# US 12,111,561 B2 · Pop-out zoom camera

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- Number: US 12,111,561 B2
- Document ID: US12111561B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/607,844
- Filed: 2024-03-18
- Published: 2024-07-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-18
- Assignees: Corephotonics Ltd.
- Applicants: Corephotonics Ltd.
- Inventors: Gal Shabtay; Ephraim Goldenberg; Itay Yedid; Roy Rudnick; Michael Dror; Michael Scherer; Ziv Shemesh; Nadav Goulinski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111561B2

## CPC

- G03B 17/04: collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type
- G02B 9/60: having five components only
- G02B 9/62: having six components only
- G02B 9/64: having more than six components
- 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 13/24: for reproducing or copying at short object distances
- G02B 15/14: by axial movement of one or more lenses or groups of lenses relative to the image plane for continuously varying the equivalent focal length of the objective
- G02B 15/142: {having two groups only}
- G03B 5/02: Lateral adjustment of lens
- G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems
- 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 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position}
- G02B 13/0045: {having five or more lenses}
- G03B 2205/0046: Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
- 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)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Cameras with OIS capable of performing multi zoom super macro photography and handheld electronic devices comprising such cameras. A camera may include a lens comprising N lens elements L1-LN divided into two or more lens groups arranged along a lens optical axis starting with L1 on an object side and ending with LN on an image side, adjacent lens groups separated by a respective air-gap d1 along the lens optical axis; an image sensor with a sensor diagonal SD between 7 and 20 mm separated from lens element LN by an air-gap d2 along the lens optical axis; and an actuator for controlling air-gaps d1 and d2 to switch the camera between M≥1 operative pop-out states and a collapsed state and to focus the camera on an object at an object-lens distance of less than 30 cm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A camera, comprising:
a lens comprising N lens elements L1-LN arranged along a lens optical axis starting with L1 on an object side and ending with LN on an image side, wherein N≥5, wherein the lens elements are divided into two or more lens groups, and wherein two adjacent lens groups are separated by a respective air-gap d1 along the lens optical axis;
an image sensor separated from lens element LN by an air-gap d2 along the lens optical axis; and
an actuator operative to control the air-gaps d1 and d2 to switch the camera between M≥1 operative pop-out states and a collapsed state, wherein in each operative pop-out state m∈{1, 2, . . . M} the lens has a respective effective focal length EFLm and a total track length TTLm, wherein in the collapsed state the lens has a collapsed total track length c-TTL, wherein a minimal effective focal length EFLmin of the M effective focal lengths EFLm is equal to or greater than 6 mm, wherein a maximal effective focal length EFLmax of the M effective focal lengths EFLm is equal to or smaller than 27 mm, wherein the camera has a f number (f/#)<4, and wherein c-TTL<0.8·EFLmin.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is operational to focus to on an object at an object-lens distance of less than 30 cm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein c-TTL<0.75·EFLmin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein c-TTL<0.7·EFLmin.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein c-TTL<0.65·EFLmin.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein f/#<3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein f/#≤2.5.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein f/#≤2.25.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera has a maximal total track length TTLmax and wherein c-TTL/TTLmax≤0.7.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The camera of claim 9, wherein c-TTL/TTLmax≤0.6.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the image sensor has a sensor diagonal SD between 5 and 20 mm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the image sensor has a sensor diagonal Sp between 6 and 15 mm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein EFLm is in the range 8-16 mm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein EFLm is in the range 12-15 mm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein TTLm is in the range 5-24 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein TTLm is in the range 7.8-20.9 mm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein TTLm is in the range 10-13 mm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the c-TTL in the range 3.6 mm-12.6 mm.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the c-TTL in the range 6.5 mm-10 mm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein TTLm/EFLm.<1.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein N=5.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein N=6.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein N=7.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein N=8.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to switch between the M≥1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state by collapsing air-gap d1.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to switch between the M≥1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state by collapsing air-gap d2.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to switch between the M≥1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state by collapsing both air-gap d1 and air-gap d2.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the lens elements are divided into three lens groups, wherein air-gap d1 is between two adjacent lens groups closest to object side, wherein air-gap d3 is between two adjacent lens groups closest to the image side, and wherein the camera is configured to switch between the M≥1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state by collapsing both air-gap d1 and air-gap d3.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the lens elements are divided into three lens groups, wherein air-gap d1 is between two adjacent lens groups closest to an object side, wherein air-gap d3 is between two adjacent lens groups closest to the image side, and wherein the camera switches between the M≤1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state by collapsing air-gap d1, air-gap d2 and air-gap d3.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the switching from the operative state to the collapsed state is performed by a window frame pressing on an optics module.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a plurality of springs and a guiding and positioning mechanism, wherein the guiding and positioning mechanism enables sufficient z-decenter and xy-decenter accuracy between lens elements in the M≥1 operative pop-out states and repeatability in switching between the M≥1 operative pop-out states and the collapsed state, and wherein the sufficient decenter accuracy is less than 0.1 mm decenter and the repeatability is less than 0.05 mm decenter.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the actuator is further operative to focus the camera to an object at an object-lens distance of equal or less than 100 cm in a first operative pop-out state, and to focus the camera to an object-lens distance of less than 30 cm is in a second operative pop-out state different from the first operative pop-out state.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a guiding and positioning mechanism based on a kinematic coupling mechanism.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

A camera system comprising the camera of claim 1 together with a second camera that includes a second lens having at least one second lens air-gap and O≥1 second camera operative pop-out states, wherein the actuator also is further operative to control the at least one second lens air-gap for simultaneously switching the camera of claim 1 and the second camera between the O≥1 second camera operative pop-out states and the second camera collapsed state.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The camera system of claim 34, wherein in the second camera collapsed state the second lens has a collapsed total track length c-TTL2 and wherein cTTL2=cTTL±20%.

### Claim 36 (depends on 1)

The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera is included in a handheld electronic device.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The camera of claim 36, wherein the handheld electronic device is a smartphone.