System for reducing lens vibration
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsJingqiang Li, Young Lee, Dennis C. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein is a system for reducing vibration of a lens. One way to reduce vibration is through a programmable processor configured to divide a lens movement requirement into smaller lens movements and then insert a wait time after completing the smaller lens movements. The smaller lens movements can be repeated for subsequent smaller lens movements until all the remaining smaller lens movements have been completed. The system may include an actuator configured to move the lens; and wherein the lens movements are completed within a processing time of one image frame.
Claims20
An image capture device, comprising:
- an auto-focus (AF) unit configured to iterate an AF process to determine a lens position;
- wherein the AF unit is configured to divide a lens movement needed for the determined lens position into N smaller lens movements, N being set based on a frame rate and timing control of the image capture device;
- and
- a controller configured to move a lens in accordance with the determined lens position using a voice coil motor, the voice coil motor including springs which impart vibration to the lens during lens movement, and wherein the controller is configured to actively dampen vibration imparted by the springs to the lens during lens movement to the determined lens position.
An apparatus for reducing lens vibration in an image capture device, comprising:
- means for dividing a lens movement requirement into N smaller lens movements,
- means for moving the lens in a first of the N smaller lens movements,
- means for inserting a wait time after completing the first of the N smaller lens movements, and
- means for repeating the moving and inserting for subsequent smaller lens movements until the remaining N smaller lens movements have been completed,
- wherein the moving, inserting and repeating are completed within a processing time of one image frame.
An apparatus for reducing lens vibration in an image capture device, comprising:
- a programmable processor configured to divide a lens movement requirement into N smaller lens movements, to insert a wait time after completing the first of the N smaller lens movements, and to repeat the moving and inserting for subsequent smaller lens movements until the remaining N smaller lens movements have been completed;
- an actuator configured to move the lens;
- and
- wherein the moving, inserting and repeating are completed within a processing time of one image frame.
An image capture device, comprising:
- an auto-focus (AF) unit configured to iterate an AF process to determine a lens position, wherein the AF unit is configured to divide a lens movement to the determined lens position into N smaller lens movements and to insert a wait time between each smaller lens movement, N being set based on a frame rate and timing control of the image capture device, and wherein the wait time between each smaller lens movement is variable;
- and
- a controller configured to move a lens in accordance with the determined lens position using a voice coil motor, the voice coil motor including springs which impart vibration to the lens during lens movement, and wherein the controller is configured to actively dampen vibration imparted by the springs to the lens during lens movement to the determined lens position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.