Seven-Lens Camera Module for Ultra-Thin Smartphone Imaging

The camera lens is divided into seven individual lens elements (first lens to seventh lens) with alternating positive and negative refractive powers. This segmentation allows each element to contribute differently to the overall optical performance, enabling thin profile while maintaining imaging capability through distributed optical functions across multiple elements

The patent employs aspherical lens surfaces with specifically controlled curvature radii (R1-R14) and conic coefficients (k1-k7) to change the optical parameters of each lens element. This allows precise control of light refraction in a compact space, achieving both thin thickness and good image quality by optimizing the optical path through parameter optimization

The seven lens elements are arranged in a nested configuration along the optical axis with compact spacing (T12-T67). The alternating positive and negative power elements are positioned to nest their optical functions, allowing a large effective image plane (ImgH) to be achieved while keeping the overall lens thickness (TTL) minimal through efficient space utilization

The patent transitions from traditional spherical lens design to aspherical surfaces with complex curvature variations in multiple dimensions. By controlling the surface shapes through conic coefficients and higher-order terms, the lens achieves extended field of view and large image plane coverage without proportionally increasing thickness, effectively utilizing optical dimensionality to overcome geometric constraints

Each of the seven lens elements is designed with specific local optical properties: the first and sixth lenses have positive refractive power with specific curvature configurations, while the second and seventh lenses have negative refractive power. The third, fourth, and fifth lenses have optimized surface shapes with aspherical corrections. This local quality differentiation allows each element to address specific aberrations, achieving high image quality while maintaining manageable complexity through functional specialization

The patent employs systematic parameter optimization across all seven lens elements, including curvature radii (R1-R14), thicknesses (CT1-CT7), and conic coefficients (k1-k7). By changing and optimizing these parameters systematically, the complex seven-element design achieves good image quality and low distortion without making the manufacturing process prohibitively difficult, as the parameters can be controlled through modern precision molding techniques