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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
An exemplary digital camera module (10) includes a lens module (20),
an image sensor (2202) and a rotating structure (30). The lens module
includes a barrel and at least one lens (211) received in the barrel.
The at least one lens defines an optical axis (214). The image sensor
(2202) is arranged to receive light transmitted through the at least
one lens. The rotating structure is attached to the lens module.
The rotating structure includes a driving member (32) configured
for driving the lens module to rotate about a rotating axis (312)
oblique to the optical axis while the lens module is imaging.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A digital camera module comprising: a lens module including a
barrel and at least one lens received in the barrel, the at least
one lens defining an optical axis; an image sensor arranged to receive
light transmitted through the at least one lens; and a rotating
structure attached to the lens module, the rotating structure comprising
a driving member configured for driving the lens module to rotate
about a rotating axis oblique to the optical axis while the lens
module is imaging.
2. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
barrel has an outer barrel and an inner barrel received in the outer
barrel, the lens is received in the inner barrel, and a lens hole
is defined in the outer barrel and along the axis of the outer barrel
thus allowing light to be transmitted therethrough.
3. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 2, wherein an
outer screw thread is formed on an outer periphery of the inner
barrel, an inner screw thread is formed on an inner periphery of
the outer barrel, and the inner screw thread cooperates with the
said outer screw thread.
4. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
inner barrel has a closing board at one end thereof, and an aperture
is defined on the closing board along the axis of the inner barrel.
5. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
aperture has a view angle between 30 and 90 degrees.
6. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
aperture has a 60-degree angle of view.
7. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
image sensor is provided in the lens hole and on the image plane
of the lens module.
8. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
rotating structure further comprises a lens holder, a receiving
hole is defined in one end of the lens holder, and the receiving
hole is configured for receiving the lens module.
9. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
lens module is mounted in the receiving hole, and the optical axis
of the lens module has an oblique angle according to a rotating
axis of the lens holder.
10. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
oblique angle between the optical axis of the lens module and the
rotating axis of the lens holder is 30 degrees.
11. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 8, wherein a
group of transmission teeth are formed on the inner periphery of
the lens holder; the driving member includes a rod and a driving
motor connected with the rod, and the rod is configured for interacting
with the transmission teeth.
12. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
inner barrel, the outer barrel and the lens holder form a single
unit.
13. A digital camera module comprising: a holder rotatable about
a rotation axis; a lens module mounted to the holder and defining
an optical axis, the optical axis being oblique to the rotation
axis; a driving member configured for driving the holder to rotate
about the rotating axis while the lens module is imaging.
14. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 13 further comprising
an image sensor provided on an image plane of the lens module.
15. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
lens module includes a barrel and at least one lens received in
the barrel.
16. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
lens holder defines a receiving hole in one end thereof, and the
receiving hole receives the lens module therein.
17. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
oblique angle between the optical axis of the lens module and the
rotating axis of the lens holder is 30 degrees.
18. The digital camera module as claimed in claim 16, wherein a
group of transmission teeth are formed on the inner periphery of
the lens holder; the driving member includes a rod and a driving
motor connected with the rod, and the rod is configured for interacting
with the transmission teeth.
Digital Camera Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to digital camera
modules, and more particularly to a digital camera module for a
portable electronic device.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0002] Nowadays, digital camera modules are in widespread use in
a variety of portable electronic devices. For example, digital camera
modules are now widely available as a special feature for mobile
phones, and since the mobile phones have become smaller and smaller,
the digital camera modules used in the mobile phones are also becoming
correspondingly smaller and smaller. Nevertheless, besides the small
size of a contemporary digital camera module, consumers also demand
a wider photographing field for excellent imaging which requires
a wide-angle view.
[0003] However, the view angle of a digital camera lens generally
is only sixty degrees, so that the angular range is limited unless
a wide-angle lens is used. However, since the digital camera module
for a mobile phone is required to be small sized to meet the small
volume of the mobile phone, but wide-angle lens modules have relatively
large size, so the common wide-angle lens module can't be used for
a mobile phone.
[0004] Accordingly, what is needed is a digital camera module for
a portable electronic device which supports wide-angle photographing
and is small sized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one embodiment thereof, a digital camera module includes
a lens module, an image sensor and a rotating structure. The lens
module includes a barrel and at least one lens received in the barrel.
The at least one lens defines an optical axis. The image sensor
is arranged to receive light transmitted through the at least one
lens. The rotating structure is attached to the lens module. The
rotating structure includes a driving member configured for driving
the lens module to rotate about a rotating axis oblique to the optical
axis while the lens module is imaging.
[0006] Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent
from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Many aspects of the digital camera module can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present digital camera module. Moreover, in the drawings, like
reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the
several views.
[0008] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a digital camera module in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a partly cross-sectional view of the digital camera
module taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a digital
camera module 10 used in such a portable electronic device as a
mobile phone includes a lens module 20 and a rotating structure
30.
[0011] The lens module 20 includes an inner barrel 21 and an outer
barrel 22. The inner barrel 21 is a hollow cylinder in shape, and
at least one lens 211 is received in it. The at least one lens 211
defines an optical axis 214. The at least one lens 211 and the inner
barrel 21 are coaxial. A closing board 212 is provided at a front
end of the inner barrel 21. An aperture 2121 is formed on the closing
board 212 along the optical axis 214. The view angle of the aperture
2121 is designated by .theta. which is between 30 and 90 degrees.
.theta. is a 60-degree angle in this exemplary embodiment. An outer
screw thread 213 is formed on an outer periphery of the inner barrel
21.
[0012] The outer barrel 22 is a hollow cylinder, and is coaxial
with the inner barrel 21 and the at least one lens 211. A lens hole
220 is defined in the outer barrel 22 and along the optical axis
214 thus allowing light to be transmitted therethrough. An inner
screw thread 2201 is formed on an inner periphery of the outer barrel
22. The inner screw thread 2201 engages with the outer screw thread
213 of the inner barrel 21, thereby axially movably mounting the
inner barrel 21 in the outer barrel 22. An image sensor 2202 is
received in the lens hole 220 of the outer barrel 22 and configured
for receiving light transmitted through the lens 211.
[0013] The rotating structure 30 includes a lens holder 31 and
a driving member 32. The lens holder 31 is a substantially hollow
cylinder, and it defines a rotating axis 312. A receiving hole 310
is defined in one end of the lens holder 31. The receiving hole
310 is configured for receiving the lens module 20 therein. Transmission
teeth 311 are formed on the inner periphery of the other end of
the lens holder 31. The driving member 32 includes a rod 321 and
a driving motor 322 connected with the rod 321. The rod 321 is for
interacting with the transmission teeth 311. When the lens module
20 is mounted in the receiving hole 310, the optical axis 214 has
an oblique angle according to the rotating axis 312 of the lens
holder 31. The oblique angle is designated by .beta. which is a
30-degree angle in the embodiment.
[0014] In assembly, the at least one lens 211 is mounted in the
inner barrel 21. The image sensor 2202 is received in the outer
barrel 22. The inner barrel 21 with the lens 211 is mounted in the
outer barrel 22 by the engagement of the outer screw thread 213
with the inner screw thread 2201, and the image sensor 2202 is located
on the image plane of the lens module 20. After assembly, the lens
module 20 is mounted in the receiving hole 310. The rod 321 of the
driving member 32 fits with the transmission teeth 311 of the lens
holder 31. The driving motor 322 is connected with the rod 321 for
driving the rod 321 to rotate.
[0015] In use, the image sensor 2202 is connected with an image
processor provided in the mobile phone. The driving motor 322 drives
the lens holder 31 together with the lens module 20 to rotate relative
to the axis of the lens holder 31 to any angle. The driving motor
322 rotates the lens holder 31 and the lens module 20 through a
360 degree angle whilst the lens module 20 captures images. The
image processor connected with the image sensor 2202 synthesizes
the captured images to create a wide-angle image. In the embodiment,
the aperture 2121 of the lens module 20 has a 60-degree angle of
view, and the oblique angle between the optical axis 214 and the
rotating axis 312 is 30 degrees, thus giving the synthesized image
a 120-degree angle of view. The digital camera module 10 may thus
perform wide-angle shooting without alteration of the lens module
20.
[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the lens holder 31, the outer
barrel 22 and the inner barrel 21 can be in a single module. In
addition to a mobile phone, the digital camera module 10 can also
be used for portable electronic devices such as personal digital
assistant (PDA), and the like.
[0017] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative
only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of
shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the
invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning
of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
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