# US 2019/0377236 A1 · Liquid lens, liquid lens module including the lens, camera module including the same, and method for controlling the lens

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- Number: US 2019/0377236 A1
- Document ID: US20190377236A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/480,279
- Filed: 2018-01-24
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-24
- Assignees: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hyun Woong Jang; Young Seop Moon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190377236A1

## CPC

- G02B 7/09: adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
- G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
- 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)}
- 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 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors}
- H04N 23/685: {performed by mechanical compensation}
- G02B 3/14: of variable focal length
- G02B 7/021: {for more than one lens}
- G02F 1/294: {Variable focal length devices}
- G02F 2201/121: common or background
- H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

The present invention provides a camera module including a liquid lens, the camera module comprising: a first plate including a cavity in which conductive liquid and non-conductive liquid are arranged; a common electrode disposed on the first plate; an individual electrode disposed below the first plate; a second plate disposed on a first electrode; and a third plate disposed below a second electrode.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-10. (canceled)

### Claim 11

A camera module, comprising:
a liquid lens, the liquid lens comprising:
a first plate comprising a cavity in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed;
a first electrode disposed on the first plate;
a second electrode disposed under the first plate;
a second plate disposed on the first electrode; and
a third plate disposed under the second electrode;
a lens holder accommodating the liquid lens and a solid lens therein;
a sensor substrate on which an image sensor is disposed, the sensor substrate being disposed under the lens holder;
a control unit disposed on the sensor substrate, the control unit controlling a voltage to be applied to the first electrode and the second electrode;
a connection unit configured to electrically connect the first electrode or the second electrode to the sensor substrate; and
a temperature sensor disposed on the connection unit,
wherein the lens holder comprises a recess in which the temperature sensor is disposed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, wherein the liquid lens comprises a lens region, in which the conductive liquid and the non-conductive liquid are disposed, and a rib region surrounding the lens region, and
wherein the temperature sensor is disposed on or under the rib region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, wherein the connection unit comprises:
a first terminal part connected to the liquid lens; and
a second terminal part connected to the sensor substrate,
wherein the second terminal part comprises a voltage supply terminal configured to be electrically connected to the liquid lens and a first sensor terminal configured to be electrically connected to the temperature sensor, and
wherein the sensor substrate comprises a second sensor terminal connected to the voltage supply terminal and a third sensor terminal connected to the temperature sensor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The camera module according to claim 12, wherein the second electrode includes a plurality of individual electrodes, and
wherein the connection unit comprises:
a first flexible printed circuit board transmitting a voltage to each of the individual electrodes; and
a second flexible printed circuit board connecting the first electrode to a ground voltage, and
wherein the first flexible printed circuit board and the second flexible printed circuit board are located at opposite sides of the lens region.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The camera module according to claim 14, wherein the connection unit transmits to the control unit a change in temperature of the liquid lens output from the temperature sensor, and transmits to the temperature sensor a driving voltage for driving the temperature sensor and an activation signal for activating the temperature sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, wherein the temperature sensor outputs a change in temperature of the liquid lens in a form of a 12-bit digital signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode includes a plurality of individual electrodes, and
wherein the control unit determines different driving voltages for respective ones of the individual electrodes in order to perform a compensation operation for optical image stabilization (OIS).

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, further comprising:
a gyro sensor configured to sense movement of the camera module and to output a sensing signal corresponding to the movement,
wherein the control circuit determines a level of a voltage applied to the first and second electrodes in response to the sensing signal and a change in temperature of the liquid lens.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The camera module according to claim 11, further comprising:
a storage unit configured to store variation in diopter corresponding to a change in temperature of the liquid lens,
wherein the control unit recognizes the variation in diopter corresponding to a change in temperature of the liquid lens from data stored in the storage unit.

### Claim 20

A method of controlling a liquid lens included in a camera module, the liquid lens comprising a common electrode and four individual electrodes to adjust an interface formed by two liquids, the method comprising:
sensing a change in temperature of the liquid lens;
determining variation in diopter corresponding to the change in temperature; and
adjusting voltages to be supplied to the four individual electrodes in response to the variation in diopter.

### Claim 21

A camera module, comprising:
a liquid lens, the liquid lens comprising:
a first plate including a cavity in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed;
a common electrode disposed on the first plate;
a plurality of individual electrodes disposed under the first plate;
a second plate disposed on the common electrode; and
a third plate disposed under the individual electrodes;
a lens holder accommodating the liquid lens and a solid lens therein;
a sensor substrate on which an image sensor is disposed, the sensor substrate being disposed under the lens holder;
a control unit disposed on the sensor substrate and controlling voltages to be applied to the common electrode and the individual electrodes; and
a connection unit configured to electrically connect the individual electrodes or the common electrode to the sensor substrate,
wherein the control unit senses a change in resistance of the common electrode of the liquid lens to control driving voltages to be supplied between the common electrode and the individual electrodes.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The camera module according to claim 21, wherein the connection unit includes at least two terminals configured to be electrically connected to the common electrode,
wherein one of the at least two terminals includes a plurality of contact regions with the common electrode, and the other terminal includes at least one contact region with the common electrode, and
wherein a change in the resistance of the common electrode is sensed through the at least two terminals.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The camera module according to claim 21, wherein the control unit reduces the driving voltage when a temperature of the liquid lens increases from room temperature to a specific temperature.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The camera module according to claim 22, wherein the control unit measures the change in the resistance of the common electrode to sense the change in the resistance of the common electrode, in the state in which the driving voltage is prevented from being applied to the common electrode.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The camera module according to claim 23, wherein the change in resistance is in the range of greater than 0 and less than 10 microohms (μΩ) or greater than 0 and less than 10 milliohms (mΩ), and
wherein a voltage for sensing the change in resistance has a level of 3 to 5 V or less.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The camera module according to claim 22, wherein one terminal includes three contact regions with the common electrode, and the other terminal includes a single contact region with the common electrode.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The camera module according to claim 22, wherein the common electrode includes a slit pattern, which is disposed adjacent to the single contact region of the other terminal, and
wherein the slit pattern is disposed adjacent to one of the multiple contact regions of the one terminal.

### Claim 28

A liquid lens module, comprising:
a liquid lens including a common electrode and a plurality of individual electrodes;
a first terminal forming a plurality of contact regions with the common electrode; and
a second terminal forming a single contact region with the common electrode,
wherein the common electrode includes a slit pattern, which is disposed adjacent to the single contact region, which contacts the second terminal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The liquid lens module according to claim 28, wherein the common electrode includes a slit (groove) pattern, which is disposed adjacent to two of the multiple contact regions.

### Claim 30

A camera module, comprising:
a liquid lens, the liquid lens comprising:
a first plate comprising a cavity in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed;
a first electrode disposed on the first plate;
a second electrode disposed under the first plate;
a second plate disposed on the first electrode; and
a third plate disposed under the second electrode;
a lens holder accommodating the liquid lens and a solid lens therein;
a sensor substrate on which an image sensor is disposed, the sensor substrate being disposed under the lens holder;
a control unit disposed on the sensor substrate, the control unit controlling a voltage to be applied to the first electrode and the second electrode;
a connection unit configured to electrically connect the first electrode or the second electrode to the sensor substrate; and
a temperature sensor disposed on the liquid lens,
wherein the liquid lens comprises a lens region, in which the conductive liquid and the non-conductive liquid are disposed, and a rib region surrounding the lens region, and
wherein the temperature sensor is disposed on the rib region.