Camera module, chip, electronic device, and control method for camera module

By using a combination of locking motor and autofocus motor in the camera module, the problem of lens tremor in motion scenes is solved, achieving a more stable shooting effect and a more flexible design.

WO2025001975A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-01-02HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2024/100492
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-06-30
Filing Date
2024-06-20
Publication Date
2025-01-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In motion or vibration scenarios, cameras with autofocus function are prone to lens tremors, affecting the shooting effect.

Method used

A camera module is designed, including a substrate, a locking motor and an autofocus motor. By switching between the locking components by driving components, the lens assembly is fixed, avoiding vibration, and improving the design of the autofocus motor and locking motor. Diversity of forms and modular production convenience.

Benefits of technology

It effectively avoids lens tremor, improves the shooting effect of the camera module during movement, and simplifies the structural design, reducing overall size and power consumption.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present application relates to a camera module, a chip, an electronic device, and a control method for a camera module. The camera module comprises a substrate, a locking motor, an automatic focusing motor and a lens assembly, wherein the locking motor is located between the substrate and the automatic focusing motor, and the automatic focusing motor surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly; the locking motor comprises a locking assembly and a drive assembly, and the drive assembly is used for driving the locking assembly to be in a locked state after the camera module completes automatic focusing; the drive assembly is further used for driving the locking assembly to be in an unlocked state before the camera module starts automatic focusing; in the locked state, the locking assembly is used for locking the lens assembly, such that the lens assembly is fixed in position relative to the substrate; and in the unlocked state, the locking assembly and the lens assembly are unlocked, such that the camera module can perform automatic focusing. The camera module of the present application can solve the problems of repeated focusing and shaking in a motion state.
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Description

Camera module, chip, electronic device, and control method of camera module

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application with application number 202310801481.5 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on June 30, 2023, and priority to the Chinese patent application with the invention name “Camera module, chip, electronic device and control method of camera module”, all contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of lens driving devices, and in particular to a camera module, a chip, an electronic device, and a control method for the camera module. Background Art

[0003] With the increasing popularity of smartphones, the camera function has greatly increased the frequency of people taking photos and videos in their daily lives. Autofocus (AF) has become a basic feature of most mobile phone cameras on the market. However, cameras with autofocus can experience lens shake in special scenarios such as motion or vibration. This lens shake directly affects the photo and video experience, resulting in poor shooting results.

[0004] How to design a camera module that can avoid lens shake in scenes such as motion or vibration and improve the shooting effect of the camera module is a direction of continuous research in the industry.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a camera module, a chip, an electronic device, and a control method for the camera module, in order to solve the problem of lens tremor in scenes such as motion or vibration.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a camera module, comprising a substrate, a locking motor, an autofocus motor and a lens assembly, wherein the autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly, and along the optical axis direction of the camera module, the locking motor is located between the substrate and the autofocus motor; the locking motor comprises a locking assembly and a driving assembly, wherein the driving assembly is used to drive the locking assembly to a locked state after the camera module completes autofocus; the driving assembly is also used to drive the locking assembly to an unlocked state before the camera module starts autofocus; wherein, in the locked state, the locking assembly locks the lens assembly so that the lens assembly is fixed relative to the substrate, and in the unlocked state, the locking assembly is unlocked from the lens assembly so that the camera module can automatically focus.

[0008] In this embodiment, on the one hand, the driving component is used to drive the locking component to switch positions between a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, the locking component and the lens component are locked, and in the unlocked state, the locking component and the lens component are unlocked, so that the lens component can be locked by the locking component when autofocus is not required, and when autofocus is required, the locking component and the lens component are unlocked, and then the lens component is focused by the autofocus motor. Therefore, the camera module in this embodiment can fix the position of the lens component in specific scenarios. For example, in a sports scenario, the position of the lens component can be fixed by the locking component to avoid vibration, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect of the camera module during movement.

[0009] On the other hand, under the premise that the camera module in this embodiment can solve the vibration problem, the autofocus motor and the locking motor are in a positionally decoupled state, and the morphological designs of the autofocus motor and the locking motor will not affect each other, which is conducive to improving the design diversity of the autofocus motor and the locking motor. For example, different types of autofocus motors can be used to match different types of locking motors. Moreover, since the autofocus motor and the locking motor are in a positionally decoupled state, it is conducive to modular production, replacement and maintenance, and improves convenience. On the other hand, under the premise that the camera module can solve the vibration problem and the autofocus motor and the locking motor can be decoupled from each other, based on the locking motor being located between the substrate and the autofocus motor, the movable space between the lens assembly and the substrate can be effectively utilized, thereby having little impact on the overall size of the camera module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lens assembly includes a first portion and a second portion that are interconnected and integrally connected. The autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the first portion. In a first direction, the second portion faces the locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to lock or unlock with the second portion. The first direction is perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera module. In this embodiment, by defining the first portion and the second portion of the lens assembly, the second portion here refers to the portion that cooperates with the locking assembly. The second portion will also be different when locked in different positions. In a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera module, the second portion faces the locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to lock or unlock with the second portion. In this embodiment, the locking assembly is used to lock or unlock with the second portion that is not surrounded by the autofocus motor, facilitating a fixed connection between the locking assembly and the second portion. The locking motor and the autofocus motor correspond to different parts of the lens assembly along the optical axis, allowing for decoupling between the two. This effectively reduces the structural design difficulty of the locking motor, improves the structural rationality of the lens assembly, and increases the structural design diversity of the locking motor.

[0011] In some embodiments, the second portion has a sleeve-like structure, comprising an outer sidewall, a bottom wall, and an inner sidewall, wherein the bottom wall faces the substrate, and the outer sidewall faces the locking assembly, wherein the locking assembly is used to abut the outer sidewall after the camera module completes focusing at any position. This embodiment provides a specific locking structure, which, by defining the specific structure of the second portion, enables the locking assembly and the outer sidewall of the second portion to abut and achieve locking. Because the locking assembly can abut different positions on the outer sidewall, the locking assembly can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly when the lens assembly is at any point in the focusing stroke. In this embodiment, the locking assembly can abut at any position on the sidewall of the second portion, so that the locking assembly can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly when the lens assembly is at any point in the focusing stroke, thereby locking the lens assembly at any focus position, thereby enabling the lens assembly to be locked at a focus position with a good focusing effect, thereby improving the user experience.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the lens assembly is at any point in the focus stroke, in a first direction, the lens assembly is at least partially opposite the locking assembly, the portion of the lens assembly opposite the locking assembly being the second portion, and the locking assembly is used to lock or unlock with the second portion. Because when the lens assembly is at any point in the focus stroke, in the first direction, the lens assembly is at least partially opposite the locking assembly, the second portion can be locked or unlocked by the locking assembly at any focus position, thereby locking the lens assembly at a focus position with a good focus effect, thereby improving the user experience.

[0013] In some embodiments, the autofocus motor is surrounded to form a accommodating space, the locking motor is surrounded to form a receiving space, the accommodating space and the receiving space are connected in the optical axis direction of the camera module, the first part is located in the accommodating space, and the second part is located in the receiving space.

[0014] In this embodiment, the second portion is located within the receiving space. When locked, the locking assembly is fixedly connected to the second portion within the receiving space, while the first portion cooperates with the autofocus motor. This facilitates independent control and positional decoupling of the locking motor and the autofocus motor over the camera module. Furthermore, since the locking motor encloses the receiving space, the second portion of the lens assembly is located within the receiving space, effectively protecting the second portion of the lens assembly and facilitating the sealing performance requirements of the camera module.

[0015] In some embodiments, the locking assembly includes a base and a locking member movably disposed on the base, the base being fixedly connected between the base and the autofocus motor, and the drive assembly being capable of driving the locking member to move relative to the base to lock or unlock the locking member and the second portion. In this embodiment, based on the base being fixedly connected between the base and the autofocus motor, the locking member cooperates with the second portion to unlock or lock the lens assembly, and the lens assembly is unlocked or locked through the cooperation of the locking member and the base.

[0016] In some embodiments, there are two locking members, which are respectively a first locking member and a second locking member. One end of the first locking member and one end of the second locking member are both rotatably connected to the base. The driving assembly can drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate toward each other to resist and clamp the second part so that the first locking member and the second locking member are locked with the second part. The driving assembly can also drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate away from each other so that the first locking member and the second locking member are unlocked from the second part.

[0017] In this embodiment, the first locking member and the second locking member are rotatably mounted on the base, and the driving assembly can drive the first and second locking members to rotate toward each other to abut and clamp the second portion, thereby locking the lens assembly. The driving assembly can also drive the first and second locking members to rotate away from each other, thereby unlocking the lens assembly. By rotatably mounting the first and second locking members on the base, the first and second locking members each perform circular motion about their respective rotation axes. Under the constraints of their respective rotation axes, the motion paths of the first and second locking members can be more precise. For camera modules requiring high precision, the rotatable mounting of the first and second locking members on the base facilitates improving the positional accuracy of the locking assembly when securing the lens assembly, thereby improving the overall design accuracy of the camera module. Furthermore, the rotatable mounting of the first and second locking members on the base also reduces the design difficulty and structural complexity of the driving assembly, thereby reducing the overall size of the camera module.

[0018] In some embodiments, the driving assembly includes a first permanent magnet, a second permanent magnet, a first magnetic member, a second magnetic member and an electromagnet, the first permanent magnet is fixedly connected to the first locking member, the second permanent magnet is fixedly connected to the second locking member, the first magnetic member, the second magnetic member and the electromagnet are all fixed to the base, the electromagnet is located between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet, the first permanent magnet is located between the first magnetic member and the electromagnet, the second permanent magnet is located between the second magnetic member and the electromagnet, and the electromagnet is used to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate toward or away from each other. In some embodiments, when the electromagnet inputs current in a first current direction, the electromagnet can attract the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet to move toward the electromagnet to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate toward each other. When the electromagnet inputs current in a second current direction opposite to the first current direction, the electromagnet can repel the first permanent magnet line and the second permanent magnet to move away from the electromagnet to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate away from each other. In the locked state, the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet are both magnetically attracted to the electromagnet. In the unlocked state, the first permanent magnet is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic member, and the second permanent magnet is magnetically attracted to the second magnetic member.

[0019] In this embodiment, the coordination between the first permanent magnet, the second permanent magnet, the first magnetic member, the second magnetic member, and the electromagnet allows for a simplified design and convenient miniaturization of the first permanent magnet, the second permanent magnet, the first magnetic member, the second magnetic member, and the electromagnet. This reduces the design complexity and simplifies the size of the locking motor. Furthermore, the lens assembly can be locked and unlocked simply by switching the current in both positive and negative directions, improving control convenience. Furthermore, in the locked state, even if the locking motor is powered off, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet's core and the first and second permanent magnets maintains the locking assembly in the locked state, thereby conserving energy and reducing heat generation.

[0020] In some embodiments, the other end of the first locking member includes a first worm gear tooth portion, and the other end of the second locking member includes a second worm gear tooth portion. The drive assembly includes a power source, a rotating shaft, and a first worm gear tooth portion and a second worm gear tooth portion provided on the rotating shaft. The tooth directions of the first worm gear tooth portion and the second worm gear tooth portion are opposite. The first worm gear tooth portion is engaged with the first worm wheel gear portion, and the second worm gear tooth portion is engaged with the second worm wheel gear portion. The power source can drive the rotating shaft to rotate forward or reverse to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate relative to or opposite to each other.

[0021] In this embodiment, based on the engagement of the first worm gear teeth with the first worm wheel gear teeth and the engagement of the second worm gear teeth with the second worm wheel gear teeth, the power source can drive the rotating shaft to rotate in the forward or reverse direction to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate relative to or opposite to each other. When the first locking member and the second locking member rotate towards each other, the second part can be clamped to achieve locking of the lens assembly. When the first locking member and the second locking member rotate away from each other, the lens assembly can be unlocked. In this embodiment, through the worm gear, the first worm gear teeth can drive the first worm wheel gear teeth to rotate, and when the power source does not provide power, the first worm gear teeth and the first worm wheel gear teeth can achieve self-locking. The second worm gear teeth can drive the second worm wheel gear teeth to rotate, and when the power source does not provide power, the second worm gear teeth can drive the second worm wheel gear teeth to rotate. Therefore, when the power source does not provide power, the second worm gear teeth can achieve self-locking with the second worm wheel gear teeth. Therefore, even when no power is provided, the locking assembly can be kept in a locked state, thereby saving electricity and reducing heat. In addition, since the first worm gear tooth portion and the second worm gear tooth portion are both arranged on the rotating shaft, and the tooth directions of the first worm gear tooth portion and the second worm gear tooth portion are opposite, the driving of the first locking member and the second locking member can be achieved through one rotating shaft and one power source, thereby simplifying the structure of the drive component.

[0022] In some embodiments, the locking assembly includes a plurality of locking members, which are arranged around the second part, and the plurality of locking members are rotatably connected to the base. The driving assembly can drive the plurality of locking members to rotate toward a first rotation direction to abut and clamp the second part so that the locking members are locked with the second part. The driving assembly can also drive the plurality of locking members to rotate toward a second rotation direction so that the locking members are unlocked from the second part, wherein the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction are opposite.

[0023] In this embodiment, multiple locking members are arranged around the second portion and rotatably connected to the base. This not only improves the positional accuracy of the locking assembly and lens assembly during fixation, as with the two locking members in the previous embodiment, but also contributes to improving the overall design accuracy of the camera module. Furthermore, the presence of multiple locking members allows the lens assembly to be clamped at multiple points, facilitating uniform force application in all directions, and improving both the locking stability and positional accuracy of the lens assembly during locking.

[0024] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a turntable, a worm and a power source, the turntable and the base are rotatably connected, the turntable includes a worm gear portion, the worm is engaged with the worm gear portion, and multiple locking members are rotatably connected to the turntable, the rotating shaft of the locking member rotating relative to the base and the rotating shaft of the locking member rotating relative to the turntable are spaced apart, and the power source can drive the worm to rotate forward or reverse to drive the turntable to rotate forward or reverse to drive multiple locking members to rotate in the first rotation direction or the second rotation direction.

[0025] In this embodiment, the drive assembly also utilizes a worm gear mechanism, which allows the locking assembly to remain locked even when no power is provided by the power source, thereby saving energy and reducing heat generation. Furthermore, because a single turntable simultaneously connects multiple locking members, the rotational synchronization of the multiple locking members is ensured, facilitating improved positional accuracy between the locking members and the lens assembly in the locked state.

[0026] In some embodiments, there are two locking members, which are respectively a first locking member and a second locking member. The first locking member and the second locking member are both slidably connected to the base along a preset direction. The driving component can drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide toward each other along the preset direction to resist and clamp the second part, so that the first locking member and the second lock are locked with the second part. The driving component can also drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide away from each other along the preset direction, so that the first locking member and the second lock are unlocked from the second part.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first locking member and the second locking member are slidably arranged on the base along a preset direction, and the lens assembly is locked and unlocked through the cooperation of the first locking member and the second locking member.

[0028] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a rotating shaft, a power source, and a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion arranged on the rotating shaft. The axial direction of the rotating shaft is the same as the preset direction. The first locking member is engaged with the first threaded portion, and the second locking member is engaged with the second threaded portion. The power source can drive the rotating shaft to rotate forward or reverse to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide relative to or away from each other.

[0029] In this embodiment, through the cooperation between the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion on the rotating shaft and the first locking member and the second locking member, the first locking member and the second locking member can be driven to slide simultaneously through one rotating shaft, thereby reducing the complexity of the structure and ensuring the synchronization of the sliding of the first locking member and the second locking member, which is beneficial to improving the position accuracy of the locking member and the lens assembly in the locked state.

[0030] In some embodiments, the camera module further includes an image processing module, the locking motor surrounds a receiving space, the image processing module is disposed in the receiving space, and the image processing module is disposed on the substrate and located between the substrate and the lens assembly.

[0031] In this embodiment, the image processing module is disposed in the receiving space, thereby utilizing the receiving space and facilitating reducing the overall size of the camera module.

[0032] In the second aspect, the present application provides a camera module, comprising a lens assembly, a locking motor and an autofocus motor. The locking motor and the autofocus motor are stacked along the optical axis direction of the camera module. The locking motor and the autofocus motor are two independent lens assembly drive modules. The autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly. The autofocus motor is used to drive the lens assembly along the optical axis direction to achieve focusing. When the lens assembly is at any stroke point in the focusing stroke, the locking motor can lock or unlock with the lens assembly.

[0033] In this embodiment, the upper and lower positional relationship between the locking motor and the autofocus motor is not limited. The camera module in this embodiment can achieve fixed position of the lens assembly in specific scenarios. For example, in a motion scene, the position of the lens assembly is fixed by the locking motor, which can avoid the occurrence of vibration, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect of the camera module during motion. Since the locking motor and the autofocus motor are two independent lens assembly drive modules, the autofocus motor and the locking motor are in a positional decoupling state, and the morphological design of the autofocus motor and the locking motor will not be affected by each other, which is conducive to improving the design morphology diversity of the autofocus motor and the locking motor. For example, different types of autofocus motors can be used to match different types of locking motors. Moreover, since the autofocus motor and the locking motor are in a positional decoupling state, it is conducive to modular production, replacement and maintenance, and improves convenience. In addition, since the locking motor can lock or unlock the lens assembly when the lens assembly in this embodiment is located at any point in the focusing stroke, the lens assembly can be locked for any focusing position, so that the lens assembly can be locked at a focusing position with good focusing effect, which can improve the user experience.

[0034] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electronic device, comprising a processor and a camera module as described in any one of the embodiments of the first and second aspects above, wherein the processor is electrically connected to the camera module.

[0035] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a method for controlling a camera module, which is applied to the electronic device in the third aspect. The method for controlling the camera module includes:

[0036] Start photo or video mode;

[0037] detecting whether the electronic device enters a sports mode;

[0038] After determining that the electronic device is in the motion mode, the autofocus motor starts and drives the lens assembly to move to achieve autofocus;

[0039] When the automatic focusing is completed, the locking motor starts and locks the lens assembly;

[0040] Take a photo or video.

[0041] In this embodiment, through the control method of the camera module in this embodiment, the locking motor can be used to fix the lens assembly in the motion mode scene, thereby avoiding repeated focusing and vibration in the motion scene and improving the shooting effect.

[0042] In some embodiments, detecting whether the electronic device enters the sports mode includes:

[0043] detecting whether the electronic device is in motion, and when the electronic device is in motion, the electronic device enters the motion mode, wherein the motion refers to whether the moving speed exceeds a preset value or the acceleration exceeds a preset value; or

[0044] It is detected whether the electronic device receives a signal for entering a sports mode input from a user interface, and when the electronic device receives the signal for entering a sports mode input from the user interface, the electronic device enters the sports mode.

[0045] In this embodiment, whether the electronic device enters the sports mode can be determined by automatically detecting whether it is in motion, or it can be manually entered into the sports mode by manually inputting a sports mode signal, thereby meeting the dual control requirements of manual and automatic and improving the user experience.

[0046] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a method for controlling a camera module, which is applied to an electronic device. The method for controlling the camera module includes:

[0047] Start photo or video mode;

[0048] Reading focus data within a preset time period, wherein the focus data includes focus position and duration;

[0049] Obtaining a target focus position from the focus data, wherein the target focus position is a position where a duration corresponding to a focus position of a lens assembly of the electronic device exceeds a preset duration;

[0050] The lens assembly of the electronic device completes focusing at the target focusing position;

[0051] locking the lens assembly at the target focus position;

[0052] Take a photo or video.

[0053] In this embodiment, the camera module control method of this embodiment locks the lens assembly at the target focus position when the lens assembly acquires the target focus position. This allows the lens assembly to remain at the desired focus position for shooting without repeated focusing. This not only improves intelligence and user convenience, but also reduces power consumption caused by repeated focusing. Furthermore, there is no need to continuously input current to the autofocus motor to maintain the focus position, thereby saving power consumption of the autofocus motor.

[0054] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a method for controlling a camera module, which is applied to the electronic device in the third aspect. The method for controlling the camera module includes:

[0055] Receive instructions to exit photo or video mode;

[0056] Read the target focus position within a preset time period;

[0057] The lens assembly of the electronic device moves to the target focus position;

[0058] locking the lens assembly of the electronic device at the target focus position;

[0059] Exit the photo or video recording mode.

[0060] In this embodiment, after each use of the electronic device's photo or video mode, the electronic device's lens assembly will automatically lock at the target focus position (such as the user's accustomed focus position), so that after the subsequent use of the electronic device's photo or video mode, the user can directly take photos or videos at the target focus position. For example, in some application scenarios where snapshots are required, since the lens assembly will automatically lock at the target focus position after the last use of the electronic device's photo or video mode, when taking photos or videos again, the user can directly perform the photo or video function at the user's accustomed target focus position. Compared with the mode of automatically focusing first and then taking photos when taking snapshots, the snapshot reaction time is long and it is easy to be out of focus. The camera module in this embodiment does not require the automatic focusing step when taking snapshots, and the shooting speed is faster and the shooting effect is better.

[0061] In some embodiments, the control method further includes taking a preset number of photos at the target focus position in response to a photo taking instruction or taking a video at the target focus position in response to a video taking instruction.

[0062] In some embodiments, after taking a preset number of photos at the target focus position or taking a video at the target focus position, the method for controlling the camera module further includes:

[0063] Unlock the lens assembly.

[0064] In this embodiment, after the previous round of snapshots is completed, the autofocus function can be turned on when the next round of photos is taken. Based on the previous round of snapshots, the autofocus motor has a longer autofocus response time, which is conducive to improving the focusing effect. In addition, through the focusing of the autofocus motor, photos or videos with different effects can be obtained compared to when the lens assembly is shot at the target focus position that the user is accustomed to, thereby increasing the shooting diversity of photos or videos.

[0065] In the seventh aspect, the present application provides a chip comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory, and the memory is used to store computer program code, and the computer program code comprises computer instructions. When the processor executes the computer instructions, the chip executes the control method of the camera module as described in any of the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0066] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art.

[0067] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of an electronic device provided by the present application;

[0068] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the electronic device of FIG1 ;

[0069] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a camera module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] FIG4 is an exploded schematic diagram of the camera module in FIG3 ;

[0071] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the autofocus motor in the camera module in FIG3 ;

[0072] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the locking motor in the camera module in FIG3 ;

[0073] FIG7 is an exploded schematic diagram of the locking motor in FIG6 ;

[0074] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of the base of the locking motor in FIG6 ;

[0075] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a locking member of the locking motor in FIG6 ;

[0076] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of the locking motor and the lens assembly in FIG3 , where the locking assembly is in a locked state;

[0077] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of the locking motor and lens assembly in FIG3 , wherein the locking assembly is in an unlocked state;

[0078] FIG12 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module in FIG3 ;

[0079] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of another camera module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0080] FIG14 is an exploded schematic diagram of FIG13;

[0081] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of another camera module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0082] FIG16 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of another camera module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0083] FIG17 is an exploded schematic diagram of FIG16;

[0084] FIG18 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the locking member and the base in FIG16;

[0085] FIG19 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the locking member and the turntable in FIG16;

[0086] FIG20 is a flow chart of a possible camera module control method provided by the present application;

[0087] FIG21 is a flowchart of another possible camera module control method provided by the present application;

[0088] FIG22 is a flowchart of another possible method for controlling a camera module provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] The following first explains some of the terms involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0090] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. in the description and claims of the embodiments of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequential order. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can, for example, be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0091] Vertical. The vertical defined in this application is not limited to an absolute vertical intersection relationship (an angle of 90 degrees). It allows for non-absolute vertical intersection relationships caused by factors such as assembly tolerance, design tolerance, and the influence of structural flatness. It allows for errors in a small angle range. For example, the assembly error range of 80 to 100 degrees can be understood as a vertical relationship.

[0092] Parallelism is defined in this application as not being absolutely parallel, and this definition of parallelism can be understood as being basically parallel, allowing for situations where the two sides are not absolutely parallel due to factors such as assembly tolerance, design tolerance, and the influence of structural flatness. These situations may result in the sliding fitting portion and the first door panel not being absolutely parallel, but this application also defines this situation as being parallel.

[0093] The optical axis is the direction in which light is transmitted through an optical system, referenced to the principal ray at the center of the field of view. For symmetrical transmissive systems, it generally coincides with the centerline of rotation of the optical system.

[0094] Auto Focus (AF) uses the principle of light reflection from the subject. The light reflected from the subject is imaged and received on the image sensor after passing through the lens. The light is then processed by a computer to drive the electric focus device to focus.

[0095] The electronic devices involved in the embodiments of the present application may include handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices, etc. For example, the electronic devices may specifically include cellular phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, laptop computers, laptop computers, cameras, video recorders, cameras, smart watches, unmanned aerial vehicles, smart wristbands, vehicle-mounted computers, wireless headphones, glasses and helmets, and other electronic devices with imaging functions. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on the specific forms of the above-mentioned electronic devices. For ease of understanding, the following description is based on the example of a mobile phone as the electronic device.

[0096] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the electronic device provided in this application; FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the electronic device of FIG1 .

[0097] 1 and 2 , the electronic device 100 may include a housing 101 , a display panel (DP) 102 , and a camera compact module (CCM) 103 .

[0098] The housing 101 defines a storage space for arranging the various components of the electronic device 100. The housing 101 also protects the electronic device 100. The camera module 103 is disposed within the storage space formed by the housing 101 and the display screen 102. In some embodiments, the housing 101 includes a back cover and a midframe, to which the display screen 102 and the camera module 103 may be fixed. The housing 101 may be made of metal, plastic, ceramic, or glass.

[0099] The display screen 102 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display screen, etc., wherein the OLED display screen can be a flexible display screen or a rigid display screen. The display screen 102 can be an ordinary regular screen, or it can be a special-shaped screen, a folding screen, etc. For example, the display screen 102 can be relatively freely rotated and folded to form an arc, a sphere, a cylinder, etc. The display screen 102 can be set on the front of the electronic device 100, or it can be set on the back of the electronic device 100, or it can be set on both the front and back of the electronic device 100. The front of the electronic device 100 can be understood as the side facing the user when the user uses the electronic device 100, and the back of the electronic device 100 can be understood as the side facing away from the user when the user uses the electronic device 100.

[0100] The camera module 103 is used to capture images or videos. When the camera module 103 is set on the front of the electronic device 100, it can be used to shoot the scene on the front side of the electronic device 100, and in some embodiments it can be called a front camera; when the camera module 103 is set on the back of the electronic device 100, it can be used to shoot the scene on the back side of the electronic device 100, and in some embodiments it can be called a rear camera. When shooting, the user can select the corresponding camera module according to the shooting requirements. The camera module 103 can be used to shoot scenes at different distances, such as far, close or macro, and the embodiments of the present application are not particularly limited.

[0101] It should be understood that the installation position of the camera module 103 in Figure 1 is merely schematic. When the camera module 103 is used as a front camera, it can be installed at any position on the front of the electronic device 100, such as the left side of the earpiece, the upper middle of the electronic device 100, the lower part of the electronic device 100 (or the chin), or the four corners of the electronic device 100. When the camera module 103 is used as a rear camera, it can be installed at any position on the back of the electronic device 100, such as the upper left corner or the upper right corner. In some other embodiments, the camera module 103 may not be set on the main body of the electronic device 100, but on an edge protruding relative to the main body of the electronic device 100, or on a component that is movable or rotatable relative to the electronic device 100, which can be extended or rotated from the main body of the electronic device 100. When the camera module 103 is rotatable relative to the electronic device 100, the camera module 103 functions as both a front-facing camera and a rear-facing camera. That is, by rotating the same camera module 103, it can capture both the scene on the front side and the scene on the rear side of the electronic device 100. In other embodiments, when the display screen 102 is foldable, the camera module 103 can function as either a front-facing camera or a rear-facing camera as the display screen 102 is folded.

[0102] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of camera modules 103 provided, and can be one, two, three, four, or even more. For example, one or more camera modules 103 can be provided on the front of the electronic device 100, and / or one or more camera modules 103 can be provided on the back of the electronic device 100. When multiple camera modules 103 are provided, the multiple camera modules 103 can be completely identical or different, for example, the multiple camera modules 103 have different lens optical parameters, different lens installation positions, different lens shapes, etc. The embodiment of the present application also does not limit the relative positions of the multiple camera modules when they are provided.

[0103] Optionally, the electronic device 100 may further include a protective lens 104 for protecting the camera module 103. The protective lens 104 is arranged on the housing 101 and covers the camera module 103. When the protective lens 104 is used to protect the front camera, the protective lens 104 may only cover the front camera module or cover the entire front of the electronic device 100, wherein when the protective lens 104 covers the entire front of the electronic device 100, it can be used to protect the front camera module and the display screen 102 at the same time, and the protective lens 104 is a cover glass (Cover Glass, CG). When the protective lens 104 is used to protect the rear camera, the protective lens 104 may cover the entire back of the electronic device 100, or it may be only arranged at the position corresponding to the rear camera module. The material of the protective lens 104 may be glass, sapphire, ceramic, etc., and is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, the protective lens 104 is transparent, and light outside the electronic device 100 can enter the camera module 103 through the protective lens 104.

[0104] It should be understood that the structures illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 do not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure. For example, the electronic device 100 may also include one or more components such as a battery, a flash, a fingerprint recognition module, an earpiece, buttons, sensors, etc. The electronic device 100 may also be set with a component layout different from that shown in the figure.

[0105] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a camera module 103 provided in an embodiment of the present application; FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of the camera module 103 in FIG3 .

[0106] For ease of description, the optical axis direction of the camera module 103 is defined below as the Z direction, the side facing the subject in the optical axis direction Z is the front side, and the side opposite the subject is the rear side. A first direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction Z is the X direction, and a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction Z and the first direction X is the Y direction. The direction closer to the optical axis in the X and Y directions is the inner side, and the direction opposite to the optical axis is the outer side. The definitions of the X, Y, and Z directions and the front, rear, inner, and outer sides apply equally to the various figures described below.

[0107] It should be noted that the above definitions of the X, Y, Z directions and the front, back, inside and outside are only for the convenience of describing the positional relationship and connection relationship between the various components in the embodiments of the present application, and should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0108] 3 and 4 , the camera module 103 may include a substrate 10 , an auto-focus motor 20 , a locking motor 30 , and a lens assembly 40 .

[0109] The substrate 10 can be a printed circuit board (PCB). The substrate 10 can be connected to a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The end of the flexible circuit board can be connected to a board-to-board (BTB) connector to be fastened to the motherboard inside the electronic device 100.

[0110] The autofocus motor 20 is used to drive the lens assembly 40 to change the focus position, thereby achieving autofocus. Specifically, the autofocus motor 20 is used to drive the lens assembly 40 to move back and forth along the optical axis Z to achieve the autofocus function. In some embodiments, the focus motor can be a voice coil motor (VCM), a shape memory alloy motor, a piezo motor, a stepper motor, etc.

[0111] The locking motor 30 is used to lock or unlock the lens assembly 40. When the lens assembly 40 is locked, the lens assembly 40 is restricted from moving in the optical axis direction Z. At this time, the autofocus motor 20 can no longer drive the lens assembly 40 to move. When the lens assembly 40 is unlocked, the autofocus motor 20 can drive the lens assembly 40 to move along the optical axis direction Z. By locking the motor 30, the camera module 103 in this embodiment can fix the position of the lens assembly 40 in specific scenarios. For example, in a sports scene, by fixing the position of the lens assembly 40 by the locking motor 30, the vibration phenomenon can be avoided, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect of the camera module 103 during sports.

[0112] The lens assembly 40 is used to collect light signals reflected by the subject. In some embodiments, the lens assembly 40 may include a lens barrel and a lens assembly mounted inside the lens barrel. In some embodiments, the lens assembly may include 5 to 10 lenses, such as 7 or 8 lenses. In some embodiments, the lenses may be made of solid or liquid materials.

[0113] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , the autofocus motor 20 surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly 40, and the locking motor 30 is located between the substrate 10 and the autofocus motor 20, with the locking motor 30 being disposed on the substrate 10. Under the premise that the camera module 103 in this embodiment can solve the vibration problem, on the one hand, the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 are in a positionally decoupled state, and the morphological designs of the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 are not affected by each other, which is conducive to increasing the design diversity of the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30. It also facilitates modular production and subsequent rapid assembly. Modularization also facilitates replacement and maintenance, improving convenience. On the other hand, because the lens assembly 40 in the camera module 103 needs to maintain a certain distance from the substrate 10 to facilitate the autofocus motor 20 to focus the lens assembly 40, usually a support needs to be set at this position to form a space for the lens assembly 40 to focus. In this embodiment, under the premise that the camera module 103 can solve the vibration problem and the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 can be decoupled from each other, based on the fact that the locking motor 30 is located between the substrate 10 and the autofocus motor 20, the space between the lens assembly 40 and the substrate 10 for setting the support is effectively utilized, so that the addition of the locking motor 30 has little effect on the overall size of the camera module 103.

[0114] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4 , the camera module 103 may further include an image processing module 50 for processing light signals reflected from the subject captured by the lens assembly 40. In some implementations, the image processing module 50 is disposed between the lens assembly 40 and the substrate 10. In some implementations, the image processing module 50 is housed within the area enclosed by the locking motor 30, thereby fully utilizing available space and reducing the overall size of the camera module 103.

[0115] In some implementations, the image processing module 50 includes an image sensor, a filter, and a driver chip.

[0116] Image sensors, also known as photosensitive elements, utilize the photoelectric conversion function of optoelectronic devices to convert the light image on a photosensitive surface into an electrical signal proportional to the light image. In some embodiments, the image sensor can be a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device.

[0117] In some embodiments, the filter is positioned directly opposite the image sensor. In some embodiments, the filter may be blue glass (BG) for filtering infrared rays. Of course, in other embodiments, the filter may also be an IR CUT double filter or other types of filters.

[0118] In some implementations, the driver chip is configured to receive a driving signal from the processor and convert the driving signal into a current for driving the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 , so as to drive the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 to operate.

[0119] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the auto-focus motor 20 in the camera module 103 in FIG3 .

[0120] 4 and 5 , the autofocus motor 20 includes a fixed portion 21 and a movable portion 22 . The movable portion 22 is located inside the fixed portion 21 , and the lens assembly 40 is connected to the movable portion 22 . The movable portion 22 is movable relative to the fixed portion 21 along the optical axis direction Z, thereby driving the lens assembly 40 to move along the optical axis direction Z to achieve autofocus.

[0121] In some embodiments, a first through hole 221 extending parallel to the optical axis direction Z is defined in the middle of the movable portion 22 . The first through hole 221 is used for mounting the lens assembly 40 .

[0122] The fixing portion 21 includes a housing 211 and a magnetic circuit assembly, and the magnetic circuit assembly is disposed on the housing 211 .

[0123] In some embodiments, the housing 211 surrounds a receiving space 2111, and the movable portion 22 and the magnetic circuit assembly are installed in the receiving space 2111. In some embodiments, the receiving space 2111 passes through the housing 211 along the optical axis direction Z to facilitate assembly of the lens assembly 40.

[0124] The focus motor also includes a reed assembly 23, which is connected to the movable portion 22 and the fixed portion 21, respectively, to provide elastic force. For example, when the camera module 103 is not powered, the reed assembly 23 is used to stabilize the movable portion 22 in a predetermined position, such as by causing the movable portion 22 to approach or stabilize in a bottom position due to the elastic force.

[0125] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , the reed assembly 23 includes an upper reed 231 and a lower reed 232 spaced apart along the optical axis direction Z. Specifically, the upper reed 231 includes a first outer connecting portion 2311 connected to the fixed portion 21 and a first inner connecting portion 2312 connected to the movable portion 22. The lower reed 232 includes a second outer connecting portion 2321 connected to the fixed portion 21 and a second inner connecting portion 2322 connected to the movable portion 22. It is understood that the first outer connecting portion 2311 and the second outer connecting portion 2321 can be connected to the housing 211 or to the magnetic circuit assembly.

[0126] It is understandable that in some other embodiments, the reed assembly 23 may also include one or more than three reeds, and this application does not impose a strict limitation on this.

[0127] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , the upper spring 231 or the lower spring 232 simultaneously provides an elastic force to the movable portion 22 to stabilize the movable portion 22 in a preset position when power is not supplied. In other embodiments, when the camera module 103 is not powered, one of the upper spring 231 or the lower spring 232 may deform to generate an elastic force, thereby providing a preload to stabilize the movable portion 22 of the focus motor in a preset position. The other of the upper spring 231 or the lower spring 232 may not deform, but this is not a limitation in the present embodiment.

[0128] Furthermore, in unstable environments, the elastic force generated by the deformation of the upper and lower springs 231, 232 helps overcome lens inertia and achieve clear images. For example, when the camera module 103 is powered on, the movable portion 22 moves away from the preset position, and the deformation of the upper and lower springs 231, 232 generates an elastic force that serves to return the movable portion 22 to its initial preset position.

[0129] In addition, the elastic force generated by the upper spring 231 and the lower spring 232 can buffer the movement of the movable portion 22, balance the torque, and improve the stability of the lens assembly 40. In some embodiments, the upper spring 231 and / or the lower spring 232 can be made of conductive material to provide a current path for the circuits within the camera module 103.

[0130] It is understandable that, in some other embodiments, the focus motor may further include a focus coil, an auxiliary coil, a Hall element and other components, which are not detailed here.

[0131] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the locking motor 30 in the camera module 103 in Figure 3; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the decomposition of the locking motor 30 in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base 32 of the locking motor 30 in Figure 6; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking part 33 of the locking motor 30 in Figure 6.

[0132] 6 to 9 , the locking motor 30 may include a locking assembly 31 and a driving assembly 36 . The driving assembly 36 is used to drive the locking assembly 31 to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state. For example, the driving assembly 36 is used to drive the locking assembly 31 to a locked state after the camera module 103 completes autofocus. The driving assembly 36 is also used to drive the locking assembly 31 to an unlocked state before the camera module 103 starts autofocus. In the locked state, the locking assembly 31 is locked with the lens assembly 40. At this time, the lens assembly 40 (as described above) is locked and can no longer move along the optical axis direction Z. The autofocus motor 20 (as described above) cannot focus the lens assembly 40. In the unlocked state, the locking assembly 31 is disconnected from the lens assembly 40. At this time, the lens assembly 40 is unlocked and can move along the optical axis direction Z. For example, it can be driven by the autofocus motor 20 in the above embodiment to move along the optical axis direction Z for autofocus.

[0133] In this embodiment, the driving component 36 is used to drive the locking component 31 to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, the locking component 31 locks the lens component 40. In the unlocked state, the locking component 31 and the lens component 40 are unlocked, so that the position of the lens component 40 can be fixed by the locking component 31 when the lens component 40 needs to be fixed. When autofocus is required, the locking component 31 and the lens component 40 are unlocked, and then the lens component 40 is focused by the autofocus motor 20. The camera module 103 in this embodiment can achieve the position fixation of the lens component 40 in specific scenarios. For example, in a sports scene, the position of the lens component 40 is fixed by the locking component 31, which can avoid repeated focusing and vibration, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect during exercise. For example, in a snapshot scenario, the lens assembly 40 can be moved to the user's accustomed focusing position in advance, and then the locking assembly 31 can be driven to the locked state through the driving assembly 36. The "user's accustomed focusing position" refers to the focusing position frequently used by the user in daily use. The photos or videos taken at this position meet the user's aesthetic needs, so the lens assembly 40 is locked when the user is in the accustomed focusing position. At this time, there is no need to go through the automatic focusing process for snapshots, and there is usually no extra time for automatic focusing when snapshots are taken, which leads to the problem of out-of-focus and blurred images. The camera module 103 in this embodiment can skip the automatic focusing step and directly take photos or videos at the user's accustomed focusing position, so that clearer photos or images that meet the user's aesthetic needs can be obtained. For another example, in a scenario where the user is accustomed to manual focus, when the user manually focuses to a preset focus position and intends to take multiple photos or videos at the preset focus position, the locking assembly 31 can be driven to a locked state by the driving assembly 36, so that the user does not need to repeatedly manually focus when taking pictures, which can improve the user's shooting experience and save energy loss caused by repeated focusing. It is understandable that the camera module 103 in this embodiment can also be applied to more scenarios.

[0134] The locking assembly 31 may include a base 32 and a locking member 33 movably disposed on the base 32 . For example, the locking member 33 may be rotatably disposed on the base 32 . For another example, the locking member 33 may be movably disposed on the base 32 .

[0135] In some embodiments, the base 32 is fixedly connected between the substrate 10 and the autofocus motor 20, and the driving assembly 36 can drive the locking member 33 to move relative to the base 32 to lock or unlock the locking member 33 and the second part 42, so that the locking assembly 31 switches between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein, in the locked state, the locking member 33 locks the lens assembly 40; in the unlocked state, the locking member 33 is unlocked from the lens assembly 40, and can be driven to move along the optical axis direction Z by the autofocus motor 20 in the previous embodiment.

[0136] It is understandable that the formation of the base 32 is not specifically limited. For example, it can be roughly cube-shaped, roughly rectangular, roughly cylindrical, etc., and of course it can also be other shapes.

[0137] 6 to 8 , in some embodiments, the base 32 includes a bottom wall 321 and side walls 322 surrounding and connected to the periphery of the bottom wall 321 . The side walls 322 and the bottom wall 321 together form a receiving space 301 .

[0138] In some embodiments, a second through hole 3211 communicating with the receiving space 301 is defined on the bottom wall 321 . The second through hole 3211 can be used to pass through the lens assembly 40 .

[0139] 6 , 7 and 9 , in some embodiments, the locking assembly 31 includes two locking members 33 , namely a first locking member 34 and a second locking member 35 , one end of the first locking member 34 is rotatably set on the base 32 , for example, one end of the first locking member 34 is rotatably set on the bottom wall 321 , and one end of the second locking member 35 is rotatably set on the base 32 , for example, one end of the second locking member 35 is rotatably set on the bottom wall 321 , the driving assembly 36 can drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate toward each other to resist and clamp the lens assembly 40 , at this time, the locking assembly 31 is in a locked state, and the lens assembly 40 is locked; the driving assembly 36 can also drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate away from each other, at this time, the locking assembly 31 is in an unlocked state, and the lens assembly 40 is unlocked. It will be understood that, in this embodiment, the "toward rotation" means that the space enclosed between the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 will become smaller after the rotation. Specifically, the "toward rotation" of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 means that the first locking member 34 rotates toward the optical axis, while the second locking member 35 rotates toward the optical axis. The "away rotation" in this embodiment means that the space enclosed between the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 will become larger after the rotation. Specifically, the "away rotation" of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 means that the first locking member 34 rotates toward the direction away from the optical axis, while the second locking member 35 rotates toward the direction away from the optical axis.

[0140] In this embodiment, the first locking member 34 is rotatably mounted on the base 32, and the second locking member 35 is rotatably mounted on the base 32. The driving assembly 36 can drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate toward each other to abut and clamp the lens assembly 40, thereby locking the lens assembly 40. The driving assembly 36 can also drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate away from each other, thereby unlocking the lens assembly 40. By rotatably mounting the first and second locking members 34, 35 on the base 32, the first and second locking members 34, 35 each perform circular motion about their respective rotation axes. Limited by the respective rotation axes of the first and second locking members 34, 35, the motion paths of the first and second locking members 34, 35 can be more precise. For camera modules 103 requiring high precision, rotatably mounting the first and second locking members 34, 35 on the base 32 helps improve the positional accuracy of the locking assembly 31 and the lens assembly 40 when they are fixed, thereby improving the overall design accuracy of the camera module 103. Furthermore, rotatably mounting the first and second locking members 34, 35 on the base 32 also helps reduce the design difficulty and structural complexity of the drive assembly 36, thereby reducing the overall size of the camera module 103.

[0141] 6 , 7 and 9 , in some embodiments, the first locking member 34 includes a first clamping portion 341 and a first rotating portion 342 and a first free portion 343 connected at both ends of the first clamping portion 341 . The first rotating portion 342 is rotatably disposed on the bottom wall 321 . The first clamping portion 341 is used to clamp the lens assembly 40 . The driving assembly 36 can drive the first locking member 34 to rotate by driving the first free portion 343 to move.

[0142] 6 and 7 , in some embodiments, the first clamping portion 341 includes a first clamping surface 3411 , which is an arcuate surface. In other embodiments, the first clamping surface 3411 may also be a plane or a curved surface of other shapes.

[0143] 6 and 7 , in some embodiments, the second locking member 35 includes a second clamping portion 351 and a second rotating portion 352 and a second free portion 353 connected at both ends of the second clamping portion 351 . The second rotating portion 352 is rotatably disposed on the bottom wall 321 . The second clamping portion 351 is used to clamp the lens assembly 40 . The driving assembly 36 can drive the second locking member 35 to rotate by driving the second free portion 353 to move.

[0144] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 7, the second clamping portion 351 includes a second clamping surface 3511, which is a curved surface. Of course, in other embodiments, the second clamping surface 3511 can also be a plane or a curved surface of other shapes.

[0145] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 , a first rotating shaft 323 and a second rotating shaft 324 are provided on the bottom wall 321 , the first rotating portion 342 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 323 , and the second rotating portion 352 is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 324 .

[0146] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6 , the bottom wall 321 is further provided with a first limiting post 325 and a second limiting post 326 . The first free portion 343 is provided with a first limiting slot 3431 , into which the first limiting post 325 is assembled. The first limiting post 325 is able to move a certain distance in either direction relative to the first limiting slot 3431 within the first limiting slot 3431 . Thus, within a certain range, the first limiting post 325 does not interfere with the rotation of the first locking member 34 . Beyond this range, the first limiting slot 3431 limits the length of the movement path of the first locking member 34 , reducing the travel distance between the locked and unlocked states and thus shortening the response time. The second free portion 353 is provided with a second limiting slot 3531 , similar in structure to the first limiting slot 3431 .

[0147] 6-7 , the driving assembly 36 includes a first permanent magnet 361 , a second permanent magnet 362 , a first magnetic member 363 , a second magnetic member 364 and an electromagnet 365 .

[0148] In some embodiments, the first permanent magnet 361 is fixedly connected to the first locking member 34, and the second permanent magnet 362 is fixedly connected to the second locking member 35. For example, in some embodiments, the first permanent magnet 361 is bonded to the first locking member 34. Of course, the first permanent magnet 361 and the first locking member 34 can also be snap-fitted or welded; the second permanent magnet 362 is bonded to the second locking member 35. Of course, the second permanent magnet 362 and the second locking member 35 can also be snap-fitted or welded.

[0149] In some embodiments, the electromagnet 365 is fixedly connected to the base 32 and is located between the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362, so that the magnetic attraction or repulsion force between the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 can drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate relative to the base 32, so that the locking assembly 31 can be switched between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0150] In some embodiments, the first magnetic member 363 is fixedly connected to the base 32, for example, by bonding or snap-fitting. The first permanent magnet 361 is located between the first magnetic member 363 and the electromagnet 365. The second magnetic member 364 is fixedly connected to the base 32, for example, by bonding or snap-fitting. The second permanent magnet 362 is located between the second magnetic member 364 and the electromagnet 365. When a current in a first current direction is input to the electromagnet 365, the electromagnet 365 can attract the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 to move toward the electromagnet 365, thereby driving the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate toward each other, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to a locked state; when a current in a second current direction opposite to the first current direction is input to the electromagnet 365, the electromagnet 365 can repel the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 to move away from the electromagnet 365, thereby driving the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate away from each other, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to an unlocked state; in the locked state, the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 are both magnetically attracted to the electromagnet 365. In the unlocked state, the first permanent magnet 361 is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic member 363, and the second permanent magnet 362 is magnetically attracted to the second magnetic member 364.

[0151] In this embodiment, the coordination between the first permanent magnet 361, the second permanent magnet 362, the first magnetic member 363, the second magnetic member 364, and the electromagnet 365 allows for a simplified design and convenient miniaturization of the first permanent magnet 361, the second permanent magnet 362, the first magnetic member 363, the second magnetic member 364, and the electromagnet 365. This reduces the design complexity and simplifies the size of the locking motor 30. Furthermore, the lens assembly 40 can be locked and unlocked simply by switching the current in both positive and negative directions, improving control convenience. Furthermore, in the locked state, even if the locking motor 30 is powered off, the magnetic attraction between the core of the electromagnet 365 and the first and second permanent magnets 361, 362 maintains the locking assembly 31 in the locked state, thereby conserving energy and reducing heat generation.

[0152] In some other embodiments, the driving component 36 may also include only the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362. In the unlocked state, the electromagnet 365 is not energized, and the distance between the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 is large enough so that the iron core of the electromagnet 365 cannot drive the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 to move by the magnetic attraction force. However, when the electromagnet 365 is energized, the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 are spaced apart. The magnetic attraction force between the magnets 362 can drive the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 to move toward each other, so that the iron core of the electromagnet 365 is magnetically attracted to the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362, so that the locking assembly 31 is in a locked state. When the electromagnet 365 is powered off, the locking assembly 31 can also be kept in a locked state through the magnetic attraction between the iron core of the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362, thereby saving electricity and reducing heat.

[0153] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the locking motor 30 and lens assembly 40 in Figure 3, with the locking assembly 31 in the locked state. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the locking motor 30 and lens assembly 40 in Figure 3, with the locking assembly 31 in the unlocked state. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module 103 in Figure 3. It is understood that Figure 10 is only one of the many structures of the locking assembly 31 in this application, and different structures of the locking assembly 31 can all achieve the locked state. The locked state in Figure 11 is one of the multiple unlocked states of the locking assembly 31 in this application, and the locking assembly 31 in this application can also include other forms of locked states.

[0154] Referring to Figures 10-12 , the locking assembly 31 can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly 40 when the lens assembly 40 is at any point in the focus stroke. It will be understood that the "focus stroke" refers to the path that the lens assembly 40 can move when focusing via the autofocus motor 20, and a position of the lens assembly 40 along this path is a travel point of the lens assembly 40. In this embodiment, since the locking assembly 31 can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly 40 when the lens assembly 40 is at any point in the focus stroke, the lens assembly 40 can be locked at any focus position, thereby allowing the lens assembly 40 to be locked at a focus position that provides a good focus effect, thereby improving the user experience.

[0155] Referring to Figures 10-12 together, in some embodiments, the lens assembly 40 includes a first part 41 and a second part 42 that are interconnected as an integral whole. The autofocus motor 20 surrounds and is connected to the first part 41. In the optical axis direction Z perpendicular to the camera module 103, such as the first direction X, the second part 42 is opposite to the locking assembly 31, and the locking assembly 31 is used to lock or unlock the second part 42. In this embodiment, the locking assembly 31 is used to lock or unlock the second part 42 that is not surrounded by the autofocus motor 20, and in the optical axis direction Z perpendicular to the camera module 103, the second part 42 is opposite to the locking assembly 31, that is, the second part 42 is not surrounded by the autofocus motor 20, which facilitates the locking assembly 31 to lock the second part 42. The locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 correspond to different parts of the lens assembly 40 in the optical axis direction Z, so that the position between the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 is decoupled, which effectively reduces the structural design difficulty of the locking motor 30, improves the structural rationality of the lens assembly 40, and can also improve the structural design diversity of the locking motor 30.

[0156] It can be understood that the first direction X in this embodiment can be any direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction Z of the camera module 103, not just the first direction X shown in the drawings.

[0157] Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 , in some embodiments, when the lens assembly 40 is at any point in the focus stroke, the lens assembly 40 is at least partially opposite the locking assembly 31 in the first direction X. The portion of the lens assembly facing the locking assembly 31 is the second portion 42. Because the lens assembly 40 is at least partially opposite the locking assembly 31 in the first direction X at any point in the focus stroke, the second portion 42 can be locked or unlocked by the locking assembly 31 at any focus position. This allows the lens assembly 40 to be locked in a focus position with a good focus effect, thereby improving the user experience.

[0158] It is understood that the lengths of the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 in the optical axis direction Z of the camera module 103 can vary as the lens assembly 40 focuses. For example, the second portion 42 in the optical axis direction Z is shorter at the upper focus stroke point than at the lower focus stroke point. In this embodiment, regardless of any focus position, the portion of the lens assembly 40 surrounded by the autofocus motor 20 is referred to as the first portion 41, and the portion of the lens assembly 40 not surrounded by the autofocus motor 20 is referred to as the second portion 42. It is understood that the "upper focus stroke point" refers to the position farthest from the substrate 10 to which the lens assembly 40 can move in the optical axis direction Z of the camera module 103 during focusing, and the "lower focus stroke point" refers to the position closest to the substrate 10 to which the lens assembly 40 can move in the optical axis direction Z of the camera module 103 during focusing.

[0159] Referring to Figures 10-12 , in some embodiments, the portion of the lens assembly 40 housed within the accommodating space 2111 is a first portion 41, and the first portion 41 can be fixedly connected to the movable portion 22. The movable portion 22 can then move along the optical axis Z to drive the lens assembly 40 to achieve autofocus. The portion of the lens assembly 40 located outside the accommodating space 2111 is a second portion 42. This facilitates locking and unlocking the second portion 42 by the locking motor 30, facilitates positional decoupling between the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30, effectively reduces the structural design difficulty of the locking motor 30, improves the structural rationality of the lens assembly 40, and increases the structural design diversity of the locking motor 30.

[0160] It is understandable that the shape of the lens assembly 40 in this embodiment is not limited. For example, it can be roughly cylindrical, or roughly square or rectangular.

[0161] Referring to Figures 10 and 12 , in some embodiments, the second portion 42 is a sleeve-shaped structure, comprising an outer wall 422, a bottom wall 423, and an inner wall 424. The bottom wall 423 faces the base plate 10, and the outer wall 422 faces the locking assembly 31. The locking assembly 31 is configured to abut against the outer wall 422. In this embodiment, the locking assembly 31 abuts against the outer wall 422, thereby enabling locking and unlocking of the second portion 42.

[0162] 10 and 12 , in some embodiments, the locking assembly 31 can abut against different positions of the outer sidewall 422 to lock or unlock the lens assembly 40 at any point in the focusing stroke. In this embodiment, the locking assembly 31 can abut against any position on the sidewall of the second portion 42 to lock or unlock the lens assembly 40 at any point in the focusing stroke. This allows the lens assembly 40 to be locked at any focus position, thereby ensuring that the lens assembly 40 is locked at a focus position with a good focusing effect, thereby improving the user experience.

[0163] It can be understood that when the lens assembly 40 is located at any point in the focusing stroke, the portion of the second portion 42 that cooperates with the locking assembly 31 is sufficient to meet the requirement of being locked by the locking assembly 31 .

[0164] Referring to Figures 10 to 12 together, in some embodiments, the accommodating space 2111 and the receiving space 301 are opposite and connected in the optical axis direction Z, and the second part 42 is located in the receiving space 301, which is convenient for cooperating with the locking assembly 31 located in the receiving space 301 to achieve locking and unlocking of the second part 42 by the locking assembly 31, and the second part 42 of the lens assembly 40 is located in the receiving space 301, thereby being able to effectively protect the second part 42 of the lens assembly 40, and also conducive to achieving the sealing performance requirements of the camera module 103.

[0165] Referring to Figures 7 and 10 to 12 together, in some specific embodiments, the side wall 322 of the base 32 is fixed on the substrate 10, the bottom wall 321 of the base 32 is connected to the side of the side wall 322 facing the autofocus motor 20, the shell 211 is set on the bottom wall 321, the second through hole 3211 surrounded by the bottom wall 321 is opposite to and connected to the first through hole 221 surrounded by the movable part 22, the first part 41 of the lens assembly 40 is fixed to the first through hole 221, and the second part 42 of the lens assembly 40 passes through the second through hole 3211 and enters the receiving space 301 to cooperate with the locking assembly 31 to achieve locking and unlocking of the lens assembly 40. In this embodiment, when a current in a first current direction is input to the electromagnet 365, the electromagnet 365 can attract the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362, causing them to move toward the electromagnet 365, thereby driving the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate toward each other, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to a locked state. At this time, the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362 are both magnetically attracted to the electromagnet 365. In the locked state, the second portion 42 is clamped and tightened by the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35, thereby restricting the movement of the second portion 42 along the optical axis direction Z, thereby restricting the movement of the lens assembly 40 along the optical axis direction Z. When electromagnet 365 inputs a current in a second direction opposite to the first current, it repels first permanent magnet 361 and second permanent magnet 362 away from electromagnet 365, driving first locking member 34 and second locking member 35 to rotate in opposite directions, thereby driving locking assembly 31 to an unlocked state. At this point, first permanent magnet 361 is magnetically attracted to first magnetic member 363, and second permanent magnet 362 is magnetically attracted to second magnetic member 364. In the locked state, autofocus motor 20 can be powered and operating, or de-powered. However, in the locked state, the force applied by autofocus motor 20 to first portion 41 is insufficient to drive lens assembly 40 out of locking assembly 31. That is, in the locked state, lens assembly 40 remains stationary along the optical axis Z. In the unlocked state, the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 may be spaced apart from the second portion 42, that is, there is a gap 421 between the second portion 42 and the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35. In this case, the autofocus motor 20 can drive the lens assembly 40 to move in the optical axis direction Z to achieve autofocus. Of course, in some embodiments, in the unlocked state, the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 may also be in a state of clamping but not tightening the second portion 42. In this case, although there is no gap 421 between the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 and the second portion 42, the lens assembly 40 can still move along the optical axis direction Z under the drive of the autofocus motor 20.

[0166] In some embodiments, when in the locked state, the locking motor 30 is powered off, and the locking assembly 31 can be kept in the locked state under the magnetic attraction between the iron core of the electromagnet 365 and the first permanent magnet 361 and the second permanent magnet 362, thereby saving electricity and reducing heat.

[0167] In some embodiments, when in the unlocked state, the locking motor 30 is powered off. Since the first permanent magnet 361 is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic part 363 and the second permanent magnet 362 is magnetically attracted to the second magnetic part 364, the locking assembly 31 can be kept in the unlocked state, thereby saving electricity and reducing heat.

[0168] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12 , the image processing module 50 is disposed in a receiving space 301 surrounded by the base 32 , thereby fully utilizing the receiving space 301 and facilitating reduction in the overall size of the camera module 103 .

[0169] Figure 13 is a partial structural diagram of another camera module 103 provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 14 is an exploded schematic diagram of Figure 13. This embodiment can include most of the technical features of the above embodiment. The following mainly describes the differences between the two embodiments, and most of the common contents between the two embodiments are not repeated.

[0170] Referring to Figures 13 and 14 , the camera module 103 includes a substrate 10, an autofocus motor 20, a locking motor 30, and a lens assembly 40. The substrate 10, autofocus motor 20, and lens assembly 40 can be configured as described in the previous embodiment and are not described in detail herein. The primary difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment lies in the specific structure of the locking motor 30 in this embodiment, particularly the significant difference in the drive assembly 36 of the locking motor 30.

[0171] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG14 , the locking motor 30 may include a locking assembly 31 and a driving assembly 36. The locking assembly 31 includes a base 32, a first locking member 34, and a second locking member 35. The first locking member 34 has the same structure as the base plate 10 of the first locking member 34 in the previous embodiment, with the primary difference being that a first worm gear tooth portion 3432 is formed on the first free portion 343 of the first locking member 34 in this embodiment. The second locking member 35 has the same structure as the base plate 10 of the second locking member 35 in the previous embodiment, with the primary difference being that a second worm gear tooth portion 3532 is formed on the second free portion 353 of the second locking member 35 in this embodiment. The first clamping portion 341 and first rotating portion 342 of the first locking member 34, as well as the second clamping portion 351 and second rotating portion 352 of the second locking member 35, can be referred to in the previous embodiment and will not be further described here. The base 32 is basically the same as the base 32 in the previous embodiment. The main difference is that the first limit column 325 and the second limit column 326 are not provided on the bottom wall 321 in this embodiment. The base 32 in this embodiment includes a limit block 327, and the limit block 327 is provided between the first free portion 343 and the second free portion 353. The limit block 327 can limit the length of the movement path of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35, reduce the travel between the locked state and the unlocked state, and reduce the reaction time.

[0172] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 14, the drive assembly 36 includes a power source 366, a rotating shaft 367, and a first worm gear portion 368 and a second worm gear portion 369 provided on the rotating shaft 367, wherein the power source 366 can be a motor, a rotary cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, etc., the tooth directions of the first worm gear portion 368 and the second worm gear portion 369 are opposite, the first worm gear portion 368 is engaged with the first worm wheel gear portion 3432, and the second worm gear portion 369 is engaged with the second worm wheel gear portion 3532, and the power source 366 can drive the rotating shaft 367 to rotate forward or reverse, so as to drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to rotate relative to or oppositely. When the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 rotate toward each other (refer to the previous embodiment for details), the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 can clamp the lens assembly 40 to lock the lens assembly 40. When the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 rotate away from each other (refer to the previous embodiment for details), the lens assembly 40 can be unlocked. In this embodiment, the first worm gear portion 368 can drive the first worm wheel gear portion 3432 to rotate through the worm gear. When the power source 366 does not provide power, the first worm gear portion 368 and the first worm wheel gear portion 3432 can achieve self-locking. The second worm gear portion 369 can drive the second worm wheel gear portion 3532 to rotate. When the power source 366 does not provide power, the second worm gear portion 369 and the second worm wheel gear portion 3532 can achieve self-locking. Therefore, when no power is provided, the locking assembly 31 can be kept in a locked state, thereby saving electricity and reducing heat. In addition, since the first worm gear tooth portion 3432 and the second worm tooth portion 369 are both arranged on the rotating shaft 367, and the tooth directions of the first worm tooth portion 368 and the second worm tooth portion 369 are opposite, the driving of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 can be achieved through a rotating shaft 367 and a power source 366, thereby simplifying the structure of the drive assembly 36.

[0173] Figure 15 is a partial structural diagram of another camera module 103 provided in an embodiment of the present application; this embodiment can include most of the technical features of the above embodiments. The following mainly explains the differences between the two, and most of the same contents of the two will not be repeated.

[0174] Referring to Figure 15 , the camera module 103 includes a substrate 10, an autofocus motor 20, a locking motor 30, and a lens assembly 40. The configuration of the substrate 10, autofocus motor 20, and lens assembly 40 can be similar to that described in the previous embodiment and will not be described in detail here. The primary difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment lies in the specific structure of the locking motor 30 in this embodiment, particularly the significant difference in the drive assembly 36 of the locking motor 30.

[0175] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 15 , the locking motor 30 may include a locking assembly 31 and a driving assembly 36 . The locking assembly 31 includes a base 32 , a first locking member 34 , and a second locking member 35 .

[0176] The structure of the first locking member 34 is substantially the same as that of the first locking member 34 in the previous embodiment, the primary difference being that the first locking member 34 in this embodiment slides relative to the base 32 in a predetermined direction, rather than rotating relative to the base 32 as in the previous embodiment. Specifically, the first locking member 34 comprises a first clamping portion 341, a first sliding portion 345 located at either end of the first clamping portion 341, and a first free portion 343. The first sliding portion 345 defines a first guide slot 3451, which can be in the shape of a waist-shaped slot, a rectangular slot, or other elongated slot. The base 32 is provided with a first guide rod, which can be waist-shaped, rectangular, or square, or can be a combination of two or more circular rods. The first guide rod can slide relative to the first guide slot 3451 in a predetermined direction, which is also the longitudinal direction of the first guide slot 3451. The first clamping portion 341 in this embodiment can be referenced to the previous embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0177] The structure of the second locking member 35 is substantially the same as that of the second locking member 35 in the previous embodiment, the primary difference being that the second locking member 35 in this embodiment slides relative to the base 32 in a predetermined direction, rather than rotating relative to the base 32 as in the previous embodiment. Specifically, the second locking member 35 comprises a second clamping portion 351, a second sliding portion 355 located at both ends of the second clamping portion 351, and a second free portion 353. The second sliding portion 355 defines a second guide slot 3551, which can be in the shape of a waist-shaped slot, a rectangular slot, or other elongated slot. The base 32 is provided with a second guide rod, which can be waist-shaped, rectangular, or square, or can be a combination of two or more circular rods. The second guide rod can slide relative to the second guide slot 3551 in a predetermined direction, which is also the longitudinal direction of the second guide slot 3551. The second clamping portion 351 in this embodiment can be referred to in the previous embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0178] The base 32 is basically the same as the base 32 in the previous embodiment. The main difference is that the first limit column 325 and the second limit column 326 are not provided on the bottom wall 321 in this embodiment. The base 32 in this embodiment includes a limit block 327, and the limit block 327 is provided between the first free portion 343 and the second free portion 353. The limit block 327 can limit the length of the movement path of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35, reduce the travel between the locked state and the unlocked state, and reduce the reaction time.

[0179] In this embodiment, the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 can slide toward each other in a preset direction under the drive of the driving assembly 36 to support and clamp the lens assembly 40, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to a locked state (refer to the previous embodiment) to lock the lens assembly 40. The first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 can also be driven to slide away from each other in a preset direction under the drive of the driving assembly 36, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to an unlocked state (refer to the previous embodiment) to unlock the lens assembly 40.

[0180] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 15, the first clamping surface 3411 on the first clamping portion 341 is an arc surface, the second clamping surface 3511 on the second clamping portion 351 is an arc surface, and the second part 42 of the lens assembly 40 is cylindrical. The outer diameter of the second part 42 is the same as the inner diameter of the first clamping surface 3411 and the second clamping surface 3511, so that in the locked state, the first clamping surface 3411 and the second clamping surface 3511 can be completely attached to the outer surface of the second part 42, so that the second part 42 is subjected to balanced force when clamped, and will not cause the lens assembly 40 to deviate from the original optical axis, thereby improving the fixing accuracy.

[0181] It is understandable that the shape of the lens assembly 40 and the shapes of the first clamping surface 3411 and the second clamping surface 3511 can be adjusted according to needs, and the above embodiment is only one of many embodiments of the present application.

[0182] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 15, the drive assembly 36 includes a rotating shaft 367, a power source 366, and a first threaded portion 370 and a second threaded portion 371 arranged on the rotating shaft 367. The axial direction of the rotating shaft 367 is the same as the preset direction. The first locking member 34 is engaged with the first threaded portion 370, specifically the first free portion 343 is engaged with the first threaded portion 370, and the second free portion 353 of the second locking member 35 is engaged with the second threaded portion 371, specifically the second free portion 353 is engaged with the second threaded portion 371. The power source 366 can drive the rotating shaft 367 to rotate forward or reverse to drive the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 to slide relative to or away from each other. Through the cooperation between the first threaded portion 370 and the second threaded portion 371 on the rotating shaft 367 and the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35, the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 can be driven to slide along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 367 at the same time through a rotating shaft 367, so that the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 slide relative to or opposite to each other, thereby reducing the complexity of the structure and ensuring the synchronization of the sliding of the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35, which is beneficial to improving the position accuracy of the locking member 33 and the lens assembly 40 in the locked state.

[0183] In some embodiments, the preset direction is parallel to the first direction X in the above embodiments. It is understood that in other embodiments, the preset direction may not be parallel to the first direction X.

[0184] It can be understood that the toward sliding in this embodiment refers to the movement in which the distance between the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 gradually decreases, while the away sliding refers to the movement in which the distance between the first locking member 34 and the second locking member 35 gradually increases.

[0185] Figure 16 is a partial structural diagram of another camera module 103 provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 17 is an exploded schematic diagram of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the assembled structure of the locking member 33 and the base 32 in Figure 16; and Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the assembled structure of the locking member 33 and the rotating disk 372 in Figure 16. This embodiment can include most of the technical features of the above embodiment. The following mainly describes the differences between the two embodiments, and most of the common features between the two embodiments are not repeated here.

[0186] Referring to Figures 16-19 , the camera module 103 includes a substrate 10, an autofocus motor 20, a locking motor 30, and a lens assembly 40. The substrate 10, autofocus motor 20, and lens assembly 40 can be configured as described in the previous embodiment and are not described in detail herein. The primary difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment lies in the specific structure of the locking motor 30 in this embodiment, particularly the significant difference in the drive assembly 36 of the locking motor 30.

[0187] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the locking motor 30 may include a locking assembly 31 and a driving assembly 36. The locking assembly 31 includes a base 32 and a plurality of locking members 33, specifically two or more locking members 33. The base 32 includes a bottom wall 321 and side walls 322. The bottom wall 321 and the side walls 322 enclose a receiving space 301. The bottom wall 321, the side walls 322, and the receiving space 301 can be referred to in the previous embodiment and are not described in detail here. The plurality of locking members 33 are arranged around the lens assembly 40. The plurality of locking members 33 are rotatably connected to the base 32. The driving assembly 36 can drive the plurality of locking members 33 to rotate in a first rotation direction a to abut and clamp the lens assembly 40, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to a locked state and locking the lens assembly 40. The drive assembly 36 can also drive the multiple locking members 33 to rotate in the second rotation direction b to drive the locking assembly 31 to the unlocked state and unlock the lens assembly 40, wherein the first rotation direction a and the second rotation direction b are opposite. Based on the multiple locking members 33 being arranged around the lens assembly 40, the multiple locking members 33 are rotatably connected to the base 32. This not only helps to improve the positional accuracy of the locking assembly 31 and the lens assembly 40 when they are fixed, just like the two locking members 33 in the above embodiment, but also helps to improve the overall design accuracy of the camera module 103. In addition, since there are multiple locking members 33, they can clamp the lens assembly 40 at multiple points, which helps to maintain the uniformity of force on the lens assembly 40 in all directions, and helps to improve the locking stability and positional accuracy of the lens assembly 40 when locked.

[0188] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the multiple locking members 33 have the same shape and size, and are evenly spaced about the optical axis. That is, when rotating about the optical axis, the multiple locking members 33 can overlap with each other. In this embodiment, because the multiple locking members 33 are evenly spaced about the optical axis, when the multiple locking members 33 clamp the lens assembly 40, specifically the second portion 42 of the lens assembly 40, which is cylindrical in this embodiment, the multiple locking members 33 can evenly clamp the second portion 42. This helps improve the positional accuracy of the locking assembly 31 and the lens assembly 40 when they are fixed, thereby improving the overall design accuracy of the camera module 103.

[0189] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, a first rotating shaft 323 is provided on the locking member 33, and a first rotating hole 3212 is defined on the bottom wall 321 of the base 32. The locking member 33 is rotatably mounted on the first rotating hole 3212 via the first rotating shaft 323. A second rotating hole 331 is defined on the locking member 33, and the locking member 33 is rotatably connected to the driving assembly 36 via the second rotating hole 331. The axes of the first rotating shaft 323 and the second rotating hole 331 do not coincide. For example, the first rotating shaft 323 and the second rotating hole 331 are spaced apart, or in other words, the first rotating shaft 323 and the second rotating shaft 324 corresponding to each locking member 33 are spaced apart.

[0190] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16, 17, and 19, the drive assembly 36 includes a turntable 372, a worm 374, and a power source for driving the worm 374 to rotate relative to the base 32. A worm gear portion 373 is provided on the periphery of the turntable 372, and the worm 374 engages with the worm gear portion 373. The locking members 33 are rotatably connected to the turntable 372. Specifically, the turntable 372 is provided with a second rotating shaft 324, and each locking member 33 is rotatably mounted within a second rotating shaft 324 through a second rotating hole 331 therein. The power source can drive the worm 374 to rotate forward or reverse, thereby driving the turntable 372 to rotate forward or reverse. The forward or reverse rotation of the turntable 372 can drive the multiple locking members 33 to rotate in the first rotation direction a or the second rotation direction b, thereby driving the locking assembly 31 to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state, thereby locking and unlocking the lens assembly 40. The drive assembly 36 in this embodiment also utilizes a worm gear 374, which maintains the locking assembly 31 in a locked state even when the power source is unpowered, thereby saving energy and reducing heat generation. Furthermore, because a single turntable 372 simultaneously connects to multiple locking members 33, the rotational synchronization of the multiple locking members 33 is ensured, facilitating improved positional accuracy between the locking members 33 and the lens assembly 40 in the locked state.

[0191] The embodiment of the present application also provides another camera module, including a lens assembly 40, a locking motor 30, and an autofocus motor 20. The locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 are stacked along the optical axis direction Z of the camera module 103. The locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 are two independent lens assembly 40 drive modules. The autofocus motor 20 surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly 40. The autofocus motor 20 is used to drive the lens assembly 40 along the optical axis direction Z to achieve focusing. When the lens assembly 40 is at any point in the focusing stroke, the locking motor 30 can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly 40. Among them, the lens assembly 40, the locking motor 30, the autofocus motor 20, etc. in this embodiment can all refer to the previous embodiment and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0192] In this embodiment, the upper and lower position relationship of the locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 is not limited. It is sufficient that the locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 are two independent lens assembly 40 drive modules, that is, the position decoupling between the locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 is sufficient. For example, the locking motor 30 can be located below the autofocus motor 20, or above or to the side of the autofocus motor 20.

[0193] The camera module 103 in this embodiment can achieve a fixed position of the lens assembly 40 in specific scenarios. For example, in a motion scene, the position of the lens assembly 40 is fixed by the locking motor 30, which can avoid the occurrence of vibration, thereby effectively improving the shooting effect of the camera module 103 during motion. Because the locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 are two independent lens assembly 40 drive modules, the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 are in a positionally decoupled state. The morphological design of the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 will not affect each other, which is conducive to increasing the design diversity of the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30. For example, different types of autofocus motors 20 can be used to match different types of locking motors 30. Moreover, since the autofocus motor 20 and the locking motor 30 are in a positionally decoupled state, it is conducive to modular production, replacement and maintenance, and improves convenience. In addition, since the locking motor 30 can lock or unlock the lens assembly 40 when the lens assembly 40 in this embodiment is located at any point in the focusing stroke, the lens assembly 40 can be locked for any focusing position, so that the lens assembly 40 can be locked at a focusing position with a good focusing effect, which can improve the user experience.

[0194] FIG20 is a flowchart of a possible method for controlling the camera module 103 provided in this application.

[0195] The present application also provides a method for controlling a camera module 103. The method for controlling the camera module 103 is applied to the electronic device 100 in the above embodiment. The method for controlling the camera module 103 includes the following steps:

[0196] S100, start photo or video mode.

[0197] In step S100, the photo or video mode can be entered manually through the user interface. In some other implementations, the photo or video mode can be automatically entered through intelligent control. For example, in some scenarios, taking a mobile phone as an example, when the user holds up the mobile phone and points it at the object to be photographed for 3 seconds or more, the photo or video mode is automatically turned on. In some other implementations, the photo or video mode can be entered remotely through other smart devices. It should be noted that starting to enter the photo or video mode is different from executing the action command of taking a photo or video. Specifically, the photo or video mode must be entered first before the photo or video action can be executed.

[0198] S200: Detect whether the electronic device 100 enters a sports mode.

[0199] In step S200, whether the electronic device 100 enters the motion mode can be detected in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, the electronic device 100 can be detected to be in motion. Upon detecting motion, the electronic device 100 enters the motion mode. In this embodiment, motion refers to motion with a speed exceeding a preset value, or motion with an acceleration exceeding a preset value, where the preset value can be set as needed. It is understood that the electronic device 100 in this embodiment can refer to the embodiments described above and will not be described in detail here.

[0200] In some implementations, the acceleration magnitude may be detected by an accelerometer, and then a determination may be made as to whether the acceleration magnitude exceeds a preset value.

[0201] In some implementations, it is possible to detect whether the electronic device 100 receives a motion mode entry signal input from a user interface, and then the electronic device 100 enters the motion mode after receiving the motion mode entry signal input from the user interface.

[0202] The electronic device 100 in the embodiment of the present application can detect whether the electronic device 100 enters the sports mode by at least two methods: manual input and automatic detection, which improves the convenience of user use and improves the user experience.

[0203] S300 , after determining that the electronic device 100 is in the motion mode, the auto-focus motor 20 starts and drives the lens assembly 40 to move to achieve auto-focus.

[0204] In some implementations, after the electronic device 100 is in motion mode, an autofocus signal is generated, the camera module 103 responds to the autofocus signal, and the autofocus motor 20 drives the lens assembly 40 to move to achieve autofocus.

[0205] Through step S300 , after the electronic device 100 enters the sports mode, the auto-focus motor 20 can drive the lens assembly 40 to automatically focus, so as to perform the following step S400 .

[0206] S400 , after the autofocus is completed, the locking motor 30 is started and locks the lens assembly 40 .

[0207] In some implementations, a locking signal is generated after the autofocus is completed, and the camera module 103 locks the lens assembly 40 with the locking motor 30 in response to the locking signal.

[0208] In step S400, when the autofocus is completed, it means that the focus is on a clear image. The locking motor 30 can be the locking motor 30 in the previous embodiment, or it can be a locking motor 30 of other structures that can achieve locking and unlocking of the lens assembly 40. Among them. When the locking motor 30 locks the lens assembly 40, it is equivalent to the lens assembly 40 being locked when the locking assembly 31 in the previous embodiment is in a locked state. For example, when the locking motor 30 in step S400 is the locking motor 30 in the previous embodiment, the power can be cut off after the locking motor 30 locks the lens assembly 40. After the power is cut off, the locking motor 30 still has a fixing effect on the lens assembly 40, and the lens assembly 40 still cannot move along the optical axis direction Z, thereby saving electricity.

[0209] S500: Execute photo taking or video recording.

[0210] In step S500, the function of taking a photo or shooting a video can be executed manually by inputting it into the user interface, or it can be executed intelligently by a preset method. For example, in some scenarios, the function of taking a photo or shooting a video can be executed intelligently by smile recognition, voice recognition, etc.

[0211] The control method of the camera module 103 in this embodiment can solve the problems of repeated focusing and vibration in a moving state. Specifically, the autofocus motor 20 will drive the lens assembly 40 to automatically focus, but in the moving state, due to the next state after the focusing is completed, since the distance between the lens assembly 40 and the object to be photographed changes again, the autofocus motor 20 will automatically focus the lens assembly 40 again, and the repeated focusing will result in poor shooting effects. The control method of the camera module 103 in this embodiment, after entering the motion mode through the judgment of step S200, the autofocus motor 20 will drive the lens assembly 40 to automatically focus, but after the focusing is completed, the lens assembly 40 can be locked through step S400, and thereafter the autofocus motor 20 can no longer repeatedly autofocus. Compared with repeated focusing, the shooting effect after the lens assembly 40 is locked is better.

[0212] It is understandable that after the locking motor 30 fixes and locks the lens assembly 40 , the autofocus motor 20 can be automatically powered off to save energy.

[0213] In some embodiments, after detecting that the electronic device 100 has exited sports mode, the locking motor 30 may receive an unlocking signal, thereby unlocking the lens assembly 40 and allowing the autofocus motor 20 to drive the lens assembly 40 along the optical axis to achieve autofocus. Specifically, sports mode may be exited manually by the user, or automatically by detecting that the speed or acceleration of the movement is less than a preset value within a preset time period. Both the preset time period and the preset value can be set.

[0214] FIG21 is a flowchart of another possible control method of the camera module 103 provided in this application. The control method of the camera module 103 can be applied to the electronic device 100 in the above embodiment. It is understood that the control method of the camera module 103 can also be applied to electronic devices other than those in the above embodiment.

[0215] The embodiment of the present application further provides a method for controlling the camera module 103, and the method for controlling the camera module 103 includes the following steps:

[0216] S100, start photo or video mode.

[0217] Step S100 in this embodiment can refer to step S100 in the embodiment in Figure 20 above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0218] S200 , reading focus data within a preset time period, wherein the focus data includes a focus position and a duration.

[0219] In step S200, the preset time period can refer to the past 24 hours before starting the photo or video mode, or the past 10 days before starting the photo or video mode, or all the time from activating the mobile phone to starting the photo or video mode. It can be understood that the preset time period can be set according to needs.

[0220] The focus position refers to the position of the lens assembly 40 when the electronic device 100 is in a state of taking a photo or video. In this embodiment, the focus position of the lens assembly 40 can be expressed by the focal length.

[0221] S300 , obtaining a target focus position from the focus data, wherein the target focus position is a position where the duration corresponding to the focus position of the lens assembly 40 exceeds a preset duration.

[0222] In step S300, the preset duration may refer to a set time span, for example, the preset duration is 10 minutes. The preset duration may be set as required.

[0223] The target focus position refers to a focus position among all focus positions that the lens assembly 40 can reach, and when the duration of time that a focus position is maintained exceeds a preset duration (e.g., 10 minutes), the focus position is the target focus position in this embodiment. For example, if the lens assembly maintains a focus position with a focal length of 15 mm for a preset duration (e.g., 10 minutes), the focus position of the lens assembly with a focal length of 15 mm is the target focus position.

[0224] It is understood that the duration that the lens assembly 40 maintains the focus position refers to the sum of all the times that the lens assembly 40 is in the focus position. It should be noted that the target focus position in step S300 can refer to a point or a range. For example, the target focus position can be a focus position with a focal length of 15 mm or a focus position with a focal length of 10 mm-15 mm.

[0225] In some implementations, the target focus position needs to be further screened. For example, when there is more than one focus position that exceeds the preset time length, the target focus position is the focus position that exceeds the preset time length the longest among the multiple focus positions that exceed the preset time length.

[0226] S400 , the lens assembly 40 of the electronic device 100 completes focusing at a target focusing position.

[0227] In step S400, the lens assembly 40 can be focused at the target focus position by the autofocus motor 20 in the above embodiment. It is understood that when the target focus position refers to a range, as long as the focus position of the lens assembly 40 is within the range, it will be sufficient.

[0228] It can be understood that after the target focus position is obtained, if the lens assembly 40 is just in the target focus position, step S500 below can be directly executed. After the target focus position is obtained, if the lens assembly 40 is not in the target focus position, step S400 is executed.

[0229] S500 , locking the lens assembly 40 at the target focus position.

[0230] In step S500 , the locking motor 30 in the above embodiment may be started to lock the lens assembly 40 at the target focus position.

[0231] The principle of the locking motor 30 in this embodiment locking the lens assembly 40 in the focus position can be referred to the step S400 in the embodiment in FIG. 20 above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0232] S600, taking a photo or video.

[0233] Step S600 in this embodiment can refer to step S500 in the embodiment in Figure 20 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0234] Through the control method of the camera module 103 in this embodiment, when the lens assembly 40 obtains the target focus position, the lens assembly 40 is locked at the target focus position, so that the lens assembly 40 can maintain the desired focus position for shooting without repeated focusing. This not only improves intelligence and convenience for users, but also reduces power consumption caused by repeated focusing. In addition, there is no need to continuously input current to the autofocus motor 20 to maintain the focus position, thereby saving power consumption of the autofocus motor 20.

[0235] It is understandable that after the locking motor 30 fixes and locks the lens assembly 40 , the autofocus motor 20 can be automatically powered off to save energy.

[0236] It is understandable that when the locking motor 30 in the above embodiment is used, after the locking motor has fixedly locked the lens assembly 40 , the locking motor 30 can still lock the lens assembly 40 after being powered off.

[0237] In some specific application scenarios, for example, in some embodiments, the camera mode needs to be used, such as when a course needs to be recorded. First, the photo or video mode is started, and then the electronic device 100 intelligently reads the focus data within a preset time period (for example, within 10 minutes), and then obtains whether the time when the lens assembly 40 is in a certain focus position (for example, the focus position when the focal length is 20mm) exceeds the preset time length (for example, 3 minutes). The focus position when the focal length is 20mm is the target focus position, and then the lens assembly 40 of the electronic device 100 completes the focus, so that the lens assembly 40 is in the target focus position, and then the lens assembly 40 is locked, for example, by starting and locking the lens assembly 40 at the focus position when the focal length is 20mm through the locking motor 30. Then the locking motor 30 and the autofocus motor 20 can both stop working, but the lens assembly 40 can be locked at the focus position when the focal length is 20mm, and continue to execute the camera instruction. The control method of the camera module 103 in this embodiment not only improves intelligence and user convenience, but also reduces power consumption caused by repeated focusing. Furthermore, there is no need to constantly input current to the autofocus motor 20 to maintain the focus position, thereby saving power consumption of the autofocus motor 20.

[0238] It can be understood that in this embodiment, the locking motor 30 can be manually input to exit the fixation of the lens assembly 40, or the locking motor 30 can be automatically exited through a preset intelligent method, such as turning off the shooting or video mode and then reopening the shooting or video mode.

[0239] FIG22 is a flowchart of another possible control method of the camera module 103 provided in this application. The control method of the camera module 103 can be applied to the electronic device 100 in the above embodiment. It is understood that the control method of the camera module 103 can also be applied to electronic devices other than those in the above embodiment.

[0240] The present application also provides a method for controlling a camera module 103. The method for controlling the camera module 103 is applied to the electronic device 100 in the above embodiment. The method for controlling the camera module 103 includes the following steps:

[0241] S100: Receive an instruction to exit a photo or video recording mode.

[0242] S200, reading the target focus position within a preset time period.

[0243] In step S200, the target focus position may be the target focus position in the embodiment of FIG. 21 , or a target focus position set according to other logic. For example, the target focus position when shooting a portrait and the target focus position when shooting a landscape may be different. For example, when determining the target focus position, it is possible to first identify whether the target object is a person or a landscape, and then determine the focus position of the lens assembly 40 whose corresponding time length exceeds the preset time length to obtain the target focus position.

[0244] In some embodiments, the target focus position is the focus position that the user is accustomed to, such as the focus position that the user often uses for taking pictures. For example, within a preset time period (such as the past month), the focus position used by the user for shooting for more than a preset time (such as 50 minutes) is the target focus position. It is understandable that the target focus position that the user is accustomed to can be a point or a range. The preset time period can be within the past 24 hours before starting the photo or video mode, or within the past 10 days before starting the photo or video mode, or all the time from activating the phone to starting the photo or video mode. It is understandable that the preset time period can be set according to demand.

[0245] S300 , the lens assembly 40 of the electronic device 100 moves to a target focus position.

[0246] In step S300 , the auto-focus motor 20 may be used to drive the lens assembly 40 to move to a target focus position.

[0247] When executing step S300, it is first determined whether the lens assembly 40 is in the target focus position. Specifically, it can be determined intelligently by a preset method or manually input.

[0248] When the lens assembly 40 is not at the target focus position, an auto focus signal is generated. In response to the auto focus signal, the electronic device 100 drives the lens assembly 40 to move to the target focus position through the auto focus motor 20 .

[0249] S400 , locking the lens assembly 40 of the electronic device 100 at a target focus position.

[0250] In step S400 , the lens assembly 40 may be locked at the target focus position by locking the motor 30 .

[0251] Specifically, after the lens assembly 40 moves to the user's preferred target focus position, a locking signal is generated. The camera module 103 responds to the locking signal, and the locking motor 30 locks the lens assembly 40 at the target focus position. In this embodiment, the camera module 103 responds to the locking signal, and the locking motor 30 locks the lens assembly 40 at the target focus position. Refer to step S400 in the embodiment of FIG. 20 above, and will not be further described here.

[0252] S500, exit photo or video mode.

[0253] Through steps S100-S500, after each use of the photo or video mode of the electronic device 100, the lens assembly 40 of the electronic device 100 will be automatically locked at the target focus position (such as the focus position accustomed to the user), so that after subsequent use of the photo or video mode of the electronic device 100, photos or videos can be taken directly at the target focus position.

[0254] For example, in some application scenarios where snapshots are required, since the lens assembly 40 will automatically lock at the target focus position after the last use of the photo or video mode of the electronic device 100, when taking photos or videos again, the user can directly perform the photo or video function at the target focus position that the user is accustomed to. Compared with the mode of automatically focusing before taking photos when snapshotting, the snapshot reaction time is long and it is easy to be out of focus. The camera module 103 in this embodiment does not require the automatic focusing step when snapshotting, and the shooting speed is faster and the shooting effect is better.

[0255] In some implementations, after step S500, the method for controlling the camera module 103 further includes the following steps:

[0256] S600, in response to a photo taking instruction, taking a preset number of photos at a target focus position or in response to a video taking instruction, taking a video at a target focus position.

[0257] In step S600, a snapshot signal can be generated in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, a snapshot signal is generated when the camera module 103 is turned off and then the photo or video mode is turned on again. For another example, in some embodiments, a snapshot signal is generated when the camera module 103 is turned on but not used for a predetermined period of time and then the photo or video function is used again. Furthermore, the preset number of photos in S600 can be one or more photos.

[0258] In some embodiments, after step S600, the method for controlling the camera module 103 further includes:

[0259] S700: Unlock the lens assembly 40.

[0260] In step S700, an unlock signal may be generated after a preset number of photos are captured at the target focus position, or an unlock signal may be generated after a video is shot at the target focus position. The camera module 103 responds to the unlock signal, and the locking motor 30 cancels the lock on the lens assembly 40.

[0261] Of course, in some other implementations, the unlocking signal may also be generated by manual input.

[0262] After step S700, the control method of the camera module 103 further includes:

[0263] S800, lens assembly 40 autofocus.

[0264] In step S800 , the camera module 103 may specifically respond to the auto-focus signal, and the auto-focus motor 20 may drive the camera module 103 to move to achieve auto-focus.

[0265] S900, take a photo or video.

[0266] Step S900 in this embodiment can refer to step S500 in the embodiment in Figure 20 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0267] Through step S900, after the first round of snapshots is completed through step S600, the next round of photos can be taken through step S900. Specifically, steps S700-S900 are executed in sequence to unlock and turn on the autofocus function. Through the focusing of the autofocus motor 20, photos or videos with different effects from when the lens assembly 40 is shot at the target focus position accustomed to the user can be obtained, thereby increasing the diversity of photo or video shooting.

[0268] It should be noted that the electronic device 100 and camera module 103 provided in the embodiments of the present application can be the electronic device 100 and camera module 103 in the previous embodiments, or can be other electronic devices 100 and camera modules 103 that have specific autofocus and locking functions but have different structures from the electronic device 100 and camera module 103 in the previous embodiments. Similarly, the autofocus motor 20 and locking motor 30 can be the autofocus motor 20 and locking motor 30 in the previous embodiments, or can be autofocus motors 20 and locking motors 30 of other structures that can achieve autofocus. Similarly, the lens assembly 40 can be the lens assembly 40 in the previous embodiments, or can be a lens assembly 40 of other structures.

[0269] An embodiment of the present application also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a memory. The processor is coupled to the memory, and the memory is used to store computer program code. The computer program code includes computer instructions. When the processor executes the computer instructions, the chip executes the control method of the camera module 103 as described above.

[0270] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A camera module, characterized in that: It includes a substrate, a locking motor, an autofocus motor and a lens assembly, wherein the autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly, and along the optical axis direction of the camera module, the locking motor is located between the substrate and the autofocus motor; The locking motor includes a locking assembly and a driving assembly, wherein the driving assembly is used to drive the locking assembly to a locked state after the camera module completes autofocus; the driving assembly is also used to drive the locking assembly to an unlocked state before the camera module starts autofocus; wherein, in the locked state, the locking assembly is used to lock the lens assembly so that the position of the lens assembly is fixed relative to the substrate; in the unlocked state, the locking assembly is unlocked from the lens assembly so that the camera module can automatically focus.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lens assembly includes a first part and a second part that are interconnected as a whole. The autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the first part. In a first direction, the second part is opposite to the locking assembly. The locking assembly is used to lock or unlock with the second part. The first direction is perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the camera module.

3. The camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second part is a sleeve-shaped structure, and the second part includes an outer wall, a bottom wall and an inner wall, the bottom wall faces the substrate, and the outer wall faces the locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to hold the outer wall against the camera module after focusing is completed at any position.

4. The camera module according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The locking assembly includes a base and a locking member movably arranged on the base, the base is fixedly connected between the substrate and the autofocus motor, and the driving assembly can drive the locking member to move relative to the base so that the locking member is locked or unlocked with the second part.

5. The camera module according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are two locking members, which are respectively a first locking member and a second locking member. One end of the first locking member and one end of the second locking member are both rotatably connected to the base. The driving component can drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate toward each other to resist and clamp the second part. The driving component can also drive the first locking member and the second locking member to rotate away from each other to unlock the first locking member and the second locking member from the second part.

6. The camera module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a first permanent magnet, a second permanent magnet, a first magnetic part, a second magnetic part and an electromagnet. The first permanent magnet is fixedly connected to the first locking part, the second permanent magnet is fixedly connected to the second locking part, the first magnetic part, the second magnetic part and the electromagnet are all fixed to the base, the electromagnet is located between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet, the first permanent magnet is located between the first magnetic part and the electromagnet, the second permanent magnet is located between the second magnetic part and the electromagnet, and the electromagnet is used to drive the first locking part and the second locking part to rotate towards or away from each other.

7. The camera module according to claim 5, characterized in that: One end of the first locking member includes a first worm gear tooth portion, and the other end of the second locking member includes a second worm gear tooth portion. The driving assembly includes a power source, a rotating shaft, and a first worm gear tooth portion and a second worm gear tooth portion provided on the rotating shaft. The tooth directions of the first worm gear tooth portion and the second worm gear tooth portion are opposite. The first worm gear tooth portion is meshed with the first worm wheel gear portion, and the second worm gear tooth portion is meshed with the second worm wheel gear portion.

8. The camera module according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are multiple locking members, and the multiple locking members are arranged around the second part. The multiple locking members are rotatably connected to the base. The driving component can drive the multiple locking members to rotate in a first rotation direction to abut and clamp the second part. The driving component can also drive the multiple locking members to rotate in a second rotation direction to unlock the locking members from the second part, wherein the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction are opposite.

9. The camera module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a turntable, a worm and a power source. The turntable is rotatably connected to the base. The turntable includes a worm gear portion. The worm is meshed with the worm gear portion. A plurality of locking members are rotatably connected to the turntable. A rotating shaft for the locking member to rotate relative to the base and a rotating shaft for the locking member to rotate relative to the turntable are arranged at intervals. The power source can drive the worm to rotate forward or reversely, so as to drive the turntable to rotate forward or reversely, so as to drive a plurality of the locking members to rotate in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction.

10. The camera module according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are two locking members, which are respectively a first locking member and a second locking member. The first locking member and the second locking member are both slidably connected to the base along a preset direction. The driving component can drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide toward each other along the preset direction to resist and clamp the second part so that the first locking member and the second lock are locked with the second part. The driving component can also drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide away from each other along the preset direction so that the first locking member and the second lock are unlocked from the second part.

11. The camera module according to claim 10, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a rotating shaft, a power source, and a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion arranged on the rotating shaft. The axial direction of the rotating shaft is the same as the preset direction. The first locking member is engaged with the first threaded portion, and the second locking member is engaged with the second threaded portion. The power source can drive the rotating shaft to rotate forward or reversely to drive the first locking member and the second locking member to slide relative to or away from each other.

12. The camera module according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The camera module also includes an image processing module. The locking motor surrounds a receiving space. The image processing module is disposed in the receiving space. The image processing module is disposed on the substrate and is located between the substrate and the lens assembly.

13. A camera module, characterized in that: It includes a lens assembly, a locking motor and an autofocus motor. The locking motor and the autofocus motor are stacked along the optical axis direction of the camera module. The locking motor and the autofocus motor are two independent lens assembly drive modules. The autofocus motor surrounds and is connected to the lens assembly. The autofocus motor is used to drive the lens assembly along the optical axis direction to achieve focusing. When the lens assembly is located at any stroke point in the focusing stroke, the locking motor can be locked or unlocked with the lens assembly.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that: It comprises a processor and a camera module as described in any one of claims 1 to 13 above, wherein the processor is electrically connected to the camera module.

15. A method for controlling a camera module, applied to the electronic device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The control method of the camera module includes: Start the photo or video mode; Detecting whether the electronic device enters a sports mode; After determining that the electronic device is in the motion mode, the autofocus motor is started and drives the lens assembly to move to achieve autofocus; After the automatic focusing is completed, the locking motor starts and locks the lens assembly; Take a photo or video.

16. A camera module control method, applied to electronic equipment, characterized in that: The control method of the camera module includes: Start the photo or video mode; Reading focus data within a preset time period, wherein the focus data includes a focus position and a duration; Acquire a target focus position from the focus data, wherein the target focus position is a position where a duration corresponding to a focus position of a lens assembly of the electronic device exceeds a preset duration; The lens assembly of the electronic device completes focusing at the target focusing position; locking the lens assembly at the target focus position; Take a photo or video.

17. A camera module control method, applied to electronic equipment, characterized in that: The control method of the camera module includes: Receive a command to exit the photo or video mode; Read the target focus position; The lens assembly of the electronic device moves to the target focusing position; locking a lens assembly of the electronic device at the target focus position; Exit the photo or video mode.

18. The method for controlling a camera module according to claim 17, characterized in that: The method further comprises: In response to a photo taking instruction, a preset number of photos are taken at the target focus position, or in response to a video taking instruction, a video is taken at the target focus position.

19. The method for controlling a camera module according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that: After taking a preset number of photos or taking a video at the target focus position, the control method of the camera module further includes: Unlock the lens assembly.

20. A chip, characterized in that: It includes a processor and a memory, the processor is coupled to the memory, the memory is used to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions, and when the processor executes the computer instructions, the chip executes the control method of the camera module described in any one of claims 15-19.

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