TWI407173B - Array camera module - Google Patents

Abstract

An array camera module includes an image sensor, a lens module and a light-through device that is stacked in turn, and a signal processor electronically connected with the image sensor. The image sensor includes a base and a sensing area provided in the centre of the base. The lens module and the light-through device are faced the sensing area. The lens module includes a plurality of lenses and a container of the lenses. The lenses are contained in the container in array. A plurality of transparent light-enter portions are provided in the light-through device. The area of the container and the light-through device are same in the main. The distribution of the plural lenses and the light-enter portions are same and faced to each other. The signal processor is used to process an image from the image sensor. The array camera module is thin.

Description

Array camera module

The present invention relates to a camera module, and more particularly to an array camera module having a smaller thickness.

With the development of multimedia technology, digital cameras and cameras are becoming more and more popular among consumers. With the increasing popularity of digital cameras and cameras, consumers are increasingly pursuing miniaturization of digital cameras and cameras. Digital cameras have become a trend.

At the same time, people also hope to realize the function of capturing the image of the object on the mobile phone and obtain a clear picture. Since the portable electronic device such as the mobile phone is light, thin, and portable, it needs to be designed and manufactured to be conveniently installed in the mobile phone. Digital camera module. Due to the small size of the mobile phone, the volume of the digital camera module installed therein is higher, that is, the size of the digital camera module for such a mobile phone needs to be smaller and thinner.

However, since the conventional lens module adopts a multi-lens superimposed arrangement, it usually takes a large height and space, and only by reducing the volume of the camera, the camera or the portable electronic device itself, the user's thickness of the device cannot be fully satisfied. demand. Therefore, reducing the thickness of the lens module becomes a necessity.

In view of this, it is necessary to provide an array camera module having a small thickness.

An array camera module includes an image sensing device, a lens group and a light-passing device, and a signal processing module electrically connected to the image sensing device; wherein the image sensing device is Having a pedestal and a sensing area at the center of the pedestal, the lens group and the light-passing device are disposed corresponding to the sensing area, the lens group includes a plurality of lenses and a carrying device for holding and carrying the plurality of lenses, the plurality of lenses Arranging in an array according to a certain pattern on the carrying device; the transparent device is provided with a plurality of transparent light-incident portions arranged in an array; the area of the carrying device and the light-passing device are substantially equal, and the layouts of the plurality of lenses and the light-incident portion are the same and respectively Correspondingly, the signal processing module processes the image from the image sensing device.

Compared with the prior art, the array camera module significantly reduces the thickness of the camera module by arranging the lenses in an array.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the array camera module 100 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an image sensing device 10 , a spacer device 12 , a lens group 14 , and a pass stacking from bottom to top. The optical device 16 and the signal processing module electrically connected to the image sensing device 10 .

The image sensing device 10 is a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and includes a susceptor 102 and a sensing region 104 at the center of the susceptor 102.

The spacer device 12 is formed by a thin plate having the same or substantially the same shape and size as the sensing region 104, and is provided with a plurality of light-passing holes 120 distributed in an array, and the plurality of light-passing holes 120 are through holes. . In order to prevent the connection between the adjacent light-passing holes 120 from affecting the optical performance of the array camera module 100, the opening of one of the plurality of light-passing holes 120 is large, so that the longitudinal section of the light-passing hole 120 is trapezoidal. The distance from the larger end of the adjacent aperture 120 is almost zero.

The lens assembly 14 includes a plurality of lenses 140 and a carrier 142 for holding and carrying the plurality of lenses 140. The lens 140 is a spherical or aspherical optical lens; the carrying device 142 is a thin plate, and a plurality of receiving holes (not labeled) are disposed on the plurality of receiving holes, and the plurality of receiving holes are distributed in an array on the carrying device 142 according to a certain rule. And the through holes are matched with the size of the lens 140; the receiving holes are used for accommodating and holding the lens 140. When the lens 140 is placed in the receiving hole, the optical performance of the lens 140 is not affected.

The light-passing device 16 is formed by processing a thin plate, and a plurality of light-introducing portions 160 are arranged in an array, and the plurality of light-incident portions 160 are a horn-shaped circular hole having an opening diameter corresponding to the diameter of the optical portion of the lens 140. The opening at the other end is slightly larger in diameter. The plurality of light entering portions 160 may also be made of a transparent material through which external light can enter the camera lens.

The area of the light-passing hole 120, the receiving hole, and the light-receiving portion 160 are the same, and the area of the light-passing hole 120 is slightly larger than the area of the light-passing hole 120. The area of the light portion 160 is such that more light enters. When the light-passing device 16, the lens group 14 and the spacer device 12 are stacked, the opening portion of the light-incident portion 16 of the light-passing device 16 is larger and the side of the light-passing hole 120 is larger. The light-passing hole 120, the lens 140 and the light-receiving portion 160 fixed to the receiving hole respectively correspond to each other, and the light-passing device 16 and the spacing device 12 are directly placed on the sensing region 104 of the image sensing device 10, thereby entering from the outside. Light can be incident on the image sensing device 10 through the lens 140. The image sensing device 10 sends the image from the complex lens 140 to the signal processing module, and then the signal processing module processes and combines the image to form a complete image.

In addition, the respective light-introducing portions 160 and the lens 140 may correspond to the light-passing holes 120 with a slight offset to cover different fields of view. The spacer device 12, the carrier device 142 and the light-passing device 16 can all be made of a plastic material, and the three can be assembled by epoxy bonding. The lens 140 can be integrally formed with the carrying device 142, so that the receiving hole on the carrying device 142 can be omitted. It can be understood that the spacing device 12 can be omitted, the thickness of the carrying device 142 is greater than the thickness of the lens 140, and the lens group 14 directly corresponds to the sensing region 104.

The array camera module 100 significantly reduces the thickness of the camera module by arranging the lenses 140 in an array compared to a multilayer lens structure in a conventional camera lens.

In summary, the present invention complies with the requirements of the invention patent and submits a patent application according to law. However, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art will be able to make equivalent modifications or variations in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. It should be covered by the following patent application.

Array camera module. . . 100

Image sensing device. . . 10

Pedestal. . . 102

Sensing area. . . 104

Spacer. . . 12

Light hole. . . 120

Lens group. . . 14

lens. . . 140

Carrying device. . . 142

Light-passing device. . . 16

Into the light department. . . 160

1 is a schematic view showing the assembly of an array camera module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an exploded perspective view of an array camera module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Array camera module. . . 100

Image sensing device. . . 10

Spacer. . . 12

Lens group. . . 14

lens. . . 140

Light-passing device. . . 16

Claims (10)

An array camera module includes an image sensing device, a lens group and a light-passing device, and a signal processing module electrically connected to the image sensing device; wherein the image sensing device is Having a pedestal and a sensing area at the center of the pedestal, the lens group and the light-passing device are disposed corresponding to the sensing area, the lens group includes a plurality of lenses and a carrying device for holding and carrying the plurality of lenses, the improvement is The plurality of lenses are arranged in an array on the carrier device according to a certain regularity; the transparent device has a plurality of transparent light-incident portions distributed in an array; the area of the carrier device and the light-passing device are substantially equal, and the plurality of lenses and the light-receiving portion are The signals are the same and correspond to each other, and the signal processing module processes the image from the image sensing device. The array camera module of claim 1, wherein the array camera module further comprises a spacing device disposed between the image sensing device and the lens group, the spacing device, the carrying device and the light passing device The area is substantially equal, and the spacer device is provided with a plurality of light-passing holes distributed in an array, and the plurality of light-passing holes, the receiving holes and the light-introducing portions have the same distribution and respectively correspond to each other. The array camera module of claim 2, wherein the spacer device has a shape and a size substantially the same as the sensing area. The array camera module of claim 2, wherein the opening of one of the plurality of light-passing holes is large, the longitudinal section of the light-passing hole is trapezoidal, and the distance between the larger end of the adjacent light-passing hole is almost zero. The array camera module of any one of claims 2, 3, and 4, wherein the respective light-introducing portions and the lens are slightly offset to correspond to the light-passing holes. The array camera module of claim 1, wherein the image sensing device is a CMOS image sensor or a CCD image sensor. The array camera module of claim 6, wherein the carrier device has a plurality of receiving holes for receiving and holding the lens. The array camera module of claim 6, wherein the lens is integrally formed with the carrying device. The array camera module of claim 7 or 8, wherein the light entrance portion is a flared circular hole having an opening diameter corresponding to the diameter of the optical portion of the lens and a diameter slightly larger at the other end. The array camera module of claim 7 or 8, wherein the plurality of light entrance portions are made of a transparent material, and external light can enter through the light entrance portion.