System and method for continuous auto focus within camera module
AssigneeOmniVision Technologies, Inc.
InventorChih-Hao Teng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A continuous autofocus system includes an image generation portion including a lens, an autofocus voice coil motor for translating the lens with respect to an image sensor capable of generating image data. The autofocus system further includes a driver IC for controlling the autofocus voice coil motor based on the image data, wherein the image data is directly transmitted to the driver IC thereby continuously maintaining a focused image generated by the image generation portion.
Claims10
A continuous autofocus system for generating an image, comprising:
- an image generation portion having a lens,
- an autofocus voice coil motor, and
- an image sensor for generating contrast image data of an image;
- and,
- a driver integrated circuit (IC) for controlling the autofocus voice coil motor, thereby translating the lens with respect to the image sensor;
- wherein the driver IC directly receives the contrast image data such that the driver IC continuously maintains the focus of the image,
- wherein the contrast image data is generated by the image sensor as a digital signal;
- the driver IC having a digital-to-analog converter for converting the digital contrast image data to analog contrast image data represented as a voltage potential.
A method for continuous autofocus when generating an image, the method comprising:
- generating, via an image sensor, contrast image data of an image;
- transmitting the contrast image data directly to a driver IC circuit;
- generating, within the driver IC circuit, a control signal based on the contrast image data;
- and,
- translating a lens based on the control signal to alter the focus of the image;
- wherein the step of generating a control signal comprises:
- converting the digital contrast image data signal into an analog contrast image data signal such that contrast of the image is represented by an analog voltage potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.