Fixture for aligning auto-focus lens assembly to camera sensor
AssigneeAutomation Engineering, Inc.
InventorDan Tamasanis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus actively align a lens to a digital camera sensor. The lens includes a “floating” optical element. One or more test probes are temporarily electrically connected to electrical contacts, such as traces on a flexible printed circuit, of the lens. Motor control signals are injected via the test probes and the electrical contacts, so as to move the floating optical element to a predetermined position and maintain that position during the active alignment process.
Claims22
A method for aligning a lens to a digital camera sensor, the lens comprising a housing, a floating optical element disposed within the housing, a plurality of electrical contact points and a motor disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points and configured to move the floating optical element with respect to the housing in response to a signal on the at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points, the method comprising automatically:
- gripping the housing with a robotic jaw;
- robotically touching at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points with a test probe, thereby making a temporary electrical connection between the test probe and the at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points;
- generating a control signal configured to drive the motor, such that the motor moves the floating optical element to a predetermined position;
- supplying the control signal to the test probe;
- using the robotic jaw, scanning the housing along a trajectory, relative to a camera sensor;
- receiving image signals from the camera sensor;
- generating a plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items from the image signals, each alignment data item of the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items being indicative of a degree of alignment between the lens and the camera sensor;
- estimating an alignment position, based on the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items;
- causing the robotic jaw to move the housing to the alignment position;
- and
- fixing the housing in place, relative to the camera sensor.
A robot for aligning a lens to a digital camera sensor, the lens comprising a housing, a floating optical element disposed within the housing, a plurality of electrical contact points and a motor disposed within the housing, electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points and configured to move the floating optical element with respect to the housing in response to a signal on the at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points, the robot comprising:
- a robotic jaw configured to grip the housing;
- a test probe configured to robotically touch at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points, thereby making a temporary electrical connection between the test probe and the at least one of the plurality of electrical contact points;
- a processor configured to:
- generate a control signal configured to drive the motor, such that the motor moves the floating optical element to a predetermined position;
- supply the control signal to the test probe;
- use the robotic jaw to scan the housing along a trajectory, relative to the camera sensor;
- receive image signals from the camera sensor;
- generate a plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items from the image signals, each alignment data item of the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items being indicative of a degree of alignment between the lens and the camera sensor;
- estimate an alignment position, based on the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items;
- cause the robotic jaw to move the housing to the alignment position;
- and
- fix the housing in place, relative to the camera sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.