Five-Lens Optical System Shapes Light Paths for Visible–Infrared Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems for portable electronic devices face challenges in capturing high-quality images in low-light environments due to limited light intake and difficulty in simultaneously focusing visible and infrared light effectively.
Innovation Solution
The optical image capturing system employs a five-piece optical lens configuration with refractive powers, aspheric surfaces, and inflection points to adjust incident angles and modify optical paths, enhancing light intake and imaging quality while allowing dual-mode functionality for visible and infrared light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional optical systems use three or four lenses, then the device complexity is reduced, but the light intake and imaging quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into five distinct lens elements (first lens L1, second lens L2, third lens L3, fourth lens L4, and fifth lens L5), each with specific refractive powers and surface configurations. This segmentation allows each lens to contribute differently to light gathering and image formation, achieving superior light intake and imaging quality compared to conventional three or four lens systems.
2Quantity of substance
If the optical system uses a large aperture to increase light intake, then the light intake improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aspheric surfaces on multiple lenses (including the first lens L1 and fifth lens L5) to control light paths and reduce aberrations. By changing the surface geometry parameters from spherical to aspheric, the system achieves large aperture light gathering while maintaining manufacturing feasibility and optical performance through optimized surface profiles.
3Measurement precision
If the optical system focuses on visible light, then the imaging quality for visible light is improved, but the ability to focus infrared light deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is designed with five lenses having specific refractive powers and aspheric surfaces that enable dual functionality: focusing visible light for standard photography and focusing infrared light for low-light or night vision imaging. This multi-functional design allows a single optical system to serve both visible and infrared imaging modes effectively.
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 significantly improves imaging quality and light intake, enabling effective image capture in low-light conditions and simultaneous focusing of visible and infrared spectra, thus addressing the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
combination of refractive powers, convex and concave surfaces of five-piece optical lenses to increase the quantity of incoming light
Data Source
AI summary
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, wherein at least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force, the fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point, and wherein the lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the fifth lenses whereby the optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.