Multi-Lens Optical System for Compact Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems in portable electronic devices struggle to provide high optical performance, especially in low-light environments, and require IR cut filters that occupy space and increase costs, making it challenging to design miniaturized surveillance cameras that can capture images effectively across both visible and infrared spectra.
Innovation Solution
The optical image capturing system employs a combination of refractive powers, convex, and concave surfaces of four lenses, along with specific material selection to achieve a near-confocal effect without IR cut filters, optimizing the focal lengths for both visible and infrared light, and incorporating aspheric surfaces to improve imaging quality and reduce system size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional optical systems with three or four lenses are used, then the device structure is relatively simple, but the optical performance in low-light environments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple lenses with different refractive powers and surface curvatures (convex and concave surfaces) into an integrated optical system. Specifically, it uses a first lens with positive refractive power and a second lens with negative refractive power, where the second lens has an inflection point on its object-side surface. This merging of optical elements with complementary characteristics enhances light gathering capability and image quality while maintaining a compact structure suitable for portable devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If IR cut filters are added to capture both visible and infrared light, then the spectral coverage is improved, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs an optical lens system that universally handles both visible and infrared wavelengths without requiring separate IR cut filters. The specific configuration of lenses with different refractive powers and the inflection point on the second lens enable the system to focus both visible and infrared light effectively onto the same image sensor plane, achieving multi-spectral imaging capability while eliminating the need for additional filter components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the IR cut filter component from the traditional optical system. By designing lenses with specific refractive characteristics and surface geometries (including the inflection point on the second lens), the system inherently manages infrared light transmission and focusing, making the separate IR cut filter unnecessary and enabling device miniaturization.
3Illumination intensity
If the aperture is increased to capture more light in dark environments, then the light intake is improved, but the system size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the optical system by changing key parameters including the refractive powers of lenses, the curvature radii of convex and concave surfaces, and the positions of inflection points. These parameter optimizations enable the system to achieve high light gathering efficiency with a compact aperture design, improving light intake capability without proportionally increasing the overall system size.
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 solution enhances light intake and imaging quality, reduces system size, and eliminates the need for IR cut filters, enabling efficient image capture across both visible and infrared spectra while maintaining high performance and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, where each lens has specific refractive power and surface curvature to refract and focus light
Implementation Method 2
Both the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens are aspheric surfaces, which help correct optical aberrations and improve imaging quality
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. At least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force. The fifth lens can have negative refractive force. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the fifth lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.