Tiltable Folded Tele Macro Camera for Full-Focus Angled Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices with telephoto cameras face challenges in capturing macro images due to the shallow depth of field, which results in partially focused images when objects are oriented at an angle to the camera, as there is no satisfactory solution for tilting the focal plane like in standalone cameras.
Innovation Solution
A super-Macro camera with an object side and image side optical path folding element, an image sensor, and an actuator that allows the focal plane to be tilted around specific axes, enabling rotational actuation to adjust the focal plane orientation and improve focus on objects at various distances and angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a tele camera with large effective focal length is used for macro photography, then magnification is improved, but depth of field becomes very shallow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable focal plane tilt mechanism using an image side optical path folding element (I-OPFE) that can rotate around a tilt axis. This allows the focal plane orientation to be dynamically changed during macro photography to match the orientation of the photographed object, thereby extending the effective depth of field while maintaining high magnification capability of the tele camera.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new degree of freedom by tilting the focal plane around an axis perpendicular to the optical axis. This dimensional change allows the focal plane to intersect with objects at various orientations in three-dimensional space, effectively extending depth of field coverage without compromising the tele camera's magnification performance.
2Device complexity
If the focal plane is kept parallel to the camera sensor, then device complexity is minimized, but objects oriented at angles cannot be fully captured in focus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image side optical path folding element (I-OPFE) as an intermediary component between the lens and the image sensor. This mediator element, which can be a mirror or prism, tilts to redirect light rays and change the focal plane orientation to match the object's orientation, thereby enabling full capture of angled objects in focus without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tiltable I-OPFE mechanism serves multiple functions: it acts as an optical path folder to compact the camera structure, a focal plane tilter to accommodate various object orientations, and a depth of field extender for macro photography. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address multiple photographic requirements without proportionally increasing device 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
Enables capturing of macro images with an entirely in-focus object by tilting the focal plane, addressing the shallow depth of field issue and improving the capture experience in mobile devices.
Implementation Method 1
an image side optical path folding element (I-OPFE) for folding OP2 to a third optical path (OP3)
Implementation Method 2
an object side optical path folding element (O-OPFE) for folding a first optical path (OP1) to a second optical path (OP2)
Implementation Method 3
a lens
Data Source
AI summary
Systems having a Wide/Ultra-Wide camera, a folded Tele camera with an optical path folding element and a Tele lens module, a lens actuator for moving the Tele lens module for focusing to object-lens distances between 3.0 cm and 35 cm with an object-to-image magnification between 1:5 and 25:1, and an application processor (AP), wherein the AP is configured to analyze image data from the UW camera to define a Tele capture strategy for a sequence of Macro images with a focal plane slightly shifted from one captured Macro image to another and to generate a new Macro image from this sequence, and wherein the focal plane and a depth of field of the new Macro image can be controlled continuously.