Tilting Dual Camera Assembly for Wide-Angle Synthesis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wide-angle cameras in mobile terminals suffer from increased picture distortions due to the fixed area of the camera light sensing chip, limiting their ability to capture large-scale photographs with good details.

Innovation Solution

A camera assembly comprising two non-wide-angle cameras positioned on a base that can be tilted, allowing their back surfaces to lean towards each other, expanding the photographing range and enabling the synthesis of multiple pictures into wide-angle images with improved detail and feature capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If a wide-angle camera is used to capture large-scale photographs, then the photographing range is expanded, but picture distortions increase due to the fixed area of the camera light sensing chip

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephotographing rangeVSAvoidpicture distortion
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the wide-angle photographing function into multiple non-wide-angle cameras arranged in an array. Each camera captures a portion of the scene with high quality, and the images are later synthesized to create a wide-angle view without the distortions inherent in single wide-angle lenses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent arranges multiple cameras in a specific spatial configuration (array) rather than using a single camera. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions enables wide-area coverage while maintaining image quality by capturing light from different angles and positions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of moving object

If multiple cameras are arranged to expand photographing range, then the photographing coverage increases, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephotographing coverageVSAvoidcamera assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support bracket structure serves multiple functions: it holds multiple cameras, provides adjustable positioning mechanisms, enables angle adjustment, and facilitates synthesis control. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby managing complexity while achieving wide coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates adjustable mechanisms that allow the cameras to change their relative positions and angles dynamically. This enables the system to adapt to different photographing scenarios and optimize image quality and coverage based on specific requirements, rather than being fixed in a single configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If non-wide-angle cameras are used instead of wide-angle cameras, then image quality with good details is maintained, but the photographing range is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage quality and detailsVSAvoidphotographing range
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple non-wide-angle camera images through synthesis processing to create a composite wide-angle view. This merging of multiple high-quality images achieves both wide photographing range and good image details that would be difficult to obtain with a single wide-angle camera.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses multiple copies of non-wide-angle cameras rather than a single wide-angle camera. Each camera creates a high-quality copy of a portion of the scene, and these copies are synthesized to form a complete wide-angle view with preserved details from each individual camera.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

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 allows two non-wide-angle cameras to take broader pictures with good details and features, eliminating the need for a dedicated wide-angle camera, while maintaining or improving image quality by adjusting the camera angles and using a control structure to rotate the cameras between parallel and tilted states.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient tab, and a distance between the stop block and the partition plate is less than a distance between the resilient tab and the partition plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3687154B1Camera assembly and terminal
Publication Date: 2023.08.09 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3687154B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3687154B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3687154B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A camera assembly includes a base (1), and two cameras (2A, 2B) located on the base (1). When the base makes the two cameras (2A, 2B) in a tilted state, an angle between a first plane (21) and a second plane (22) is greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees, and back surfaces of the two cameras (2A, 2B) are opposing each other. The first plane (21) is a plane perpendicular to an optical axis (A, B) direction of one of the two cameras (2A), and the second plane (22) is a plane perpendicular to an optical axis (A*, B*) direction of the other one of the two cameras (2B). The technical scheme can take a broader picture with comparatively good details and features.