Flexible Housing Camera Orientation for Bendable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Capturing panoramic images with electronic devices is challenging due to camera movement and alignment issues, leading to blurred images and unintentional cutting off of desired portions.

Innovation Solution

A flexible housing with bendable walls, allowing cameras to be oriented in different configurations, such as convex or concave shapes, to capture panoramic or three-dimensional images, with bend sensors aiding in image processing to enhance stitching accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If cameras are mounted on a rigid housing, then structural stability is maintained, but the device cannot be bent into different configurations for panoramic or three-dimensional image capture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousing configurationVSAvoidhousing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is constructed from flexible materials including flexible fabric and flexible polymer, allowing the housing to be bent into different configurations (convex, concave, or planar) while maintaining structural integrity. This enables the cameras to be oriented in various directions for capturing panoramic or three-dimensional images.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The housing transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can change its shape and configuration. The flexible housing allows the device to adapt between different bending states (convex, concave, planar) to optimize camera orientations for different imaging modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the housing is made flexible to enable bending, then adaptability for different image capture modes is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousing configurationVSAvoidhousing fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The housing utilizes flexible fabric and flexible polymer materials that can be manufactured using standard textile and polymer processing techniques. These materials are inherently flexible and can be assembled using conventional manufacturing methods, reducing the complexity compared to creating complex rigid structures with moving parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The housing employs composite construction combining flexible fabric and flexible polymer materials, which allows each material to contribute its inherent properties. This composite approach leverages the natural flexibility and durability of these materials, simplifying manufacturing compared to creating flexibility through mechanical means in rigid materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Area of stationary object

If multiple sequential images are captured for panoramic photography, then wide angle coverage is achieved, but image quality deteriorates due to camera movement and alignment issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage coverageVSAvoidimage alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible housing is pre-configured in specific bent shapes (convex, concave, or planar) that establish predetermined camera orientations before image capture begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that cameras are correctly aligned relative to each other, eliminating alignment issues during the sequential image capture process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Housing bend sensors detect the actual bending configuration of the flexible housing and provide feedback information about the relative orientations of the cameras. This sensor data is used to adjust and refine the image stitching process, compensating for any deviations from the ideal configuration and improving alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Manufacturing precision

If housing bend sensors are added to improve image stitching accuracy, then image processing quality is enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage stitchingVSAvoidsensor circuitry

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Housing bend sensors provide real-time feedback on the housing configuration, enabling the image processing system to adjust stitching parameters based on actual camera orientations. This feedback mechanism improves stitching accuracy without requiring complex mechanical alignment systems or multiple additional sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment systems with electronic sensor-based detection and software-based image stitching adjustment. Instead of using mechanical devices to physically align cameras, the system uses bend sensors to detect configuration and computationally correct orientations, reducing mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11930283B2Camera systems for bendable electronic devices

Publication Date: 2024.03.12 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.