Four-Lens Optical System for Compact Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional optical image capturing systems for portable electronic devices face challenges in achieving high pixel counts, better image quality, and balanced design with large aperture or wide view angle, while also minimizing size and eliminating the need for expensive IR cut filters.
Innovation Solution
The use of a four-piece optical lens system with refractive powers and specific surface geometries, combined with appropriate materials, to optimize light admission and angle of view, and to minimize the difference in focal lengths for visible and infrared light, allowing for a 'confocal' effect without IR cut filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If large aperture design is used to increase light admission, then the amount of admitted light is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and aberration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens is divided into four distinct lens elements with different refractive powers and surface geometries. This segmentation allows each element to contribute specifically to correcting aberrations while maintaining large aperture, thereby improving manufacturability compared to a single complex lens design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different surfaces of the lens elements have specifically designed geometries (convex or concave) with different radii of curvature. This local quality variation allows precise control of light paths in different regions, correcting aberrations while maintaining large aperture and simplifying manufacturing.
2Area of moving object
If wide view angle design is used to increase angle of view, then the angle of view is improved, but distortion rate in image formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The four-lens configuration divides the wide-angle light capture task across multiple elements, allowing each lens to handle a portion of the field of view with optimized curvature. This reduces the distortion that would occur in a single wide-angle lens while maintaining the overall wide view angle.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens elements have asymmetric surface geometries with different radii of curvature on object-side and image-side surfaces. This asymmetry is specifically designed to counteract distortion in wide-angle imaging, improving manufacturing precision for wide view angle applications.
3Measurement precision
If high pixel count is pursued to improve image quality, then total pixel count is improved, but the requirement for aberration control becomes more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the optical system into four lens elements distributes the aberration correction function across multiple components. This makes it easier to control overall aberration levels to support high pixel count sensors, as each element can be optimized for specific aberration types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs specific parameter ranges for refractive powers, radii of curvature, and thicknesses of lens elements. These parameter optimizations ensure that aberration control meets the stringent requirements of high pixel count image sensors while maintaining practical manufacturability.
4Manufacturing precision
If IR cut filter is used to filter infrared light, then color fidelity is improved, but system size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens elements are designed to inherently manage infrared light through their refractive properties and surface geometries, merging the functions of aberration correction and infrared control into a single optical component. This eliminates the need for separate IR cut filters, reducing system size and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The four-lens optical system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it corrects optical aberrations, controls light admission, and manages infrared light transmission. This multi-functionality replaces the need for dedicated IR cut filters while maintaining color fidelity.
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 enhances pixel count, image quality, and reduces system size, while enabling simultaneous focusing on visible and infrared light, thus improving the performance of portable electronic devices without the need for costly IR cut filters.
Implementation Method 1
Optical image capturing system, optical lens, refractive powers, convex and concave surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A four-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In the order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; and a fourth lens with refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the four lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.