# US 12,001,078 B2 · Folded cameras with continuously adaptive zoom factor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,078 B2 - Document ID: US12001078B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/925,857 - Filed: 2022-03-20 - Published: 2023-12-07 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-22 - Assignees: Corephotonics Ltd. - Applicants: Corephotonics Ltd. - Inventors: Nadav Goulinski; Roy Rudnick; Ephraim Goldenberg; Itay Yedid; Michael Dror; Itay Manor; Ziv Shemesh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001078B2 ## CPC - G02B 7/10: by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens - G02B 7/102: {controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14)} - G02B 13/0045: {having five or more lenses} - G02B 13/0065: {having a beam-folding prism or mirror} - G02B 13/009: {having zoom function} - G02B 13/02: Telephoto objectives, i.e. systems of the type + - in which the distance from the front vertex to the image plane is less than the equivalent focal length - G02B 15/144113: {arranged +-++} - G03B 17/17: with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera - G03B 30/00: Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - 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} - H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming - G03B 2205/0023: by tilting or inclining one or more optical elements with respect to the optical axis - G03B 2205/0046: Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming - G03B 2205/0069: using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils - 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) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Folded Tele cameras, comprising: an optical path folding element (OPFE) for a folding a first optical path OP1 to second optical path OP2, a lens including N lens elements, the lens being divided into four lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis and marked, in order from an object side of the lens to an image side of the lens, G1, G2, G3 and G4, and an image sensor, wherein the lens elements of a lens group do not move with respect to each other, wherein G1 and G3 do not move with respect to each other, wherein G2 and G4 do not move with respect to each other, wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor (ZF) continuously between a minimum zoom factor marked ZFMIN corresponding to a minimal effective focal length marked EFLMIN and a maximum zoom factor marked ZFMAX corresponding to a maximal effective focal length marked EFLMAX by moving G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor and by moving G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera, comprising: an optical path folding element (OPFE) for a folding a first optical path (OP1) to second optical path (OP2); a lens including a plurality of lens elements, the lens being divided into four lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis and marked, in order from an object side of the lens to an image side of the lens, a first lens group (G1), a second lens group (G2), a third lens group (G3) and a fourth lens group (G4); and an image sensor, wherein the camera is a folded Tele camera, wherein the lens elements in each of lens groups G1, G2, G3 and G4 do not move with respect to each other, wherein G1 and G3 do not move with respect to each other, wherein G2 and G4 do not move with respect to each other, wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor (ZF) continuously between a minimum zoom factor (ZFMIN) corresponding to a minimal effective focal length (EFLMIN) and a maximum zoom factor (FMAX) corresponding to a maximal effective focal length (EFLMAX) by moving G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor and by moving G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor, wherein ZFMAX/ZFMIN≥2, wherein switching from EFLMIN to EFLMAX or vice versa requires a lens stroke range S, and wherein a ratio R given by R=(EFLMAX−EFLMIN)/S fulfils R>2. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein R>3. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein R>5. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the configuration to change the ZF continuously includes a configuration to move G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor over a small range larger than 0.1 mm and smaller than 5 mm, and to move G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor over a large range larger than 2 mm and smaller than 15 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the configuration to change the ZF continuously includes a configuration to move G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor over a small range larger than 0.2 mm and smaller than 2.5 mm, and to move G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor over a large range larger than 4 mm and smaller than 10 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the configuration to change the ZF continuously includes a configuration to move G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor over a small range larger than 0.1 mm and smaller than 5 mm, and to move G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor over a large range larger than 2 mm and smaller than 15 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the configuration to change the ZF continuously includes a configuration to move G2 and G4 together relative to the image sensor over a small range larger than 0.2 mm and smaller than 2.5 mm, and to move the G1 and G3 together relative to the image sensor over a large range larger than 4 mm and smaller than 10 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein G1 and G3 are included in a single G13 carrier and G2, and wherein G4 are included in a single G24 carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The camera of claim 8, wherein both the G24 carrier and the G13 carrier include rails for defining a position of the G13 carrier relative to the G24 carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The camera of the claim 8, wherein a maximum stroke range of the G13 carrier is S13, wherein a maximum stroke range of the G24 carrier is S24, and wherein a ratio S24/S13>7.5. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The camera of the claim 8, wherein a maximum stroke range of the G13 carrier is S13, wherein a maximum stroke range of the G24 carrier is S24, and wherein a ratio S24/S13>12.5. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The camera claim 8, wherein the G24 and G13 carriers are movable by, respectively, G24 and G13 actuators. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein one of the G24 actuator or the G13 actuator includes three or more magnets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the lens includes N=10 lens elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein a power sequence of lens groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 is positive-negative-positive-positive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The camera of claim 4, wherein G1 includes two lens elements with a positive-negative power sequence, wherein G2 includes two lens elements with a negative-negative power sequence, wherein G3 includes three lens elements with a positive-positive-positive power sequence, and wherein G4 includes three lens elements with a positive-negative-positive power sequence. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The camera of claim 4, wherein G1 includes two lens elements with a positive-negative power sequence, wherein G2 includes two lens elements with a negative-positive power sequence, wherein G3 includes three lens elements with a positive-negative-positive power sequence, and wherein G4 includes three lens elements with a positive-negative-positive power sequence. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The camera of claim 6, wherein G1 includes two lens elements with a negative-positive power sequence, wherein G2 includes three lens elements with a positive-negative-negative power sequence, wherein G3 includes three lens elements with a positive-negative-negative power sequence, and wherein G4 includes two lens elements with a negative-positive power sequence. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera has a F number F/#, wherein the F/# at ZFMIN is F/#MIN, wherein the F/# at ZFMAX is F/#MAX, and wherein EFLMAX/EFLMIN>F/#MAX/F/#MIN. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The camera of claim 19, wherein EFLMAX/EFLMIN>F/#MAX/F/#MIN+0.5. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of an EFL of G2 |EFLG2| varies less than 10% from a magnitude of an EFL of G3 |EFLG3|, and wherein |EFLG2|, |EFLG3|10×EFLMAX. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The camera of claim 39, wherein G1 and G3 have each at least two lens elements and wherein the first two lens elements in each of G1 and G3 are separated from each other on the lens optical axis by <0.75 mm. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The camera of claim 40, wherein G1 and G3 have each at least two lens elements and wherein the first two lens elements in each of G1 and G3 are separated from each other on the lens optical axis by <0.1×EFLMIN. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The camera of claim 41, wherein first two lens elements in G2 and in G4 are separated from each other at margins of each lens element by <0.1 mm. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The camera of claim 41, wherein first two lens elements in G2 and in G4 are separated from each other at margins of each lens element by <0.01×EFLMIN. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The camera of claim 43, wherein the plurality of lens elements include a first lens element L1, a second lens element L2, a third lens element L3, a fourth lens element L4, a sixth lens element L6, a seventh lens element L7, an eight lens element L8 and a ninth lens element L9, wherein L1 and L2, L3 and L4, and L8 and L9 form respective doublet lenses, and wherein L6 and L7 form an inverted doublet lens. ### Claim 45 (depends on 6) The camera of claim 6, wherein the camera includes an aperture stop, wherein the aperture stop is located at the front surface of the first lens element of G3. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The camera of claim 45, wherein an EFL of G1 (EFLG1) and an EFL of G4 (EFLG4) fulfill EFLG1<0.15×EFLG4, and wherein both EFLG1 and EFLG4 vary by less than 20% from (EFLMAX+EFLMIN)/2. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The camera of claim 46, wherein an EFL of G1 (EFLG1) and an EFL of G4 (EFLG4) fulfill EFLG4>10×EFLMIN. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The camera of claim 47, wherein a maximum distance between lens elements of the moving groups G1 and G3 is smaller than 0.1×EFLMIN. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The camera of claim 48, wherein the plurality of lens elements include a first lens element L1, a second lens element L2, a third lens element L3, a fourth lens element L4, an seventh lens element L7 and an eighth lens element L8, wherein L1 and L2, L3 and L4, form respective inverted doublet lenses, and wherein L7 and L8 form a doublet lens. ### Claim 50 (depends on 4) The camera of claim 4, wherein a difference between distances of the OPFE from the front surface of the first lens element lens measured along an axis parallel to the lens optical axis for all ZFs is marked Δd, and wherein a ratio of Δd and a lens thickness TLens fulfils Δd/TLens<0.25 when Δd<4 mm. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The camera of claim 50, wherein Δd/TLens<0.05 for Δd<1 mm. ### Claim 52 (depends on 1) The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is included in a camera module having a module height HM, wherein the lens has a lens aperture height HA, wherein both HM and HA are measured along an axis parallel to OPT, wherein HM=5 mm−15 mm, wherein HA=3 mm-10 mm, and wherein HM