Optical image stabilization in a scanning folded camera
A Tele folded camera operative to compensate for an undesired rotational motion of a handheld electronic device that includes such a camera, wherein the compensation depends on the undesired rotational motion and on a point of view of the Tele folded camera.
1 . A device for optical image stabilization, comprising:
a scanning Tele folded camera comprising a first optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path that forms an angle of less than 90 degrees to a normal of the device, toward a second optical path that is orthogonal to the normal of the device, a lens with a lens optical axis along the second optical path, and an image sensor, wherein the device is a handheld electronic device;
a first OPFE actuator, configurable to tilt the first OPFE in one or more directions to direct a point of view (POV) of the scanning Tele folded camera towards a segment of a scene such that coordinate systems of the Tele folded camera and the device are not aligned;
a motion sensor for sensing an undesired rotational motion of the device;
a second actuator configurable to move at least one component of the scanning Tele folded camera to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device, wherein the compensation depends on the undesired rotational motion of the device and on the scanning Tele folded camera POV, wherein a misalignment between the coordinate system of the scanning Tele folded camera and the coordinate system of the device corresponds to the POV; and
a Wide camera having a field of view FOVw larger than a field of view FOV T of the Tele camera, wherein the Wide camera provides image data that is used to track an object in the FOVw and wherein information obtained from the tracking is used to direct the POV of the scanning Tele folded camera towards the tracked object for object tracking with the scanning Tele folded camera.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least one component of the scanning Tele folded camera to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device is disabled during the object tracking with the scanning Tele folded camera.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the Wide camera includes a Wide camera component that is moved to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device, and wherein the movement of the Wide camera component is disabled during the object tracking with the scanning Tele folded camera.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least one component of the scanning Tele folded camera to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device is performed at a frequency range different from a frequency range that is used for the object tracking with the scanning Tele folded camera.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the frequency range for the object tracking is smaller than 30 Hz and wherein the frequency range to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device is larger than 30 Hz.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the scanning Tele folded camera is a double-folded Tele camera comprising a second OPFE in addition to the first OPFE.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the undesired rotation motion is around the device normal.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing of the undesired rotational motion includes sensing of the undesired rotational motion in three directions.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the compensating of the undesired rotational motion includes compensating the undesired rotational motion in three directions.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first OPFE actuator is used for moving the first OPFE to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator includes a lens actuator that moves the lens.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator includes a sensor actuator that moves the sensor.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the handheld electronic device is a smartphone.
14 . A device for optical image stabilization, comprising:
a scanning Tele folded camera comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path that forms an angle of less than 90 degrees to a normal of the device toward a second optical path that is orthogonal to the normal of the device, a lens with a lens optical axis along the second optical path, and an image sensor, wherein the device is a handheld electronic device;
an OPFE actuator for tilting the OPFE in one or more directions to direct a point of view (POV) of the scanning Tele folded camera towards a segment of a scene, wherein the tilting of the OPFE introduces a rotational POV aberration corresponding to a misalignment between a coordinate system of the scanning Tele folded camera and a coordinate system of the device; and
a sensor actuator, wherein the sensor actuator rotates the image sensor around a normal of the image sensor to compensate for the rotational POV aberration.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the device further comprises a motion sensor for sensing an undesired rotational motion of the device and at least one actuator for moving at least one component of the scanning Tele folded camera to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device, and wherein the compensation depends on the undesired rotational motion of the device and on the scanning Tele folded camera POV.
16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the handheld electronic device is a smartphone.
17 . A method for optical image stabilization, comprising:
providing a device comprising a scanning Tele folded camera that includes an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path that forms an angle of less than 90 degrees to a normal of the device toward a second optical path that is orthogonal to a normal of the device, a lens with a lens optical axis along the second optical path, and an image sensor, wherein the device is a handheld electronic device;
providing an OPFE actuator for tilting the OPFE in one or more directions to direct a point of view (POV) of the scanning Tele folded camera towards a segment of a scene, wherein the tilting of the OPFE introduces a rotational POV aberration corresponding to a misalignment between a coordinate system of the scanning Tele folded camera and a coordinate system of the device; and
providing a sensor actuator for rotating the image sensor around a normal of the image sensor to compensate for the rotational POV aberration.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further includes providing a motion sensor for sensing an undesired rotational motion of the device and providing at least one actuator for moving at least one component of the scanning Tele folded camera to compensate for the undesired rotational motion of the device, and wherein the compensation depends on the undesired rotational motion of the device and on the scanning Tele folded camera POV.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method is performed by a handheld electronic device.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the handheld electronic device is a smartphone.