# US 11,910,088 B2 · Increasing sensitivity of a probe sensor for lens position > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,088 B2 - Document ID: US11910088B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/492,449 - Filed: 2021-10-01 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth; Scott Wallace Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910088B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors} - G02B 7/09: adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification - 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)} - G03B 3/10: Power-operated focusing - G03B 5/02: Lateral adjustment of lens - G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position} - G02B 7/08: adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism - G03B 2205/0015: by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis - G03B 2205/0069: using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - 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) ## Abstract Increases to the sensitivity of a probe magnet sensor are implemented for a camera lens. Probe magnet sensors may be located on carrier of a surface of an actuator coil to reduce the distance between the probe magnet sensor and a probe magnet mounted on an optics component that includes the camera lens. A probe magnet may be located within the camera so that the flux region of the probe magnet does not overlap with a flux region of a drive magnet for an actuator of the camera. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera, comprising: an image sensor configured to capture light projected onto a surface of the image sensor through an optics component; the optics component, configured to: move along an optical axis of the optics component to allow an actuator comprising one or more drive magnets to cause the optics component to move along the optical axis, wherein the one or more drive magnets are located at three different sides of the camera; and move along one or more axes orthogonal to the optical axis to allow the actuator to cause the optics component to move along the one or more axes; the actuator, comprising an optical image stabilization (OIS) coil configured to cause one of the one or more drive magnets to move along the one or more axes orthogonal to the optical axis; a first probe magnet mounted on a surface of the optics component; a second probe magnet mounted in a different location on the optics component than the first probe magnet; a first position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the first probe magnet as the first probe magnet moves along with the optics component responsive to the actuator; a second position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the second probe magnet; and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are located adjacent to drive magnets positioned on opposite ones of the three different sides of the camera, and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on the surface of the OIS coil that is on an object field side of a carrier for the OIS coil. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on the surface of the OIS coil that is on an image sensor side of a carrier for the OIS coil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on a surface of a substrate of the camera located on a same side as the image sensor with respect to the optics component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein respective flux regions of the first probe magnet and the second probe magnet overlap with at least one respective flux region of the one or more drive magnets. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is implemented within a portable multifunction device. ### Claim 6 A device, comprising: one or more processors; a memory, storing program instructions that cause the one or more processors to implement a controller to signal an actuator of a camera to cause movement of an optics component of the camera; the camera, comprising: the actuator, comprising one or more drive magnets, wherein the one or more drive magnets are located at three different sides of the camera; one or more coils configured to move the one or more drive magnets according to Lorentz forces generated when an electric current is applied to the one or more coils; a first probe magnet mounted on a surface of the optics component; a second probe magnet mounted in a different location on the optics component than the first probe magnet; a first position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the first probe magnet as the first probe magnet moves along with the optics component responsive to the actuator; a second position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the second probe magnet; and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are located adjacent to drive magnets positioned on opposite ones of the three different sides of the camera, and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on the surface of the OIS coil that is on an object field side of a carrier for the OIS coil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein respective flux regions of the first probe magnet and the second probe magnet overlap with at least one respective flux region of the one or more drive magnets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on a surface of an image sensor side of a carrier for the one or more coils. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein a carrier of the one or more coils is a carrier for an optical image stabilization (OIS) coil. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the device is a portable multifunction device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the device further comprises a display configured to display image data capture via the image sensor of the camera. ### Claim 12 A camera, comprising: an image sensor configured to capture light projected onto a surface of the image sensor through an optics component; the optics component, configured to: move along an optical axis of the optics component to allow an actuator comprising one or more drive magnets to cause the optics component to move along the optical axis, wherein the one or more drive magnets are located at three different sides of the camera; and move along one or more axes orthogonal to the optical axis to allow the actuator to cause the optics component to move along the one or more axes; a first probe magnet mounted on a surface of the optics component; a second probe magnet mounted in a different location on the optics component than the first probe magnet; a first position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the first probe magnet as the first probe magnet; a second position sensor configured to detect changes in a current location of the second probe magnet; and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are located adjacent to drive magnets positioned on opposite ones of the three different sides of the camera, and wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on the surface of the OIS coil that is on an object field side of a carrier for the OIS coil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises a carrier for one or more coils configured to move the one or more drive magnets according to Lorentz forces generated when an electric current is applied to the one or more coils. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The camera of claim 13, wherein the one or more coils is an optical image stabilization (OIS) coil. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein the camera is implemented within a portable multifunction device that also implements an autofocus (AF) mechanism to cause the actuator to move the optical component along the optical axis and an optical image stabilization (OIS) mechanism to cause the actuator to move the optical component along a path orthogonal to the optical path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein the camera also implements an autofocus (AF) mechanism to cause the actuator to move the optical component along the optical axis and an OIS mechanism to cause the actuator to move the optical component along a path orthogonal to the optical path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein the first position sensor and the second position sensor are mounted on a surface of a substrate of the camera located on a same side as the image sensor with respect to the optics component.