# US 11,079,606 B2 · Imaging apparatus

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- Number: US 11,079,606 B2
- Document ID: US11079606B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/449,300
- Filed: 2019-06-21
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-27
- Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Inventors: Mikko Juhola; Marko Eromäki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079606B2

## CPC

- G02B 27/646: {compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68)}
- G02B 7/023: {permitting adjustment}
- G02B 27/0025: {for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration}
- G03B 3/10: Power-operated focusing
- G03B 5/06: Swinging lens about normal to the optical axis
- H04M 1/0264: {for a camera module assembly}
- H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
- H04N 23/57: Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
- H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N 23/68: for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
- H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position}
- G02B 5/208: {for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation}
- G02B 13/003: {having two lenses}
- G03B 29/00: Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects (combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03)
- G03B 2205/0007: Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur
- G03B 2205/0023: by tilting or inclining one or more optical elements with respect to the optical axis
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## 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

### Claim 1

A method performed on an imaging apparatus comprising an image plane, a first lens and a second lens, the second lens comprising a field flattener, the image plane, the first lens, and the field flattener on an optical axis, wherein the field flattener is concave, the method comprising:
causing, via an actuator coupled to the first lens, the first lens to tilt in one of a plurality of predefined tilt angles in response to an optical image stabilization element; and
causing the field flattener lens to flatten a focal plane to the image plane at each of the plurality of predefined tilt angles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the field flattener does not tilt with the first lens.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising causing, by the second lens, a focal point of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing, by the actuator, a tilting of the first lens around a pivot, and wherein a series of focal points of the first lens correspond to a focal curve according to the tilting angle around the pivot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, flattening, by the field flattener, a field curvature of the first lens.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the second lens comprises a single lens.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the second lens comprises an infrared filter.

### Claim 8

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, and wherein the field flattener is concave.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second lens and the field flattener are immovably connected to the imaging apparatus.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

An imaging apparatus 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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

An imaging apparatus 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.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

An imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first lens is in a lens barrel comprising a group of lenses, and wherein lenses of the group of lenses tilt along with the lens barrel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

An imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the field flattener does not tilt with the first lens.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

An imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second lens comprises an infrared filter.

### Claim 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 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, and wherein the field flattener is concave.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A system according to claim 15, wherein the field flattener does not tilt with the first lens.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

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.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

A system according to claim 15, wherein the first lens is in a lens barrel comprising a group of lenses, and wherein lenses of the group of lenses tilt along with the lens barrel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

A system according to claim 15, wherein the field flattener does not tilt with the first lens.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

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