IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,817,243
Granted Patent B2
US 9,817,243 · App. 14/606,565 · Granted Nov 14, 2017

Imaging apparatus

Inventors: Mikko Juhola (Salo, FI); Marko Eromäki (Tampere, FI)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G02B27/646G02B7/023G02B27/0025G03B3/10G03B5/06H04M1/0264H04N5/2254H04N5/2257H04N5/23248H04N5/23287G02B5/208G02B13/003G03B29/00G03B2205/0007G03B2205/0023
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,817,243
App. No.
14/606,565
Granted
Nov 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.

Claims (36)

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a first lens on an optical axis;

an actuator coupled to the first lens, the actuator configured to cause the first lens to tilt in one of a plurality of predefined tilt angles in response to an optical image stabilization element;

an image plane on the optical axis; and

a second lens comprising a field flattener lens on the optical axis between the first lens and the image plane, the field flattener arranged to flatten a focal plane to the image plane at each of the plurality of predefined tilt angles.

2. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens is immovably connected to the imaging apparatus.

3. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens is configured to cause the focal point of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to allow tilting of the first lens around a pivot, and the series of focal points of the first lens correspond to the focal curve according to the tilting angle around the pivot.

5. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens is in a lens barrel.

6. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens comprises a single lens.

7. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens comprises an infrared filter.

8. An electronic device incorporating an imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus comprising:

a first lens on an optical axis;

an actuator coupled to the first lens, the actuator configured to cause the first lens to tilt in one of a plurality of predefined tilt angles in response to an optical image stabilization element;

an image plane on the optical axis; and

a second lens comprising a field flattener lens on the optical axis between the first lens and the image plane, the field flattener arranged to flatten a focal plane to the image plane at each of the plurality of predefined tilt angles.

9. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the second lens is immovably connected to the imaging apparatus.

10. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the second lens is configured to cause the focal point of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.

11. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the actuator is configured to allow tilting of the first lens around a pivot, and the series of focal points of the first lens correspond to the focal curve according to the tilting angle around the pivot.

12. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the first lens is in a lens barrel.

13. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the second lens comprises a single lens.

14. An electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the second lens comprises an infrared filter.

15. A system, comprising:

an imaging apparatus;

an optical image stabilization element;

a processor;

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the operation of the optical image stabilization element;

a first lens on an optical axis;

an actuator coupled to the first lens, the actuator configured to cause the first lens to tilt in one of a plurality of predefined tilt angles in response to a signal received from the optical image stabilization element;

an image plane on the optical axis; and

a second lens on the optical axis between the first lens and the image plane, wherein the second lens is configured to cause the focal point of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in each of the plurality of predefined tilt angles.

16. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the second lens is immovably connected to the imaging apparatus.

17. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the actuator is configured to allow tilting of the first lens around a pivot, and the series of focal points of the first lens correspond to a focal curve according to the tilting angle around the pivot, wherein the second lens flattens the focal curve to the image plane.

18. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the first lens is in a lens barrel.

19. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the second lens comprises a single lens.

20. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the second lens comprises an infrared filter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2015
From: JUHOLA, MIKKO; EROMÄKI, MARKO
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034822/0313 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160216527A1 · Jul 28, 2016