Five-Element Camera Lens with Electrochromic Wafer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional small cameras in mobile devices suffer from lower resolution and image quality due to limitations in camera technology, necessitating the development of high-resolution compact imaging lens systems with improved performance.
Innovation Solution
A camera lens system design featuring five lens components with specific refractive powers and aspheric surfaces, including a wafer lens with electrochromic properties for adjustable light transmittance, enabling high-resolution image capture with a large field of view and adjustable aperture, suitable for integration in small form factor devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional small camera technology is used, then device size is reduced, but image resolution and quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The camera lens system is divided into five distinct lens components with specific refractive powers (positive, negative, positive, positive, negative), allowing each component to contribute differently to light focusing and image formation, achieving high resolution in a compact form
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces aspheric surfaces on the lens components, adding dimensional complexity to the lens geometry (moving from spherical to aspheric surfaces) to improve light focusing capability and image quality without increasing the overall camera volume
2Illumination intensity
If aperture is increased to improve low light performance, then light gathering capability is improved, but depth of field control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an adjustable aperture mechanism that allows dynamic control of the aperture size, enabling the system to adapt between large aperture settings for low light conditions and small aperture settings for increased depth of field, providing versatility across different shooting scenarios
3Area of stationary object
If field of view is increased, then scene coverage is improved, but optical aberrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aspheric surfaces on multiple lens components, creating asymmetric geometries that deviate from traditional spherical shapes, which helps correct optical aberrations such as spherical aberration and coma that typically increase with wider field of view
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The lens system achieves high-resolution image capture with a large field of view and adjustable aperture, suitable for small form factor devices, enhancing image quality and flexibility in low light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The wafer lens may include an electrically controlled electrochromic surface having variable light transmittance in response to an applied electrical voltage
Implementation Method 2
The refracting surfaces may be aspheric
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical imaging lens assembly that may have five lens components. The first, third, and fourth lens components may have positive refractive power. The second and fifth lens components may have negative refractive power. The third lens component may have convex object-side and convex image-side refractive surfaces. The fourth lens component may have convex object-side and concave image-side refractive surfaces. The first lens component may include a wafer lens having a lens element molded on one or both surfaces of a planar substrate or two wafer lenses having a lens element molded on one surface of each of two planar substrates. The wafer lens may include an electrically controlled electrochromic surface having variable light transmittance in response to an applied electrical voltage. The refracting surfaces may be aspheric.