Folded Lens Assembly With Large Aperture in Low-Height Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folded camera designs face challenges in maximizing the lens optical aperture while maintaining a compact form factor, which is crucial for integration into devices like smartphones and tablets.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a folded lens assembly with specific refractive power configurations and aperture ratios, including a first lens element with a large clear aperture and subsequent elements with controlled refractive powers, to optimize optical performance and minimize height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the optical aperture of the lens is increased to improve light intake and optical properties, then the camera height increases, but a compact form factor is required to integrate into devices like smartphones and tablets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an optical path folding element (prism or mirror) to tilt the light propagation direction from perpendicular to the smart-phone back surface to parallel to the smart-phone back surface. This folds the optical path, allowing the lens assembly to achieve a larger effective optical aperture while maintaining a compact camera height that fits within the device's thickness constraints.
2Area of stationary object
If the first lens element clear aperture is increased to maximize optical performance, then the overall lens assembly size increases, but other lens elements must maintain smaller clear apertures to control the system size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that only the first lens element L1 has a large clear aperture CA(S1), while all other lens elements L2 to LN have clear apertures that are no larger than CA(S1). This localized approach concentrates the optical aperture area benefit at the entrance of the system where it matters most for light intake, while keeping subsequent elements compact to control overall assembly size and 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
This configuration allows for a larger optical aperture within a given camera height, enhancing light intake and improving optical properties without increasing the camera's physical dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens element L1 with a clear aperture CA(S1) and a second lens element L2 with a clear aperture CA(S3)... the first lens element has positive refractive power and the second lens element has negative refractive power
Data Source
AI summary
Folded lens modules and assemblies characterized by low height and large entrance pupil (clear aperture), designed for folded cameras in consumer electronics and specifically in mobile phones. In some embodiments, a folded lens assembly comprises a plurality of lens elements that include, in order for an object side to an image side, a first lens element L1 with a clear aperture CA(S1) and a second lens element L2 with a clear aperture CA(S3), wherein CA(S1)/CA(S3)>1.2 and wherein the lens assembly has a ratio between an image sensor diagonal length SDL and a clear aperture of a last lens element surface CA(S2N), SDL/CA(S2N)>1.5.