper edge of the connection structure 130.

[0174] for Figure 5C The host device 10 shown has a second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 that can be arranged circumferentially to allow for detachable connection to the connecting structure 130. The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 can be located on the surface of the mounting base 220 opposite to the end face of the connecting structure 130 and positioned near the upper edge of the connecting structure 130 to allow for electrical connection to the external interface 140.

[0175] exist Figure 5D In the embodiment shown, the connection structure 130 of the host device 10 can be octagonal in shape, and the external interface 140 can be located on the end face of the connection structure 130 and set close to the geometric center of the connection structure 130.

[0176] for Figure 5D The host device 10 shown has a second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 that can be arranged circumferentially along an octagonal pattern to allow for detachable connection to the connecting structure 130. The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 can be located on the surface of the mounting base 220 opposite to the end face of the connecting structure 130 and positioned close to the geometric center of the connecting structure 130 to allow for electrical connection to the external interface 140.

[0177] When the module camera 20 provided in this application needs to be installed on the above... Figures 5A to 5D When using different host devices 10 in the illustrated embodiment, the corresponding mounting base 220 can be replaced to adapt to different host devices 10.

[0178] In summary, the module camera 20 provided in this application has good compatibility and can be adapted to different host devices 10, thereby effectively improving the cross-device user experience.

[0179] It is understandable that, in the above Figures 3A to 3D In the illustrated embodiment, the functional components 200, communication components 210, and mounting base 220 of the modular camera 20 are arranged sequentially along the negative Z-axis. This allows the modular camera 20 to be more easily installed on the side of the host device 10's housing 110 facing away from the display screen 100, and the modular camera 20 can be used as a rear-facing camera module.

[0180] However, this is only an illustrative illustration. In reality, the functional components 200, communication components 210, mounting base 220, and host device 10 of the module camera 20 can also have other layouts, as long as they can meet the actual usage requirements. This application does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0181] For example, the functional component 200, communication component 210, and mounting base 220 can also be arranged sequentially along the positive Z-axis. This allows the modular camera 20 to be more easily installed on the side of the display screen 100 of the host device 10, enabling it to be used as a front-facing camera module. Alternatively, the functional component 200 and communication component 210 can be arranged sequentially along the negative Z-axis, and the communication component 210 and mounting base 220 can be arranged sequentially along the X-axis.

[0182] For ease of understanding, the following text will use... Figures 3A to 3D The layout of the module camera 20 shown is used as an example to introduce the technical solution of this application.

[0183] The structural forms of the functional components 200, communication components 210, and mounting base 220 of the modular camera 20 provided in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0184] In some embodiments of this application, the functional component 200 may include a retractable zoom camera, the focal length of which can be adjusted by adjusting the telescopic travel of the module camera 20, thereby meeting the shooting needs of different scenarios and having a wide range of applications.

[0185] Figure 6 An exemplary structure of a zoom functional component 200 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. (See reference...) Figure 6 The functional component 200 may also include a protective case 201, a camera 202, and a motor 203.

[0186] The protective shell 201 forms a first receiving cavity 2011, in which the camera 202 can be housed. In this way, the protective shell 201 can protect the camera 202, while also making the appearance of the functional component 200 more aesthetically pleasing.

[0187] The camera 202 may include multiple optical lenses 2021 and an image sensor 2022. Utilizing the refraction principle of the optical lenses 2021, light rays from the subject can be focused onto the focal plane of the functional component 200 for imaging. The multiple optical lenses 2021 can be mounted on the protective housing 201 and arranged along the Z-axis. The image sensor 2022 is located on the light-emitting side of the optical lenses 2021 to receive light signals from the optical lenses 2021 and convert the received light signals into electrical signals.

[0188] In some implementations, the image sensor 2022 can be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, or it can be a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor.

[0189] In some implementations, camera 202 can be a main camera, and correspondingly, image sensor 2022 can be the one described above. Figures 3A to 4 The second sensor 205-2 in the illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, the camera 202 can be at least one of a telephoto camera, a wide-angle camera, or a color camera, and correspondingly, the image sensor 2022 can be one of the above. Figures 3A to 4 The first sensor 205-1 or the third sensor 205-3 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0190] Motor 203 can drive functional component 200 to extend and retract along the Z-axis, allowing functional component 200 to switch between a retracted state and an extended state. During the switching process between the retracted and extended states of functional component 200, protective shell 201 can extend and retract along the Z-axis, changing the spacing of multiple optical lenses 2021 in the Z-axis direction, thereby achieving zoom. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the Z-axis direction can be the optical axis direction of camera 202.

[0191] For example, Figure 7A This illustrates a contracted state of a functional component 200 in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7B The extended state of a functional component 200 in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0192] When functional component 200 is located Figure 7A In the contracted state shown, the dimension of functional component 200 along the Z-axis can be dimension H1, and the focal length of functional component 200 can be located in the mid-focal length, thus meeting the shooting needs of scenarios such as portrait photography and still life close-ups; when functional component 200 is located in... Figure 7B When extended as shown, the dimension of the functional component 200 along the Z-axis can be dimension H2, which can be greater than dimension H1. The focal length of the module camera 20 can be in the telephoto range, thus meeting the shooting needs of long-distance shooting, such as sports event shooting, concert shooting, or forest bird shooting.

[0193] In some implementations, dimension H1 can be 60mm to 80mm, for example, dimension H1 can be 60mm, 65mm, 67mm, 70mm, 75mm, 77mm or 80mm; dimension H2 can be greater than or equal to 130mm, for example, dimension H2 can be 130mm, 140mm or 150mm, etc.

[0194] In other embodiments of this application, the functional component 200 may also be a non-scalable fixed-focus camera module with a fixed focal length. Fixed-focus camera modules have a simple overall structure, high portability, stable image quality, and low cost.

[0195] Figure 8A and Figure 8B An exemplary structure of a fixed-focus functional component 200 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 8A A 3D view of functional component 200. Figure 8B This is an exploded view of functional component 200. (Reference) Figure 8A and Figure 8B The protective shell 201 of the functional component 200 can be a non-retractable shell, and the camera 202 can be a fixed-focus camera.

[0196] exist Figure 8A and Figure 8B In the embodiment shown, the number of cameras 202 can be three. One camera 202 can be used as the main camera lens to meet the daily shooting needs such as recording life or taking snapshots of people; the other two cameras 202 can be telephoto lenses to meet the needs of shooting distant scenes such as outdoor landscapes.

[0197] It is understandable that the above Figures 6 to 8B The examples shown are merely exemplary structures of a few functional components 200. In other embodiments, functional components 200 may include more or fewer parts, and this application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0198] For example, in some embodiments, the camera 202 of the functional component 200 may also include a variable aperture, which may be located on the light-incident side of the optical lens 2021. The variable aperture has an aperture hole with an adjustable aperture size, and by changing the aperture size, the amount of light entering the optical lens 2021 can be adjusted.

[0199] For example, in some embodiments, the camera 202 of the functional component 200 may also include a filter. The filter may be disposed between the optical lens 2021 and the image sensor 2022, and the filter can filter the light from the optical lens 2021 so that a portion of the light can be incident on the image sensor 2022.

[0200] After introducing the exemplary structure of functional component 200, the exemplary structure of communication component 210 will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0201] Figures 9A to 9C An exemplary structure of the communication component 210 in an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 9A A three-dimensional view of communication component 210. Figure 9B This is an exploded view of communication component 210. Figure 9C For communication component 210 along Figure 9A A cross-sectional view of section AA in the middle.

[0202] refer to Figures 9A to 9C In some feasible solutions, the communication component 210 may include a first housing 211, which serves as the basic structure of the communication component 210. A first circuit structure 212 may be mounted on the first housing 211. The first circuit structure 212 can be used to implement signal transmission, such as one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data), and control signal transmission. For clarity, the specific structure and operating principle of the first circuit structure 212 will be described later and will not be described here.

[0203] In some embodiments of this application, the first housing 211 may include a first cover plate 2111 and a second cover plate 2112, which may be disposed opposite to each other along the Z-axis. The first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112 may together form a second receiving cavity 2113, which may accommodate the first circuit structure 212, and the first port P1 and the second port P2 of the first circuit structure 212 may be exposed outside the receiving cavity. In this way, the first housing 211 can protect the first circuit structure 212 without obstructing the electrical connection of the first circuit structure 212.

[0204] In some implementations, the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112 can be connected by any one or more of the following methods: fastener connection, bonding, snap-fit, or welding. This application does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0205] In some implementations, the first cover plate 2111 may be provided with a first positioning part 2114, which can surround the second cover plate 2112 circumferentially. When assembling the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112, the first positioning part 2114 can limit the range of motion of the second cover plate 2112 relative to the first cover plate 2111, preventing the second cover plate 2112 from moving uncontrollably. This ensures that the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112 are precisely aligned during assembly, avoiding misalignment and effectively reducing the installation difficulty of the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112.

[0206] After introducing the exemplary structure of the communication component 210, the exemplary structure of the mounting base 220 will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0207] Figures 10A to 10C An exemplary structure of the mounting base 220 in an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 10A A perspective view of mounting bracket 220. Figure 10B This is a perspective view of part of the structure of the mounting base 220. Figure 10C This is an exploded view of mounting bracket 220.

[0208] refer to Figures 10A to 10C In some feasible solutions, the mounting base 220 may also include a bracket 224, which can be the basic structure of the mounting base 220. The first connecting part 221, the second connecting part 222, and the second circuit structure 223 can all be mounted on the bracket 224.

[0209] It is understood that the first connecting part 221 can be used to realize a detachable connection between the mounting base 220 and the communication component 210, the second connecting part 222 can be used to realize a detachable connection between the mounting base 220 and the host device 10, and the second circuit structure 223 can be used to realize an electrical connection between the mounting base 220 and the communication component 210, as well as an electrical connection between the mounting base 220 and the external interface 140 of the host device 10, thereby realizing signal transmission, such as any one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data), and control signal transmission. For clarity, the specific structure and working principle of the first connecting part 221, the second connecting part 222, and the second circuit structure 223 will be introduced later, and will not be described here.

[0210] In some embodiments of this application, the mounting base 220 may further include a decorative shell 225, which can form a third receiving cavity 2251. The first connecting portion 221, the second connecting portion 222, the second circuit structure 223, and the bracket 224 can be located in the third receiving cavity 2251, respectively. In this way, the decorative shell 225 can protect the first connecting portion 221, the second connecting portion 222, the second circuit structure 223, and the bracket 224, while making the appearance of the mounting base 220 more refined and aesthetically pleasing.

[0211] After introducing the structural forms of functional component 200, communication component 210 and mounting base 220, the physical connection methods between the components will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0212] In some feasible solutions, functional component 200 and communication component 210 can be connected by fasteners.

[0213] Figure 11A A top view of the module camera 20 in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 11B The module camera 20 in the embodiment of this application is shown along... Figure 11A The cross-sectional view of section BB in the illustrated embodiment is shown. Figure 11C according to Figure 11B An exploded view of the module camera 20 in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0214] refer to Figures 11A to 11C In some embodiments of this application, the protective shell 201 of the functional component 200, the first cover plate 2111 of the communication component 210, and the second cover plate 2112 of the communication component 210 can be arranged sequentially along the negative Z-axis direction. The first fastener 230 can pass through the first cover plate 2111 and the protective shell 201 along the positive Z-axis direction and be fixedly connected to the protective shell 201, thereby realizing the connection between the functional component 200 and the communication component 210. The negative Z-axis direction can be... Figure 11B In the illustrated embodiment, the Z1 direction, specifically the positive direction of the Z-axis, can be... Figure 11B The Z2 direction in the illustrated embodiment.

[0215] In some implementations, the protective shell 201 may also be provided with a second positioning part 204, which can surround the first cover plate 2111 circumferentially. When assembling the protective shell 201 and the first cover plate 2111, the second positioning part 204 can limit the range of motion of the first cover plate 2111, preventing the first cover plate 2111 from moving uncontrollably. This ensures that the protective shell 201 and the first cover plate 2111 are precisely aligned during assembly, avoiding misalignment and effectively reducing the installation difficulty of the protective shell 201 and the first cover plate 2111.

[0216] It is understandable that the above Figures 11A to 11C This illustration merely illustrates one embodiment of the connection between functional component 200 and communication component 210 and does not constitute a limitation of this application. For example, in other feasible embodiments, functional component 200 and communication component 210 may also be connected by other means such as adhesive bonding, snap-fitting, magnetic connection, or welding.

[0217] Having described the physical connection between functional component 200 and communication component 210, we will now continue to describe the physical connection between communication component 210 and mounting base 220 with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0218] In some feasible solutions, the detachable connection between the communication component 210 and the first connection portion 221 of the mounting base 220 can be a fastener connection, so that the connection between the communication component 210 and the first connection portion 221 of the mounting base 220 is a detachably fixed connection.

[0219] Continue to refer to Figures 11A to 11C In some embodiments of this application, the first connecting portion 221 of the mounting base 220 may be located on the same side of the first cover plate 2111 of the communication component 210 as the second cover plate 2112 of the communication component 210. For example, in Figure 9B and Figure 9C In the illustrated embodiment, the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112 can be arranged sequentially along the Z1 direction. Similarly, the first cover plate 2111 can also be arranged sequentially with the first connecting portion 221 along the Z1 direction. The second fastener 231 can pass through the first connecting portion 221 and the first cover plate 2111 along the Z2 direction and be fixedly connected to the first cover plate 2111, thereby realizing a detachable connection between the communication component 210 and the mounting base 220.

[0220] Furthermore, the first connecting portion 221 can surround the second cover plate 2112 circumferentially. In this way, when assembling the first cover plate 2111 and the first connecting portion 221, the second cover plate 2112 can restrict the range of motion of the first connecting portion 221, thereby preventing uncontrollable movement of the first connecting portion 221. This ensures precise alignment of the first cover plate 2111 and the first connecting portion 221 during assembly, avoiding misalignment and effectively reducing the installation difficulty of the first cover plate 2111 and the first connecting portion 221. Simultaneously, no additional positioning parts are required, reducing the number of components. Moreover, designing the first connecting portion 221 as a ring structure surrounding the second cover plate 2112 also helps reduce the solid portion of the first connecting portion 221, thereby further reducing the weight of the mounting base 220.

[0221] In some implementations, the mounting base 220 may also include a mylar 226, which may be located on the side of the first connecting portion 221 facing away from the first cover plate 2111, and cover the first connecting portion 221, the second cover plate 2112, and the second fastener 231 to conceal the first connecting portion 221, the second cover plate 2112, and the second fastener 231. This makes the mounting base 220 more refined and aesthetically pleasing.

[0222] It is understandable that the above Figures 11A to 11C This illustration merely illustrates an feasible solution for the detachable connection between the communication component 210 and the mounting base 220 and does not constitute a limitation of this application. For example, in other feasible solutions, the communication component 210 and the mounting base 220 may also be detachably connected in other ways, such as magnetic connection. In other feasible solutions, other components of the communication component 210 (e.g., the second cover plate 2112) may also be detachably connected to the first connection portion 221 of the mounting base 220.

[0223] After describing the physical connection between functional component 200 and communication component 210, the physical connection between mounting base 220 and host device 10 will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0224] In some feasible solutions, the detachable connection between the second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 and the connecting structure 130 of the host device 10 can be a telescopic claw connection.

[0225] Figure 12A and Figure 12B A schematic diagram of an electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 12A This is an assembly drawing of the main unit 10 and the module camera 20 of electronic device 1. Figure 12B An exploded view of the host device 10 and module camera 20 of electronic device 1.

[0226] refer to Figure 12A and Figure 12B The connection structure 130 of the host device 10 may have a slot 131. The second connection part 222 of the mounting base 220 may include a claw 2221, which can be mounted on the bracket 224 and can be linked with the first housing 211 of the communication component 210.

[0227] The first housing 211 can rotate relative to the bracket 224 in the N direction to switch between a locked position and an unlocked position. The first rotation axis L0 of the first housing 211 relative to the bracket 224 can extend along the Z-axis. When the first housing 211 rotates relative to the bracket 224 about the first rotation axis L0 in the N direction, the claw 2221 can move closer to or further away from the first rotation axis L0 relative to the bracket 224 in a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis, thereby switching between an extended position and a retracted position, and thus realizing the engagement and disengagement of the claw 2221 with the slot 131.

[0228] It is understood that when the first housing 211 is in the locked position, the claw 2221 can be in the extended position to extend into the slot 131, so that the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 are in the locked state; when the first housing 211 is in the unlocked position, the claw 2221 can be in the retracted position, so that the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 are in the unlocked state.

[0229] For example, Figure 13A and Figure 13B The image shows the locking state between the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 in the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 13A This is a 3D view of electronic device 1. Figure 13B For electronic device 1 in Figure 13A A sectional view of section CC. Figure 14A and Figure 14B This illustrates the unlocked state of the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 in the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 14A This is a 3D view of electronic device 1. Figure 14B For electronic device 1 in Figure 14A A sectional view of section DD in the middle.

[0230] like Figure 13A and Figure 13B As shown, when the mounting base 220 is installed on the host device 10, the first housing 211 can be in the locked position, and the claw 2221 can be in the extended position. At this time, the claw 2221 extends into the slot 131, and the mounting base 220 is connected to the host device 10, and the two are fixed to each other. That is to say, the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 are in the locked state.

[0231] When it is necessary to remove the mounting base 220 from the host device 10, the first housing 211 can be moved relative to the bracket 224 around the first rotation axis L0 along the N1 direction. Figure 13A and Figure 13B Rotate to the indicated locking position Figure 14A and Figure 14B As shown in the unlock position, correspondingly, the pawl 2221 can be positioned relative to the bracket 224 along the N1 direction. Figure 13A and Figure 13B The extended position shown is moved to Figure 14A and Figure 14B The retracted position is shown. At this time, the claw 2221 is outside the slot 131, and the mounting base 220 is not connected to the host device 10. The two can be separated from each other, that is, the mounting base 220 and the host device 10 are in the unlocked state. Here, the N1 direction can be the positive direction of the N direction.

[0232] It is understood that this application does not limit the number of claws 2221; the number of claws 2221 can be one, two, three, four, or more. When there are multiple claws 2221, they can be arranged at intervals along the N direction on the bracket 224. When the first housing 211 rotates relative to the bracket 224 about the first rotation axis L0 along the N direction, the multiple claws 2221 can move synchronously. In this way, they can cooperate with each other to jointly lock and unlock the host device 10, which helps to improve installation reliability.

[0233] Taking one of the claws 2221 as an example, in some embodiments of this application, a guide groove 2115 may be provided on the first cover plate 2111 of the first housing 211 to realize the linkage between the first housing 211 and the claw 2221.

[0234] Figure 15 An exemplary structure of the guide groove 2115 in an embodiment of this application is shown. (See reference...) Figure 15 and combined Figure 14B The guide groove 2115 can be a variable diameter guide groove, that is, the distances between the two ends of the guide groove 2115 along the N direction and the first rotation axis L0 are different. The chuck 2221 can partially extend into the guide groove 2115.

[0235] When the first housing 211 rotates relative to the bracket 224 about the first rotation axis L0 in the N direction, the guide groove 2115 also rotates accordingly, and the position of the claw 2221 in the guide groove 2115 changes. Since the guide groove 2115 is a variable diameter guide groove, it can guide the claw 2221 to move closer to or away from the first rotation axis L0 in a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis, thereby switching between the retracted position and the extended position.

[0236] The above will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 12A to 15 In the embodiment shown, the first housing 211 rotates relative to the bracket 224 about the first rotation axis L0 in the N direction.

[0237] Figure 16A and Figure 16B This invention illustrates an exemplary configuration of a bracket 224 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 16A This is an assembly diagram of the bracket 224 in the modular camera 20. Figure 16B This is an exploded view of the bracket 224 within the module camera 20.

[0238] refer to Figure 16A and Figure 16B In some feasible solutions, the first housing 211 can be detachably and fixedly connected to the first connecting portion 221. In some implementations, the first housing 211 can be detachably and fixedly connected to the first connecting portion 221 via a second fastener 231, as detailed above. Figures 11A to 11C The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0239] Based on this, the first connecting part 221 can be rotatably connected to the bracket 224, the first connecting part 221 can rotate relative to the bracket 224 in the N direction, and the rotation axis of the first connecting part 221 relative to the bracket 224 can be the first rotation axis L0.

[0240] In this way, during the process of assembling and disassembling the mounting base 220 from the main device 10, the first housing 211 and the first connecting part 221 which is detachably fixed to the first housing 211 can rotate relative to the bracket 224 in the N direction, thereby driving the claw 2221 mounted on the bracket 224 to switch between the extended position and the retracted position without interfering with the movement of the claw 2221, such as driving the claw 2221 to rotate in the N direction.

[0241] Continue to refer to Figure 16A and Figure 16B In some embodiments of this application, the bracket 224 and the first cover plate 2111 of the first housing 211 can be disposed opposite each other along the Z-axis direction. A rotating groove 2116 can be formed on the surface of the first cover plate 2111 facing the bracket 224. For example, as shown... Figure 15 As shown, the number of rotating grooves 2116 can be multiple (e.g., two, three, four, or five, etc.), and the multiple rotating grooves 2116 are spaced apart along the N direction, and each rotating groove 2116 extends along the N direction, but this application is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, the number of rotating grooves 2116 can also be one, and the rotating groove 2116 extends along the N direction. For example, the rotating groove 2116 can be an annular groove.

[0242] The first end 224a of the bracket 224 is located in the rotation groove 2116, and the second end 224b of the bracket 224 is located outside the rotation groove 2116. The rotation groove 2116 can guide the rotation of the first housing 211 relative to the bracket 224, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the rotation of the first housing 211 relative to the bracket 224.

[0243] Furthermore, along the Z-axis direction, the first end 224a of the bracket 224 is located between the first cover plate 2111 and the first connecting portion 221, and the first connecting portion 221 is detachably fixedly connected to the first cover plate 2111. In this way, the first connecting portion 221 can achieve a detachable connection with the first housing 211. At the same time, the first connecting portion 221 can also be used to limit the bracket 224 along the Z-axis direction, preventing the first end 224a of the bracket 224 from coming out of the rotating groove 2116.

[0244] The second end 224b of the bracket 224 can be along as follows Figures 13A to 15 The N-direction shown surrounds the first connecting portion 221, thereby achieving a rotatable connection between the first connecting portion 221 and the bracket 224. During the rotation of the first housing 211 relative to the bracket 224 in the N-direction, the first cover plate 2111 of the first housing 211 can rotate relative to the bracket 224 in the N-direction. Thus, the rotation groove 2116 formed on the first cover plate 2111 can rotate relative to the first end 224a and the second end 224b of the bracket 224 in the N-direction, and the first connecting portion 221, which is detachably fixed to the first cover plate 2111, can also rotate relative to the first end 224a and the second end 224b of the bracket 224 in the N-direction.

[0245] It is understandable that the above Figures 12A to 16B This is merely an illustrative representation of the feasible configuration of the mounting base 220 of the module camera 20 and the detachably connected portion of the host device 10, and does not constitute a limitation of this application.

[0246] For example, in other feasible solutions, the detachable connection between the second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 and the connecting structure 130 of the host device 10 can also be a magnetic connection. Exemplarily, the connecting structure 130 may include a first magnetic structure, and the second connecting portion 222 may include a second magnetic structure. When the mounting base 220 is mounted on the host device 10, the first magnetic structure and the second magnetic structure can attract each other. When it is necessary to remove the mounting base 220 from the host device 10, the first magnetic structure and the second magnetic structure can be moved away from each other, thereby weakening the attraction between the first magnetic structure and the second magnetic structure, and thus separating the mounting base 220 from the host device 10.

[0247] For example, in other feasible solutions, the detachable connection between the second connecting portion 222 of the mounting base 220 and the connecting structure 130 of the host device 10 can also be a clamping connection. Exemplarily, the second connecting portion 222 may include a bayonet clip that can clamp onto the connecting structure 130 when the mounting base 220 of the modular camera 20 is mounted on the host device 10. When it is necessary to remove the mounting base 220 of the modular camera 20 from the host device 10, the bayonet clip can release the connecting structure 130.

[0248] After describing the physical connections between the functional components 200, communication components 210, mounting base 220, and host device 10 of the modular camera 20, the following section, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will describe the communication connections between the components and the corresponding exemplary signal transmission processes. In some implementations, signal transmission may include power supply, data signal transmission, and control signal transmission. For example, data signals may include those described above. Figures 3A to 4 At least one of the second, third, and fifth data in the illustrated embodiment. The control signal may include the above-described... Figures 3A to 4 At least one of the first control signal and the second control signal in the illustrated embodiment.

[0249] In some feasible solutions, on the one hand, the host device 10 can supply power to the module camera 20 through the electrically connected functional components 200 and mounting base 220; on the other hand, the host device 10 can also communicate with the module camera 20 through the communication component 210 to realize data signal transmission and control signal transmission.

[0250] Figures 17A to 17C An exemplary circuit structure for the electrical connection between the host device 10 and the module camera 20 in an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 17A This is a cross-sectional view of the circuit structure. Figure 17B This is an assembly diagram of the circuit structure. Figure 17C This is an exploded view of a portion of the circuit structure.

[0251] refer to Figures 17A to 17C For power supply, taking the power supply to the second sensor 205-2 in functional component 200 as an example, the electrical energy provided by the host device 10 can be transmitted via the external interface 140 to the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220. Then, the second circuit structure 223 can transmit the power signal to the second port P2 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 via the third port P3. Next, the first circuit structure 212 can transmit power to the second sensor 205-2 of functional component 200 via the first port P1. Thus, the host device 10 supplies power to the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 of the module camera 20.

[0252] In other words, the power transmission path can be: external interface 140 of host device 10 → fourth port P4 of second circuit structure 223 of mounting base 220 → third port P3 of second circuit structure 223 of mounting base 220 → second port P2 of first circuit structure 212 of communication component 210 → first port P1 of first circuit structure 212 of communication component 210 → second sensor 205-2 of functional component 200.

[0253] For data signal transmission and control signal transmission, the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 can also communicate with the host device 10.

[0254] In some embodiments of this application, the first circuit structure 212 may include a first communication chip 2120. The host device 10 may include a second communication chip 141. The first communication chip 2120 may be electrically connected to a first port P1 of the first circuit structure 212, and the first communication chip 2120 is also used to communicate with the second communication chip 141.

[0255] Taking the data signal transmission and control signal transmission between the host device 10 and the second sensor 205-2 as an example, the data signal from the second sensor 205-2 can be transmitted via a third connection line (not shown) to the first port P1 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210, and then transmitted through the first port P1 to the first communication chip 2120 of the communication component 210. The first communication chip 2120 can then transmit the received data signal to the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10. This enables signal transmission from the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 of the module camera 20 to the host device 10.

[0256] In other words, the transmission path for the module camera 20 to transmit signals to the host device 10 can be: the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 → the third connection line (not shown) → the first port P1 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 → the first communication chip 2120 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 → the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10.

[0257] In some implementations, the data signal transmitted by the second sensor 205-2 to the host device 10 may include the above-mentioned... Figures 3A to 4 At least one of the second, third, and fifth data signals in the illustrated embodiment.

[0258] Conversely, the signal from the host device 10 can be transmitted to the first communication chip 2120 of the communication component 210 via the second communication chip 141. The first communication chip 2120 can then transmit the signal to the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 via the first port P1 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210. This enables signal transmission from the host device 10 to the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 of the module camera 20.

[0259] In other words, the transmission path for the host device 10 to transmit signals to the module camera 20 can be: the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 → the first communication chip 2120 of the communication component 210 → the first port P1 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 → the third connection line (not shown) → the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200.

[0260] In some implementations, the signals transmitted from the host device 10 to the module camera 20 can be control signals, such as signals used to control the module camera 20 to start working, stop working, or adjust its working state.

[0261] It should be noted that, for ease of understanding, this application uses the example of powering the second sensor 205-2 of functional component 200 to illustrate the power supply method, but this application is not limited to this. In fact, the host device 10 can power any component in the modular camera 20; for example, other components may include those described above. Figures 3A to 4 The embodiments shown include components such as the first sensor 205-1, the third sensor 205-3, the first processing chip 206-1, and the second processing chip 206-2.

[0262] It should be noted that, for ease of understanding, this application uses the signal transmission between the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 and the host device 10 as an example to illustrate the transmission method of data signals and control signals, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0263] For example, the host device 10 can also send a first control signal to the first processing chip (not shown) through the first circuit structure 212 and the fourth connection line (not shown), so that the first processing chip can process the first data signal according to the first control signal to obtain the second data signal. In this way, the host device 10 can dynamically adjust the processing algorithm of the first processing chip of the module camera 20 to achieve a better display effect.

[0264] For example, the host device 10 can also transmit a second control signal to the second processing chip (not shown) through the first circuit structure 212 and the seventh connection line (not shown), so that the second processing chip (not shown) can process the fourth data signal according to the second control signal to obtain the fifth data signal. In this way, the host device 10 can dynamically adjust the processing algorithm of the second processing chip of the module camera 20 to achieve a better display effect.

[0265] The following section will continue to describe in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210, the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220, and the exemplary structure and electrical connection relationship of the host device 10.

[0266] Continue to refer to Figures 17A to 17C In some embodiments of this application, the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may further include a first signal transmission element 2121, a second signal transmission element 2122, a third signal transmission element 2123, and a circuit board 2124.

[0267] Circuit board 2124 can be the core controller of communication component 210, and can be used to realize functions such as power distribution, signal transmission and function control of module camera 20. Compared with the motherboard 142 of host device 10, circuit board 2124 of communication component 210 can also be referred to as sub-board.

[0268] The circuit board 2124 can be electrically connected to the second sensor 205-2 through the first signal transmission component 2121, electrically connected to the first communication chip 2120 through the second signal transmission component 2122, and electrically connected to the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 through the third signal transmission component 2123.

[0269] In some implementations, one end of the first signal transmission element 2121 is a first port P1, meaning that one end of the first signal transmission element 2121 is electrically connected to the second sensor 205-2. The other end of the first signal transmission element 2121 is electrically connected to the circuit board 2124. This allows for an electrical connection between the circuit board 2124 and the second sensor 205-2.

[0270] The circuit board 2124 is electrically connected to one end of the second signal transmission component 2122, and the other end of the second signal transmission component 2122 is electrically connected to the first communication chip 2120. In this way, the electrical connection between the circuit board 2124 and the first communication chip 2120 can be realized, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the first communication chip 2120 and the first port P1.

[0271] The circuit board 2124 is also electrically connected to one end of the third signal transmission component 2123. The other end of the third signal transmission component 2123 is the second port P2, that is, the other end of the third signal transmission component 2123 is electrically connected to the third port P3 of the second circuit structure 223. In this way, the electrical connection between the circuit board 2124 and the second circuit structure 223 can be realized, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the first circuit structure 212 and the second circuit structure 223.

[0272] In some embodiments of this application, in the communication component 210, the first communication chip 2120, the first signal transmission element 2121, the second signal transmission element 2122, the third signal transmission element 2123, and the circuit board 2124 can be respectively installed in the second receiving cavity 2113 formed by the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112. Furthermore, the first port P1 of the first signal transmission element 2121 is located outside the second receiving cavity 2113, and the second port P2 of the third signal transmission element 2123 is located outside the second receiving cavity 2113. For details, please refer to the above description. Figures 9A to 9C The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0273] Continue to refer to Figures 17A to 17C In some embodiments of this application, the second circuit structure 223 can be a connector, and the third port P3 and the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 can be the connection ends of the connector's connection terminals.

[0274] Figure 18A according to Figures 17A to 17C An exemplary structure of a second circuit structure 223 in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 18B according to Figure 18A The connection terminals of a second circuit structure 223 according to an embodiment of this application are shown. (Reference) Figure 18A and Figure 18B The second circuit structure 223 may include a base 2230 and three connection terminals. The three connection terminals are: a first connection terminal 2231, a second connection terminal 2232, and a third connection terminal 2233. The first connection terminal 2231, the second connection terminal 2232, and the third connection terminal 2233 are respectively disposed on the base 2230, and the two ends of the first connection terminal 2231, the second connection terminal 2232, and the third connection terminal 2233 are respectively exposed to the outside of the base 2230 to serve as the third port P3 and the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223.

[0275] In some implementations, the two ends of the first connection terminal 2231, the second connection terminal 2232, and the third connection terminal 2233 may be covered with a metal plating layer to reduce impedance and improve signal transmission performance. For example, the metal plating layer may be a gold plating layer, a silver plating layer, or a tin alloy plating layer, etc., and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0276] It is understood that this application does not impose a specific limitation on the number of connection terminals in the second circuit structure 223, and the number of connection terminals can be as described above. Figure 18A and Figure 18B The number three can also be four, five, six, or seven, etc.

[0277] In some embodiments of this application, in the mounting base 220, the second circuit structure 223 can be mounted on the bracket 224, as detailed above. Figure 10A and Figure 10B The description of the mounting base 220 in the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0278] Continue to refer to Figures 17A to 17C In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may further include a motherboard 142, a battery 143, a fourth signal transmission device 144, a fifth signal transmission device 145, and a sixth signal transmission device 146.

[0279] For details on motherboard 142, please refer to the above. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here. Battery 143 is used to power the devices of host device 10 and module camera 20 to ensure that host device 10 and module camera 20 can function properly.

[0280] One end of the fourth signal transmission device 144 is electrically connected to the motherboard 142, and the other end of the fourth signal transmission device 144 is electrically connected to the battery 143, so as to realize signal transmission between the motherboard 142 and the battery 143, such as any one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data) and control signal transmission.

[0281] One end of the fifth signal transmission device 145 is electrically connected to the motherboard 142, and the other end of the fifth signal transmission device 145 is electrically connected to the external interface 140 to realize signal transmission between the motherboard 142 and the external interface 140, such as any one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data) and control signal transmission.

[0282] One end of the sixth signal transmission device 146 is electrically connected to the motherboard 142, and the other end of the sixth signal transmission device 146 is electrically connected to the second communication chip 141 to realize signal transmission between the motherboard 142 and the second communication chip 141, such as any one or more of power supply, data signal transmission (e.g., image data) and control signal transmission.

[0283] In some embodiments of this application, in the host device 10, the external interface 140 can be disposed on the connection structure 130 and extend from the inside of the host device 10 to the outside of the host device 10 via the connection structure 130. In this way, when the mounting base 220 is connected to the connection structure 130, the external interface 140 can be electrically connected to the fourth port P4 of the mounting base 220.

[0284] The motherboard 142, battery 143, fourth signal transmission component 144, fifth signal transmission component 145 and sixth signal transmission component 146 can be installed inside the host device 10 respectively.

[0285] In some implementations, a sealing ring 1400 may be provided between the connecting structure 130 and the external interface 140. The sealing ring 1400 is used to seal the gap between the connecting structure 130 and the external interface 140, thereby achieving a waterproof function. Exemplarily, the sealing ring 1400 can be rubber or adhesive, etc., and this application does not impose specific limitations on it.

[0286] Based on the above Figures 17A to 17C The electrical connection relationship shown in the embodiment is described in detail below, which is an exemplary transmission process for power supply, data signal transmission and control signal transmission between the host device 10 and the second sensor 205-2 of the module camera 20.

[0287] For power supply, the battery 143 of the host device 10 can output electrical energy, which can be transmitted to the motherboard 142 of the host device 10 via the fourth signal transmission device 144. The motherboard 142 can process the received electrical energy (e.g., voltage conversion, power distribution, etc.), and then transmit the processed electrical energy to the external interface 140 of the host device 10 via the fifth signal transmission device 145, and then to the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 via the external interface 140. Then, the second circuit structure 223 can transmit the electrical energy signal to the third signal transmission device 2123 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 via the third port P3. Next, the third signal transmission device 2123 can transmit the electrical energy to the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212, and then the circuit board 2124 can transmit the electrical energy to the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 via the first signal transmission device 2121 of the first circuit structure 212. Thus, the host device 10 supplies power to the second sensor 205-2.

[0288] For data signal transmission and control signal transmission, the data signals from the second sensor 205-2 (e.g., the second, third, and fifth data signals in the above embodiments) can be transmitted to the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212 via the first signal transmission element 2121 of the first circuit structure 212. Then, the circuit board 2124 can transmit the data signals to the first communication chip 2120 of the first circuit structure 212 via the second signal transmission element 2122. The first communication chip 2120 can then transmit the data signals to the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10. The second communication chip 141 can transmit the data signals to the motherboard 142 of the host device 10 via the sixth signal transmission element 146, where the main processing chip 1421 of the motherboard 142 can process the data signals. This achieves data signal transmission from the second sensor 205-2 to the host device 10.

[0289] Conversely, the control signal from the main processing chip 1421 of the motherboard 142 of the host device 10 can be transmitted to the second communication chip 141 via the sixth signal transmission element 146. Then, the second communication chip 141 can transmit the control signal to the first communication chip 2120 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210. Next, the first communication chip 2120 can transmit the control signal to the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212 via the second signal transmission element 2122 of the first circuit structure 212. Then, the circuit board 2124 can transmit the control signal to the second sensor 205-2 of the functional component 200 via the first signal transmission element 2121 of the first circuit structure 212. This achieves the transmission of control signals from the host device 10 to the second sensor 205-2.

[0290] In some embodiments of this application, the aforementioned signal transmission devices, such as the first signal transmission device 2121, the second signal transmission device 2122, the third signal transmission device 2123, the fourth signal transmission device 144, the fifth signal transmission device 145, and the sixth signal transmission device 146, can be flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) or cables, and this application does not impose any limitations on this. In some implementations, the cables can be enameled wires or twisted pairs.

[0291] In some embodiments of this application, to enable the second sensor 205-2 of the auxiliary function component 200 to operate, the communication component 210 may further include an auxiliary device 213. The auxiliary device 213 is used to provide assurance and support for the operation of the second sensor 205-2.

[0292] In some implementations, the auxiliary device 213 may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) chip, which is used to implement functions such as power supply adaptation, voltage regulation and power circuit control of the second sensor 205-2.

[0293] In some implementations, the auxiliary device 213 may include an extended input / output (IP) chip, or extended I / O. The extended I / O chip provides a 16-bit general purpose input / output (GPIO) interface for the inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus of the first communication chip 2120, thereby expanding the signal interaction capability of the first communication chip 2120. This allows the second sensor 205-2 to better transmit data and control signals to the host device 10 via the first communication chip 2120.

[0294] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may also supply power to the first communication chip 2120 and the auxiliary device 213 to ensure that the first communication chip 2120 and the auxiliary device 213 can work normally.

[0295] In some implementations, the power supplied by the host device 10 can be transmitted via the external interface 140 to the fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220. Then, the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 can transmit the power signal via the third port P3 to the third signal transmission element 2123 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210. Next, the third signal transmission element 2123 can transmit power to the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212, and then the circuit board 2124 can transmit power to the first communication chip 2120 and the auxiliary device 213 to supply power to them, ensuring that the first communication chip 2120 and the auxiliary device 213 can function properly.

[0296] Based on the above Figures 17A to 18B The electrical connection scheme between the functional component 200, communication component 210, mounting base 220 and host device 10 in the illustrated embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Exemplary design schemes for the power supply circuit, data signal and control signal transmission circuit will be described in sequence.

[0297] Figure 19A and Figure 19B This application shows a schematic diagram of the electrical connections used to achieve power supply in an embodiment of the present application, wherein, Figure 19A A 3D diagram of the circuit structure for power supply. Figure 19B An exploded view of the circuit structure for power supply. Figure 19C according to Figure 19A and Figure 19B An equivalent circuit diagram for implementing power supply is shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0298] refer to Figures 19A to 19C In some embodiments of this application, in the module camera 20, the second port P2 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may include a first power supply contact V1 and a first ground contact G1. Exemplarily, the first power supply contact V1 and the first ground contact G1 may be two conductive areas on the third signal transmission element 2123 of the first circuit structure 212, respectively. For example, the conductive area on the third signal transmission element 2123 may be a pad (or "pad").

[0299] The first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may further include a first power transmission line 2125, which may be electrically connected to a first power supply contact V1 and grounded through a first ground contact G1. Exemplarily, the first power transmission line 2125 may include the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212 and the lines in the third signal transmission component 2123.

[0300] The third port P3 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 may include a second power supply contact V2 and a second ground contact G2. For example, the second power supply contact V2 may be one end of the first connection terminal 2231 of the second circuit structure 223, and the second ground contact G2 may be one end of the second connection terminal 2232 of the second circuit structure 223.

[0301] The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 may include a third power supply contact V3 and a third ground contact G3. For example, the third power supply contact V3 may be the other end of the first connection terminal 2231, meaning that the third power supply contact V3 and the second power supply contact V2 are electrically connected to each other; the third ground contact G3 may be the other end of the second connection terminal 2232, meaning that the third ground contact G3 and the second ground contact G2 are electrically connected to each other.

[0302] In the host device 10, the external interface 140 may include a fourth power supply contact V4 and a fourth ground contact G4. Exemplarily, the fourth power supply contact V4 and the fourth ground contact G4 may be pads.

[0303] The host device 10 may also include a second power transmission line 147, which may be electrically connected to a fourth power supply contact V4 and grounded through a fourth ground contact G4. Exemplarily, the second power transmission line 147 may include lines from the motherboard 142, battery 143, fourth signal transmission element 144, and fifth signal transmission element 145.

[0304] In the aforementioned host device 10 and modular camera 20, the first power supply contact V1 is electrically connected to the second power supply contact V2 to transmit power between the communication component 210 of the modular camera 20 and the mounting base 220; the third power supply contact V3 is electrically connected to the fourth power supply contact V4 to transmit power between the mounting base 220 and the host device 10; the first grounding contact G1 is electrically connected to the second grounding contact G2 to transmit a grounding signal between the communication component 210 of the modular camera 20 and the mounting base 220; and the third grounding contact G3 is electrically connected to the fourth grounding contact G4 to transmit a grounding signal between the mounting base 220 and the host device 10.

[0305] When the first power supply contact V1 and the second power supply contact V2 are electrically connected, the third power supply contact V3 and the fourth power supply contact V4 are electrically connected, the first ground contact G1 and the second ground contact G2 are electrically connected, and the third ground contact G3 and the fourth ground contact G4 are electrically connected, a power supply circuit can be formed, thereby enabling the host device 10 to supply power to the module camera 20.

[0306] The exemplary structures of the first power transmission line 2125 and the second power transmission line 147 are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0307] Continue to refer to Figure 19C In some embodiments of this application, the first power transmission line 2125 may include a step-down circuit 2126 and a first control unit 2127. The step-down circuit 2126 is connected between the first power supply contact V1 and the first control unit 2127, and the first control unit 2127 is also grounded through the first ground contact G1.

[0308] The buck circuit 2126 is used to implement direct current (DC-DC) step-down conversion so as to provide a suitable voltage to the first control unit 2127. In some implementations, the buck circuit 2126 may also be referred to as a buck circuit.

[0309] The first control unit 2127 is used to receive electrical energy after it has been stepped down by the step-down circuit 2126, and to transmit the electrical energy to other devices in the module camera 20 that require power, such as the second sensor 205-2, the auxiliary device 213, and the first communication chip 2120. In some implementations, the first control unit 2127 can be a micro control unit (MCU).

[0310] In some embodiments of this application, the second power transmission line 147 may include a battery 143, a bypass boost circuit 148, and a protection integrated circuit 149. The battery 143, the bypass boost circuit 148, the protection integrated circuit 149, and the fourth power supply contact V4 are connected in sequence, and the protection integrated circuit 149 is also grounded through the fourth ground contact G4.

[0311] Battery 143 is used to provide electrical energy. A bypass boost circuit 148 can transfer the voltage of battery 143 to subsequent circuits, or it can boost the voltage of battery 143. In some implementations, the bypass boost circuit 148 may also be referred to as a bypass bst circuit.

[0312] The integrated circuit (IC) 149 is used to implement power supply protection (overcurrent, overvoltage, or overtemperature, etc.) to ensure that the voltage output to the fourth power supply contact V4 is stable and safe. In some implementations, the integrated circuit 149 may also be referred to as a protection IC.

[0313] Based on the above Figure 19C The circuit structure shown in the embodiment illustrates an exemplary power supply process.

[0314] When the first power supply contact V1 and the second power supply contact V2 are electrically connected, the third power supply contact V3 and the fourth power supply contact V4 are electrically connected, the first ground contact G1 and the second ground contact G2 are electrically connected, and the third ground contact G3 and the fourth ground contact G4 are electrically connected, the initial voltage output by the battery 143 can be transmitted to the bypass boost circuit 148. If the voltage of the battery 143 meets the usage requirements, the bypass boost circuit 148 can transmit the voltage of the battery 143 to the protection integrated circuit 149; if the voltage of the battery 143 is insufficient, the bypass boost circuit 148 boosts the voltage of the battery 143 before transmitting it to the protection integrated circuit 149.

[0315] The protection integrated circuit 149 can intercept abnormal conditions such as overcurrent and overvoltage, and finally output a stable and safe system voltage (VSYS) to the fourth power supply contact V4. The system voltage can be transmitted to the step-down circuit 2126 in sequence through the fourth power supply contact V4, the third power supply contact V3, the second power supply contact V2 and the first power supply contact V1.

[0316] The step-down circuit 2126 can step down and regulate the higher system voltage to a working voltage compatible with the first control unit 2127, thus powering the first control unit 2127 and enabling it to operate normally. Simultaneously, the first control unit 2127 can transmit power to other devices in the module camera 20 that require power, such as the second sensor 205-2, auxiliary device 213, and the first communication chip 2120.

[0317] The current generated when the first control unit 2127 is working can flow to the first grounding contact G1, and then be transmitted to the fourth grounding contact G4 in sequence through the first grounding contact G1, the second grounding contact G2, and the third grounding contact G3, and finally flow back to the negative terminal of the battery 143, thereby ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the power supply circuit.

[0318] Continue to refer to Figures 19A to 19C In some embodiments of this application, in the modular camera 20, the second port P2 of the first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may further include a first signal contact S1. Exemplarily, the first signal contact S1 may be a conductive area on the third signal transmission element 2123 of the first circuit structure 212. For example, the conductive area on the third signal transmission element 2123 may be a pad (or "pad").

[0319] The first circuit structure 212 of the communication component 210 may further include a first signal transmission line 2128, which may be electrically connected to the first signal contact S1. Exemplarily, the first signal transmission line 2128 may include the circuit board 2124 of the first circuit structure 212 and the lines in the third signal transmission element 2123.

[0320] The third port P3 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 may include a second signal contact S2. Exemplarily, the second signal contact S2 may be one end of the third connection terminal 2233.

[0321] The fourth port P4 of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220 may include a third signal contact S3. Exemplarily, the third signal contact S3 may be the other end of the third connection terminal 2233, that is, the third signal contact S3 and the second signal contact S2 are electrically connected to each other.

[0322] In the host device 10, the external interface 140 may include a fourth signal contact S4. Exemplarily, the fourth signal contact S4 may be a solder pad.

[0323] The host device 10 may also include a second signal transmission line 150, which may be electrically connected to the fourth signal contact S4. For example, the second signal transmission line 150 may include lines in the motherboard 142 and the fifth signal transmission element 145.

[0324] In the aforementioned host device 10 and module camera 20, the first signal contact S1 is electrically connected to the second signal contact S2 to transmit signals between the communication component 210 of the module camera 20 and the mounting base 220; the third signal contact S3 is electrically connected to the fourth signal contact S4 to transmit signals between the mounting base 220 and the host device 10.

[0325] When the first signal contact S1 is electrically connected to the second signal contact S2, and the third signal contact S3 is electrically connected to the fourth signal contact S4, signals can be transmitted between the host device 10 and the module camera 20.

[0326] In some embodiments of this application, the signals transmitted by the first signal transmission line 2128 and the second signal transmission line 150 may be clock (CLK) signals. The clock signals may provide a timing reference to the first control unit 2127 so that the first control unit 2127 can work in an orderly manner and realize logical operations and control.

[0327] In some scenarios, if the host device 10 and / or the module camera 20 are dropped or impacted, the third signal contact S3 and the fourth signal contact S4 will become unstable, thereby affecting the transmission stability of the clock signal between the host device 10 and the module camera 20, causing the first control unit 2127 to malfunction.

[0328] Therefore, in some implementations, the module camera 20 may include a clock signal source and a signal switching circuit. When the clock signal transmission from the host device 10 to the module camera 20 is abnormal (e.g., transmission interruption), the signal switching circuit can switch the clock signal transmission path so that the clock signal source of the module camera 20 can provide a stable clock signal to the first control unit 2127, thereby ensuring that the first control unit 2127 can work normally.

[0329] The exemplary structures of the first signal transmission line 2128 and the second signal transmission line 150 are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0330] Continue to refer to Figure 19CIn some embodiments of this application, the first signal transmission line 2128 may include a capacitor C1. One end of the capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the first signal contact S1, and the other end of the capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the first control unit 2127. The capacitor C1 has the characteristics of blocking DC and passing AC, which can play a role in signal filtering and stabilization, suppressing high-frequency interference in the clock signal, thereby allowing the clock signal to be transmitted to the first control unit 2127 more stably.

[0331] In some embodiments of this application, the second signal transmission line 150 may include a power management unit (PMU) 151 and an over-voltage protection integrated circuit (OVPIC) 152, wherein the PMU 151, the OVPIC 152, and the fourth signal contact S4 are electrically connected in sequence. The PMU 151 can generate a clock signal and is the source of the clock signal. The OVPIC 152 can provide over-voltage protection for the clock signal output by the PMU 151, preventing excessive voltage from damaging subsequent circuits and ensuring the safety of signal transmission.

[0332] Based on the above Figure 19C The circuit structure shown illustrates an exemplary process of signal transmission.

[0333] When the first signal contact S1 is electrically connected to the second signal contact S2, and the third signal contact S3 is electrically connected to the fourth signal contact S4, the power management unit 151 generates a clock signal, which can be transmitted to the overvoltage protection integrated circuit 152.

[0334] The overvoltage protection integrated circuit 152 can detect and protect the clock signal from overvoltage, intercept abnormal high voltage, and output a safe clock signal to the fourth signal contact S4. The clock signal is transmitted to capacitor C1 sequentially through the fourth signal contact S4, the third signal contact S3, the second signal contact S2, and the first signal contact S1.

[0335] Capacitor C1 can filter the clock signal, remove interference noise, and make it a stable clock signal. The stable clock signal is then transmitted to the first control unit 2127 to provide a timing reference, so that the first control unit 2127 can work in an orderly manner and realize logical operations and control.

[0336] In some embodiments of this application, the power management unit 151 can also be electrically connected to the battery 143, so that the battery 143 can supply power to the power management unit 151 to ensure that the power management unit 151 can work normally.

[0337] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may further include a second control unit 153, which may be electrically connected to the battery 143 of the second power transmission line 147 and the second signal transmission line 150 to control the power supply and clock signal transmission status of the host device 10.

[0338] In some implementations, the second control unit 153 may be the main processing chip 1421 mentioned in the above embodiments.

[0339] In some embodiments of this application, the first control unit 2127 can be electrically connected to the first communication chip 2120, and the second control unit 153 can be electrically connected to the second communication chip 141. Therefore, the first control unit 2127 and the second control unit 153 can communicate through the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141. That is, the communication path between the first control unit 2127 and the second control unit 153 can be: First control unit 2127 ⇋ First communication chip 2120 ⇋ Second communication chip 141 ⇋ Second control unit 153.

[0340] The above Figures 19A to 19C In the illustrated embodiment, power is supplied through three pairs of contacts: a first power supply contact V1 and a second power supply contact V2, a first ground contact G1 and a second ground contact G2, and a first signal contact S1 and a second signal contact S2. However, this is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. In other embodiments, a greater number of contacts may be provided, such as four, five, or six pairs.

[0341] After introducing the relevant power supply solutions, we will now continue to introduce the relevant solutions for data signal and control signal transmission with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0342] Figure 20A This illustration shows an electrical connection diagram for transmitting data signals and control signals in an embodiment of this application. Figure 20B An equivalent circuit diagram for implementing data signal and control signal transmission in an embodiment of this application is shown. It should be noted that... Figure 20B The diagram also shows the power supply-related circuit structure, such as the first power transmission line 2125, the first signal transmission line 2128, the second power transmission line 147, the second signal transmission line 150, the second circuit structure 223, and the external interface 140. For details, please refer to the above description. Figures 19A to 19C The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here. The following will focus on the transmission schemes of data signals and control signals in the embodiments of this application.

[0343] refer to Figure 20A and Figure 20BIn some embodiments of this application, the module camera 20 can send data collected by each sensor to the host device 10.

[0344] Specifically, the first sensor 205-1 can be electrically connected to the first processing chip 206-1 through the first connection line M1, and transmit the first data signal collected by the first sensor 205-1 to the first processing chip 206-1 through the first connection line M1.

[0345] For example, the first connection line M1 can be used to realize high-speed transmission of the first data signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the first connection line M1 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0346] DPHY, or MIPI D-PHY (Display / Data Physical Layer), is a high-speed physical layer interface for mobile devices that uses differential signal transmission and independent clock channels. It is widely used for data transmission in cameras (CSI) and displays (DSI).

[0347] CPHY, or MIPI C-PHY (Coded Physical Layer) protocol, is a high-speed physical layer interface for mobile devices that uses three-wire encoding to embed the clock into the data. It achieves bandwidth equivalent to D-PHY with fewer pins and is suitable for compact layout scenarios such as multiple cameras.

[0348] For example, the first connection line M1 can be a trace in the first connection circuit board 207-1.

[0349] The first processing chip 206-1 can be electrically connected to the second sensor 205-2 via the second connection line M2, and transmit the second data signal obtained from the first data signal to the second sensor 205-2 via the second connection line M2.

[0350] For example, the second connection line M2 can be used to realize low-speed transmission of the second data signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the second connection line M2 may include at least one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol and I3C protocol.

[0351] SPI, or Serial Peripheral Interface, is a full-duplex, four-wire board-level serial communication bus commonly used in peripherals such as Flash memory and displays.

[0352] The I2C protocol, or Inter-Integrated Circuit protocol, is a half-duplex board-level serial bus that requires only two wires. It can support hundreds of slave devices through address addressing and is widely used in low-speed peripherals such as sensors and EEPROMs.

[0353] The I3C protocol, or Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit protocol, significantly improves speed while maintaining a two-wire system, and adds built-in interrupts, dynamic address allocation, and hot-plugging capabilities, while remaining backward compatible with I2C devices.

[0354] For example, the second connection line M2 may include a first sub-line M2-1, a second sub-line M2-2, and a third sub-line M2-3. The first sub-line M2-1 may be a trace in the first connection circuit board 207-1, the second sub-line M2-2 may be a trace in the second connection circuit board 207-2, and the third sub-line M2-3 may be a trace in the third connection circuit board 207-3. The first sub-line M2-1 and the second sub-line M2-2 may be electrically connected through the first connector 208-1, and the second sub-line M2-2 and the third sub-line M2-3 may be electrically connected through the second connector 208-2.

[0355] The second sensor 205-2 can be electrically connected to the first port P1 via the third connection line M3, and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal collected by the second sensor 205-2 to the first port P1 via the third connection line M3.

[0356] For example, the third connection line M3 can be used to realize high-speed transmission of the second data signal and the third data signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the third connection line M3 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0357] For example, the third connection line M3 can be a trace in the third connection circuit board 207-3. The third connection line M3 and the first port P1 can be electrically connected via the third connector 208-3.

[0358] The first port P1 can be electrically connected to the first communication chip 2120 via the eighth connection line M8, and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the first communication chip 2120 via the eighth connection line M8.

[0359] For example, the eighth connection line M8 can be used to realize high-speed transmission of the second data signal and the third data signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the eighth connection line M8 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0360] For example, the eighth connection line M8 may include traces in the first signal transmission element 2121, traces in the circuit board 2124, and traces in the second signal transmission element 2122.

[0361] The first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 can communicate to transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the second communication chip 141.

[0362] The second communication chip 141 can be electrically connected to the main processing chip 1421 via the ninth connection line M9, and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the main processing chip 1421 via the ninth connection line M9, so that the main processing chip 1421 can process the second data signal and the third data signal.

[0363] For example, the ninth connection line M9 can be used to realize high-speed transmission of the second data signal and the third data signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the ninth connection line M9 may include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol.

[0364] For example, the ninth connection line M9 may include a fourth sub-line M9-1 and a fifth sub-line M9-2. The fourth sub-line M9-1 may be a trace in the sixth signal transmission device 146, and the fifth sub-line M9-2 may be a trace in the motherboard 142. The fourth sub-line M9-1 and the fifth sub-line M9-2 may be electrically connected through the fourth connector 208-4.

[0365] Continue to refer to Figure 20A and Figure 20B In some embodiments of this application, the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10 can send a first control signal to the first processing chip 206-1 of the module camera 20.

[0366] Specifically, the main processing chip 1421 can also be electrically connected to the second communication chip 141 through the tenth connection line M10, and transmit the first control signal to the second communication chip 141 through the tenth connection line M10.

[0367] For example, the tenth connection line M10 can be used to implement low-speed transmission of the first control signal. For instance, the interface protocol supported by the tenth connection line M10 may include at least one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol, and I3C protocol.

[0368] For example, the tenth connection line M10 may include a sixth sub-line M10-1 and a seventh sub-line M10-2. The sixth sub-line M10-1 may be a trace in the motherboard 142, and the seventh sub-line M10-2 may be a trace in the sixth signal transmission device 146. The sixth sub-line M10-1 and the seventh sub-line M10-2 may be electrically connected through the fourth connector 208-4.

[0369] The second communication chip 141 can communicate with the first communication chip 2120 to transmit the first control signal of the main processing chip 1421 to the first communication chip 2120.

[0370] The first communication chip 2120 can also be electrically connected to the first port P1 via the eleventh connection line M11, and transmit the first control signal to the first port P1 via the eleventh connection line M11.

[0371] For example, the eleventh connection line M11 can be used to realize the low-speed transmission of the first control signal. For example, the interface protocol supported by the eleventh connection line M11 may include at least one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol and I3C protocol.

[0372] For example, the eleventh connection line M11 may include traces in the first signal transmission element 2121, traces in the circuit board 2124, and traces in the second signal transmission element 2122.

[0373] The first port P1 can be electrically connected to the first processing chip 206-1 through the fourth connection line M4, and transmit the first control signal to the first processing chip 206-1 through the fourth connection line M4. Thus, the first processing chip 206-1 can process the first data signal according to the first control signal to obtain the second data signal.

[0374] For example, the fourth connection line M4 can be used to implement low-speed transmission of the first control signal. For instance, the interface protocol supported by the fourth connection line M4 may include at least one of the SPI protocol, I2C protocol, and I3C protocol.

[0375] For example, the fourth connection line M4 may include an eighth sub-line M4-1, a ninth sub-line M4-2, and a tenth sub-line M4-3. The eighth sub-line M4-1 may be a trace in the third connection circuit board 207-3, the ninth sub-line M4-2 may be a trace in the second connection circuit board 207-2, and the tenth sub-line M4-3 may be a trace in the first connection circuit board 207-1. The eighth sub-line M4-1 and the ninth sub-line M4-2 may be electrically connected through the second connector 208-2, and the ninth sub-line M4-2 and the tenth sub-line M4-3 may be electrically connected through the first connector 208-1.

[0376] Continue to refer to Figure 20A and Figure 20B In some embodiments of this application, the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10 can send a third control signal to the first sensor 205-1 of the module camera 20.

[0377] Specifically, the main processing chip 1421 can also be electrically connected to the second communication chip 141 via the twelfth connection line M12, and transmit a third control signal to the second communication chip 141 via the twelfth connection line M12. It can be understood that the twelfth connection line M12 is essentially the same as the tenth connection line M10. Therefore, for details, please refer to the description of the tenth connection line M10, which will not be repeated here.

[0378] The second communication chip 141 can communicate with the first communication chip 2120 to transmit the third control signal of the main processing chip 1421 to the first communication chip 2120.

[0379] The first communication chip 2120 can also be electrically connected to the first port P1 via the thirteenth connection line M13, and transmit the third control signal to the first port P1 via the thirteenth connection line M13. It can be understood that the thirteenth connection line M13 is essentially the same as the eleventh connection line M11. Therefore, for details, please refer to the description of the eleventh connection line M11, which will not be repeated here.

[0380] The first port P1 can be electrically connected to the first sensor 205-1 via the fourteenth connection line M14, and a third control signal can be transmitted to the first sensor 205-1 via the fourteenth connection line M14 to control the first sensor 205-1. For example, controlling the first sensor 205-1 to start working, stop working, or adjust its working state. It can be understood that the fourteenth connection line M14 is essentially the same as the fourth connection line M4; therefore, please refer to the description of the fourth connection line M4 for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0381] Continue to refer to Figure 20A and Figure 20B In some embodiments of this application, the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10 can send a fourth control signal to other functional modules of the modular camera 20. For example, other functional modules may include a variable aperture, a zoom lens, and an image stabilization module, etc.

[0382] Specifically, the main processing chip 1421 can also be electrically connected to the second communication chip 141 via the fifteenth connection line M15, and transmit the fourth control signal to the second communication chip 141 via the fifteenth connection line M15. It can be understood that the fifteenth connection line M15 is essentially the same as the tenth connection line M10. Therefore, for details, please refer to the description of the tenth connection line M10, which will not be repeated here.

[0383] The second communication chip 141 can communicate with the first communication chip 2120 to transmit the fourth control signal of the main processing chip 1421 to the first communication chip 2120.

[0384] The first communication chip 2120 can also be electrically connected to the first port P1 via the sixteenth connection line M16, and transmit the fourth control signal to the first port P1 via the sixteenth connection line M16. It can be understood that the sixteenth connection line M16 is essentially the same as the eleventh connection line M11. Therefore, for details, please refer to the description of the eleventh connection line M11, which will not be repeated here.

[0385] The first port P1 can be electrically connected to other functional modules through the seventeenth connection line M17, and can transmit the fourth control signal to other functional modules via the seventeenth connection line M17. It can be understood that the seventeenth connection line M17 is essentially the same as the fourth connection line M4. Therefore, please refer to the description of the fourth connection line M4 for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0386] For example, the fourth control signal can be used to control the aperture size of the variable aperture to control the amount of light entering the camera and adapt to shooting needs under different lighting conditions. For instance, in bright light, the aperture can be narrowed to reduce the amount of light entering the camera and avoid overexposure; in low light, the aperture can be widened to increase the amount of light entering the camera and improve the brightness of the image.

[0387] For example, the fourth control signal can be used to control the focal length of the zoom lens to achieve optical zoom. For instance, in response to a user's zoom operation on the host device 10, the main processing chip 1421 generates a corresponding fourth control signal, transmits it to the module camera 20 via a communication link, and drives the zoom motor to adjust the position of the zoom lens to achieve smooth zoom.

[0388] For example, the fourth control signal can be used to control the operating state of the image stabilization module. For instance, when camera 20 is detected to be shaking, the main processing chip 1421 generates an image stabilization control command based on the detection data from the gyroscope or accelerometer, driving the image stabilization module to perform displacement compensation to reduce or eliminate the impact of shaking on image quality.

[0389] Understandable. Figure 20A and Figure 20B This is merely an illustrative illustration of a data signal and control signal transmission scheme and does not constitute a limitation of this application.

[0390] For example, the second sensor 205-2 can also send a fifth data signal to the host device 10. The fifth data signal is obtained based on the fourth data signal collected by the third sensor 205-3. The transmission of the fifth data signal is the same as described above. Figure 20A and Figure 20B The transmission of the first data signal is essentially the same; therefore, please refer to the above for details. Figure 20A and Figure 20B The relevant descriptions in the text will not be repeated here.

[0391] For example, the main processing chip 1421 of the host device 10 can also send a second control signal to the second processing chip 206-2 of the module camera 20, so that the second processing chip 206-2 can process the fourth data signal according to the second control signal to obtain the fifth data signal. The transmission of the second control signal is the same as described above. Figure 20A and Figure 20B The transmission of the first control signal is essentially the same; therefore, please refer to the above for details. Figure 20A and Figure 20B The relevant descriptions in the text will not be repeated here.

[0392] After introducing the relevant schemes for transmitting data signals and control signals, the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 used to implement the transmission of data signals and control signals will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0393] Figure 21A This invention illustrates an electrical connection diagram used to implement data transmission in an embodiment of this application. Figure 21B according to Figure 21A An exemplary structure of a first communication chip 2120 and a second communication chip 141 in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0394] refer to Figure 21A and Figure 21B In some embodiments of this application, as previously described, in the communication component 210 of the module camera 20, the first communication chip 2120 may be disposed in the first housing 211.

[0395] In the host device 10, the second communication chip 141 can be located inside the host device 10. In some implementations, the second communication chip 141 can be located on the connection structure 130, so that when the module camera 20 is mounted to the host device 10 through the connection structure 130, the second communication chip 141 can be as close as possible to the first communication chip 2120.

[0396] When the module camera 20 is installed on the host device 10, the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 can be arranged relative to each other along the Z-axis direction (as an example of the first direction) to communicate, thereby realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0397] Continue to refer to Figure 21A and Figure 21BIn some embodiments of this application, the first communication chip 2120 may include a first antenna A1, and the second communication chip 141 may include a second antenna A2. The first antenna A1 is used for aligning with the second antenna A2. That is, the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 can be kept directly opposite each other in the Z-axis direction with a small deviation, so that the radiation directions of the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 are matched, thereby maximizing the electromagnetic coupling efficiency. In this way, the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 can communicate better, thereby realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal, and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal, and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0398] In some implementations, the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 can radiate directional narrow-beam electromagnetic waves. Therefore, aligning the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 can help to further improve the communication effect between the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2.

[0399] In some of these implementations, the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2 can be array antennas.

[0400] In some implementations, the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 can be at least one of wired chips, optical communication chips, waveguide chips, or wireless chips, as long as they can achieve the functions required by this application. This application does not impose any specific restrictions on them.

[0401] It is understandable that by reasonably designing the orientation of the first communication chip 2120 in the module camera 20, the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 can be positioned relative to each other along the Z-axis when the module camera 20 is installed on the host device 10.

[0402] However, in some cases, due to assembly tolerances, the alignment accuracy of the first antenna A1 of the first communication chip 2120 and the second antenna A2 of the second communication chip 141 is limited.

[0403] To ensure more accurate alignment of the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2, in some feasible solutions, alignment structures can be set in the host device 10 and the module camera 20 respectively. During the installation of the module camera 20 on the host device 10, the alignment structures of the host device 10 and the module camera 20 can be aligned, so that the first antenna A1 can be aligned with the second antenna A2, thereby improving the communication effect between the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2.

[0404] The following is an illustrative description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0405] Figures 22A to 22C This application illustrates an exemplary configuration of the alignment structure, wherein... Figure 22A A perspective view of part of the structure of the host device 10 and the communication component 210. Figure 22B An exploded view of part of the structure of the host device 10 and the communication component 210. Figure 22C For the structure of the host device 10 and the communication component 210 in Figure 22A A three-dimensional sectional view of the EE section.

[0406] refer to Figures 22A to 22C The communication component 210 of the module camera 20 may further include a fixed base 214, a movable base 215, and a first alignment structure 216. The host device 10 may include a second alignment structure 155.

[0407] In the modular camera 20, the mounting base 214 can be installed on the first housing 211. For example, in this embodiment, the first cover plate 2111 and the second cover plate 2112 of the first housing 211 together form a receiving cavity (not shown), and the mounting base 214 and the circuit board 2124 are both located in the receiving cavity. Furthermore, the mounting base 214 can be fixedly connected to the circuit board 2124 of the communication component 210 and installed on the first housing 211 through the circuit board 2124, but this application is not limited to this. In some other embodiments, the mounting base 214 can also be installed on the first housing 211 by means of fasteners, adhesives, or snap-fits.

[0408] The movable base 215 can be disposed opposite to the fixed base 214 along the Z-axis direction. The fixed base 214 supports the movable base 215 along the Z-axis direction to realize the installation of the movable base 215. The movable base 215 can move relative to the fixed base 214 along the XY plane (as an example of a first plane). The first communication chip 2120 and the first alignment structure 216 can be fixed to the movable base 215 respectively.

[0409] In the host device 10, the second alignment structure 155 and the second communication chip 141 can be located inside the host device 10. For example, in this embodiment, the second alignment structure 155 and the second communication chip 141 can be mounted on the connection structure 130. In this way, when the module camera 20 is mounted on the host device 10 through the connection structure 130, the second communication chip 141 can be as close as possible to the first communication chip 2120, and the second alignment structure 155 can be as close as possible to the first alignment structure 216.

[0410] In some implementations, the connection structure 130 may include a cover 133 and a decorative element 134. The decorative element 134 may be located on the surface of the cover 133 facing away from the display screen 100 along the Z-axis direction. The second alignment structure 155 and the second communication chip 141 may be mounted on the surface of the cover 133 facing away from the decorative element 134 along the Z-axis direction. For example, the connection structure 130 may be a camera decorative cover, and when the connection structure 130 is a camera decorative cover, the decorative element 134 of the connection structure 130 may be a lens.

[0411] However, this application is not limited to this. In some other embodiments, the second alignment structure 155 and the second communication chip 141 may also be mounted on other components of the host device 10. For example, other components may be the middle frame 111 or the back cover 112 of the housing 110.

[0412] The first alignment structure 216 of the aforementioned module camera 20 is used for alignment with the second alignment structure 155 of the aforementioned host device 10.

[0413] During the alignment process between the first alignment structure 216 and the second alignment structure 155, the first alignment structure 216 can drive the first communication chip 2120 to move relative to the fixed base 214 along the XY plane via the movable base 215. For example, the movement of the first communication chip 2120 along the XY plane may include rotation and / or translation within the XY plane about an axis extending along the Z-axis direction.

[0414] After the first alignment structure 216 and the second alignment structure 155 are aligned, the first antenna A1 of the first communication chip 2120 can be aligned with the second antenna A2 of the second communication chip 141. This improves the communication effect between the first antenna A1 and the second antenna A2.

[0415] In some embodiments of this application, the first alignment structure 216 may include a first magnet array, and the second alignment structure 155 may include a second magnet array. The first magnet array is used to attract the second magnet array, thereby achieving alignment between the first alignment structure 216 and the second alignment structure 155. This results in a simple structure for the first alignment structure 216 and the second alignment structure 155, with low assembly difficulty and low cost.

[0416] In some implementations, the first magnet array may include six magnets, and correspondingly, the second magnet array may also include six magnets. The six magnets of the first magnet array can be attracted to the six magnets of the second magnet array in a one-to-one correspondence, thereby causing the first magnet array and the second magnet array to attract each other.

[0417] In some implementations, a first magnet array can surround the first communication chip circumferentially. A second magnet array can surround the second communication chip circumferentially. This helps to further reduce rotational and translational deviations, thereby further improving alignment accuracy and resulting in better alignment performance.

[0418] In some implementations, the first magnet array can be a Helbeck magnet array, and correspondingly, the second magnet array can also be a Helbeck magnet array. It is understood that when both the first and second magnet arrays are Helbeck magnet arrays, the working sides of the first and second magnet arrays are positioned opposite each other.

[0419] By setting the first magnet array and the second magnet array as Helbeck magnet arrays, a greater magnetic attraction can be achieved between the first magnet array and the second magnet array, and the first magnet array and the second magnet array can have a smaller volume.

[0420] In some embodiments of this application, a plurality of first grooves 2142 and a plurality of second grooves 2152 are respectively formed on two surfaces of the fixed base 214 and the movable base 215 arranged opposite each other along the Z-axis. The plurality of first grooves 2142 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of second grooves 2152, and each first groove 2142 can together with the corresponding second groove 2152 form a mounting cavity (not shown). The plurality of mounting cavities are arranged in a circular array and surround the first communication chip 2120.

[0421] Each mounting cavity is provided with a ball bearing 2154, which rotates relative to one of the first groove 2142 and the second groove 2152, and slides relative to the other of the first groove 2142 and the second groove 2152.

[0422] In this way, the movable seat 215 can move relative to the fixed seat 214 along the XY plane, and the ball bearing 2154 can effectively improve the stability of the movement of the movable seat 215 relative to the fixed seat 214.

[0423] In some implementations, the communication component 210 may also include a third cover plate 217. Along the Z-axis, the movable seat 215 may be located between the third cover plate 217 and the fixed seat 214, and the third cover plate 217 may provide a limit to the movable seat 215 along the Z-axis. This prevents the movable seat 215 from disengaging from the fixed seat 214, thereby preventing the ball bearing 2154 from coming out.

[0424] In some embodiments of this application, the movable seat 215 and the first alignment structure 216 can be fixedly connected by means of adhesive, fastener connection or snap-fit, and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0425] In some embodiments of this application, the movable seat 215 and the first communication chip 2120 can be fixedly connected by means of adhesive, fastener connection or snap-fit, and this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0426] In some embodiments of this application, the first communication chip 2120 may be located between the fixed base 214 and the movable base 215 along the Z-axis direction. This means that one of the fixed base 214 and the movable base 215 is located between the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 along the Z-axis direction, instead of both being located between them. This helps to reduce the distance between the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 along the Z-axis direction, thus allowing the first communication chip 2120 to communicate better with the second communication chip 141.

[0427] As previously described, in some feasible solutions, the mounting base 214 can be fixedly connected to the circuit board 2124 and mounted on the first housing 211 via the circuit board 2124. The circuit board 2124 is electrically connected to the first communication chip 2120 via the second signal transmission element 2122.

[0428] Based on this, in some embodiments of this application, the second signal transmission element 2122 can be a flexible circuit board, which has the characteristics of being soft and easily deformable. For example, when the first alignment structure 216 drives the first communication chip 2120 to move relative to the fixed base 214 along the XY plane via the movable seat 215, the first communication chip 2120 can move relative to the circuit board 2124 along the XY plane. During this process, the second signal transmission element 2122 can deform accordingly to adapt to the movement of the first communication chip 2120.

[0429] In some implementations, there can be two second signal transmission elements 2122, positioned parallel to the XY plane, on opposite sides of the first communication chip 2120. This disperses stress, reduces sliding resistance, and ensures more uniform force distribution on the first communication chip 2120, preventing the second signal transmission elements 2122 from interfering with its movement. Furthermore, it also satisfies the signal transmission requirements.

[0430] It is understood that the orientation of the second communication chip 141 of different host devices 10 may be different. When the module camera 20 is installed on different host devices 10, the first communication chip 2120 of the module camera 20 needs to be set relative to the second communication chip 141 with different orientations along the Z-axis to communicate, thereby realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0431] The following is an example of this.

[0432] Figure 23A and Figure 23B Exemplary orientations of the second communication chip 141 of several different host devices 10 in embodiments of this application are shown. (Refer to...) Figure 23A The second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 can be located at the first position M01, or in other words, on the XY plane, the second communication chip 141 can be located at the 5 o'clock position. (Reference) Figure 23B The second communication chip 141 of another host device 10 can be located at the second position M02, or in other words, on the XY plane, the second communication chip 141 can be located at the 11 o'clock position. The first position M01 and the second position M02 are arranged along the XY plane, and the second position M02 can be located by the first position M01 around the Z-axis direction (e.g., Figure 23A and Figure 23B The second rotation axis Lb, which extends perpendicular to the plane of the paper, is obtained by rotating it by a certain angle.

[0433] When module camera 20 is installed Figure 23A When the host device 10 is shown, the first communication chip 2120 of the module camera 20 needs to be located at the 5 o'clock position so that it can be set relative to the second communication chip 141 along the Z-axis direction to achieve communication.

[0434] When module camera 20 is installed Figure 23B When the host device 10 is shown, the first communication chip 2120 of the module camera 20 needs to be located at the 11 o'clock position so that it can be set relative to the second communication chip 141 along the Z-axis direction to achieve communication.

[0435] Therefore, in some feasible solutions, when the module camera 20 needs to be installed on different host devices 10, the installation posture of the circuit board 2124 and / or the communication component 210 can be changed so that the setting orientation of the first communication chip 2120 changes, thereby making the setting orientation of the first communication chip 2120 adaptable to the target host device 10.

[0436] For example, Figure 24A and Figure 24B The diagram illustrates different mounting postures of the circuit board 2124 in embodiments of this application. The circuit board 2124 can be detachably mounted on the first housing 211 in various mounting postures, which may include... Figure 24A The first installation posture shown and Figure 24B The second installation posture is shown.

[0437] like Figure 24A As shown, the circuit board 2124 can be detachably mounted on the first housing 211 in a first mounting posture. In the first mounting posture, the first communication chip 2120 can have a first mounting position. Figure 24B As shown, the circuit board 2124 can also be detachably mounted on the first housing 211 in a second mounting posture, in which the first communication chip 2120 can have a second mounting position. Figure 24A The first installation position shown and Figure 24B The second installation position shown can be distributed along the XY plane.

[0438] Thus, when the module camera 20 is installed on a host device 10, the installation posture of the circuit board 2124 can be the first installation posture. Correspondingly, the first communication chip 2120 can be located in the first installation position so as to be arranged relative to the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 along the Z-axis direction, thereby realizing communication and thus realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0439] When the modular camera 20 needs to be installed on another host device 10, the modular camera 20 can be removed from the original host device 10, and the circuit board 2124 of the modular camera 20 can be removed from the first housing 211. Then, the circuit board 2124 is installed on the first housing 211 in a second mounting posture, so that the first communication chip 2120 can be located in the second mounting position. Next, the modular camera 20 is installed on the host device 10. After the modular camera 20 is installed on the host device 10, the first communication chip 2120 can be positioned relative to the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 along the Z-axis direction to achieve communication, thereby realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal, and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal, and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0440] This allows the modular camera 20 to be better compatible with different host devices 10, thereby further improving the compatibility of the modular camera 20 and making the cross-device user experience better.

[0441] In some embodiments of this application, the second mounting posture can be obtained by rotating the first mounting posture about the first axis L1 by a first angle. The first axis L1 can extend along the Z-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction can be... Figure 24A and Figure 24B The direction shown in the embodiment is perpendicular to the paper surface.

[0442] In some implementations, the first angle can be 60°, 120°, 180°, etc. This application does not impose specific restrictions on this, as long as it can meet the actual use requirements.

[0443] In some implementations, the circuit board 2124 may be connected to the first housing 211 via at least two connectors 260. The number of connectors 260 may be two, three, four, or five, etc., and this application does not impose a specific limitation on this.

[0444] The circuit board 2124 may have multiple mounting holes 261, which can be arranged symmetrically about the first axis L1. That is, after rotating the multiple mounting holes 261 about the first axis L1 by a certain angle, they can completely coincide with the original state before rotation. Each connector 260 can pass through a mounting hole 261 and the first housing 211 along the Z-axis.

[0445] In this way, by passing the connector 260 through different mounting holes 261, the circuit board 2124 can be mounted in the first housing 211 in different mounting postures (e.g., the first mounting posture and the second mounting posture).

[0446] In some of these implementations, the connector 260 can be a fastener, such as a screw or bolt.

[0447] In some implementations, the first signal transmission element 2121 can be a cable, such as enameled wire or twisted pair. Thus, when the circuit board 2124 rotates about the first axis to switch between a first mounting posture and a second mounting posture, the first signal transmission element 2121 can also bend, twist, or deform accordingly to adapt to the movement of the circuit board 2124.

[0448] In some implementations, the circuit board 2124 may include an annular pad 262, the central axis of which is the first axis L1. The circuit board 2124 can be electrically connected to one end of the third signal transmission element 2123 via the annular pad 262, and then electrically connected to the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base via the third signal transmission element 2123.

[0449] In this way, when the circuit board 2124 rotates around the first axis L1 to switch between the first mounting posture and the second mounting posture, the annular pad 262 can rotate around the first axis L1 accordingly, so that different parts of the annular pad 262 can contact the third signal transmission element 2123, thereby ensuring that the annular pad 262 and the third signal transmission element 2123 can always maintain an electrical connection.

[0450] It is understandable that the above Figure 24A and Figure 24B In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 2124 has a first mounting posture and a second mounting posture, but this is only illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. In other embodiments, the circuit board 2124 may also have a greater number of mounting postures, such as three, four, or five, to be compatible with more host devices 10.

[0451] As mentioned above, when the module camera 20 needs to be installed on different host devices 10, the installation posture of the communication component 210 can also be changed so that the setting position of the first communication chip 2120 changes, thereby making the setting position of the first communication chip 2120 adaptable to the target host device 10.

[0452] Figure 25A and Figure 25B A schematic diagram of one installation posture of the communication component 210 in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 26A and Figure 26B A schematic diagram showing another mounting configuration of the communication component 210 according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated. The communication component 210 may include... Figure 25A and Figure 25B The third installation posture shown Figure 26A and Figure 26B The fourth installation posture is shown.

[0453] refer to Figures 25A to 26B The communication component 210 can be detachably mounted to a host device 10 via a mounting base 220 in a third mounting posture. In the third mounting posture, the first communication chip 2120 can have a third mounting position to be arranged opposite to the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 along the Z-axis direction, thereby realizing communication and thus realizing the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal, and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal, and fourth control signal, etc.).

[0454] The communication component 210 can be detachably mounted to another host device 10 via another mounting base 220 in a fourth mounting posture. In the fourth mounting posture, the first communication chip 2120 can have a fourth mounting position to be positioned opposite the second communication chip 141 of the host device 10 along the Z-axis direction, thereby realizing communication and thus enabling the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second, third, and fifth data signals, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first, second, third, and fourth control signals, etc.). The third and fourth mounting positions can be distributed along the XY plane.

[0455] This allows the modular camera 20 to be better compatible with different host devices 10, thereby further improving the compatibility of the modular camera 20 and making the cross-device user experience better.

[0456] In some implementations, the communication component 210 can be fixedly connected to the functional component 200. Therefore, when the communication component 210 switches between the third and fourth mounting positions, the mounting position of the functional component 200 will also change accordingly.

[0457] In some implementations, the fourth mounting posture can be obtained by rotating the third mounting posture by a second angle about a third axis L2. The third axis L2 can extend along the Z-axis. For example, the second angle can be 180° or 90°.

[0458] In some implementations, the number of second ports P2 in the communication component 210 for electrical connection with the mounting base 220 can be multiple, and the multiple second ports P2 can be arranged rotationally symmetrically about the third axis L2.

[0459] In this way, when the communication component 210 is installed on different host devices 10 in different mounting postures through different mounting bases 220, it can be electrically connected to the third port P3 of the mounting base 220 through different second ports P2, without changing the structural design of the second circuit structure 223 of the mounting base 220, nor changing the setting orientation of the external interface 140 of the host device 10. That is, the setting orientation of the external interface 140 and the setting orientation of the second communication chip 141 can be designed independently without interference.

[0460] For example, when the communication component 210 is detachably mounted to a host device 10 via a mounting base 220 in a third mounting configuration, a second port P2 of the communication component 210 can be electrically connected to a third port P3 of the mounting base 220.

[0461] When the communication component 210 rotates around the third axis L2 to switch from the third posture to the fourth mounting posture, the multiple second ports P2 of the communication component 210 will also rotate around the third axis L2 relative to the third port P3 of the mounting base 220.

[0462] When the communication component 210 is detachably mounted to another host device 10 via another mounting base 220 in a fourth orientation, another second port P2 of the communication component 210 can be electrically connected to the third port P3 of the mounting base 220.

[0463] It is understandable that the above Figures 25A to 26B In the illustrated embodiment, the communication component 210 has a third mounting position and a fourth mounting position, but this is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. In other embodiments, the communication component 210 may also have a greater number of mounting positions, such as three, four, or five, to be compatible with more host devices 10.

[0464] It should be noted that the above Figures 17A to 26B In the illustrated embodiment, on one hand, the host device 10 supplies power to the module camera 20 through the communication component 210 and the mounting base 220, which are electrically connected to each other; on the other hand, the host device 10 communicates with the module camera 20 through the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141 to realize the transmission of data signals (e.g., the aforementioned second data signal, third data signal and fifth data signal, etc.) and control signals (e.g., the aforementioned first control signal, second control signal, third control signal and fourth control signal, etc.). However, this is only an illustrative illustration and does not constitute a limitation of this application.

[0465] For example, in some other feasible solutions, the module camera 20 may not include the first communication chip 2120, and the host device 10 may not include the second communication chip 141. The host device 10 can supply power to the module camera 20 through the electrically connected communication component 210 and mounting base 220, and the host device 10 can also transmit data signals with the module camera 20 through the electrically connected communication component 210 and mounting base 220.

[0466] After introducing the cooperation between the first communication chip 2120 and the second communication chip 141, the cooperation between the connection structure 130 and the second communication chip 141 in the host device 10 will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0467] Figure 27A and Figure 27B An exemplary structure of a host device 10 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 27A This is a perspective view of the host device 10, with the module camera 20 shown in dashed lines. Figure 27BThis is an exploded view of a portion of the main unit 10. (Reference) Figure 27A and Figure 27B In some feasible solutions, the housing 110 of the host device 10 can be arranged sequentially with the display screen 100 along the Z-axis. The specific structural forms of the display screen 100 and the housing 110 can be referred to the above. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0468] The connection structure 130 of the host device 10 can be connected to the housing 110 and is located on the side of the housing 110 opposite to the display screen 100. When the connection structure 130 is connected to the mounting base 220 (not shown) of the module camera 20, the module camera 20 can be mounted on the back of the host device 10, and the module camera 20 can be used as a rear camera module. For details, please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 3A to 3D The description of the module camera 20 in the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0469] Continue to refer to Figure 27A and Figure 27B In some embodiments of this application, an opening 113 may be provided on the rear cover 112 of the host device 10, and the opening 113 may penetrate the rear cover 112 along the Z-axis direction. The connecting structure 130 may be disposed on the opening 113 and protrude relative to the rear cover 112 in a direction away from the display screen 100. Thus, when the host device 10 is viewed from the outside, its back side has a partial protrusion.

[0470] Continue to refer to Figure 27A and Figure 27B In some embodiments of this application, the connecting structure 130 may include a cover 133 and a decorative element 134. It will be understood that the specific structural forms of the cover 133 and the decorative element 134 are similar to those described above. Figures 22A to 22C The cover 133 and the decorative element 134 in the illustrated embodiment are substantially the same. The cover 133 and the decorative element 134 will be briefly described below.

[0471] In some implementations, the cover 133 can be fitted over the opening 113 of the rear cover 112, serving as the main body for connection with the module camera 20. The cover 133 has a mounting groove 135 on its surface facing away from the display screen 100 along the Z-axis. A decorative element 134 is installed in the mounting groove 135, and the sidewall 1351 of the mounting groove 135 surrounds the decorative element 134 circumferentially. The decorative element 134 serves a decorative function, making the back of the main unit 10 more aesthetically pleasing and refined.

[0472] For example, the connection structure 130 can be a decorative cover for a camera, and its specific structure can be referred to the above. Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe description of the camera decorative cover 121 in the illustrated embodiment will not be repeated here. Similarly, the connecting structure 130 can also be a component for other purposes, such as a fingerprint module decorative cover, etc., and this application does not impose specific limitations on it.

[0473] When the connecting structure 130 is a camera decorative cover, the decorative element 134 of the connecting structure 130 can be a lens. The lens (e.g., a black lens) can blend well with the back cover 112, enhancing the overall texture of the device. Furthermore, the lens also facilitates light transmission, allowing light from outside the host device 10 to enter the camera module 120 inside the host device 10, thereby enabling the camera module 120 to perform its shooting function.

[0474] When the modular camera 20 is installed on the host device 10, the mounting base 220 of the modular camera 20 can be sleeved on the outer periphery of the connecting structure 130 and detachably connected to the connecting structure 130, as detailed above. Figures 12A to 14B The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0475] As mentioned above, the second communication chip 141 can be disposed on the cover 133 of the connection structure 130, and the second communication chip 141 is located inside the host device 10. Based on this, Figure 28 An exemplary configuration of a second communication chip 141 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 28 In some embodiments of this application, the orthographic projection of the connection structure 130 on the XY plane is the first projection 1300, and the orthographic projection of the second communication chip 141 on the XY plane is the second projection 1410. The second projection 1410 may be located at the edge of the first projection 1300.

[0476] In this way, the second communication chip 141 will not occupy the main layout space of the middle part of the connection structure 130, so it can be better compatible with the different layout requirements of the internal devices of different host devices 10. Thus, the second communication chip 141 of different host devices 10 can be laid in roughly the same position, thereby enabling different host devices 10 to better adapt to the same module camera 20.

[0477] In some implementations, the first projection 1300 may include a sector region 1301, and the sector region 1301 and the top 103 of the host device 10 may be located on opposite sides of the second axis L3, which extends along the Y-axis and overlaps with the geometric center O1 of the first projection 1300.

[0478] The center of the sector region 1301 can be the geometric center O1 of the first projection 1300. The sector region 1301 includes a first side 1301a and a second side 1301b, which extend radially along the sector region 1301. The first angle θ1 between the first side 1301a and the second axis L3 can be in the range of 15° to 60°, for example, the first angle θ1 can be 15°, 20°, 25° or 30°, etc.; the second angle θ2 between the second side 1301b and the second axis L3 can be in the range of 120° to 165°, for example, the second angle θ2 can be 120°, 125°, 130° or 135°, etc. The second projection 1410 overlaps with the sector region 1301. In this way, it can further accommodate the different layout requirements of internal components of different host devices 10, so that the second communication chip 141 of different host devices 10 can be laid out in roughly the same position, thereby enabling different host devices 10 to better adapt to the same module camera (not shown).

[0479] In some implementations, to better accommodate different layout requirements, the first angle θ1 between the first side 1301a and the second axis L3 can be 45°, and the second angle θ2 between the second side 1301b and the second axis L3 can be 120°. Alternatively, the first projection 1300 can be viewed as a clock face, with the sector 1301 representing the area from 4:30 to 7:00. That is, the second projection 1410 can be located within the 4:30 to 7:00 position of the first projection 1300.

[0480] For example, Figure 29A and Figure 29B The layout schemes of devices in several host devices 10 in embodiments of this application are shown. Figure 29A The host device 10 shown, and Figure 29B In the host device 10 shown, the second projection 1410 can be located at the edge of the first projection 1300, and the second projection 1410 is located at the six o'clock position in the first projection 1300. Thus, Figure 29A and Figure 29B In the illustrated embodiments, the camera modules 120 do not interfere with the second communication chip 141. Figure 29A and Figure 29B The host device 10 shown can be better adapted to the same module camera (not shown).

[0481] It is understandable that the above Figures 27A to 29BIn the illustrated embodiments, the connection structure 130 protrudes from the back cover 112 along the positive Z-axis direction. However, this is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. For example, in other embodiments, the connection structure 130 may also be recessed relative to the back cover 112 along the negative Z-axis direction. Correspondingly, the arrangement of the external interface 140 and the second communication chip 141 will also change. The following is an exemplary description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0482] Figure 30A and Figure 30B This application illustrates an exemplary structure of another host device 10 in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 30A This is a 3D view of the host device 10. Figure 30B For host device 10 along Figure 30A A cross-sectional view of the KK section, with the module camera 20 shown in dashed lines.

[0483] refer to Figure 30A and Figure 30B In some feasible solutions, the connection structure 130 may also be recessed relative to the rear cover 112 along the negative Z-axis, so that when viewed from the outside of the host device 10, the back of the host device 10 has a partial groove.

[0484] When the module camera 20 is installed on the host device 10, the mounting base 220 of the module camera 20 can be located at least partially in the groove. This reduces the size of the module camera 20 protruding from the host device 10, which helps to reduce the size of the entire electronic device 1 along the Z-axis and improves the appearance of the electronic device 1.

[0485] In some embodiments of this application, the motherboard 142 and the connection structure 130 are disposed opposite each other along the Z-axis direction, and the second communication chip 141 may be disposed on the motherboard 142. In some implementations, the second communication chip 141 may be soldered onto the motherboard 142. For example, the second communication chip 141 may be electrically connected to the motherboard 142 through solder joints 1411, without the need for additional signal transmission components. Exemplarily, the second communication chip 141 may be a land grid array (LGA) chip.

[0486] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may include an ultra-wide-angle camera 120b, excluding the aforementioned Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe embodiment shown includes a main camera 120a and a telephoto camera 120c. This effectively reduces the size of the host device 10, achieving a lightweight design. Furthermore, the ultra-wide-angle camera 120b fulfills the basic shooting functions of the host device 10. For better shooting performance, a modular camera 20 can be mounted on the host device 10 for shooting, thus meeting usage requirements.

[0487] In some implementations, when the host device 10 does not have a large number of cameras, such as those mentioned above... Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the illustrated embodiment, the main camera 120a and telephoto camera 120c do not require clearance holes on the motherboard 142. Therefore, the main processing chip 1421 can be positioned in the middle of the motherboard 142, as close as possible to the center of the host device 10. This allows for better heat dissipation of the main processing chip 1421 during operation, resulting in superior heat dissipation performance for the host device 10.

[0488] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may include a flash 156 instead of integrating the flash 156 into the modular camera 20. This ensures that the host device 10 has basic low-light shooting capabilities.

[0489] In some embodiments of this application, the host device 10 may further include a front-facing camera 158 for implementing the front-facing shooting function of the host device 10. The front-facing camera 158 may be positioned close to the top of the host device 10. Furthermore, the front-facing camera 158 is positioned opposite the connecting structure 130 along the X-axis direction; that is, the front-facing camera 158 is offset from the connecting structure 130 along the Z-axis direction, thus providing sufficient layout space for the front-facing camera 158 within the host device 10. The front-facing camera 158 can be electrically connected to the motherboard 142 via a signal transmission device to enable signal transmission between the motherboard 142 and the front-facing camera 158.

[0490] The above description illustrates the implementation of this application through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of this application is presented in conjunction with some embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to these embodiments, and this application can also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this application, some specific details have been omitted in the description. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0491] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "outer periphery", "inner side", "circumferential", "radial", "axial", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0492] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "fit" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

Claims

1. A modular camera, characterized in that, For mounting on a host device (10), the modular camera (20) includes: The functional component (200) includes a first sensor (205-1), a second sensor (205-2), a first processing chip (206-1), a first connection line (M1), a second connection line (M2), and a third connection line (M3). The first connection line (M1) is electrically connected to the first sensor (205-1) and the first processing chip (206-1), and the second connection line (M2) is electrically connected to the first processing chip (206-1) and the second sensor (205-2). A communication component (210) is mounted on the functional component (200). The communication component (210) includes a first circuit structure (212), which includes a first port (P1). A third connection line (M3) electrically connects the first port (P1) and the second sensor (205-2). The first circuit structure (212) is used for communication connection with the host device (10).

2. The modular camera according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) further includes a second port (P2), which is electrically connected to the first port (P1); The module camera (20) further includes a mounting base (220) for mounting the module camera (20) on the host device (10). The mounting base (220) includes a first connecting part (221) and a second connecting part (222). The first connecting part (221) is detachably connected to the communication component (210), and the second connecting part (222) is detachably connected to the host device (10). The mounting base (220) further includes a second circuit structure (223), which includes a third port (P3) and a fourth port (P4) electrically connected to each other. The second port (P2) is electrically connected to the third port (P3), and the fourth port (P4) is used to be electrically connected to the external interface (140) of the host device (10).

3. The modular camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first sensor (205-1) is used to collect the first data signal and transmit the first data signal to the first processing chip (206-1) via the first connection line (M1); The first processing chip (206-1) is used to obtain a second data signal based on the first data signal, and transmit the second data signal to the second sensor (205-2) via the second connection line (M2); The second sensor (205-2) is used to acquire the third data signal and transmit the second data signal and the third data signal to the first port (P1) via the third connection line (M3).

4. The modular camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The connection lines of the functional component (200) satisfy at least one of the following conditions: The interface protocols supported by the first connection line (M1) include at least one of the DPHY protocol and the CPHY protocol; The second connection line (M2) supports at least one of the following interface protocols: SPI, I2C, and I3C. The third connection line (M3) supports at least one of the DPHY and CPHY protocols.

5. The modular camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The functional component (200) further includes a fourth connection line (M4) that is electrically connected to the first port (P1) and the first processing chip (206-1). The fourth connection line (M4) supports any one of the following interface protocols: SPI, I2C, and I3C.

6. The modular camera according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first port (P1) is used to transmit a first control signal to the first processing chip (206-1) via the fourth connection line (M4).

7. The modular camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first sensor (205-1) includes at least one of a wide-angle image sensor, a telephoto image sensor, or a multispectral image sensor.

8. The modular camera according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The functional component (200) further includes a third sensor (205-3), a second processing chip (206-2), a fifth connection line (M5), and a sixth connection line (M6), wherein: The fifth connection line (M5) is electrically connected to the third sensor (205-3) and the second processing chip (206-2), and the sixth connection line (M6) is electrically connected to the second processing chip (206-2) and the second sensor (205-2).

9. The modular camera according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) includes a first power transmission line (2125), and the second port (P2) includes a first power supply contact (V1) and a first ground contact (G1). The first power transmission line (2125) is electrically connected to the first power supply contact (V1) and grounded through the first ground contact (G1). The third port (P3) includes a second power supply contact (V2) and a second ground contact (G2), and the fourth port (P4) includes a third power supply contact (V3) and a third ground contact (G3). The second power supply contact (V2) and the third power supply contact (V3) are electrically connected to each other, and the second ground contact (G2) and the third ground contact (G3) are electrically connected to each other. The first power supply contact (V1) is used to be electrically connected to the second power supply contact (V2), the third power supply contact (V3) is used to be electrically connected to the fourth power supply contact (V4) of the external interface (140), and the fourth power supply contact (V4) is electrically connected to the second power transmission line (147) of the host device (10). The first grounding contact (G1) is used to be electrically connected to the second grounding contact (G2), the third grounding contact (G3) is used to be electrically connected to the fourth grounding contact (G4) of the external interface (140), and the second power transmission line (147) is grounded through the fourth grounding contact (G4).

10. The modular camera according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) further includes a first signal transmission line (2128), and the second port (P2) further includes a first signal contact (S1), which is electrically connected to the first signal transmission line (2128). The third port (P3) further includes a second signal contact (S2), and the fourth port (P4) further includes a third signal contact (S3). The second signal contact (S2) and the third signal contact (S3) are electrically connected to each other. The first signal contact (S1) is used to be electrically connected to the second signal contact (S2), the third signal contact (S3) is used to be electrically connected to the fourth signal contact (S4) of the external interface (140), and the fourth signal contact (S4) is electrically connected to the second signal transmission line (150) of the host device (10). The signal transmitted by the first signal transmission line (2128) is a clock signal.

11. The modular camera according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) further includes a first communication chip (2120), which is electrically connected to the first port (P1). The first circuit structure (212) is used to communicate with the second communication chip (141) in the host device (10) through the first communication chip (2120).

12. The modular camera according to claim 11, characterized in that, The communication component (210) further includes a first housing (211), the first communication chip (2120) is disposed in the first housing (211), and the first housing (211) is detachably connected to the first connecting portion (221) of the mounting base (220); When the module camera (20) is installed on the host device (10), the first communication chip (2120) and the second communication chip (141) are arranged opposite each other along a first direction, wherein: The first communication chip (2120) includes a first antenna (A1), and the second communication chip (141) includes a second antenna (A2). The first antenna (A1) is used to align with the second antenna (A2).

13. The modular camera according to claim 12, characterized in that, The communication component (210) further includes: A fixing seat (214) is mounted on the first housing (211); A movable seat (215) is provided opposite to the fixed seat (214) along the first direction. The fixed seat (214) carries the movable seat (215) along the first direction, and the movable seat (215) can move relative to the fixed seat (214) along a first plane. The first plane is perpendicular to the first direction. The first communication chip (2120) is fixed on the movable seat (215). The first alignment structure (216) is fixed on the movable seat (215). The first alignment structure (216) is used to align with the second alignment structure (155) in the host device (10). During the alignment process between the first alignment structure (216) and the second alignment structure (155), the first alignment structure (216) drives the first communication chip (2120) to move relative to the fixed seat (214) along the first plane through the movable seat (215). After the first alignment structure (216) and the second alignment structure (155) are aligned, the first antenna (A1) and the second antenna (A2) are aligned.

14. The modular camera according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) further includes a circuit board (2124), a first signal transmission element (2121), and a second signal transmission element (2122); One end of the first signal transmission device (2121) is the first port (P1), and the other end of the first signal transmission device (2121) is electrically connected to the circuit board (2124). The circuit board (2124) is electrically connected to one end of the second signal transmission device (2122), and the other end of the second signal transmission device (2122) is electrically connected to the first communication chip (2120). The mounting base (214) is fixed to the first housing (211) via the circuit board (2124), and the second signal transmission component (2122) is a flexible circuit board.

15. The modular camera according to claim 14, characterized in that, The circuit board (2124) can be detachably mounted on the first housing (211) in multiple mounting postures, including a first mounting posture and a second mounting posture; In the first mounting posture, the first communication chip (2120) has a first mounting position, and in the second mounting posture, the first communication chip (2120) has a second mounting position. The first mounting position and the second mounting position are distributed along the first plane.

16. The modular camera according to claim 15, characterized in that, The second mounting posture is obtained by rotating the first mounting posture by a first angle about a first axis (L1) extending along the first direction; The circuit board (2124) is connected to the first housing (211) by at least two connectors (260). The circuit board (2124) has a plurality of mounting holes (261) which are arranged symmetrically about the first axis (L1). Each connector (260) passes through one of the mounting holes (261) and the first housing (211) along the first direction.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a host device (10) and a modular camera (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the modular camera (20) being mounted on the host device (10), and the first circuit structure (212) being communicatively connected to the host device (10).

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The host device (10) includes: Display screen (100); The back cover (112) and the display screen (100) are arranged sequentially along the thickness direction of the host device (10). An opening (113) is provided on the back cover (112), and the opening (113) penetrates the back cover (112) along the thickness direction of the host device (10). A connecting structure (130) is provided on the opening (113) and protrudes in a direction away from the display screen (100) relative to the rear cover (112). The connecting structure (130) is detachably connected to the module camera (20).

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The first circuit structure (212) further includes a first communication chip (2120), and the host device (10) includes a second communication chip (141) and a motherboard (142). The first communication chip (2120) is electrically connected to the first port (P1) and is used to communicate with the second communication chip (141); The second communication chip (141) is located inside the host device (10) and is disposed on the connection structure (130). The second communication chip (141) is electrically connected to the motherboard (142).

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the connection structure (130) on the first plane is the first projection (1300), the first plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the host device (10), and the orthographic projection of the second communication chip (141) on the first plane is the second projection (1410), the second projection (1410) is located at the edge of the first projection (1300); The first projection (1300) includes a sector area (1301), the sector area (1301) and the top of the host device (10) are located on opposite sides of a second axis (L3), the second axis (L3) extends along the width direction of the host device (10) and overlaps with the geometric center of the first projection (1300); The center of the sector region (1301) is the geometric center of the first projection (1300). The first side (1301a) and the second side (1301b) of the sector region (1301) both extend radially along the sector region (1301). The first angle (θ1) between the first side (1301a) and the second axis (L3) is in the range of 15° to 60°, and the second angle (θ2) between the second side (1301b) and the second axis (L3) is in the range of 120° to 165°. The second projection (1410) overlaps with the sector region (1301).

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