Five-Lens Optical Layout for Compact Low-Light Vehicle Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring cameras in vehicles face challenges in clearly photographing objects or people, especially at night due to low illumination, and require an optical imaging system capable of functioning in both visible and near-infrared ray regions while maintaining a small size.
Innovation Solution
An optical imaging system comprising five sequentially disposed lenses with specific refractive powers and surface curvatures, including a first lens with positive refractive power and convex image-side surface, a second lens with positive refractive power and concave image-side surface, and a third lens with negative refractive power and concave surfaces, along with a stop between the second and third lenses, to achieve clear imaging in low light conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the monitoring camera is made small to be mounted in a vehicle, then the device size is reduced and ease of installation is improved, but the imaging capability in low light conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by designing lenses with specific refractive powers and surface curvatures. The first lens has positive refractive power with a convex image-side surface, the second lens has positive refractive power with a concave image-side surface, and the third lens has negative refractive power. These specific parameter configurations enable the compact optical system to effectively capture near-infrared light while maintaining small size, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and low-light imaging capability
Solution Approach 2:
The optical imaging system is designed to function in both visible light and near-infrared regions simultaneously. The lens configuration with specific refractive powers and surface curvatures enables dual-spectrum operation, allowing the compact camera to capture images in various lighting conditions including nighttime near-infrared environments, thus achieving multi-functionality that resolves the contradiction between small size and reliable imaging
2Reliability
If the optical imaging system is designed to photograph in near-infrared region, then the low light imaging capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by creating an optical system that operates in both visible and near-infrared regions using a standard five-lens configuration. The specific refractive power assignments (first lens: positive, second lens: positive, third lens: negative, fourth lens: positive, fifth lens: positive) and surface curvature designs enable dual-spectrum functionality without requiring separate optical paths or specialized components, thus improving low-light capability while controlling device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by precisely controlling the refractive powers and surface curvatures of the five lenses. The first lens has a convex image-side surface, the second lens has a concave image-side surface, and the third lens has negative refractive power with concave surfaces. These parameter optimizations enable near-infrared transmission while maintaining a relatively simple five-lens structure, resolving the contradiction between enhanced low-light performance and system complexity
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 optical imaging system effectively captures images in both visible and near-infrared ray regions, even in low illumination environments, while maintaining a compact size, thereby enhancing the monitoring capabilities of vehicle-mounted cameras.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens having a positive refractive power and a convex image-side surface, a second lens having a positive refractive power, a third lens having a negative refractive power, a fourth lens having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens having a positive refractive power, the first to fifth lenses being sequentially disposed from an object side toward an imaging plane
Data Source
AI summary
An optical imaging system includes a first lens having a concave object-side surface, a second lens, a third lens having a concave image-side surface, a fourth lens having a concave object-side surface, and a fifth lens. The first to fifth lenses are sequentially disposed from an object side toward an imaging plane. The optical imaging system has a total number of five lenses having a refractive power. A radius of curvature of the image-side surface of the third lens is greater than a radius of curvature of an image-side surface of the second lens. 0≤|n1−n2|≤0.2 and TL/2Y<2.0, where n1 is a refractive index of the first lens, n2 is a refractive index of the second lens, TL is a distance from the object-side surface of the first lens to the imaging plane, and 2Y is a diagonal length of the imaging plane.