Five-Lens Imaging System for Compact Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a demand for imaging lenses that can achieve high imaging performance while minimizing the total length, particularly in compact devices like cellular phones and smartphones, where existing lenses composed of five or six elements are too large and not optimized for reduced length.

Innovation Solution

The imaging lens configuration consists of five lenses with specific refractive powers and shapes, including a meniscus-shaped first lens, a concave second lens, a negative third lens with maximum focal length, a positive fourth lens, and a negative fifth lens with an aspheric image-side surface, optimized to satisfy conditional expressions for improved optical performance and reduced length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the imaging lens is composed of five or six lenses to achieve high resolution performance, then the imaging performance is improved, but the total length of the lens increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging performanceVSAvoidtotal length of lens

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the refractive powers, focal lengths, and curvature radii of the five lens elements to satisfy specific conditional expressions. By carefully selecting and adjusting these optical parameters, the lens achieves high imaging performance (28) while maintaining a reduced total length (4). The conditional expressions define precise relationships between focal lengths and curvature radii that enable this optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes aspheric surfaces on the fifth lens element to correct optical aberrations and improve imaging performance. The aspheric shape allows for better control of light rays across the field of view, achieving high resolution without requiring additional lens elements that would increase the total length. This application of curved surface geometry directly addresses the contradiction between performance and compactness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Measurement precision

If the number of lenses is increased to five or six elements to satisfy high resolution demands, then the resolution performance is enhanced, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresolution performanceVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the physical parameters of five lens elements (refractive powers, focal lengths, curvature radii) to achieve high resolution performance. By satisfying specific conditional expressions that define relationships between these parameters, the design attains 8 megapixels or higher resolution capability while keeping the lens compact, thereby reducing the overall device volume without sacrificing imaging quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Length of stationary object

If the total length of the lens is decreased for miniaturization in mobile devices, then the device compactness is improved, but the imaging performance may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal length of lensVSAvoidimaging performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs aspheric surfaces on the fifth lens element to maintain high imaging performance in a compact lens design. The aspheric curvature allows for effective aberration correction with fewer lens elements and reduced total length, thereby achieving both compactness (4) and high imaging performance (28) simultaneously in mobile imaging devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent achieves compact lens design with maintained imaging performance by optimizing the parameters of five lens elements. The conditional expressions define precise relationships between focal lengths and curvature radii that enable the lens to achieve high resolution while keeping the total length reduced for mobile device integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If the lens is designed with five lenses for high resolution, then the resolution capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresolution capabilityVSAvoidlens manufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent defines specific conditional expressions that establish relationships between the focal lengths and curvature radii of the five lens elements. By designing the lens to satisfy these expressions, the manufacturing process is guided toward achieving the desired optical performance with standardized parameter ranges, thereby balancing resolution capability (28) with manufacturing feasibility (32).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This configuration achieves high resolution performance from central to peripheral angles of view while significantly decreasing the total lens length, enhancing imaging quality and reducing aberrations.

Implementation Method 1

a first lens that has a positive refractive power and has a meniscus shape which is convex toward the object side

Methodology Applied