Camera Module VCM Tilt Mechanism for Super Resolution Depth Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Time of Flight (ToF) camera modules have low resolution, and increasing the number of pixels to improve resolution leads to increased volume and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A camera module design that includes a housing, lens module, holder, elastic member, magnet part, and coil part, with a specific protrusion and coupling structure that allows for high-resolution depth map acquisition using a ToF method without significantly increasing the number of pixels, and enables super resolution (SR) techniques by tilting the optical member using Lorentz forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of pixels of the sensor is increased to increase the resolution, then the resolution is improved, but the volume and manufacturing cost of the camera module are greatly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a voice coil motor (VCM) to dynamically tilt the optical member (lens) relative to the sensor during image capture. This dynamic adjustment allows the same sensor to capture multiple views of the object from different angles, enabling super-resolution reconstruction without requiring a higher pixel count. The optical member is tilted by a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) and held at each position to capture sequential images, which are then processed to generate high-resolution depth maps and images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs periodic image capture at different tilting angles of the optical member. The VCM tilts the optical member to a first angle, captures an image, then tilts to a second angle, captures another image, and repeats this process. This periodic action at multiple angular positions allows the sensor to gather sufficient information for super-resolution reconstruction, achieving high resolution through temporal and angular sampling rather than spatial pixel density.
2Measurement precision
If the number of pixels of the sensor is increased to increase the resolution, then the resolution is improved, but the manufacturing cost is greatly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a voice coil motor (VCM) to dynamically tilt the optical member (lens) relative to the sensor during image capture. This dynamic adjustment allows the same sensor to capture multiple views of the object from different angles, enabling super-resolution reconstruction without requiring a higher pixel count. The optical member is tilted by a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) and held at each position to capture sequential images, which are then processed to generate high-resolution depth maps and images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the angular parameter of the optical member relative to the sensor by tilting it to different positions using the VCM. Instead of changing the spatial resolution parameter (pixel count), the system varies the angular parameter to capture images at different orientations. This parameter transformation allows standard-resolution sensors to produce super-resolution outputs through multi-angle sampling and computational processing.
3Speed
If a ToF method is used to acquire depth map, then real-time distance information is obtained, but the resolution is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a voice coil motor (VCM) to dynamically tilt the optical member (lens) relative to the sensor during image capture. This dynamic adjustment allows the same sensor to capture multiple views of the object from different angles, enabling super-resolution reconstruction without requiring a higher pixel count. The optical member is tilted by a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) and held at each position to capture sequential images, which are then processed to generate high-resolution depth maps and images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges ToF depth measurement capability with multi-angle imaging capability by integrating the VCM tilting mechanism with the ToF sensor. The ToF sensor not only measures depth at each angle but also captures intensity images. By combining depth information from multiple angular positions with intensity information, the system performs super-resolution reconstruction to generate high-resolution depth maps, merging the advantages of ToF real-time measurement with enhanced resolution through angular diversity.
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 design achieves high-resolution depth map acquisition and SR images without the need for a large increase in sensor pixels, reducing manufacturing costs and module size while maintaining performance.
Implementation Method 1
enables super resolution (SR) techniques by tilting the optical member using Lorentz forces
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in an embodiment is a camera module comprising: a housing; a lens module coupled to the housing; a holder disposed in the housing; an elastic member connecting the housing and the holder; a magnet part and an optical member that are coupled to the holder; and a coil part facing the magnet part, wherein the holder includes a first protrusion that extends in an optical axis direction so as to be coupled to the elastic member, and the elastic member includes a first coupling portion coupled to one surface of the first protrusion; the first protrusion includes a guide protrusion which protrudes from the one surface of the first protrusion in the optical axis direction, wherein the guide protrusion is disposed outside the elastic member and has a shape corresponding to at least a portion of the outer circumference of the first coupling portion.