Moveable Camera Modules for High Zoom Image Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital cameras with large lenses are bulky, heavy, and inefficient in utilizing multiple camera modules for high zoom levels, leading to underutilization of captured scene areas and increased noise due to limited overlap of image areas.
Innovation Solution
A camera device with multiple moveable camera modules that adjust their field of view based on zoom settings, allowing increased overlap and effective contribution of captured images to the final image, even at high zoom levels, without the need for moveable mirrors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple fixed camera modules are used to capture large scene areas, then the scene coverage is improved, but at high zoom levels much of the captured scene area goes unused due to lack of overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes camera modules moveable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their positions and orientations based on zoom levels. At high zoom levels, modules move to increase overlap of captured scene areas, ensuring that all modules contribute effectively to the final image rather than capturing unused areas.
2Illumination intensity
If large aperture lenses are used to capture more light, then light capture ability is improved, but the lens size and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single large lens system into multiple smaller camera modules. Each module uses a smaller lens with reduced weight, but collectively they capture light from multiple angles and areas. This segmentation allows the system to achieve equivalent or superior light capture capability without the weight penalty of a single large aperture lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines images from multiple smaller camera modules to produce a final image that effectively captures light from all modules. By merging the captured data, the system achieves light capture performance comparable to large aperture lenses while maintaining the weight advantages of smaller individual modules.
3Adaptability or versatility
If telephoto lenses with long focal lengths are used to capture distant objects, then the ability to take pictures from far away is improved, but the lens size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the telephoto function across multiple camera modules positioned at different locations and orientations. Rather than using a single long focal length lens, each module uses shorter focal length lenses, but their combined fields of view and overlapping areas enable effective capture of distant objects through image fusion and processing.
4Device complexity
If camera modules are kept fixed to simplify design, then device complexity is reduced, but significant portions of captured images do not contribute to the scene area of interest at high zoom levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces moveable camera modules that can adjust their positions dynamically based on zoom levels. This dynamic capability allows the system to optimize image contribution efficiency at different zoom levels, with modules moving to increase overlap when zoomed in, while the control system manages the complexity of coordinating these movements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera device including multiple camera modules and which supports zoom operations are described. A plurality of moveable camera modules are included with the position of the moveable camera modules being controlled as a function of a zoom setting. One or more fixed camera modules are also included to facilitate image combining. A fixed camera module having a smaller focal length than the movable camera modules is used in some embodiments to capture a scene area including scene area portions which will be captured by movable camera modules. The image captured by the fixed camera module, with the small focal length, is used in aligning images captured by the movable camera modules during generation of a composite image. The camera may also include another fixed camera module, e.g., having the same focal length as the movable camera modules, for capturing the center of a scene.